Author: Prachi Lal (BCA, 2019-22)
It was the first time I saw my parents cry. My parents who have stood beside me, uptight, all along were crying as they left me in the hands of this temple of education, in this hostel. It was a first for both my parents and me. I wanted to weep and stop them and ask them to stay, but then I remembered my mum kissing my forehead and saying, “Bubu, here you well get all that you need. Tomorrow when you come back home, be the better person we expect you to be”. It has been a few months now and weirdly, these words have been the source of strength and a beacon light for me. I have stayed strong and focused. Everyday when I wake, I want to run back to Ranchi, run back to my city, my people, mum and dad.
When I look around, I see people of my age doing the same thing, like little birds coming out of their nests for their first flights, just like me. I see people with the same urge to run back to their peers but they stay. Everyone wants to do the same, excel. This age period is a roller-costar ride in our life. We come out of our comfort zones, meet new people, learn, plan careers, manage our lives and problems, make friends, make enemies, fall in and out of love, discover ourselves and most importantly know how and what life is. This is the most important phase – the make or break phase – in life. We want things to be perfect and plans to go our way, but sometimes things don’t work that way. Sometimes our worst fears get realized. These fears need not be as big as facing voldemort, but instead could be as simple as running out of money on month ends, which most of the people do. These situations make us angry, anxious, terrified, restless, all at the same time, but we all must remember that the madness has just begun. These fears or mistakes are not the end. They are bitter pills to swallow because these uncomfortable situations eventually prepare us for what lies ahead.
More than anything my colleagues (and I) are worried for marks, results and placements. Yes, these things do matter, but no, again this isn’t the end. Mathematically, even if you score less marks in one exam, you still have a 100% probability of scoring highest in the next. Dear friends, getting low marks isn’t the real issue. The real issue is not dedicating 100% of yourself to it.
So, it’s my first time living what is called a ‘hosteler's life’ and to be honest I had a rough beginning. I was curious, anxious, a little unstable and angry. I used to complain all the time about the food, the lighting and everything. I used to weep every now and then missing home, have major mood swings, feel depressed and sometimes have an outburst of emotions. It’s not that I don’t miss home now and that I don’t feel anxious or depressed now. I do. I still feel all of it and even now I have an outburst of emotions. The difference is that now I have started learning how to cope with it. I have started learning
to set my priorities. The art of living lies in how you react to a particular feeling and every one should know that no feeling is wrong or right (says a person I know), but the actions you take in response to a feeling get to decide the right or the wrong. Everyone should always know that it is okay to make mistakes because if you are my age, you have just hatched out of your comfort zone. For instance you might be socially awkward or might be an extravagant in the start. It is okay, but what is not okay is to not learn from your mistakes, live in denial and not ponder over them and the give yourself a chance to do what must be done. You need not feel guilt about a thing for as long as you committed it, but then you must also not forget it, because if you do so, you will never be able to learn from it. My coping strategy is talk to that one girl I trust, yours maybe writing or reading or listening or even studying, you never know until you try it out and trust me it is never too late to give it a shot.
People, Symbiosis is a brand. Let’s prove worthy of being ‘Symbians’.
Let’s show our parents the person they want to see- the strong, independent; the better versions of ourselves.
Let’s do it.