lessons from 4 years of engineering

I think there were some important phases in college that brought all the important changes in my attitude.

I really liked the culture in REC Trichy and especially ECE. The college would offer with a lot of opportunities when one could interact with a lot of people. One would get to know a lot of seniors and juniors of the branch. Once you get to the final year you would have people from two junior batch asking you advice, something you would be ready to give free of cost. A lot of people would open up in the last two years of graduation. You would never know with the first look that you could be in touch with them for the years to come. Touring other colleges with the Cricket and volleyball teams for different matches and with the music troupe would give me additional time and opportunity to know different people.

I remember the first few weeks in college. Some of my batch mates would do complex integration without pen and paper; some would talk their way to glory about their national level prizes and accolades. There were some who would know alteast half a dozen languages and one in my neighboring room started his Mirudangam class when he was 3 years old. I did try my hand with violin but discontinued. I attended competitions but not of the magnitude I could really boast about. There were people who were so talented but just simple as they can get. There was one who had is admission in Princeton University after his SAT examination. I was so ignorant that I didn’t even know there was an exam called SAT. There was also a son of a CEO of a big company in our batch. . I found myself suddenly in this different league of people. I was from the school where without much competition I was in the top three of the class. Suddenly I was with people who would be state toppers.

I just managed to be with all these amazing people and started to see a different perspective of life altogether. Those were the days when I would ponder upon how to stay in the crowd and be noticed. The good thing in me was I never saw myself lost in this talented crowd even if that meant not being noticed..
I enjoyed life but I did complain. Not being noticed did make me crib at times. I wrote a letter to my brother. I showed my frustration –I asked him why he couldn`t guide me? Why he didn’t see me admitted in a better school so that I would have exposed to a lot more things than just books? –Just an act of desperation that I couldn`t do that someone else would do.
One way I realized to keep myself out this desperation was keeping myself busy in things that I enjoyed the most. I did what I knew best. Played cricket, made friends and did a bit of 11th hour study. I enjoyed life.

After that letter to my brother, sometime later I realized that there were others who even didn’t have all that I had during my schooling. I have to mention here about one such guy who came from a Tamil medium school. His younger brother worked as a tailor in Chennai while he came for his higher graduation. From the first day in college he would never be shy to try talking in Hindi and English, even if it was wrong. People appreciated his efforts and he grew in confidence. There were others who had the fire in their belly to do well even if they were less talented. Important difference between me and them was that they were hardworking !!!
I think noticing all these real people and their goodness have made me a different person. There are a lot of people from college I admire for different reason. A lot are my thick friends now. Really people are assets as they rightly call and I have been blessed to find a quiet a lot of good people.

I don’t know what I learnt from the engineering classes. But the difference has been the people I met. I difference has been staying away from home and parents. The difference has been realizing different emotions and relationships in the 4 years. I would certainly recommend someone to have hostel life as a student. It’s just a wonderful, enjoyable learning experience.

I think in the next blog I have to mention different things I enjoyed doing- a little about things I did with my department, the college cricket and volleyball team and the music troupe.