Insead Graduation

To commemorate the end of a gruelling one-year MBA program (just kidding, it was mostly fun with the overarching stress of finding a job), our entire cohort travelled to Phuket for one last hurrah. Phuket was as basic as I expected it to be, if not a little more. We stayed at Patong beach, took a boat cruise to Koh Phi Phi and partied at some very questionable clubs. While it fun to be with my classmates, I don’t feel the need to go back to Phuket ever again.

As for the graduation ceremony and party in Singapore … well that was truly special. We gathered at Marina Bay Sands in our Hogwarts-esque robes and hats. After a class photo on the iconic rooftop. the ceremony commenced in the conference hall and we cheered on 400 classmates walking across the stage. That night, I organised an intimate dinner with my closest MBA friends (at Neon Pigeon in Tanjong Pagar) and we all kicked on at the official after party. One last rage with some 400 classmates all together.

Coming into INSEAD, I didn’t care about making friends. I figured I already had enough friends and what I really needed was to get my dream job. They told us from the start of INSEAD that you could only choose one: getting that dream job, having an amazing social life, or learning a lot. I knew my priority and didn’t care about the other stuff.

Well, as much as I tried to avoid it, I made some life-long friends on the journey. Some of them I could not stand when I first met them (MBAs are a strong personality type), but now I can’t imagine my life without them. Friends from home or that you grew up with are always be supportive, but it’s your MBA friends who will push you outside your comfort zone to achieve more than you thought you were capable of. And if they’re friends like mine, they’ll drop everything in a heartbeat to make time for you.

The day before grad trip, I also got a dream job offer. So I really am finishing my year at INSEAD feeling on top to the world.

Photos from my iPhone (and one kindly borrowed from Raiko)