The Bottom Rung
May 8, 2020: A very special day. I’d turned in my final assignment in the wee hours of the morning and managed to catch a few hours of sleep amid the churn of anticipation leading up to my crowning moment. The celebratory fervor in the auditorium was palpable; excited murmurs were audible, as proud family members from all over the world waited for their freshly minted MBA graduate to walk the stage. I adjusted my cap and straightened my robe for the umpteenth time. I felt a surge of adrenaline as my name was called and I walked onto the stage – confident, proud, and very conscious of all eyes on me. I beamed, skimming the crowd in a futile attempt to locate my parents. I waved at my professors, grateful. The resounding claps reached their peak, everyone sharing in my moment of glory, before fading into the distance as I exited the stage… “Nisha Suresh Advani” My laptop screen welcomed me back from my subliminal trip. My photograph and name on a slide marked the culmination of my