These are the 5 biggest regrets of MBA graduates (we warn you, don't make these mistakes!)

Management and business make a person learn how to 'read a room'. People watch and assess, and look for clues on how to make the right and perfect impression. They size people up, seeking those who have an aura of confidence, warmth, and influence. People start to pair up with those who share similar interests and styles. But at the other end of the spectrum, it can trigger comparisons and competitiveness that makes us ask the most dreaded question - Do I belong here? What one can do is learn from the experiences of MBA students and try not to be intimidated.

Here are the 5 mistakes that MBA students usually make during their course of study.

Class. Assignment. Repeat.

The class of 2021 is leaving their B-School campuses with plenty of regrets. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the entire globe, classes moved online and classmates were separated. If given a chance, these MBA graduates would have taken more elective subjects in other B-Schools as it gives them an opportunity to cross-register for classes and grow broader networks. Some of them would have focused less on classes because memories can't be made on the job or in the classroom.

As an MBA graduate said, "Let's be honest, none of us will remember how to run regressions without Google, but our friendships will remain with us forever."

Takeaway: Life happens outside classes. Friends and making memories with them are equally important.

I will put my blood, sweat, and tears into MBA

B-Schools are synonymous with a two-year marathon that is not only rigorous but challenging. MBA graduates regret not slowing down more to enjoy, reflect, and absorb the whole experience. Although the MBA journey is an incredible opportunity to connect with brilliant people, it is most importantly a chance to reconnect with yourself. In retrospect, the MBA students wish that they had prioritized their holistic well-being and self-care. While some were avid gym-goers, others practiced mindfulness before entering the B-Schools. Dropping these habits during their first semester is their biggest regret and looking back, they realize that they could have been less anxious and devoted at least a few minutes each day to calm themselves. 

Some wished that they had stepped out of their comfort zones sooner. The MBA experience provides you with a safe environment to help you improve on your weaknesses or anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. Being initially self-conscious about your accents, looks, or background, will hold you back from speaking up in class. MBA graduates wish they had been able to overcome their fears by challenging themselves. Because in the end, regardless of people's race, ethnicity, or accent, our options always add value. 

Takeaway: Focus more on self-care and bid goodbye to self-consciousness

Am I enough?

Getting into B-schools surrounds you with people who are deeply talented and accomplished which makes it hard for us to not judge ourselves harshly. But this is what MBA graduates regret a lot - the need to compare themselves to their classmates. Rather they have come to realize that humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less is a guiding light to redirect energy towards making the most of the moment you are in. 

Takeaway: No comparison, more compassion

I have to be a part of everything!

It’s been rightly said that our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. In the first semester, the MBA students regret not letting go of their FOMO (fear of missing out) and signing up for everything - be it diverse clubs or different opportunities. Once these decisions are made, they usually lose the chance to interact with a lot of people and provide value to the things they had signed up for. In hindsight, they now believe that they should have approached their club memberships more intentionally and invested in a few things.

Being swept up into the tides of FOMO, MBA grads feel an inexplicable urge to be everywhere at all times. This not only takes a toll on their energy level, but they also lose their sense of self. Today, they wish they had focused more on their priorities - from staying in touch with their families to carving out time for yoga.

Takeaway: Let go of FOMO

All I need is good grades and fat paychecks

MBA grads wish they had done things differently and socialized with their cohort and peers when they had time in their first semester. As Covid-19 reversed planned things, people were separated from the campus and also lost the chance to know each other more personally. Students enter the B-School campus with the pressure to do well academically and find a good job and all this can be a lot to deal with in the very first semester. However, the graduates now believe that relationships and memories are the only things that matter the most. If they could travel back to the fall of 2019, they would surely tell themselves that it is okay to let go of some MBA goals in the name of finding balance.

Takeaway: Find a balance between your social life and academics

All in all, your MBA experience is all about the relationships you have forged in these two years of your life. It is always advised to move out of your comfort zones and open up to classmates from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. There are so many MBA graduates today who, if given a chance to redo their MBA, would try to relax their career anxieties and start asking important questions to themselves -

“Who should I talk with, to learn more?”

“What does my unique path look like?”

“What exactly is the right fit for me?”

And…

“Am I learning from the biggest regrets of the MBA students?”

For more such interesting pieces, read:

•  Cover letter that will surely get you hired at JP Morgan! (with a free sample)
•  Congratulations! You have been selected for an MBA program! Now what’s next?
•  IT employees are getting up to 20%-60% salary hike; do you have the required skills?
•  Crack UPSC this year! IFS officer, Ankit Kumar shares the only tips you need to write UPSC essay paper
•  5 realities that first-year MBA students face head-on!