Sitting in the shade of Chhota Canteen, it’s hard to believe that I have spent two terms at MICA. It feels like yesterday that I first set foot here for my interview, not knowing if I had any future here. And from that moment, these red brick walls, inspiring classrooms, the unconventional auditorium and the green campus carved a space in my heart. But beyond what is visible, MICA has an inherent magic that you only get to see once you are a part of it. 

Coming back as a student, you immediately get pulled into this tornado of people, classes, events and activities. Life here is buzzing round the clock and sleep soon becomes overrated. In fact, the catchword for any MICAn student is FOMO- the fear of missing out on whatever the new awesome on campus is. And there’s plenty! 

In the first term, we had the excitement of settling into our new lives. But while we were learning our ways around we were also making videos flying paper planes and listening to the Beatles. And all of this was actually part of coursework! Amidst lectures & assignments like any other B-School, there is music, dance and celebrations that all combine to make sure that there is not one  moment where you can exclaim “I have nothing to do!” Whether it is trying to source a Mridangam for a performance or getting drama costumes ready or drawing up basic lesson plans to help the less privileged, at MICA you are sure to always be on your toes. 

Midnights are never quiet – there’s a Halloween event at the open-air theatre or a fairy lit unplugged jamming session taking place in the hostel courtyards. Of course, there’s studying happening at the venerable KEIC library too. But it’s all about seeking out the balance and MICAns are experts at that!

All this activity needs good food and we have the Mess and the Chhota Canteen. Mess menu mails are the most looked forward to on Monday mornings! And if you don’t know the people at Chhota, you’re missing out on a lot (because they have some secret recipes that aren’t in the menu!).  If you feel like working off those calories, it’s time to put on your running shoes and head to the gym or the baddie court. Badminton is an all-day, all-night long activity and the court is never empty. But fear not, if there’s no place for you there, there’s enough space at the footy, tennis or basketball courts!

Assignments will keep you up, industry professionals will show up to open your eyes to new avenues and ideas and professors will continue to teach you all about the world of management and marketing which will be your future. But none of this is like normal classroom hours spent watching the hands of clock move. Commercials and TEDTalks, videos and music, their construction, deconstruction and the layers of meaning hidden in them- all become part of your academics. It’s a treat when Aamir Khan’s Coca-Cola ads are integral to your understanding of Consumer Behaviour!

All said and done, MICA is not the place for those who are lazy. Seriously. It’s hard to believe that come January, the last leg of my first year here is set to begin, when it feels like only yesterday that I was setting up my life here. But I know that the next year is going to just as fun and filled with activities that push me to achieve my full potential.

Read more about MICA here.