Vivek Kundu reflected on the emotional and mental toll of his first year at IIM Ahmedabad, where he is currently pursuing an MBA. For many MBA aspirants, getting into IIM Ahmedabad is seen as the culmination of years of hard work. But one student has offered a candid look at what comes after making it to one of India's most prestigious business schools, saying the biggest challenges were not academic but personal.Vivek Kundu reflected on the emotional and mental toll of his first year at IIM Ahmedabad.In an Instagram post, Vivek Kundu reflected on the emotional and mental toll of his first year at IIM Ahmedabad, where he is currently pursuing an MBA. "The hidden cost of my first year at IIM Ahmedabad," the text on the video read.In the caption of the post, Kundu wrote, "I debated at Stanford, USA. Grew up in a village, later in Chandigarh. Cracked CAT. Thought I was ready. Year 1 had other plans." "The hidden costs came in the form of casualties," he added.Kundu shared that the first casualty was "the casualty of choices." Surrounded by competitions, club applications and parties from the very first week, he said that he found himself saying yes to everything but enjoying nothing. "The real lesson wasn't time management. It was learning that saying no is a skill and at IIMA, you learn it quickly or FOMO swallows you whole," he wrote.He also spoke about constantly comparing himself with classmates who had backgrounds at IITs, top colleges, multinational companies and government services. "Excellence wasn't the exception - it was the baseline. My Stanford debate, my CAT prep, my 'journey' none of it felt like currency. The campus resets your scoreboard to zero on Day 1," he wrote, adding that imposter syndrome stayed with him throughout his first term.Kundu further recalled receiving a C grade in his first finance quiz - the first such grade in his academic life - which made him question whether he belonged at IIM Ahmedabad. But instead of giving up, he said that he started from scratch, asked basic questions without hesitation and sought help from classmates. "I didn't become a topper. But I stopped running from the room. That shift was everything," he wrote.Beyond academics, Kundu said that he gradually realised he had stopped making time for his family. "One week. No real conversation with Maa, Papa, siblings. Just 'haan sab theek hai.' One evening I felt completely hollow. Then it hit, the people who sacrificed the most, and I hadn't truly spoken to them in 7 days," he wrote.He said the experience prompted him to set a rule to video-call home regularly, even if only for a few minutes. "Some rules matter more than any deadline," he said.Lastly, Kundu reflected on the culture of sleeplessness at the institute, saying that surviving on 4 hours of sleep was often glorified as hustle. "But you stop thinking clearly. Present but mentally elsewhere. Small things feel enormous. The casualty wasn't just sleep- it was the quality of every thought. At IIMA, choosing to sleep is an act of discipline," he concluded.HT.com has reached out to Vivek Kundu. The article will be updated once the response is received. (Also Read: IIM alum says Indians have a ‘scarcity mindset’ after seeing airport lounge queue, internet divided)Social media reactionsReacting to the post, one user wrote, "But isn't it all worth it? I always feel IIM prepped me for the toughest of times or job roles.""Man! I had a similar journey and experience at IITG. Just remember that you are blessed child of God," commented another."Pressure may seem excessive while you're in it, but it teaches resilience, decision-making under uncertainty, and the ability to keep moving despite setbacks, which stays with you after the graduation," wrote a third user.Bhavya Sukheja is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 6 years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in covering stories that reflect everyday human experiences, with a focus on viral videos, social media trends, and human-interest features that inform readers while sparking meaningful conversations. She loves chasing page views and finding stories that tug at readers’ heartstrings.