Recently, a couple of people have come to me with ideas for a blog entry (no doubt frustrated by my lackluster performance of late). Two good friends. And they were good suggestions. But they were rather personal. And I wanted to do them in a way that somehow transcends the personal aspect. And I think I’ve got it. And I’m probably wrong.

The gist is this: our relationships here are constantly evolving. While it seems like the year has flown by (and it has) by the same token it also feels like there’s a great distance between P1 and now. We feel like different people. And that continues every day.

Basically, every day here has the chance to forever alter our perceptions of INSEAD, and the way we remember this experience. And that has a lot to do with personal relationships. Your friends now are probably not the same friends you had in P1 (although some of them probably are). Your girlfriend or boyfriend or person you have a crush on is most likely different. And could change between now and graduation. In fact, it could continue to evolve even after the year’s over. And that has an extremely powerful effect of what you take away personally from INSEAD.

One of my best friends from college is someone who wasn’t even really much of a friend in college. We were friendly, but I don’t think either of us ever called each other socially once during four years of school. Out of a class of less than 600. Now we have traveled to 5 countries together. We have hung out countless times. We’ve written a book together.

I guess my point is twofold. One, think back to how you were when you got here, and how you are now. Some of the changes have happened either so rapidly, or so slowly, that you may not have noticed them. The other point is to keep everything in perspective. Just as right now many people are feeling stressed about jobs, or unsure about their future, or lonely, or unrequited. And think about how fast any of those things can change, and one day you can feel completely despondent and yearning, and the next day find your wish has been fulfilled. Things can begin as quickly as they can end, and vice versa. Feelings of loss can be eradicated as easily as those of joy.

Don’t let either the beginning or the endings distract you from the larger picture, or allow yourself to be fooled by circumstances.