Every year in the world and especially in India there are two sets of students who are going to face a new chapter in their adulthood. One who is entering into it and one who is embracing it. This precisely translates into the ones who are entering into the graduation college and the ones who are leaving it and going to face the real-world phenomenon. In this article, we are going to look at the former set of students whose vibrant energy radiates as they ponder on the newly discovered freedom, chances, and changes that life is going to throw at them.
i) New World and New Friends
People usually toss the word “nervousness” and throw the phrase “butterflies in the stomach” but no nervousness can beat the nervousness of first time entering into the college as a fresher, no amount of butterflies in the stomach can equal the emotion one goes through in that process. It’s a new world. A world we might have anticipated at some point in our life. A world that seems more or less like an intimidating forest where the chances of losing in itself are very high. But what makes this world beautiful is the new friends you are going to meet or some old friends you might come across. That new experience is what makes us optimistic about the world we enter and going to cherish for the next couple of years. A simple “Hi” will make a lifelong friendship with someone. When you are new to the class the entire class is also new to themselves, So for the first few days, it’s going to be mostly introductions and forming bonds. These bonds mostly form during the lunch breaks, in canteens, over discussions on favorite topics. Now, these topics may vary from movies, sports to politics and business. In this puddle of conversations and hangouts, you as an individual will find your new friends and establish bonds that may carry you in the following years or your entire life.
ii) Different People and Different Opinions
College is a mix and match of people from different backgrounds, different lifestyles, different stories. This heavy nature of different people coming together and learning things is what makes college a high-spirited platform. When you form your friends you are most likely to lead to an opinion on the side of your friend. This may create opinion friction with other groups of friends whose life experiences are different from yours and also others. This conjunction of life is where you learn the concept of “Agreeing to disagree” which is a phrase in English referring to the resolution of a conflict (usually a debate or quarrel) whereby all parties tolerate but do not accept the opposing positions. You may or may not be agreeing with others but that doesn’t make others’ opinions invalid. Opinions are formed and framed through influences and life experiences. And always remember everyone’s life is different and everyone’s path is different. Be open to new concepts, new ideas, new points of view. Because these things make you understand the multicultural nature of this world and the people living in it.
iii) Identity and the Sense of Belongingness
The wrestling sensation of emotions in the first year of college will be a bit more if you are living in the hostel. Being away from parents and your home will always give teary-eyed feelings whenever those memories hit us nonchalantly. We always attach our identity to our parents which is not wrong. But when you are away from all those things it’s natural to encompass those sentiments. To leap from those sentiments you should create your own identity that defines you which gets emulated whenever your appearance arrives. Creating your way of life will make you more confident and will capture the joyous moments in your life which you adore. If you find it hard to socialize then start slowly and normally. Having virtuous friends will always assist you in new encounters. It will greatly benefit you if you have a good rapport with seniors who have already gone through what you are going through. Take their advice whenever it is necessary and build an overall persona that makes you self-reliant and self-assertive.
iv) Surviving and Thriving
When I joined engineering I wanted to have it all. I wanted to study hard, I wanted to get good marks, and I wanted to have a lot of fun. Somehow I achieved it. I balanced it all. I didn’t secure the top rank but I gathered enough numbers which made me feel proud of myself. I made great friends and met awesome teachers. I did everything that I wanted to do in college because I wanted not only to survive but also to thrive. I know this time of my life is where I have the freedom and I wanted to utilize that freedom without any regrets and bad remarks. You will make mistakes but what matters is how we are reacting to our mistakes. Remember, we don’t pay the price for the mistake we do, we pay the price for the lesson we didn’t learn from the mistake. Always be a curious student of life and its teachings. Make your own little goals and focus on them. I always believe small success leads to big success. Small happiness leads to big happiness. Don’t let others decide for yourself. Learn to make your own decisions. If necessary, take help from your close friends, consult your lecturers, and have a chat with your seniors. Ultimately write your own story which resonates with your heart and soul whenever you look back to the good old memories that you have created for yourself.
About the Author
Abhinav has finished his graduation in Civil Engineering only to realise that writing is also as analytical as Structural Analysis. From finding hidden references in movies to writing them in his stories, which may one day triumph as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, he is all about the culture of Pop Culture. He considers music as therapy and storytelling as catharsis. You can write to Abhinav at his email address: abhinavsriramoju@gmail.com