Well, Bard suggested that title, but hopefully it makes the read relatable.
"You need to be heartbroken to be creative" they say, do I agree? Yes. But why? Recently, I just got rejected from an interview or maybe made a non-negotiable which was a deal breaker for them, whatsoever, didn't help me get through the rough patch of unemployment yet.
It's been time since I've taken to writing and while I do this now, I'm flummoxed about how this goes. Satisfying my analytical bug, I turned to reflect on my college experiences and thought of sharing them here, either to help you learn something or help you reminisce your days there. Though this might not be the cheesy nostalgic writing, it definitely tries to answer a few questions through my experiences. So, let's start with a question, "What is college?".
To me, college is a place wherein people from diverse backgrounds, come together to embark on a shared journey while performing some "tasks" for their survival. What's interesting is, that while you go through this journey, you encapsulate a lifetime of experiences that shape you into a stronger individual, someone who can take extreme levels of stress, someone who can do beautifully crazy things, or horribly crazy, yet turn out to be bold and creative.
Ironically, my experience was both different and similar. Back during my junior college, I was that introverted bookworm, always found sitting in the FrontRow (also the name of the company I later interned at), rushing home after classes and other traits found in someone who's usually scared. However, my time at Christ University brought about a significant change in me, so much so that I was a different human altogether.
Why, you might ask? Well, as I led a quiet and drama-free life, I realised that that the confident ones, ones who can share ideas fluently, who go through college drama, seemed to be truly living. I, too, desired to live more fully, but it came at a cost. As my junior college days came to an end, I isolated myself during the COVID-19 pandemic, engaging in self-reflection and learning from YouTube videos. Little did I realise that I had transformed into a different person by the time I joined Christ University. Consequently, when I began my degree, I was confident in expressing myself and made the most of the opportunities presented during that 3 year stint.
Back to where we started, college serves as a platform for you to engage in peer learning, participate in activities and competitions, forge new friendships and experience new things (including those we were advised to keep at a distance, such as alcohol). It is definitely a place that transforms you into a better version of yourself. That being said, true learning often transcends academic education. And though I bat for education, I believe formal education is a bubble where formality takes precedence over genuine learning, better put, education for the heck of it, in the negative connotation.
So, why college then? Because you learn to grow and grow to learn. I can say that I learned more about the technical aspects of business in a three-day fest than in my three-year degree, which was possible because the institution gave me access to such opportunities. College is a beautiful place to be because at the end of the day, you are figuring it all out while hanging around a couple of insanely crazy people, who are also paving their own paths, with the institution playing the catalyst binding everyone together, with access to resources.
Now about the education aspect, if you have the hunger to learn something, initiate it yourself, you'll end up progressing much faster. Everything you want to learn today is at your fingertips. Don't rely solely on your university for education. To be honest, as a peer teacher, I found myself teaching the basics of Excel, while the learners had already moved on to automated data analytics, leaving no room for the mundane practices of the past. Your university will teach you how to write an email in a day or two, when Bard can do it better in seconds.
Ideally, embrace these traits to make the most of your time at college
Be confident in expressing yourself. Own yourself, and never shy away from reality.
Dirty your hands trying to do everything you can, who knows might discover your true passion or form beautiful relationships along the way.
Don't save every last bit of money. While I advocate for stash cash, don't let it consume all your time and prevent you from gaining useful experiences.mTrust me, thoroughly exploring a place would give you perspectives you can't get with the saved money. However, beware of the debt trap, spend within your means and live through.
Manage your time well, make sure your friends aren't affected by the amount of time you invest in your love life and vice versa. While the Bigg Boss saga plays out, complete your tasks on time to contribute to it.
Invest in your career growth, through internships and student experience programs. Regardless of your interest, there are always opportunities available in every domain. Doing so, provides you clarity about your goals.
Before I forget, cherish the relationships you build during college. It's quite challenging to keep in touch with everyone, but doing so, would foster a network of cheerleaders and supporters in the times of need, yet be that person people can always bank on.
All these experiences shape who you become. Many find their life partners, discover their true calling, while others simply pass through college, merely existing. Therefore, live through college, don't just exist.
As I conclude, there's a small story to share. Throughout my time at college, I was extremely passionate about problem solving, so much so that I landed into various case study competitions, B-Plan events and management fests, winning most of them. These wins not only brought in a considerable amount of money (for a college student) but also an all-expenses-paid trip to Europe. Experiencing all these highs together made me quite egoistic. However, having not planned for my future, I took sometime off and realised I want to do a job, yet throughout the year, didn't give it a brief thought. While every fest boosted the ego further, college was coming to an end. When the convocation ceremony took place a month after the final exams, it was disheartening to feel like a failure. It was upon reflection that I humbled myself, knowing internally that would be a valuable addition to any company I join, coz I'm usually the give-it-all guy. Recognising this, I strive to become a better person every day. Lastly, one thing you must avoid is becoming egoistic.
Humility is extremely important, irrespective of what you attain, it's a crucial skill to have that can make the world a better place
fin.