Six pm in the evening my flight landed at Bhubaneswar Airport. A strange feeling gripped me. The thought that I had in my mind was that my world had already begun to change as within a matter of four hours I was in a part of the country which I had never seen or experienced before.

The moment I reached IMI Bhubaneswar, I was spellbound to see the lush green campus. It brought a big smile on my face because the environment was so serene and calm, with cool breeze blowing throughout the day which could take away all the tension from one’s mind. Seldom do you get to feel the wind in your hair in Lucknow, my home town. This made me even more exhilarated.

My parents had accompanied me and they had to leave after two days. Post dinner I went to see the room in the hostel that was allotted to me. Seeing the room made me realize that it was going to be a completely new and a different experience for me as this was the first time I was going to live away from my family. Next day I visited the market to make all the necessary purchases which was quite a task because of the language barrier. Successfully explaining the shopkeepers what I wanted gave me a sense of achievement.

In the evening I met few of my batch mates. Everyone came from different parts of the country and each one of them was unique in his own way. Observing their dialect and speaking style was very interesting. I tried to learn one or two new words and discovered that I was pretty good at it. Initially there were some apprehensions in my mind regarding the place and the people I would meet but soon my mind was clear from all the apprehensions. The people I met here were cordial as well as jovial who made me feel comfortable. Within a week all of us developed a good rapport with each other.

Two days had passed. I had arranged all my things in my room and it was time for my parents to leave. Deep down I was very emotional and I knew even they were. We stayed strong in front of each other and with a smile on my face I hugged them and headed towards the academic block to attend the first orientation class.

The orientation week was an enriching experience as the students were introduced to the eminent and knowledgeable faculty members who provided us important insights into our subjects. The guest lectures were of utmost importance because they provided essential knowledge about the corporate world to us.

With an introduction to our seniors and the information about the committees which the students were supposed to join, the first week at IMI Bhubaneswar came to an end which left all the students looking forward to the weekend to rejuvenate themselves after a hectic yet an enthralling week.