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The transition from school to college is more of a time of change than any other, but some things end up staying the same.


When looking at someone who is just leaving school and another someone who is already in college, the difference in age might just be a year, but the difference in the hopes, dreams, and everything else in between looks like one that might exist between two widely different people. Your classmates from school would rarely know this confident, pumped-up, college version of you, but the one thing that they would relate to are your ever-lasting rants, more importantly, your rants on our never-changing education system.

In conversation with Trisha Saxena, a 12th grader pursuing commerce without maths, and Rubani Sandhu, a first-year student from LSR, we find places where these two conversations converge at a single point and places where the conversations could not be farther away— a proper representation of your school-to-college transition, if you will.

Even though a lot of us go into college expecting it to be more freeing than school— that new sense of being an adult, of being away from home, and of being free with your own ideas and thoughts, none of us are really able to actually fathom the intensity if the difference that is brought into our lives with this transition. Being not so much about the academics and the non-academics, the college makes you want to crawl back to school sometimes, for school was so free of so much of this burden of responsibilities. But school can also never be what college is— that one place where you can be anything (yes, college is Zootopia).

 

Indian Education: Practical education?

The one question that strikes a chord, regardless of what you are studying and where you are studying— how practical is Indian education? There are some things that continue to haunt you for the rest of your life, and frankly, this is one of them.

“I see my batchmates struggling with integration, differentiation, calculus and not all of them want to be mathematicians.  I studied maths up until 10th grade and I can promise you I am never going to use Pythagoras Theorem in my real life. Why do we have to calculate square roots by hand when everyone has a calculator in the real world? If you want to teach us something, teach us about our finances, teach us real life skills— how to cook, how to open a bank account— things that will help us in the long run,” Trisha continues, speaking out for every kid who barely passed in maths, calculating useless stuff we could have very easily found out answers to using a calculator.

“I mean I sympathise with the fact that school makes us study a lot of things and frankly, a lot of subjects that might just turn out to be useless, but that is one area where college gets better. You get a choice. The education might still be largely impractical and rote-learning might still be the building block of every course syllabus, but atleast you get a choice in what you end up learning (even if it ratta).” says Rubani, giving her perspective on the college life.

College does end up giving us a lot of autonomy, in terms of it literally being about the subjects WE want to talk about (lord help the BAP kids studying non-discipline courses against their will), but wasn’t that what classes 11th and 12th offered us too? How much of a difference did it make? We just found new subjects to hate, and new classes to bunk, because at the end of the day, it is only the book we are going to be following, so what’s the point?

 

CUET and NEP— can they make things different?

“Atleast the government is taking some kind of initiative with CUET and NEP… But this is also a two-sided sword. A lot of my batchmates, including me, are now thinking that when we have to give CUET to get into colleges, then why do even have to give boards? What is the point? Why not just bunk the boards and spend our time preparing for CUET?” continues Trisha.

On the other hand, Rubani gives her opinion, “I think yes, it is not going to make a very drastic change in the way education takes place in India, but it is a step towards creating a single platform for all the students to be judged upon, regardless of their backgrounds or their boards. Obviously, this means that there is going to be a change in the way admissions take place in colleges and I think that is going to make a significant difference,”

Two very different perspectives, but both of them perspectives that are not ill-placed. Maybe CUET and NEP are a step in the right direction, maybe it all going to fall on our faces, but isn’t it too early to call the end result, placing bets when the coin hasn’t even been tossed yet? 

 

Is the Indian education system flawed?

“On a scale of 1 to 10? A solid 8.79… there is an immense focus on memorising and the teachers don’t want us to go beyond the scope of the NCERT. In all the boards in India, there are some key points that the examiners want and if you do not write them, you won’t get marks. But what if I have understood the concept and I just don’t remember that one big fancy word that you use in your textbook, does that mean I am dumb?” says Trisha.

“I don’t think the answer to this question really changes when we move from school to college. The education was and is flawed, and there is no way around that. However, much we try to incorporate projects and assignments, all of them still end up falling in that same narrow scope and we are still shunned for asking questions that might stretch beyond the prescribed reading,” adds Rubani.

So, does it really make a change— that move from school to college? College does give us a lot of practical skills, it does make us learn things like budgeting and saving, that we wouldn’t have learnt before, but then this isn’t a feat of the education system. We might be blaming the education system for more than what is due, but isn’t education that one place where we expected things to be different? Isn’t education the place where we are supposed to be free to ask questions in? Isn’t education that one thing that is supposed to uplift us and allow us to become better than becoming a shackle in our leg and a leash on our throat?

 

Manasvi Kadian

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Think about your favourite teacher, first best friend, first crush, sharing tiffin boxes, the class getting up and chanting “good morning teacher”, bells ringing and copies closing in unison. Nostalgic, right? 

School inevitably leads one to “memory avenue” where one cannot help but wander. With the Semester-End Examination bidding farewell, the WhatsApp groups flood with reunion plans. But there exists a bitter side, a side that is an underlying decay, decay that cannot be ignored.

School instils fear in the hearts of students. The adrenalin rush at the fear of not knowing an answer turns out to be a baseless tremor, as one looks back at past. Eventually, this fear becomes a part of one’s system and the default setting of thinking more and speaking fewer sets in. How many times did you know the answer, had a doubt or an opinion but could not raise your hand? Did this resurface in your adulthood? Let that thought sink in…..

“I remember I was in seventh when our teachers segregated us on the basis of the length of our kurtas. We were very young hence, we actually started feeling guilty.”

The length of a kurta, the length of a skirt, the magnitude of the narrowness of one’s pants, the crime of rolling up one’s sleeves seem to be the only parameters which exist to judge students and categorize them into “good” and “undisciplined”. This plight continues like the not-so-famous process of “unnatural selection”, we assume that Darwin hangs his head down at the thought of it. The stages of categorization continue till an alpha being is found who is used as the ideal specimen to which others are advised to “look up to”. “Look at him, try to be like him” they say. Eventually, one tries to follow, as a result, the coping mechanism changes to copying mechanism and a school changes into a mass production unit.

The garden never claimed the roses to be the most beautiful. The flowerpots never told the periwinkles to be like lilies, the soil never told the weed to act like grass.

Students learn to follow, follow their teachers, follow elders, and follow what the book says. No one teaches the act of resistance, the act of questioning is a forbidden fact because apparently, questions do not come as six markers in papers. They never let one ask why but expect an explanation in your diary note.

Schools hollow out the capacity to have opinions. The glass is always half full and schools half-heartedly open horizons to fit in critical thinking. Agitation and resistance are Greek words until one enters college, where every voice matters, where every act of dissent is not reduced to rootless rebellion. 

“I’d be concerned about a behaviour policy that focuses on punishing students for what they are getting wrong rather than asking the broader question of why they are behaving in a particular way. Our school’s motto is “live adventurously”…… we encourage individuals to think for themselves and explore and question- that’s fundamental to education”, Iain Kilpatrick, head-teacher, Sidcot School, Somerset.

A democratic classroom is a farfetched dream which only some seem to savour. A place where questions are asked, opinions are accepted and sticks are spared is much due. The existing training for slavery should be replaced by the empowerment of future leaders. Dawn is yet to come.

Feature Image Credits: Gyanarjun Saroj for DU Beat

Priyanshi Banerjee

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One spends a chunk of their school lives making connections with classmates that continue for life, or do they?

School is indispensable. Most of the late-night stories my father used to recite to me involved him and his school buddies engaging in a ‘shaitaani (mischief)’ and then getting scolded by their Principal. Although, in the end, before sleeping he always used to wonder, where his friends are now?

We almost have every stereotypical trope in our classes in school. There is a fun gang, a notorious group, the rowdy boys, the toppers, the backbenchers, the teacher’s pet, the lover boy, everyone’s favourite, the snitch, and many more. Along with this, some experiences are also common to all- the infamous love-triangles (I am sure the teachers also bet on them), the made-for-each-other couples, the best friends forever, being the best class of the batch (every class felt that way), the most helpful kid in class, the birthday cakes cut in school in secret, the classes bunked to eat in the canteen, and many more.

School friends play an essential part in our lives. We experience our first bunks, first sprouts of rebelliousness, first crushes, first lies, first heartbreaks, and several other firsts alongside them. These memories shape one’s perspective in college makes the open to new ideas and people. However, the school also builds a wall of problematic bricks that we have to essentially break once we enter college. The infamous process of unlearning is a thing because of the problematic aspects one is fed in school.

Despite that, school friends still remain a close niche, a corner of our hearts is always filled with love for them. Be it that one friend with whom your ties loosened because you got into separate sections, that one annoying boy who used to crack lamest jokes ever, that topper who used to send you all the notes always, or the wittiest and wisest kid in school who is now studying across the sea, everyone is remembered in one way or the other.

Amongst all 120 kids in the batch, only five or six remain the ones whom you stay in touch with. They are safety-net you can always fall back on, a student from Gargi College calls them “her god-siblings”, she added that she could call them at 2 in the morning, crib about her day, and they will be willing to listen. “And I would do the same for them,” she said.

In spite of hectic college schedules, society meetings and practices, extra-curricular activities, and academic burdens, a connection among these friends stays, even if they live in the other part of the country. Social media plays an extensive role in this. It helps in staying connected and updated about each other’s lives, and helps bridge any communication gaps that may occur.

The influence of social media is such that now both my parents are back in touch with their school friends, reminiscing old days and crushing with nostalgia every now and then. My father now texts his school pals to ask how they doing, if he is curious about it.

Feature Image Source: Sakshi Arora for DU Beat

Sakshi Arora

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Comparing my first college vacations to my summer vacations back in school, I realise that one word that I associate with these holidays is ‘voluntary’. Read to find out why.

Summer vacations in colleges are certainly ‘voluntary’. For two months students are left without subordination, projects or stress about studying. Unlike school vacations, one does not have to worry about constant supervision by parents or heavy load of holiday homework. These two months college vacations are your own to enjoy, work, read, study, play, travel or catch up on your favourite shows.

Despite being unsupervised, these vacations do not remain as carefree as one expects them to be. Himanika Agarwal, from Gargi College said, “College vacations bring a load of insecurity along with them, I am always curious to know what my friends and classmates are doing. Some are doing internships, some are completing language courses, everyone around me is doing something productive and that pushes me to also take part in something which enhances my CV.” Along with her, many others also feel that there is an intense pressure of not letting your vacations go to waste.

On the other hand, Praachi Ratra, from Jesus and Mary College said that she is grateful for this time of peace because she was able to utilise it to go on a trip with her group of girlfriends. She added “My school friends and I have been planning this trip since our boards ended, but that time is too hectic and we didn’t get enough time throughout the year., Tthis summer vacation gave us the opportunity to actually go on that trip and fulfill our dream.”

Comparing them to schools’ summer vacations, Gaurvi Rustagi from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies added that these vacations are far more relieving and relaxing. According to her, she has been successfully able to utilise this time for her artistic tendencies and complete her volunteering at an NGO.

Many students also feel ecstatic when they get a chance to go back to their hometown for a longer and unrestricted period of time. Students who come to the University from far away cities believe that the summer vacations bring with them a remedy to their long established homesickness and make them ready for another year in Delhi.

For many, this year’s summer vacation might be the last vacation they have in (or outside) the University. Post this, they might end up navigating through the boulders of life; getting a routine job or prepping for a competitive examination. So, utilise this vacation to the fullest. Do not hold back from exploring new interests or polishing your old ones. Go intern for a new experience or travel to create new memories. Breathe in the positivity of doing nothing, or stay busy with load of projects. Wake up every morning with a purpose, because this time never comes back.

Feature Image Credits: Sakshi Arora for DU Beat

Sakshi Arora

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The world has started seeing a rise in parents adopting the method of homeschooling their kids. Let us understand what it actually is and how it functions.

Homeschooling is a method of schooling adopted by numerous parents across the globe where they choose to educate their children at home instead of sending them to traditional public or private institutions.

Parents follow this route for a variety of reasons like dissatisfaction with the traditional curriculum and methods of teachings at school, lack of progress of their children among others. Padmashree Tapepalli, an education consultant while discussing the reasons which led her to homeschool her kids said, “In a class of 30 students, you can’t expect a teacher to teach according to the need of each of them. She can only follow a single method of teaching within a stipulated time given to her. So, it’s obvious that every child doesn’t get individual attention.”

Though homeschooling has become a common phenomenon in many countries, it is still emerging in India. There is an absolute lack of awareness regarding the method in the country. Government of India doesn’t legally allow homeschooling, but on the other hand, if someone wishes to take his/her kid out of school and homeschool them, the government wouldn’t interfere. Thus, this confusing contradiction has restricted its proliferation even further in India.

Homeschooling has resulted in some shining examples. Sahal Kaushik cracked IIT JEE, at the age of 14 with AIR 33. He was also the first rank holder in Delhi. He was homeschooled by his mother who quit her job as a doctor to focus on her son’s education.

Homeschooling offers a variety of advantages. It opens the possibility of a plethora of innovative learning ideas. Unlike schools, it provides flexible learning timings and atmosphere. Instead of getting mixed in the crowd of numerous students, the child gets undivided focus. Thus, individual student needs can be fulfilled. Apart from learning experiences, it helps strengthen the bond between the parents and the children which otherwise gets weakened due to lack of time spent with each other.

But, homeschooling has also met with certain apprehensions from various corners. Some people strongly object the concept of homeschooling and argue that schools aren’t just about academics but they also inculcate confidence and life skills.

Tania Joshi, Principal of The Indian School said, “As a concept, homeschooling is more popular in the US. In the Indian context, it seems difficult. I do not recommend it. If a parent opts for homeschooling, they have to be of a level where they can match the capacity of three to four individual teachers in a school. Teaching a child is not an easy job and unlike a school, a home does not have the resources.”

Minimal interaction with the outside world and lack of capability among parents to teach their kids distinct subjects are some of the drawbacks of homeschooling.

Homeschooling, as a concept holds immense potential with few cons here and there. Careful regulation and fulfilling the shortcomings might do wonders if homeschooling is adopted as seen in various cases.

Feature Image Credits: Towards Parenthood

Shreya Agrawal

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The modus operandi of a college with its jam-packed classes and extremely busy professors defers from the relatively relaxed atmosphere of a school. Although it might not be easy to shake off the feeling that school is over, you will face the ultimatum of settling in inevitably. Here are some ways in which you can understand, right at the bat, the crucial differences between the operating systems of schools and colleges:

  1. To each his own: Unlike the schools where there are set timetables and teachers know the students personally, colleges are have thousands of students. The professors are too busy with academic ambitions of their own to go out after every student and ask them about their progress. It is largely the duty of the student to pursue their educators and let them know if they face any problems.
  2. It’s not all a party: No, unfortunately colleges in University of Delhi (and elsewhere) do not host year-long parties. Parties are highly small in number and restricted to a handful of formal occasions like fresher’s, farewell, the fests, and so on. Even though informal parties might abound, students are often seen buried in books, trying to outpace the amount of readings given to them to save their lives.
  3. Bunking is not occasional: Those of you who have concocted rose-tinted dreams of college life being full of bunking classes and going to their “hangout” spots, are about to get a rude shock. Professors are strict about attendance in many colleges, and unfortunately, it is one of those ways in which they actually track the movements of the students.
  4. Hush, it’s not all that bad: Although there are many things that make college life harder than school life, there are some amazing perks to be enjoyed as well such as the relative independence it offers, the wide range of societies that cater to the different skills of a student and of course, the out-station trips and the fests. Enjoy these moments with full enthusiasm because of their apparent rarity, almost like pearls found in an oyster.

Although college life can be intimidating to many, the important thing to remember is that adjusting to college life is something every student grapples with in the beginning and figures out by the end of it.

Feature Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for Mercatus

Sara Sohail

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As exciting it may sound, the transition from school to college can be equally daunting in the absence of proper guidance. Innumerable trajectories open up in college for youngsters, however eventually, many students end up feeling lost. This is where the role of a senior kicks in.

Who is a senior? A person, who is always willing to lend a hand, be it regarding academics or extracurricular activities. Seniors play the dual role of a friend and a mentor. They are the people who have been in your very shoes before you, therefore can empathize with your conundrums. They counsel you on what to study, how to study, projects to take up, internship opportunities, higher studies, and plain old personal problems amongst other things. They are an invaluable inventory of relevant information.

It is a well-known fact that one needs their seniors in college. This is something that we’re all well aware of even before we enter the campus life. In such an alien environment, it is good to have a voice of experience to consult to deal with changes and subjects.

The role of a senior in college is insurmountable. It is a senior who gives us the hacks to deal with that particular grumpy teacher. Seniors, from their inventory of experiences, share the tricks and techniques to deal with that particular tough paper. Besides, providing us with notes, our seniors sometimes go an extra mile to teach us tougher concepts in a subject.

Working with seniors while preparing for an event, can be a basic simulation of a corporate ecosystem. Teaming up with seniors to pull up events or projects helps us to understand the terms of working and instils basic etiquettes needed to be incorporated.

On an emotional level, seniors are better experienced than us in handling stress. They can figure out the sources of stress in most cases. They understand a junior’s position better than any other adult in a way since they are either going through it or recently gotten over it. Experience counts.

Keeping all the points under consideration, a junior must seriously consider building a good rapport with seniors. A fresher should join societies that interest him or her. Societies in colleges provide a platform and space for interaction among juniors and seniors. One should also be very active in department’s work and events. A junior should go an extra mile to initiate a conversation sometime and seek help on academic issues. Trips can be another exquisite way to help to bond with seniors easily.

We won’t live long enough to make mistakes and learn from it but we can be wise to learn from mistakes our seniors committed. Happy bonding with seniors!

 

Image Credits: Youth Ki Awaaz

Sandeep Samal

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Newly out of the sheltered and cocooned environment of a school, falling into the uneven and harsh terrain of a college, often we find ourselves drawing outlandish parallels between the two institutions.

While the first to twelfth grades are even steps of a progressively heightening ladder, college is the tight rope that one is expected to walk on immediately thereafter. And the latter is a tough nut to crack. As students conditioned into adherence of the stringent school norms, the liberal atmosphere of a college can be both restrictive and intimidating for many of us, depending on how sensitive we are to the changing environs around us. As with any other species, adaptation is key for college newbies too.

Students step into the University with almost bizarre pre-conceived notions, picked up from either word-of-mouth or unintended dialogue, which is usually only unproductive blabber. Well, college is hardly the illusion it is made out to be. While there are some facts that do hold true, there are quite a few which are completely irrational.

From waking up at 6:00 AM to getting dressed for school at 8:00 AM, five days a week, to contemplating attendance for the first lecture thrice a week and deciding against it, finally giving up and going back to bed every single time, college life is a complete U-turn. The massive change which comes with some flexibility, though necessary for students engaged in other activities besides their core academics, can also be exploited. Unfortunately, as soon as a leeway if given in terms of attendance, everyone is content with not showing up for classes as and when convenient. But the contentment usually backfires by the time the semester examinations approach. By then, the ritualistic practice of running after professors for notes and internal marks begins automatically.

College allows for a certain degree of independence, both emotionally and physically, that a school restricts in many ways. Quite a lot of people move out for pursuing degrees in undergraduate courses, some even going abroad, which requires prior preparation on various levels. From finding an accommodation and evaluating comparative benefits of the same to managing finances and holding oneself responsible for one’s own safety, college requires a person to brave against all odds. And as daunting as it may sound, it is the only thing that can probably set a person free from the habit of overindulgence.

While school is a great breeding ground for the simulation of ideas, there is a lot of ‘spoon-feeding’ involved. Pre-formulated notions are fed to the students without inculcating in them a thirst for questioning those notions. College, in this regard, guarantees severe mental exercise on an individual level, on a daily basis. With myriad incidents occurring in campuses on a routine basis, a person is compelled to take notice and address the problems responsibly. It coerces you into thinking about these issues with a latent sense of detachment. With ongoing campus debates and protest rallies for everything from LGBTQ rights to indiscriminate hostel curfew, youngsters attempts to pose questions and challenge the diktat of the authorities.

A college, as mentioned above, instills in us a plethora of good dispositions. When in school, a student generally aims to strike the right balance between academics and extra curriculars and in many cases, the latter ceases to exist. But when in college, it is the world that you are competing with and the competition is relentless. Owing to the rat race that we all unintentionally enlist ourselves in, we pave way for ruthlessness. It is not so much the consideration of the grade point average in isolation as much as the cumulative assessment of an individual’s personality in various arenas of prominence that set him/her apart from a crowd.

With both having their fair share of importance, a school nurtures you into its cocoon, long enough for you to build yourself up from scratch. And a college acquaints you with everything that you need to have, to be well equipped in life.

 

Feature image credits: Team Fuccha

 

Lakshita Arora

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Those annual celebrations for teachers which brimmed with alacrity and joy are still safely tucked away in our memory buckets. Here’s a trip down the lane of fond recollections!

As another year of college begins and verges on mid-semester culmination, the month of September hinges itself to the bountiful school memories. The grand affair and the invigorating bustle which circumvented the Teachers’ Day celebrations were the little fragments of joy the month offered. While the festivities may vary across colleges and departments, the momentum of the ‘then’ and the ‘now’ is strikingly apparent.

People say a lot of things about leaving school. Theories about lifelong school friends and nostalgic visitations always surface, but the one aspect that holds unparalleled importance is the warmth of the teachers who have been an integral part of the past few years. Their constant encouragement and belief in our abilities makes them all the more amazing.

As if to pay tribute to this unwavering support, the celebration which followed Teachers’ Day was an amalgamation of efforts and gratitude. The fact that the day was not to be spent studying and instead invested to laud the harbingers of education added to this spirited enthusiasm. Glimpses of getting gifts or cakes or cards for the teachers often visit us during these sweet remembrances. While some students took the official mantle, and handled the preparations for the event, the others managed to bring smiles in their own little ways.

Dressing up as our favourite teachers and performing the waltz of teaching was the tradition we all cherished and practiced without fail. The role reversal which took place allowed the amusement to evolve into respect and gratitude for each other as well. The wonderful portrayal of teachers was often coupled with an array of cultural acts. Weeks of preparation into producing that final show to express love and appreciation managed to accumulate the major chunk of memories. Friendships evolved, talents discovered, and team spirit redefined were the resplendent products of this period of groundwork.

Beyond the storm of activity that dawns the school on this day, an underlying vibe of inspiration and respect ran wide across every sector of the school. The day seemed to accentuate the perseverance of our dear gurus, and allowed our hearts to purely adulate and revere the sincere efforts every teacher brings with him or her. The need to say ‘thank you’ peaked, for the reasons were so many and the times said were unfortunately few. Thank you, for being there for us at every step of the way, as witnesses to our growth. Thank you for loving us regardless of our flaws. Thank you for all the warmth and wisdom you’ve shared with us throughout the years. Thank you for portraying so many roles at once with perfection. Thank you for always being wonderful; because of you, we like the people we are today.

Here’s wishing all the wonderful teachers a very happy Teachers’ Day!

 

Feature Image Credits: Jagran

 

Saumya Kalia

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If you’re a student who has studied in India or is currently studying here then, you are one of the many thousands who are asked to decide their career path when they’re only in 10th standard. The choices given are the usual Science, Commerce, and Humanities with little or no scope for the student to choose together a group of subjects which might belong to different streams. For example, if I am a student studying History, I cannot opt for Business Studies. Under these circumstances, choosing a course may prove to be a challenging task.

As a result of this, and many more shortcomings of our regressive education system, the student ends up choosing a stream after being influenced by family/friends, lack of research and no knowledge of the repercussions of such a misinformed decision. Then, the real battle begins. The student who thought Maths was all about surface, area and volume is soon introduced to Integration and the one who thought Chemistry is all about balancing equations is made to study topics like Organic Chemistry and P Block.

After these two difficult years of school, one thing is certain, that even if you might get confused about what you really want to do in the future, you get to know what you don’t want to do. Suppose, if you struggled through the years and didn’t like the subjects, it is only obvious that you don’t want to continue studying them throughout your college life as well. Now, this is the crucial point. Because of the pressure we feel, and our constant thinking of what others will say, we don’t want to raise our voice to show how dissatisfied we are. We are completely okay with repeatedly failing at something we’re not good at, rather than taking a difficult but necessary decision to recognize that this is not our calling.

Here is where I come in the picture. Through this article I am going to tell you how many of the people I know (Including myself!), are pursuing careers completely different than the streams they chose in their 12th standard and trust me, we’re happy.

I had a 10 CGPA and ended up choosing a Non-Medical stream with Computer Science. I never took any coaching for IIT and soon realized that I don’t see myself being part of the race to become an engineer. I focused on CBSE and thought DU is my calling. Today, I’m pursuing English (H) and I like every bit of my course. After having studied formulae and equations for so many years, this course was refreshing. The University provided me with a space to build my personality and even after my graduation, I can take up any field ranging from Law to MBA. So, my decision gave me freedom as well as time to explore myself.

I have friends from a science background who are now doing Law from National Law Universities. I know people pursuing Psychology in spite of having come from a Commerce background. So, basically, it all boils down to ‘What do you want to do with your life?’

Take college as a fresh start or a clean slate. Forget the pressure that people are putting on you. Research about the different fields, and realise what you want to do. Introspect. It is okay if you took a different stream in school. Ask yourself, what would you rather do- change your career prospects now to mark a stable future or change it after 5 years of struggle?

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