It was twelve years ago, during the midterm of my seventh standard, when we shifted to a new residence. Two days into this new environment, I wanted to go back to where I felt the sense of belonging earlier. How could a happy, bubbly and talk-it-out girl survive with the school so far and a no-friends-around place? The only company I had was the sky above and the walls of my new address. The house was beautifully built, I must admit. My father told me the house had a very strong foundation and was constructed with Ultratech Cement. We organized a housing warming ceremony for all our relatives and friends. It was a big celebration all over. My mother prepared food for everybody and also packed the halwa in Freshwrapp for it to remain hot and eatable. I went shopping for Pooja essentials and also bought new dresses for the ceremony. We had this one shop from where I always bought my clothes and this time also it was no different. I loved those clothes back then, only to realize later in college the beautiful side of shopping phenomenon. I became friends with a shopaholic in college and was introduced to Pantaloons, a fashion retail store. There were all sorts of ethnic clothes to western fashion and shoes to bellies and that too at a very low price. During the four years there were a lot of celebrations and events in college and many new shopping adventures for me to dive into, from planet fashion to the pretty looking dresses of forever 21 I wanted them all. I also gave my family gifts from Peter England and Louis Philippe and the look said it all. After four years I went for a job and then an MBA from IIFT, still amazed realizing the formal apparel business that Aditya Birla Group had its power in. Van Huesen provided me with perfect looking formal blazer and shirts while Allen Solly was not far behind and gave me the perfect looking trousers and shirts. And here I am today celebrating the first few weeks of my MBA standing in confidence and enthusiasm provided by that perfect look.
Challenges are a part and parcel of our lives and we must accept them with both arms wide open. One particular incident that I remember is from the final year in college. I was part of a student initiative in college which took part in educating children in the nearby slums in the campus. Every week we were assigned two to three days and we went in the evening after classes to meet the children and teach them. It was a very serene experience. But everyday I went there were different set of students and the old students were mostly missing. We were very sad and wanted to do rectify it. We were finding it difficult to continue educating them as there was no continuation in the schedule. It was difficult to convince children to come to the classes every day. I along with my team members went from household to household in every possible slum and had conversations with every child and their parents. The strength increased a bit. To make them realize the importance of education and also to bind their interest I along with my team members collected books from the nearby localities and helped setting up a library for the children. We talked to the Aganvadi teachers and requested them to take care of the place as a librarian. The students were very much happy and the number of children increased significantly from the next class. It was very satisfactory and I was happy overcoming this challenge and helping them making a bright future.