Being a mother in the MBA

The Adventures of a Young Mother in the Beedie MBA program:  Being grateful to my classmates.

This website needs to be renamed. I am going to call it “A few good people” because this is exactly how I feel about my cohort.

Choosing to do a full time MBA degree challenged my typically optimistic mind-set. I consider myself a happy and positive human being. But joining a cohort of smart, young, very-qualified people was a bit intimidating. Being a full time mother of a two year old did not help either. There was substantial fear of being left behind, of not making the grade and risking failing at this life-changing commitment.

Something that helped from the get-go is when I found out I was not the only parent in my cohort trying to juggle toddler tactics and school-o-mania. Knowing the fact that there are other parents, some with more than one baby gave me some relief (I call it the If-they-can-do-it-so-can-I effect). I am now pleasantly surprised at how helpful and accommodating my cohort is- whether it be allowing me a little extra time to come in late for a group meeting, or just offering me re-assuring support (nodding in sync at least) while I shed a few tears of guilt, knowing that my child sits a few blocks away from me.

What amazes me the most is the compassion my fellow mates (even the few PYT’s {pretty young things} from the ages of 23 years and up….) show towards us ‘parents’ who are trying a tad bit harder to manage our time in between assignments, exams and just keeping up to speed with the daily reading (and trust me when I say school can be demanding)!

So, this is a big shout out to all those that I sit with everyday. All of you who have spent a few minutes trying to get to know me and bothered to stop by to pass on positive words of encouragement or a nice greeting. I am grateful as I believe the few hours everyday we spend together is not just in the name of school requirements; we are getting through this challenge and maturing as both individuals and a cohesive group of friends. A few years in the future I hope we still talk like we do now- with compassion, love and empathy.

Here’s to prosperity and priorities in life.

Priyanka is a full-time SFU Beedie MBA Student. After finishing an undergraduate degree in Statistics and a PGDM in Marketing, she passionately worked with large advertising agencies in her 5 years of brand building experience. She is an avid reader with a fond obsession towards food and photography. Connect with her at pbanerje@sfu.ca, and visit her LinkedIn.