Every now and then we talk about the past generations of this master. The ones that have managed to go through all the things we don't like and understand. To us they look like some kind of heroes. We called them the "IMSE Gladiators" while joking on whatsapp.
But giving it a second thought, they trully sort of are. By keeping up with the course materials, by cooking their own meals almost every single day, by being on time to lectures and exercises, by managing their budgets, by still having fun while learning, by making up their minds about what to do with their futures. There are so many things we still need to learn, things they somehow have managed to accomplish already.
Perhaps we will laugh at this once this first semester is over, but in the meantime we talk about them as mentors, as people to which we can ask the real questions because they have been here, they know this place and its features.
Hopefully one day we will become gladiators too. The fifth generation of IMSE gladiators.