Reflection on the MBA experience in COVID

In February 2020, we were hearing stories about the virus in China and how it may force a global lockdown and impact the everyday operation. It was surprising to even think the world would shut down for a couple of days. We were caught off guard when the lockdown came into effect; many friends who planned a spring break trip cut their vacation and returned to New Haven. I was looking for an internship and the future looked bleak. Classes were switched to Zoom with both professors and students struggling to adjust to the new framework. I remember one class “Innovator” which was designed for in-person classes really lacked innovation.

Our grade system was changed to Credit/Fail. In SOM, I know of very few people (except silver scholars) who are worried about grades but even for grade lovers the classes didn’t mean anything. Luckily, I got an internship that converted to a full-time position (my internship was fully virtual), and the experience in the new hybrid model that Yale SOM adopted is better than the last spring quarter experience. I talked to a few first-year students who are attending the coursework from both outside the US (in a completely virtual setting) and in New Haven (in a hybrid model). I don’t find a sense of major missing in them. My hypothesis is that as they have never seen a full in-person MBA experience, it’s hard for them to understand what they are missing.

At the time of writing this note, I am planning to leave for India to attend the rest of the fall semester from there. I will return in late Jan to complete some visa requirements (OPT). Hoping the vaccine will be available soon. I also hope that we will have our graduation ceremony in which I can invite my parents.