Week-36 here refers to the week of December 22, 2025 to December 28, 2025. The PGPX experience at IIM Ahmedabad has returned in full force, and everything feels comfortingly familiar: never-ending academics, an overload of projects, and the persistent tiredness that seems to follow every PGPX student, regardless of how packed or deceptively light their schedule may be. I distinctly remember telling a couple of friends that even though Term-05 had barely been underway for two weeks, it already felt like I was lagging behind by a full three weeks of deadlines. One way or another, the PGPX experience has a special talent for doing this to you: you constantly feel behind on your tasks, yet cannot quite remember which tasks those are. At this point, I am genuinely unsure whether it is the programme playing mind games with me, or if this is just what ageing feels like. Either way, the line between academic pressure and senior-citizen behaviour is getting dangerously blurry.

One thing that has definitely changed over the terms is the sheer volume of extra-curricular activities we have somehow signed ourselves up for. It now feels like every alternate weekend comes with a new engagement, a new plan, and a new reason to question our life choices. In fact, even as I type this, Section-XA and Section-XB are locked in an inter-section cricket match, just one of many such activities lined up in the weeks ahead. And while I will not officially call it a prediction, I am fairly confident Section-XA will stroll its way to a comfortable victory, purely on talent, of course, and not bias.

But beyond any predictions or friendly rivalries, it really highlights the broader shift in the collective mindset of the PGPX batch. We came here to study, and study we did. We powered through the academics, survived the pressure, partied whenever we found the smallest window, and now, as the journey enters its final stretch, we are making a conscious effort to top it all off with every possible excuse to dance together, play together, sing together, and simply enjoy each other’s company while we still can.

Speaking of parties, we somehow managed to come together and throw a Christmas party that truly felt like ours. This one was different, not just another gathering, but a rare moment where participation spanned across sections and the batch in much larger numbers. There were people singing, dancing, laughing, and completely soaking in the warmth of the holiday season. And just when it felt like the Christmas cheer would wind down, the vibes carried over into the next day as well, with celebrations continuing almost organically.

While it may have been labelled a Christmas party, it was really an extension of the larger wave of festivity that had taken over the campus. The vibes were strong, the conversations flowed effortlessly, and the hot chocolate was even stronger, at least in deliciousness. All in all, the holiday season painted the campus in an entirely different shade, serving as a gentle reminder of how a group of people with vastly different backgrounds can grow incredibly close when thrown together inside an academic pressure cooker called IIM Ahmedabad.

As I wrap up this week’s blog, I find myself reflecting on the gratitude letters I have been handing out, quietly and consciously, to the people closest to me over the past few days. And in its own way, the PGPX batch deserves one too.

To a group of individuals who have pushed me to be better, encouraged me to be unapologetically myself in every waking moment, and helped me grow into a better version of who I was when I walked in, thank you. The little things each of you does or says may seem insignificant in the larger scheme of your own lives, but to me, those moments have mattered more than you might ever realise. They have helped me reflect, improve, and grow in ways I never expected.

So, thank you to everyone who inspires me, challenges me, laughs with me, and makes life on campus a little more chaotic, a little more joyful, and a whole lot more lovable every single day. Thank you.