MBA Blogs @ Manchester Business School

If there’s one time to look silly and fashionably James Bond-like, it would be the MBA Ball at Manchester Business School, held on the 27th of March this year (2010).  This is a slightly delayed post as I am still recovering from my trip to Spain with some of my best friends and then a quick start to a very busy week.  BRM.  MIS.  MIBS.  YIKES.

I was privileged to be elected the Student Council Social DVP towards the end of last year and I was under the impression that my simple job would include organising parties, delegating regional events and looking cool.  Ha!  Enter MBA Ball.  I was informed last November or so that I was to organise the MBA Ball, and that the date and venue was set.  That meant a deadline.  I already had many deadlines, so I didn’t make much of it.  I just added it to the pile of M&A deadlines, Marketing deadlines and exam preparations.  Little did I know what I had gotten myself into.

Come January of this year, it finally struck me that I had to somehow get over 250 people to dress up nicely, be on their best behaviour (’till the wine was poured), and be served a three course meal.  I remember freezing mid sentence somewhere in front of G6, jaws down to the floor, shocked that I had somehow gotten myself into this huge undertaking.

Fortunately, I have amazing colleagues.  I gathered the troops (8 very awesome people including Lynne) and got started.  Sydney and Nikolai took on the hardest job of logistics (sometimes I wonder if they really took on more work that I did).  Rodrigo decided to tame the band and Karen got the penguin suits arranged.  I even got a few ladies, namely Phung, Getty, Gunjan and Sydney, along with Nikolai to help me personalise the wine bottles with specially printed self-designed wine bottle stickers.

After much stress, LOTS of red bull and a few all-nighters later, all the preparations were complete.  It was time to let my hair down (so to speak) and enjoy the night with both the graduating class of 2010 and my fellow classmates from the class of 2011.  Some special staff members were invited as well, and the partners of the students and staff added the final touch making it as close to a Mexican Fiesta as you can get.

The night began with some bucks fizz and some mingling outside the main hall.  It was a delight to see all the men dressed sharp and the women looking gorgeous.  Then everyone was showed into the room where speeches from Elaine and Juliann kicked off the night.  Then came one of our traditions of handing over the reigns of the Student Council from the graduating outgoing class to the incumbent class.  Following the handover of the Pins and the mega medal for the new President, El Presidente, Alex Cruz, wrapped up the speeches.

Then, food was served.  I thought I was a quick eater, but the people were so much keener on mingling with each other that the food was practically gulped at every opportunity.  Everyone was on their feet saying their Hi’s and Bye’s (since most of the graduating class wouldn’t see each other for a few months until the graduation in July).  Camera flashes made the whole room like a red carpet entrance to the Oscars.  They couldn’t wait to have the band kick off the best part of the night.

The Band was truly something.  Santosh, Tushar, Lucienne, Fernando, all from the class of 2010 and Suva and Yohann from the class of 2011 entertained the dancers with some quick beats.  They were followed by some self-made awards and a slide show of the best moments of the graduating class.  Then, it was time for the DJ to take over and let the attendees to relax and enjoy themselves.

The food was great, the band was sensational and a good time was had by all.  It was a great sight seeing the class of 2010 and class of 2011 celebrate their accomplishments to date and the staff, who stood by us all the time, to join in the celebrations.