As I stood out of my bedroom window into the dark silence of the night, I felt the moon looking at me brightly and mocking at me. It was saying to me that, in the next few hours, it knows what's gonna happen to it; it knows that, in 15 days, the sky that it dominates at night is going to miss it. Whereas me, I don't even know what I'll go through the next minute, let alone the next 30 days!
And here I am, in this big disastrous world of Engineering, walking on a tight rope with each passing day holding surprises. Surprises, we can handle, but uncertainty?
Before you all wonder what on earth is it I'm talking about, let me enlighten you. We do not know what tomorrow brings, nor can we predict our next 10-year life schedule. But we can plan it. And that, my friends, is my 'point'. Like I said before, you may not know exactly what happens on a Monday morning, but you do have an idea that you will be up that morning, cursing the weekdays and IST system in general, brush your teeth with sleepy eyes, dress up with some difficulty and dash out with a sandwich in your hand to catch the College Bus, for which you're already late (this is just an example of my typical Monday morning). So when you can foretell how to go through your early morning blues, isn't it possible to plan your life in the same way??
Four years in Engineering, work your brains off and you're done. That's what all our lecturers are advising us now (I specifically remember my Chemistry lecturer of 11th std, saying, 'Work hard for 2 years my dear students, and you're settled). Give me a break.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, now, even with the prospect of facing the aggressive, competitive world out there; we are like wild, carefree birds, not giving a damn about the future. When it comes to deciding the tomorrow after Engineering, most of us can see nothing but a huge bold question mark. A job, maybe. If you don't get one, then? Dunno, no idea. Blank looks. I may still have one and half year to think all that, but believe me, I've been there. One experience is more than enough for a lifetime. The dilemma is applicable not just for professional courses but others as well.
I doubt if anyone of us can forget the indecisive torture we all went through while choosing our respective branches before joining any college.
Mechanical and Engineering? "Naah, that's not me"
Electronics Engineering? "Hmmmm No thanks!"
CS and Engineering? "I hate programs!"
Medical? "Noooo...."
& so on it goes.
These are not facts but just the response and opinions some people have while scanning dozens of leaflets which claim praise over various courses and colleges.
So the secret lies in starting from now, ie, from the beginning. Too late for me, so this is for the juniors. I know most of us are too unperturbed to do that but that's the essential truth. Let a firm goal guide us, then when it comes down to making a life altering decision, make wise one.
I have a friend who had taken a course because he 'kind of liked' the subject. 3 years hence now, he has no idea what to do next. I hear him changing his mind everyday. Problem was, he didn't take the time to think about his future. Of course, no use of us thinking this as we have already landed in a professional college!
Be it IIT, MS in the United States, The Electronic City, NITK or MIT or etc, etc., the point is to know what you are doing. At least then you won't regret it the way my friend is doing right now.
Many wanted to reach out to the Sun, but only one man wanted it badly enough to show us all what's there on it without reaching out to it. Through satellites. A tremendous achievement, I would say. So being the elite engineering students that we are, we must be an inspiration to both ourselves and others, just like that man who gave us the knowledge about the Sun.
And last, that is if most of you haven't already slept reading this article, there's a lot of space in the top room called SUCCESS. Everyone has a right for a presence in that room.
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