Week-38 here refers to the week of January 05, 2026 to January 11, 2026. The week kicked off in rather delightful fashion, with our classroom taking an unexpected (and very welcome) detour, from the iconic halls of IIM Ahmedabad to the majestic Shanti Sadan, nestled amid the timeless charm of old Ahmedabad. As part of our HITCH course (Hitchhiker’s Guide to Business and Economies Across Five Centuries; an undeniably cool name), our professor decided that this lecture deserved a setting just as special.

Shanti Sadan, the home of Anasuyaben Sarabhai, a pioneer of India’s women’s labour movement and aunt to the legendary scientist Vikram Sarabhai, provided more than just a change of scenery. The space itself set the tone, infusing the class with a sense of history, purpose, and quiet inspiration. It was a gentle reminder that some professors go wonderfully out of their way in pursuit of their passion, and when they do, it shows, not just in what they teach, but how they teach it.

The week had an oddly lazy rhythm to it, at least outside the three days packed solid with classes. Time seemed to move both too slowly and far too quickly, which might explain how I have somehow managed to fall behind on four assignments while simultaneously stressing about the project components of three different courses. It is that familiar academic paradox: not quite drowning, but definitely waving for help, optimistic, caffeinated, and hoping things magically sort themselves out by next week. Anything and everything academic feels like a burden again, uncannily similar to how it felt back in Term-01. The deadlines, the readings, the never-ending problem sets all seem to carry the same weight, if not more.

And yet, there is something quietly amusing about it this time around. What once drove all of us slightly mad now earns little more than amused shrugs, half-smiles, and silent problem-solving from the very same group of PGPX students. The pressure has not disappeared, but our relationship with it has changed, what was once chaos has mellowed into routine, and in that shift, the madness has somehow turned into a memory worth keeping.

Sunday was, without question, the busiest day of the week. It began on a festive note with Pongal celebrations, complete with the comfort and joy of a traditional meal that instantly lifted everyone’s spirits. As the day eased into evening, it made room for the official Placement Committee photoshoot at the iconic Louis Kahn Plaza, setting as timeless as the memories it holds. These photographs, destined for the PGPX Yearbook of 2025-26, felt like more than just pictures.

Sunday night rounded things off on a celebratory note with a party hosted for the PGPX Dubai cohort, who had arrived from the Dubai campus of IIM Ahmedabad for their immersion. The campus felt a little more alive than usual, dotted with new faces exploring familiar paths with visible excitement. You could spot them everywhere: pausing to take photos, exchanging wide-eyed reactions, and soaking in the vastness and unmistakable iconicism of the place. Seeing the campus through their fresh enthusiasm was oddly heartwarming, a reminder of how magical it all feels when you are experiencing it for the first time, or rediscovering it all over again.

One thing that is impossible to miss is the sheer amount of nostalgia woven into almost every conversation. It sits there quietly but persistently, surfacing in passing jokes, casual remarks, and even the most ordinary discussions. Somehow, everything circles back to the humour, the moments, and the silly, spontaneous jokes that defined Term-01. People might brush it off, laugh it away, or dress it up as coincidence, but beneath the excuses lies a shared awareness. Everyone knows what is coming: the inevitable ending, the slow unravelling of a phase that once felt endless. And with it comes the quiet ache of losing the everyday companionship of 157 extraordinary individuals, who, often without realising it, made the journey lighter, warmer, and far more bearable than it ever could have been alone.