College life is not always as rosy and exciting as is the common perception. And if you are a student of chemical reaction engineering, with all due respect, life can be painful, at least that is what I thought back then. I don't if it is me or are the many formulae one is made to rote learn really that boring. On the first day of college, like any other teen, even I was a bit nervous and a lot excited for the new experience. New faces, possibility of making new friends, a beautiful campus and a sweltering summer day, my anxiety knew no bounds. But as time passed by, the lectures felt like an unending sad poem. But soon, it sort of grows on you.

 

By the time you reach the last day of college, you are a different person. You miss your favourite cell biology lectures and even the practical classes of biocatalytic processes. Memories of all the late nights to complete projects till the last minute leave behind a bitter-sweet taste. In the end, the reflection of you is not in the transcripts but in the quiet alchemy of self-discovery. The subjects that once felt a big burden, now give you confidence to face the world, as you move towards achieving your dreams. And then, you leave the campus, not just with a piece of paper you call your degree but with ambition to make a difference in the world.

 

 

Youth Zone: Curated by Maithili Bisne