"B"reak Time

Being at home in Chennai reminds me of what life outside B is like. (Life inside B can take some time to sum up since its a 24 hour, no sleep, no thought business) I am currently occupying myself by entertaining guests at home. The standard format of the situation is like this: People come over to the house, indulge in pleasant conversation with my parents, smile benovently at my brother and me, in some inane moments ask if we remember them and then ask each of us what we are doing.
Reactions to IIMB:
Reaction Type 1 : Slightly awed to totally shocked. IIMB? Really? Excellent. But you... you studied at Stella right? Commerce? And now... IIM??
So I've long given up trying to explain what course I did in college. The classification is simple - you are either an engineer, or "one of those". "Those" translates into commerce, science or arts students - nobody cares what you do within those streams. Sometimes I just nod when people think I've done B.Com, sometimes I nod when they say science and once in a fit of creativity, I told someone I had done BA History and planned to specialize in the Mughal period after my MBA. Type 1 people only want to know how an institute like IIMB can accept non - engineers. I mean, bad enough that I didn't study at IIT. But non engineer? Isn't there a Masters in Business Administration for Non Engineers or something? How will we cope when engineers are around??! I once told someone the institute has a quota for non engineers and they readily believed me, so now I just spend my time thinking of more creative answers to this question.
Reaction Type 2 : Wants career advice. My son/ daughter is also preparing, any tips on how to crack the exam?
For the life of me, I can't think of a single useful piece of advice to give. If I say write mock tests, the immediate response is to name at least two institutes where the kids are already enrolled. Then what can I say? I have no clue how I cracked the exam; till last year I was running around trying to figure out the answer to the same question and getting gyaan from anyone who wanted to give some (and got answers varying from "drink the night before the exam" to "sleep well" to "who cares? its CAT, it happens naturally!") I just smile sweetly at Reaction Type 2s and assure them all will be well. Generally, my mom helps me out by generously telling people I had no clue what I was doing the previous year anyway and that it was all by the grace of God. Sweet.
Reaction Type 3: B? Oh, didn't get through A?
The type I would love to strangle given a choice. They apparently think the IIMs roll out a red carpet to students and whoever races in first gets a seat. My mom generally takes over and tells these people I am very happy with B, etc, etc. I just glare at them and imagine them drowning in hot oil :)
Reaction Type 4: IIM? Bangalore? Why? No institute in Chennai accepted you???
I just tell them ah, well,I am a non engineer with whats-that-degree again, so I have to suffer in Bangalore.
Reaction Type 5 : The ones which turn to my brother and say, "So you have high standards to meet now." Thanks to which he has stopped talking to me and the t-shirt I got him from B remains safely stowed away in the wardrobe for his grandchildren to wear.
Sigh.

Post dedicated to Karthik and IIT "Rourkee" / Rourkela/ Bangalore.