While a typical B-school admit would proceed to quit his or her job and travel the world prior to school, at INSEAD we were not content with just that. We proceeded to connect on Facebook, get to know each other and undertake projects, which we worked on from different parts of the world. Some of these include:
Virtual database of information: Students have been uploading and providing advice on information relevant to other students, whether specific to particular careers, sectors or just related to the French/Singapore visa process. We have already collaborated on and created DILO (day in the life of) series for various fields by students from those respective fields. This information is being managed on an online storage platform by classmates and contributed to by everyone. Sub-groups on Facebook have been created to facilitate knowledge sharing with respect to specific fields (entrepreneurship, private equity, etc).
Video showcasing our diversity: INSEAD is known for its videos, but these are usually made by students after coming here. We decided to work on a video prior to getting on campus. It started with creation of a Facebook event, discussions on various themes and storylines, voting on storylines and songs and we finally had the democratically agreed upon instructions for submission. To encourage maximum participation we created a brief trailer, shown on Open Days on both campuses, in which we had the admissions committee and the Deputy Dean requesting participation from everyone. Our aim was to cover 5 continents. By last week of December, we had more than 40 submissions and a last minute submission from Australia! After overnight editing on campus (yes, late nights even before school started!) we had the final video, shown during orientation week! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZNzBH_l-vw
While these pre-school events have definitely made us familiar with each other, everyday on campus amazes me with the creativity that this diverse group of people inspire. At INSEAD, this creativity is further fostered by assigning us study groups with people from different professional backgrounds and nationalities. Bringing very different skill-sets and perspectives to the table, case discussions within your study group end up teaching you as much as the teachings in class. As an INSEAD professor stated, your biggest learning at the end of the year will come from your peers; I couldn’t agree anymore. Surrounded by such amazing people, by the end of first week of school my blackberry status is I <3 INSEAD!