Before the Curtain Falls

Looking back at HBS through the voices of those about to leave

“I didn’t think; I experimented.”

• Anthony Burgess

As I sat with my hands on my keyboard and a blank document in front of me, I stared at the screen and wondered what my next Harbus article would be/could be/should be about. And then it struck me: this might be my last write-up for something that has been quietly therapeutic over the past year–writing for the HBS community.

If this indeed was going to be my final piece as a student, what should it say? What would my peers/the HBS community want to read? What might RCs learn from? What could incoming students carry with them before they even step into Aldrich?

Instead of projecting my own reflections, I decided to source them straight from the horse’s mouth. I reached out to friends navigating the final stretch of their HBS journey, and asked them a simple set of questions. I invited them to look back on their time at HBS so far, how the journey has shaped up, what defined it, and how they’re thinking about the road ahead.

Their answers were honest, varied, and deeply relatable. While no two experiences were identical, a few themes emerged.

1. Professional Growth

For many, HBS began with a career hypothesis.

One EC came determined to pivot from consulting into technology. She experimented with an early-stage startup, realized it wasn’t the right fit, and ultimately found her way into corporate strategy at a more established tech firm. For her, HBS provided a safe sandbox to test assumptions and recalibrate without irreversible consequences.

Another arrived intent on entrepreneurship and leaves on the cusp of launching a startup, twists and turns included. “Relationships and entrepreneurship were always the two pillars,” she shared. Both, she feels, are on track.

Others came with less precision. One peer candidly admitted she underestimated how overwhelming recruiting would be, particularly navigating U.S. hiring dynamics and a tough job market. In hindsight, she now understands why admissions pushes for clarity: knowing your target industry, role, and priorities before arriving is, in some ways, deliberate and strategic.

And then there was the EC who said something that lingered with me: HBS didn’t just shape his career, it changed “the scale of his ambition.” Surrounded by people who believe they can build generational companies, reshape industries, or redefine impact, he found his own ceiling lifted. The first step to success, he reflected, is believing you can do something of that scale in the first place, and HBS as a community pushed him to do that.

Professional outcomes varied. Not everyone achieved every goal. But nearly everyone described growth: either in clarity, in confidence, or in the courage to pivot.

Lesson for those about to walk/walking in these steps: Come with direction but hold it lightly. HBS will stretch, test, and sometimes redirect you. That’s not failure; that’s the intention subliminally trying to shape you into “a leader who makes a difference in the world.”

2. Educational Transformation

Nearly every EC mentioned the shock of RC year intensity.

Many had “heard” it would be hard. Few truly understood what that meant until they were in the thick of six-hour academic days, endless case prep, and competing priorities. One EC who never aimed to be a Baker Scholar still found herself consumed by the pace. And yet, looking back, she recalls that year fondly, because shared intensity led to shared bonds that she’d cherish for life.

There was also a surprising theme: several ECs confessed they don’t remember most RC cases. The case method is immersive and energizing, but ephemeral. What stuck more, they said, were moments of building and immersing themselves in the HBS community and what it has to offer: navigating ventures, launching student-led initiatives, organizing trips, and producing shows, among other things.

One EC described a subtle tension: HBS can feel like you’re constantly consuming knowledge without necessarily producing something tangible. For her, leadership roles and extracurriculars provided that sense of contribution–of creating, not just analyzing.

Another offered a “hot take”: RC year might actually be better than EC year. The deltas of learning are steeper. The sense of community is more cohesive. Everything feels new, expansive, electric.

And yet, EC year brings freedom: the ability to choose classes aligned with interests, experiment with side projects, or double down on niche topics with world-class faculty. Several mentioned the unexpected accessibility of professors and guest speakers as one of HBS’s greatest differentiators.

Key takeaway: Lean in and build–ventures, habits, relationships, anything else you wish. What you create in these couple years is likely to stay with you for life, becoming an inherent part of the human you’re shaping into.

3. Personal Evolution

If professional growth brought clarity and educational growth brought perspective, personal growth brought emotion.

Almost every EC spoke about relationships.

The section experience came up repeatedly: initially as an unknown, later as a cornerstone. One EC said she specifically hoped to feel deeply connected to her section and now feels comfortable interacting with anyone from it.

Travel surfaced as a highlight: Colombia, FIELD, global treks, section retreats. For some, these experiences ranked among the best of their lives. Living within walking distance of friends. Long dinners. Spontaneous parties. Exposure to perspectives they had never encountered before.

One EC marveled at meeting people whose careers once felt “imaginary”: TV producers at HBO, social impact leaders, founders across continents. The breadth of backgrounds reframed what felt possible, and acted as a reminder of the privilege and access the Harvard legacy and brand gives us.

But personal growth wasn’t just about relationships, it was also about boundaries. More than one EC admitted they struggled to say no. HBS can feel like a two-year buffet: clubs, conferences, trips, side projects, recruiting, academics, social events. One peer described it as “a vacation, but not really.” The opportunity cost of saying yes to everything is depth, rest, and focus. Several wished they had learned to set boundaries earlier.

Others found space for unexpected adulting milestones: learning to cook, doing meal prep, even learning to drive. In the controlled chaos of HBS, they built habits they hope to carry into more demanding post-grad lives.

And as graduation approaches, many expressed a simple desire: to be more intentional with time. To spend evenings with friends they don’t see enough during busy weeks. To savor proximity before geography scatters them.

What Would They Change?

Interestingly, few expressed major regrets.

Trade-offs are inevitable. Some prioritized academics; others leaned into social life or recruiting. Most acknowledged they would likely make similar trade-offs again: just perhaps with more awareness.

And for those who didn’t achieve every professional goal? There was no bitterness–only reframing. A desire to focus on what went right in these final months.

Looking Forward

As they near graduation, ECs are focused on a few clear things: a) Hitting key milestones, whether for startups, jobs, or personal milestones; b) Being present for community moments; c) Building (portfolios, ventures, creative projects) while the safety net still exists, and d) Soaking in friendships before commencement turns proximity into plane tickets.

And post-HBS? There’s excitement about stability–furniture, income, settling down. But also about momentum–nudging careers in new directions, creating value in the real world, scaling ambition.

If there’s one throughline across all conversations, it’s this: HBS may not give you exactly what you expect, but it will likely give you more than you could’ve imagined; perhaps not always restricted to the categories you initially prioritized, but in more and better ways that will prove to be invaluable.

Curtain Call

As I close this (potentially final) Harbus piece, it’s hard to resist the temptation to write about where I stand in these areas. Ergo: you’ll know now, why the quote at the beginning of this piece. No matter how much my mentors/ friends told me to sit down and try to answer for myself, What do I want from the HBS experience?, my brain/heart couldn’t help but ask one question. Beyond the basics (e.g., finding a job and studying), what’s the worst that could happen if I didn’t have an answer to that question, and if I decided to take things as they came my way, personally and professionally, especially with SO MUCH being thrown at us? It was hard to convince myself to not do that. And this wasn’t a super conscious decision for someone who considers herself to be a meticulous planner–this was more a reaction to the supremely unexpected things that happened along my journey here. And, I wouldn’t hesitate to say, the experience has been nothing short of extraordinary.

We often frame HBS as a transformation story. But transformation here rarely arrives in one dramatic moment. It comes in micro-shifts: a case that reframes how you think, a professor who invests in you, a late-night conversation that expands your worldview, a failure that redirects your path, a friend who becomes family.

And so:

• For those nearing the end of this journey, take a moment to reflect and perhaps do something you wish you did but didn’t get a chance to. Great if you had goals and were able to achieve them. For those who didn’t achieve them/didn’t have any–good things come to those who wait, so, remember that the best is yet to come.

• For those who wish to/are about to traverse this journey, OR are about halfway through: whether you have clear goals or wish to take things as they come your way: remember that time flies, yet the moments last longer. In the ups and downs of this journey, remember to find your people, keep your purpose alive, and enjoy the ride–it’s truly going to be a fun one.   

Palak Raheja (MBA ’26) is originally from Lucknow, India. She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, with degrees in Statistics and Economics. Prior to HBS, she worked at Bain India, and in the Indian consumer and health-tech start-up ecosystem. In her free time, she can be found reading, running, or watching movies.