Towards the last week of my college days, I went around the place saying 'This is the end of my formal education'. Anyone who heard this reacted in either of these 2 ways: a) They'd give a shaky nervous laugh and stop it at that or b) They'd shoot back with 'So, you won't be studying any further?'
To the second reaction, I would say 'No, I won't be studying for another formal degree.' From that reply, the talk would spiral into the mis-consequences of my irrational decision. Everyone's doing it; so how can you afford not to? All along, we have learnt to take a pro-Napoleanic no-nonsense view towards higher education, and this is true for most of us. But that is not the point of the discussion here. It is in my interest to take something that the reader already knows about college and package it around in a never before seen wrapping.
A new perspective
At the Fresher’s orientation in the Mechanical Engineering Department where I studied at NIT Hamirpur, the Head walked up on stage and said to all of us present there: “How many of you ended up here by choice? And how many came here by chance?” For the first time, we understood the difference between the two C-words.
In engineering admission circles, there is a dogma that one branch of engineering is 'better' than another. What with the definition of 'better' being so loose, it took a while to realise that the world needed both windows and bridges. And all of a sudden things began making more sense. Typically, an Indian kid gets into college largely due to pressure (like IITian writer Chetan Bhagat says). And as we know very well, what is being taught inside classrooms is rather uni-dimensional. When a friend of mine moved into the hostel at 18 years of age, his dad said to him “This is where you will become man from a boy”. For starters, he shed off his baby moustache and the rest of the story was true to the last word. My mother paid for my college. Like most parents who pay for their child's education, expectations were all always there. And like a dutiful son, I wished to carry out my mother's dreams to the best of my ability. But as my student years rolled on, I realised that the tuition fees that were paid for the academics actually gave me little in terms of value addition. It is what wasn't paid for that taught a lot more.
Backpacking to nearby places was favourite pastime. The thrill of getting into a horrible rickety bus and riding along the hilly roads and throwing up thrice in 2 hours was good fun! Well, not really the puking part, but the rest of it was. Settling down in cheap stinky rooms to save cash to try English cigars that cost a bomb were all a part of an experience I call unconventional education. Shoe-string travel would never be that much fun ever again. Keeping 'udhar' with the canteen wala and avoiding him, taking pangaas with seniors and hoping they won't catch you and pulp you, breaking window panes playing football in the corridors, asking for money from home each time and clearing out last time's debts with it; and yet managing to keep enough cash to buy a bottle of RS for the weekend are reasons to experience college life. You learn almost all the technical know-how they teach you in the classes almost anywhere, But there aren't very many places to experience the stuff you just read about.
Continuing education Post College
Everyone wants to get ahead at the end of the day, and wants to get there soon. Many of us are ambitious, a few are in hot water and we need to get out of it soon. Some just want to prove a point to somebody that didn't believe in them. A college degree is very important. But if truth be told, it is nothing more than a sheepskin. You might learn the technical stuff in there, but the skill set necessary to lead a fulfilling life will never be taught at school. If you are fortunate enough, there might be a great mentor in a teacher willing to help you out. But that's if you are fortunate.
Understanding humans, gathering success principles, effective living, learning ways to handle money, public issues, charity, growing mentally and spiritually and even maintain a stress free and a healthy life style are the least of which one would need to go through life and they were never even discussed at college or school. Instead we learnt math, sociology and thermodynamics. Giving back to the family that supported you, the society that defined you, the alma mater that gave you an identity, giving to a cause you believe in or to the people that really need it: all of this encompasses continuing education. There are hundreds of places imparting higher education. Few schools, if not none, impart continuing education.
Saying “My formal education ends now” is just a more radical way of saying “my continuing education begins now”.
Go to college, but get out of there soon!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Courtesy
Week before last, I was at the bank. The lady behind the counter was a fabulous person; always smiling and really helpful. Next to me at the counter was another woman who was there to transfer money to her relatives in a neighboring district. She was the typical villager who worked in the field all day, and she was roughly in her late 40's.
Since she didn't know the details of the account fully, she was facing trouble completing her work. But of course, the banker woman, being the helpful soul she was made this woman's life easy by going out of her way to arrange for information that she could have very well dismissed as being beyond the scope of her job. The two women spoke in pahadi (the local dialect of the hills). After a couple of minutes of going back and forth, the task at hand was finished. I stood there watching as the villager woman handed the currency notes to the banker lady. And just she was about to walk away, the villager stopped and looked at the banker and said : Thank you. I was stunned. So was the banker across the counter. She asked her customer to repeat what she said. And smiling, with her lips concealing her teeth, she repeated: Thank you.
Courtesy doesn't demand much time. It is something as small as a Thank you to someone who doesn't expect to be thanked. If a woman with nil education knows this, it is embarrassing for us who hold fancy degrees to somehow think that we are above all of this. Do I say I was touched by the woman's act? Yes. But I learned a valuable lesson that day - Be courteous even to strangers.
Since she didn't know the details of the account fully, she was facing trouble completing her work. But of course, the banker woman, being the helpful soul she was made this woman's life easy by going out of her way to arrange for information that she could have very well dismissed as being beyond the scope of her job. The two women spoke in pahadi (the local dialect of the hills). After a couple of minutes of going back and forth, the task at hand was finished. I stood there watching as the villager woman handed the currency notes to the banker lady. And just she was about to walk away, the villager stopped and looked at the banker and said : Thank you. I was stunned. So was the banker across the counter. She asked her customer to repeat what she said. And smiling, with her lips concealing her teeth, she repeated: Thank you.
Courtesy doesn't demand much time. It is something as small as a Thank you to someone who doesn't expect to be thanked. If a woman with nil education knows this, it is embarrassing for us who hold fancy degrees to somehow think that we are above all of this. Do I say I was touched by the woman's act? Yes. But I learned a valuable lesson that day - Be courteous even to strangers.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
A closing note
Stereotype demands me to resume blogging with a post on the senti-mity (I just coined the word) of leaving college. I'd have to be brain-dead to do that. So I thought I would give a little antithesis on the end of college and what's running through my mind at this point in time.
Without a whiff of a doubt these 4 years have been the best years so far, having taken away the cake, the icing and the little red cherry on top. But then, like I mentioned in one of my early early posts, this place is too rich that it gets to you after a while; kind of like the Death by Chocolate at Corner House. I like this place too much that it's now time for me to get out of here, go all the way around and come back to help it grow bigger and better (if that's making any sense).
And for the record, I showed Nagraj the middle finger. May he lead a long life. Having the last laugh is good, since you can laugh louder and longer than you would normally.
But as of now, it's time to play mentor to some fabulously promising people (Iti, I know you're reading this!)
Without a whiff of a doubt these 4 years have been the best years so far, having taken away the cake, the icing and the little red cherry on top. But then, like I mentioned in one of my early early posts, this place is too rich that it gets to you after a while; kind of like the Death by Chocolate at Corner House. I like this place too much that it's now time for me to get out of here, go all the way around and come back to help it grow bigger and better (if that's making any sense).
And for the record, I showed Nagraj the middle finger. May he lead a long life. Having the last laugh is good, since you can laugh louder and longer than you would normally.
But as of now, it's time to play mentor to some fabulously promising people (Iti, I know you're reading this!)
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Jaago NIT
Jaago NIT is a students' campaign for a better future.
This movement aims to fulfil two motives:
1) To strengthen student-alumni ties and hence improve the value of NIT Hamirpur's brand in
the outside world.
2) To make ourselves (the students) more accountable for our actions.
A Students' Parliament is being organised on Tuesday, 15th of April at the conference hall of the Auditorium between 430 pm and 630 pm.Entry for students only. Participants in the parliament are free to raise any issue and talk about anything of anything of anything.
The only criteria for participation is write out your views on this question:
“If resources (like money, time or contacts) are not a problem in the future, what/how would you
like to contribute to this institute as an alumnus?”
Send it in to arjunbs@gmail.com or abhinavjogi@gmail.com
This movement aims to fulfil two motives:
1) To strengthen student-alumni ties and hence improve the value of NIT Hamirpur's brand in
the outside world.
2) To make ourselves (the students) more accountable for our actions.
A Students' Parliament is being organised on Tuesday, 15th of April at the conference hall of the Auditorium between 430 pm and 630 pm.Entry for students only. Participants in the parliament are free to raise any issue and talk about anything of anything of anything.
The only criteria for participation is write out your views on this question:
“If resources (like money, time or contacts) are not a problem in the future, what/how would you
like to contribute to this institute as an alumnus?”
Send it in to arjunbs@gmail.com or abhinavjogi@gmail.com
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Full House
Here's hostel life for you:
Day before last, 5 guys get together in a room on B-top.
Reason: Major Project.
5 minutes later: Project chucked. A round of Tambola is in (one of them just remembers that he's still got unused tickets from the cul-fest).
One announcer and 4 players.
Prizes:
Jaldi 5: A spray of Axe deo on your underarm.
Top/middle/bottom row: A spoonful of Boost.
Four corners: A sachet of Nescafe Cappuccino.
Full House: A photograph with the basketball champions' trophy.
Hostel life is great.
Day before last, 5 guys get together in a room on B-top.
Reason: Major Project.
5 minutes later: Project chucked. A round of Tambola is in (one of them just remembers that he's still got unused tickets from the cul-fest).
One announcer and 4 players.
Prizes:
Jaldi 5: A spray of Axe deo on your underarm.
Top/middle/bottom row: A spoonful of Boost.
Four corners: A sachet of Nescafe Cappuccino.
Full House: A photograph with the basketball champions' trophy.
Hostel life is great.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Top 12 things I would do, if I were to start over again
With less than a month to go before I leave this place, I thought it is but right that I share my ideas on what would be some of the things I would do differently if I were to start all over again from 1st year at NIT-H.
12) I would care less about what others thought of me and more about what I wanted for myself.
11) I would treat my batch-mates as seniors and my juniors as batch-mates. I would stay away from the 'sir/maam' culture and would encourage people calling me by my first name instead (a nick would be far more welcome!).
10) I would get a girlfriend who lives in PGH. Not long distances. Not long phone calls. But a fabulous relationship with a girl that I can one day look back and say that “Yes! she was my college sweetheart.”. Life here is just so different when you have a partner, as against when you don't have one.
9) Exercise would be a part of my daily schedule.
8) I would work on improving my spoken and written English all the time.
7) I would read a lot more books than I did in my field of interest (outside of academics).
6) I would be obsessed about participating in national level events, especially quizzes, and I would focus on becoming a top of the notch business quizzer.
5) I would certainly pick up at least one art form – either singing, dancing, a music instrument or even a new language.
4) I would look for every opportunity to be an organiser of an event and I would do my part religiously.
3) I would travel around more often and see more places.
2) I would treat my projects seriously. I would focus on interning with an industry,a foreign university and a multi-national bank respectively in each of my three summers.
and the number one:
1) I would find the senior in the final year batch that I would want to model myself after and I would work very closely with him/her.
12) I would care less about what others thought of me and more about what I wanted for myself.
11) I would treat my batch-mates as seniors and my juniors as batch-mates. I would stay away from the 'sir/maam' culture and would encourage people calling me by my first name instead (a nick would be far more welcome!).
10) I would get a girlfriend who lives in PGH. Not long distances. Not long phone calls. But a fabulous relationship with a girl that I can one day look back and say that “Yes! she was my college sweetheart.”. Life here is just so different when you have a partner, as against when you don't have one.
9) Exercise would be a part of my daily schedule.
8) I would work on improving my spoken and written English all the time.
7) I would read a lot more books than I did in my field of interest (outside of academics).
6) I would be obsessed about participating in national level events, especially quizzes, and I would focus on becoming a top of the notch business quizzer.
5) I would certainly pick up at least one art form – either singing, dancing, a music instrument or even a new language.
4) I would look for every opportunity to be an organiser of an event and I would do my part religiously.
3) I would travel around more often and see more places.
2) I would treat my projects seriously. I would focus on interning with an industry,a foreign university and a multi-national bank respectively in each of my three summers.
and the number one:
1) I would find the senior in the final year batch that I would want to model myself after and I would work very closely with him/her.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Notes from the Tycoons Journal – P4
Day 3 and final day at camp. We head out to an hour long yoga session amidst the peace the hills always offer. By the time the heat of the sun is out, Satya and the Men erect a white board and we undergo a personality self-analysis. Hmmm, somehow, I'm just not too convinced at the end of it. The personality test says that I'm the kind of person who blames everything on himself. Well, I don't quite look at it that way; my belief is that I am responsible for the happenings in my life because of the choices I make each day. But then, what do I know!
Brunch is yummy. We click a couple of last minute keepsake pictures at the tent. And by noon, the whole troop empties the valley and marches towards the three buses that are waiting to take us back to the Capital.
7 hours later.
After battling the heavy evening traffic in Delhi, we reach Gurgaon at around 9 at night. We drive into the MDI campus (across the road from the Bata building). This will be our home for the next couple of days. After dinner that night, I head to room no. 218. Rohit Begwani is my roomie. Namma Bengaluru huduga. End of day.
Brunch is yummy. We click a couple of last minute keepsake pictures at the tent. And by noon, the whole troop empties the valley and marches towards the three buses that are waiting to take us back to the Capital.
7 hours later.
After battling the heavy evening traffic in Delhi, we reach Gurgaon at around 9 at night. We drive into the MDI campus (across the road from the Bata building). This will be our home for the next couple of days. After dinner that night, I head to room no. 218. Rohit Begwani is my roomie. Namma Bengaluru huduga. End of day.
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