This blog was contributed by MBA'26J students Alex Byun, Farah Behkaazi, Giovanni Leone, James Campin and Yuexiao Li.Master Strategist Day (MSD) has a very particular energy at INSEAD. Part strategy sprint, part pressure test, it is the moment where weeks of classroom discussions suddenly turn into a real consulting engagement with a real organisation, real ambiguity, and limited time. It is also the moment you see how your study group works under pressure.

• Read more about Master Strategist Day 2025: How Our Team Built a Bold, Credible Path for BGA in the United States

Dear MIMs,Congratulations on surviving P2! You may now exhale for the first time in six weeks.If I had to describe P2 in one sentence, I’d say it was a mix of academic pressure, unexpected friendships, cultural celebrations and moments where I wondered if I actually lived anywhere outside the Asia Centre.

• Read more about Culture Week at INSEAD

From P3, my INSEAD journey transformed from a single-campus experience into a multi-continental expedition, precisely as I had strategically planned during the infamous bidding war. From the sea breeze of Singapore to the majestic skyline of the UAE’s downtown districts and the historic attractions of China, the "global" in MBA truly came to life.P3 in sunny Singapore

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Dear MIM'27,You did it. We did it.P1 exams are finally behind us. The coffee machine can rest, our cheat sheets lie crumpled in the corners of our room, and we can finally breathe a little. The relief is real, the celebrations were loud, and the first beer after Data Analysis tasted liked pure heaven.In the middle of the stress and chaos of exams, something special happened. 

• Read more about Between problem sets and parties: what INSEAD is really about

My dear MIMs,At first, I couldn’t put two words together for this editorial. My mind kept jumping between my personal story, a philosophical outlook, some study tips, and even a stand-up speech (we’re all lucky I scrapped that one). The white screen stared back at me for two long hours.And then, it hit me. I needed to write about failure.

• Read more about Reminiscing about the past: how a failure long ago shapes my mindset today

This summer, I interned with Data for Change: The PARIS21 Foundation, a Geneva-based organisation that works to strengthen data systems in low- and middle-income countries, with a particular focus on Africa. In particular, they work closely with climate and gender data, two types of data that are under-captured and therefore difficult to work into policy.Coming into this internship, I wanted to bridge my background in data strategy in the private sector with the world of international development.

• Read more about Fundraising in times of scarcity: lessons from Geneva

As we prepare to move forward from Launch Week, all new MIM students will no doubt feel a certain bittersweetness. While we know the real courses are about to begin, bringing a great deal of excitement, the experience of these last two weeks has been nothing short of exceptional.

• Read more about And they’re off: MIM'27’s first weeks in Fontainebleau

Hello, my friends! My name is Daniel Marino Reis Fideles, INSEAD MBA 25J, and I am writing this testimonial to demonstrate that it is possible to move to a different country with a different language and become a parent while studying a top-notch business programme.

• Read more about Being a foreigner and having a baby in France during the INSEAD MBA

Dear MIM’27,First of all, congratulations.You’ve made it. I hope you take a second to sit with that and be proud of how far you’ve come.If I could go back and do this year all over again, I would. I’d do it a little slower this time because the truth is, it goes by fast. So while you’re here, really be here. The year will unfold on its own, and you just have to show up, fully.  A few things I learned along the way:1. INSEAD is an all-you-can-eat buffet

• Read more about INSEAD MIM: Where a year feels like a lifetime

Born and raised in China, married to a Frenchman, and now building a life in France, I applied to INSEAD while pregnant—receiving my acceptance call just two hours before giving birth and applying for a scholarship a week later. 

• Read more about Fontainebleau Life by Tong: INSEAD opened the world in front of me and my daughter.