During my freshman year at my Engineering college in Gujarat is when I faced my biggest challenge as a student. I had never lived away from home before, and I experienced severe homesickness. I was almost defeated by it on hearing the news of my parents settling in Indonesia as my Father switched his job. I did try to overcome my homesickness, which I thought by engrossing up in my college work, would do. Humongous in my own perspective, volume of work was a big change from high school. Assignments, Experiments and chapter deadlines assigned were more frequent than ever (Trust me ! MBA is totally another level). In addition to the volume, the expectations and standards from work were also much higher! Well my formative years of Schooling, Good Grades and marks adorned my Mark sheet. But Things spiralled out of hand and First Mid Semester Exams, I just Passed three subjects and Gave Remedial Examination for 4th Subject. Well at the moment, this was a big deal for a School Topper and He took this to heart and did consider this as a failure. The Exact Thoughts If I can particularly remember was Letting my parents down ! or Ab Mujhse Nahi Ho Paega ! or I am not made for this ! and the cliche whining of why do such things happen to me !....(Yes ! it does seem trivial now ! )
But since this was MY story to write I did Tackle this in a few different ways: I looked for opportunities to start or join study groups, met with my professors for advice on where to focus my attention, and set up a structured schedule (Though the spirit of Engineering happened to me in my second semester :P) to make sure I was putting in the required time studying. The Cherry on the Cake is that eventually, the subject and the branch of Electronics did interest me enough that now Volume of work or Homesickness are no more the motivators to study.
Fair Warning ! Big Words Coming !
Today as I look back ! I do realise something ! I think I am till date Inhibited by my fears…… or rather fear! It dawns to me that what I fear is fear itself. Though FDR said this in quite inspiring tone in his 1
st inaugural address as the President of USA, I am not at all the fan of nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses my needed efforts and desires to excel , in advance !
Choices shape us more than the circumstances we are in. Weight of statement could never be more than this particular juncture at my life. Looking inwards, I realise that I aspire to be remembered not extensively but deeply. Maybe I am too self-centric to think about if there would be my legacy, but sorry I can’t help but confess …. YES! I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED BY SOMEONE DEEPLY. THAT I EARNED HIGH REGARDS IN EYES OF SOMEONE and MAYBE HE OR SHE WOULD IMMORTALISE ME THROUGH THEIR THOUGHTS. I know, what a narcissistic romanticism this is. The two years here at Symbiosis, I can’t help but pray that my choices I make help me put an indelible footprint on someone or anyone. This is not a goal that has any substance. It is aim that just generated from a budding adult-ish conviction.
I am an imperfect being and I would never fully conquer the flaws and sinfulness within me, However I can merely win battles of a continuous war. I can grow into kinder, more selfless, and more honourable version of myself, and never lose the potential for error…for selfishness, bitterness, and deceitfulness to creep back in. I must choose each day, whether I will give in to “my demons” or learn to live above them.
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Aditya Birla Group is quite intricately entwined in my life. For my Name stands as the biggest testimony to the former statement. The story goes as: The Morning my father got the news of My birth, the evening brought in the appointment letter from an MNC that gave him offer call for a job vacancy. The company was Aditya Birla Group (ABG) and now one can easily correlate how the name comes. I also imply that , I was[am] supposed to be the carrier of auspiciousness, right from my Birth. In 21 years & 25 days though I personally would doubt the validity of the statement :P
My 18 Years of Life have been nurtured in the environment of ABG. I , right from my Birth , was raised in the Birla Cellulosic Unit at Kharach , Kosamba : which is part of Grasim Industries . I studied in the school named Aditya Birla Public School Kharach , Had my tough times of Health at the Jankalyan Hospital and nearly celebrated every festival with effervescent fervor in the colony. Keying these statements down , I realise that ABG has quite transcended past the status of Brand and is now part of my history and lifestyle.