Return to Classroom

After years and decades of working in the corporate sphere, interacting with 1000’s of corporate stakeholders, millions of miles on business travel, I decided to replace my desk-drawer cabin with a desk-no-drawer classroom. So, as the ‘old replaced the new’ in 2025, I started anew and afresh — being a student all over again. Indeed, there were those butterflies fluttering in my tummy as I stepped into the classroom after almost three decades. But it all settled down well as I sat through the classes. Even though I was a good three decades older than my youngest classmate, it did not matter much as we were all students.

The first day was the same eagerness with which I went to a new class every year as a student. There was a newness around. A new environment, a fresh and eager mind, new friends, new teachers, a new bag, a new notebook and I even had a new laptop.  Maybe the experience told me not to sit in front of the class, not at the back, and to settle in some place in the middle. When the Professor arrived, we all stood up together and greeted. I had a feeling that I was re-inventing myself.

Coming out of a high-profile career in the corporate world to pursue studies was not a spontaneous decision; it was a well-thought-out and executed process for almost 8 years. This was the day I had planned for so many years, and it has become a reality. While there was the happiness that I was starting something that I wanted, there was also the anxiousness about doing well.  I am back in the classroom, so I will have assignments, presentations, quizzes and exams. Looking around the class, I could see them smiling at me when I introduced myself. Whatever the thoughts behind that smile, I was getting a feeling of inclusion. I am one of them, and there is no hierarchy among us.

By evening, back at the hostel, it was as if I had time-travelled into the past — in Doc Brown’s car. I was allocated a room on the second floor, and as I settled in, the electricity went off. That was when I realized that nothing much has changed in 3 decades. The howling and yelling that followed was unchanged from what it was 30 years back! When the lights were back, I picked my water bottle to get it filled from the filter installed on the corridor. I was something out of the ordinary for others and there were those curious glances. In the hostel, the only thing that has changed is my routine. I now go to sleep early and get up early.  The evenings and mornings went in preparation for the next class and assignments. It was pleasantly hectic, with the feeling that I was doing this for myself.

Every break we had, we used to go to the nearby cafeteria and gather around. The bonding with my classmates that happened was nothing short of genuine. The discussions had no age obstacle, and I was at my youngest best.  At lunch and dinner, calls happened to decide which place we wanted to go today. The long walks through the campus in groups and the loud discussions as you walk revived my senses. The group assignments brought back memories of group studies during my 12th standard.

As I kept attending classes, I realized that I had to unlearn a lot. To be precise, I was reminded by my professors that I need to adapt to this new paradigm. I was carrying the heavy burden of a corporate mindset into the classroom. The academic environment focuses on knowledge acquisition, research, and intellectual exploration. In contrast, in a corporate environment, I was focused on the practical application of knowledge, problem-solving, and, of course, achieving business goals. I have to reorient myself. It is not about forgetting my corporate mindset, but it is about prioritizing the academic mindset.

Brushing up my statistics and dwelling deeper was an effort. What I did in the calculator 3 decades back is all done by statistics software.  The focus is more on interpreting the results. The pace is much briskier than in the past, and I was feeling a bit rustic. But thanks to my new-gen classmates, who helped me to improve my senses and adjust to the pace. The Philosophy class was something very different.  It had layers over layers; the more you peel the layers; you discover more layers. The discoveries humans have made, on the one side, looks significant and, on the other hand, felt so insignificant. I thoroughly enjoyed my assignments, which helped me to better understand Wittgenstein and Carl Popper and even explore the history around the evolution of critical theory. The study of Research Methodologies was focused on getting me into a research mindset. Although you go through all theory, the most crucial part is getting yourself oriented towards research. This is a long-term commitment and very elaborate.  There cannot be a better immersion for me to get started with. A good start is always important, and it is up to me now to keep up the momentum.

I was getting excited when I was being appreciated while giving a presentation. I am astonished that my learning pace improved with study partners. I was reaching out to others more, and it felt refreshing. I was laughing more and talking more. I was asking more questions now, and I was getting answers. I am back in the library and feeling lost in the knowledge around me. The achievement of past seems insignificant now.

The Latin origin of the word “student” means “applying oneself to,” and yes, I am applying myself to a new life. Returning to the classroom is nothing short of re-inventing myself.

There is a wonderful song from my generation — “Return to Innocence” from Enigma; the haunting tune of that song and the evergreen lyrics reverberates through my mind as I embark on a new chapter of life.