Author: Arjun moved to NYC immediately following undergrad and has been here since (and hopes to be here forever). He has a background in product management and has previously worked as a PM in various flavors – growth, data, and technical. Before joining the Tech MBA class of 2025, Arjun worked at BEES (AB InBev’s digital arm) and prior to that was at IBM. He is passionate about creating delightful and ethical digital user experiences, focusing on data-driven strategies and scalable solutions. Over his 10 months at Stern, Arjun has had the opportunities to consult for a variety of tech firms, spanning pre-seed to publicly traded, visit various tech firms on the West Coast, and squeeze more time out of the day than he ever thought possible.
Can you have it all in a Tech MBA—balancing academics, networking, and personal life? It all depends on how you approach it! As any MBA graduate will tell you, what happens outside the classroom is just as crucial as what happens inside. The challenge is managing it all effectively, and that’s where an Agile mindset comes into play.
Just like in Agile methodology, the MBA experience consists of overlapping epics—broad themes that encompass multiple sprints of intense learning, networking, and personal growth. You set an overall goal, but to succeed, you must adapt, prioritize, and seize incremental value along the way.
Epic 1: Learning Beyond the Classroom
An MBA is fundamentally about two things: acquiring new skills and building relationships. When approached correctly, these two aspects often blend seamlessly.
Learning happens everywhere—not just in the classroom. Stern’s Tech MBA offers a mix of formal and informal learning experiences:
- Lunch and Learns by classmates allow us to leverage the cohort’s expertise in a casual setting.
- Happy Hours often turn into deep discussions that challenge and refine perspectives, whether about something we’re learning in class, or a random philosophical debate.
- Consulting projects and internships provide hands-on experience while fostering collaboration and give you low-risk opportunities to better understand how you work with different people and in various environments.
- Life itself is a classroom—from managing stress to prioritizing commitments, every challenge is an opportunity to learn and better your approach to whatever you’re tackling.
To truly gain knowledge, you can’t operate in isolation. The 80/20 rule is key here: rather than striving for perfect grades, focus on extracting key learnings and engaging in discussions that enhance understanding. You can’t gain deep insights from a textbook alone—you need people to dissect and apply ideas with.

Epic 2: Building a Strong and Supportive Network
Networking in an MBA program isn’t just about coffee chats with alumni or reaching out to industry professionals—it’s about building genuine connections with classmates. Bonding and networking is baked into the very DNA of the program and occurs naturally and quickly, especially during the summer semester when the cohort is in the same classes.
Within the first six weeks of the program, I had already:
- Visited a classmate’s childhood home and met their family.
- Celebrated multiple birthdays with my cohort.
- Gone on a trip with the entire cohort, sharing a house with 15 people.
- Hosted classmates at my own family’s home.
While all of these were great fun and created cherished memories, they weren’t just social events; they became the foundation of lifelong friendships and professional bonds. MBA students at Stern look out for each other—whether it’s supporting a startup venture, recommending each other for jobs, or simply covering for each other when life happens.
When I got married in September, my classmates stepped up without hesitation. They scheduled meetings around my availability and even covered my portion of deliverables early in the semester. Later in the term, I had the chance to return the favor. This culture of mutual support is what makes the Stern experience unique.

Epic 3: Prioritization and Avoiding Burnout
The key to thriving in an accelerated MBA program is knowing how to prioritize and when to say no. Overextending is sometimes necessary, but it’s not sustainable for an entire year.
Here’s what works:
- Mix personal and professional whenever possible. Example: During our West Coast trek, we visited CloudChef—my cousin’s startup. We got hands-on exposure to their tech, met the founders, and enjoyed a meal cooked by one of our classmates using CloudChef’s platform.
- Leverage your calendar, but remain flexible. At this stage, if my calendar told me to walk off a bridge, I’d at least consider it—past me clearly planned this for a reason. But while planning ahead (at least two weeks out) is critical, some of the best experiences are unplanned—like an impromptu board game night or an unexpected invite to lunch with a visiting executive.
- Set expectations with friends and family. Giving them access to a simplified version of your calendar can help them understand how busy you are. At the same time, remember that their time is just as valuable as yours, and it’s not on them to track you down. Set realistic expectations and live up to them.

Embracing the Agile Mindset
Just like in Agile, an MBA isn’t about rigidly following a pre-set plan—it’s about constant iteration, reassessment, and adaptation. You start with a vision (earning the degree and advancing your career), but success comes from making continuous progress, embracing change, and leveraging the incredible people around you.
Balancing academics, networking, and personal life isn’t about perfection—it’s about flexibility. With the right mindset, a strong support system, and a willingness to adapt, Sternies don’t just survive the MBA experience—they thrive.