Stockholm Syndrome: Falling in Love with Unconventional.....or.....Bairang Lifafa

It all started innocently.....When we got into a long duration course, expecting to brush up on a few concepts and add some shiny new acronyms to my long boring biodata. After all, how hard can it be? We’re already a seasoned professional, battle-hardened by office politics and PowerPoint-induced migraines. This is just a formality—like collecting Air Miles on flights you didn’t pay for... 

But then, somewhere between Organizational Behavior and Statistics, something strange happens during the course....You, a rational adult, begin to experience symptoms of academic Stockholm Syndrome—a condition where you not only accept your captivity by course material but also develop a deep, almost romantic attachment to it.

Welcome to the world where SWOT Analysis becomes your emotional crutch, Operations Research feels like a forbidden love affair, and Statistics turns into the imaginary friend you can’t live without.... 

Phase 1: Denial – I’ll Just Skim Through"with small help of ChatGPT

You start the course with confidence bordering on arrogance. The first module—Organizational Behavior (OB)—seems harmless enough. You assume it’ll be about how to deal with difficult coworkers, perhaps with a slide or two on conflict resolution. Easy stuff, right?obviously with small help of ChatGPT... 

Wrong

Before you know it, you’re knee-deep in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, wondering whether your desire for coffee during class is a physiological need or a self-actualization goal. And just as you’re contemplating if esteem needs include the urge to win debates about Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory, your instructor drops the bomb—analyze a simple war movie with Vroom’s Expectancy Theory.

Suddenly, you’re analyzing whether the effort you put into attending this class will ever translate into actual results or just a complicated Excel sheet with Pareto Charts you’ll never use by help of statistics. 

Phase 2: Resistance – "I Don’t Need This in Real Life"

The rebellion begins during Financial Management lectures. It’s not the balance sheets or cash flow statements that break you—its Capital Procurement. You sit there, blinking at charts and steps...wondering if your brain is eligible for doing it now with this new knowledge.. 

Your escape attempts become more frequent...Project Management...You start doodling PERT charts on the margins of your notebook, imagining that you’re planning a covert operation to smuggle yourself out of the class. But then, the instructor casually mentions Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and suddenly, you’re intrigued. Not because you need it, but because the formula looks suspiciously like a riddle.

You spend the next week figuring it out. For no reason.

Phase 3: Bargaining – "Maybe It’s Not So Bad"

By now, you’ve entered the Strategic Management section, which might as well be a Netflix drama. You’re introduced to World COMPASS —a framework so theatrical it deserves an Oscar. It’s all about rivalries, bargaining power, and existential threats. You find yourself applying it to your personal life:

Competitive Rivalry: Your colleague who always gets posting to Delhi....

Supplier Power: The cafeteria staff, because they control the coffee supply... 

Buyer Power: You, threatening to leave the course (but never actually doing it).

Threat of Substitutes: Weekend plans that involve Netflix instead of Dissertation and case studies.

Threat of  Tool kit choooos...

Participants...

who suddenly ask intelligent question and then give answers also to them by utilizing all tools ever used....... 

At this point, you no longer hate the subject—you admire its drama. You even start incorporating strategic buzzwords like "core competencies" and "black swan strategy" into everyday conversations, confusing friends and family in the process.

Phase 4: Attachment – "I Think I Love It"

This is where the syndrome takes hold. Operations Research (OR) sneaks up on you like an uninvited guest who refuses to leave. What starts as a harmless introduction to Linear Programming morphs into late-night obsessions over Transportation Models.

You begin to see optimization problems everywhere:

Should you spend your lunch break eating or revising formulas for Critical Path Analysis?

Can you minimize time spent in traffic using Shortest Path Algorithms?

Will your salary be enough to justify the emotional damage caused by Decision Trees?

By now, you can’t resist using phrases like “Let’s maximize utility while minimizing costs” during grocery shopping. Your friends stops taking call of you.

Phase 5: Acceptance – This is Who I Am Now

You surrender completely during the Supply Chain Management (SCM) module. You no longer question the point of learning about bullwhip effects, inventory control models, or lean logistics.

Instead, you start analyzing the supply chain of your morning coffee, mapping its journey from Ethiopian farms to your caffeine-deprived hands. You begin suggesting Just-in-Time (JIT) strategies to local grocery stores and reorganizing your kitchen pantry based on ABC analysis.

At this point, you’ve stopped being a hostage—you’re a willing recruit.

Phase 6: Post-Captivity Syndrome – What Now?

As the course draws to a close, panic sets in. What will you do without the Monte Carlo Simulations that kept you awake at night? Who will listen to your unsolicited opinions about Organizational Development and Behavioral Theories?

You try to move on, but the impact is permanent. You find yourself casually mentioning Game Theory during parties and analyzing the correlation coefficients of your exercise habits during gym conversations.

Even at Project you can’t stop yourself from creating a Gantt Chart for the most mundane tasks—like planning structure of project report... 

Final Thoughts: Living with Stockholm Syndrome

And so, you emerge from your one-year academic captivity not as a victim but as a convert. You now believe that Statistics holds the answers to life’s mysteries and that Financial Models can predict happiness.

You may never actually use these concepts at work, but you’ll always carry them in your heart. After all, who needs therapy when you have System Management Frameworks and Operations Research Models to solve all your problems?

When you're finishing the course, there are only two paths left: either you surrender completely to the syllabus—no escape, no regrets—or you become a "Bairang Lifafa"—leaving exactly as clueless as you arrived!

Finally there is always a CHoice... 

The Smart Side of Forgetting: Why Your Brain is smarter than you think—Especially When It Matters!

Sometimes,

knowing less

can feel like pure freedom.

The less you know,

the less you worry,

and the lighter your soul becomes.

Embrace the calm

of not knowing,

and revel in the freedom

that follows.

I had suddenly realized that the second semester in the course I am doing has practically lulled me into a state of hibernation during classes. With exams looming like an impending storm, my mind feels like a chaotic battlefield, campaign —filled with intricate op art alonwith op geometry  patterns clashing. The presentations given appearing oddly unfamiliar, as if I’m seeing them for the first time. Even then I did not realize and thought I will be able to prepare—until my brain decided to go on strike. That critical SCM slide? Vanished. The system  archetype I just reviewed? A complete blur. Even the name of that profound war philospher who seemed so insightful yesterday? He’s now reduced to “that guy.”

But before you also start spiraling, let me stop you right there—forgetting doesn’t mean your brain is broken. It means it’s brilliant. Forgetting is not a glitch; it’s a feature—a finely tuned system designed to clear out life’s junk drawer so you can actually focus on what matters (like passing that exam without sweating through your shirt).

Think about it. Do you really need to remember every detail of yesterday’s lunch?  No. You need your brain to prioritize, and that’s exactly what it’s doing when it “forgets” things. So, the next time you blank out mid-study session, don’t panic—your brain’s just busy tidying up so you can shine when it counts.

Let's be honest—forgetting is often a blessing in disguise. Do you really want to remember the time you confidently waved back at someone, only to realize they were waving at the person behind you? Or when you enthusiastically recounted a story to a group, only to be met with blank stares because you'd already told it—twice? 

No, you don't. You want to remember the highlights—the laughter, the successes—not the time you mispronounced a common word during a presentation and became the class meme for a week. Forgetting isn't a flaw; it's your brain's way of editing out the bloopers so you can focus on the feature film of your life.

So, the next time you draw a blank on a minor detail, take it as a sign that your brain is prioritizing the moments that truly matter—and sparing you from reliving the ones that don't.

Six Reasons Forgetting Deserves a Gold Star

1. The Importance of Forgetting Certain Things for Exam Preparation

Forgetting isn’t a flaw—it’s your brain’s way of decluttering and prioritizing what matters most. It clears out outdated or irrelevant details, like old passwords or awkward memories, so you can focus on the information that’s actually useful. This mental “spring-cleaning” helps prevent overload and sharpens your ability to recall what’s important during exams.

When preparing for tests, forgetting irrelevant details or past mistakes can boost focus and confidence. It’s like closing unnecessary browser tabs to speed up your device. Bombed a  test? Forget it and move on. Focus on refining key concepts and strategies that will help you succeed. After all, clearing mental clutter lets you tackle the exam with a sharper, more organized mind!

Our brain’s motto? “If it’s not useful, it’s outta here.”

2. Forgetting Makes You Smarter (Yes, Really).

Ever gone out for sushi so many times that you can’t remember which roll you loved most—but somehow became an expert in Japanese cuisine? That’s experiential learning. Forgetting individual details helps you absorb the bigger picture.

Ladies generally remember random specifics—like the exact outfit they wore to a party—but US? We trade details for wisdom. And sometimes, that wisdom includes knowing which sushi place won’t give you food poisoning.

3. Selective Memory = Brain Goals.

Good memory isn’t about remembering everything; it’s about filtering out the nonsense. Your brain is like a nightclub bouncer—letting good memories in and kicking out the riff-raff (like your friend’s awkward jokes). Forgetting irrelevant details means you can focus on the important stuff—like remembeing only 6 Question after your indepth chatGPT analysis for your  exam.

4. Forgetting Helps You Focus—Even If You’re Thinking About Dinner.

Ever sat down to study and suddenly wondered, “What’s for dinner?” Forgetting is your brain’s way of shushing those random thoughts so you can actually focus—at least until hunger wins and you end up checking stock exchange mid-study session.

5. Forgetting Fuels “Flow”—AKA Your Brain’s Happy Place.

Ever been so absorbed in something that you lost track of time? That’s called “flow,” and it’s the mental zone where you do your best work—or at least pretend you’re doing your best work while binge-watching Netflix. Forgetting helps you stay present by pushing out intrusive thoughts about past embarrassments (or that awkward text you sent).

6. Forgetting is Emotional First Aid.

Life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. It’s full of spills, snarky comments, and painfully bad karaoke nights. But forgetting acts as your brain’s emotional Band-Aid, covering up the sting so you can move on.

Sure, the big stuff—heartbreaks, losses, epic failures—sticks around. But even those memories fade over time, like a bad haircut growing out. Forgetting doesn’t erase them; it just softens the edges, letting you heal without reliving every detail.

And if those painful memories keep popping up like unwanted ads? That’s not your brain failing—it’s just asking for a reboot.

The Raghu kutei has said happiness depends on “being able to forget at the right time as well as to remember at the right time.” Forgetting isn’t weakness; it’s balance. It’s what keeps us from drowning in mental clutter and helps us focus on the stuff that matters—like enjoying life instead of replaying every awkward handshake.

Imagine if you remembered everything—every insult, every missed deadline, every embarrassing fall. You’d be too busy cringing to leave the house. Forgetting is what lets us laugh, love, and move forward without dragging every misstep along for the ride.

So the next time you walk into a room and forget why you’re there—or stare blankly at your exam paper—don’t panic. Your brain isn’t broken; it’s busy filtering out the noise so you can focus on what counts. And if all else fails, just remember this—forgetting is proof that your brain knows exactly what it’s doing.

Unless, of course, you also forgot where you left your drink.... In that case, good luck.....