It’s important to pause and reflect during the busy MBA. Here is how I chose to savor the opportunity outside of the classroom during a day off:
We reached the Glendalough Valley, now part of the Wicklow Mountains National Park, at around 1.30 p.m. The weather was almost perfect for an excellent hike. When my colleague Nihar insisted that we take the Spink and Glenealo Valley Route, a 9 km spiral loop trail, I thought to myself that I was never going to make it.
We had to complete the walk by 5 p.m. so that we would be on time to catch the only bus back to Dublin city. We set off at 2 p.m. with a few cans of beverages and a handy map (according to the map, the estimated time for the walk was 3 to 4 hours!). As we hiked along the scenic valley admiring the breathtaking landscape, I understood why Ireland was renowned for its walks. We saw so much from beautiful cascades to dense forests. After about two and a half hours of walking (at 4.30 p.m.), I noticed a familiar building about 100 metres ahead – it was the visitor centre, our starting point. Before this experience I never knew that I could push myself so much physically. In a sense, it has also been the story of my MBA so far!
– Vishal Balasubramaniam, FT MBA 2011/12