After two grueling years of IIT JEE preparation, the prospect of studying in one of the
most elite institutions in India was both exciting and intimidating. Nothing
can match the dream-come-true feeling when I entered the hallowed portals of
IIT Bombay. I was eager to embark on this exciting odyssey, and little did I
know that a life full of surprises, whirlwind emotions and coming-of-age
learning curves was in store!
To be frank, initially I thought of IIT Bombay as a place
swarming with nerds carrying robots in one hand and 22nd century
machines in the other, discussing theoretical physics, the evolution of the
universe and related stuff which will normally frighten a sane human being. But
I was glad to discover that the truth is far more prosaic. Even though
academics occupies the center stage, extra-curricular activities are given due
importance and excellence in music, theater, fine arts etc. is encouraged and
appreciated.
I begin my account of the first semester with the most obsessive aspect of an IITB student-the hostels! Just allude to it and it’s vendetta for the students who are eager to stamp the superiority of their respective hostels. The farrago of orientations, the GCs and the ATMs bear eloquent testimony to this. Personally, I had never lived in a hostel before and I had a whale of a time in my hostel with my new friends. Staying up late in the night (afternoon lectures made this possible), playing cricket in the corridors, experimenting with self-made firecrackers in the bathroom, exploding empty deodorant bottles-these are some of the crazy activities I indulged in with my wing-mates (I hope none of the professors are reading this). Keeping the fun aside, I learnt one of the important lessons of life-to take care of your own. There’s no Mom to look after you; you have to wake up on your own, wash your own clothes, reach the mess within the stipulated time (however bad the food may be, there’s no escaping it) and most importantly, manage your time well. I can definitely say that I've become more independent and self-reliant than I was four months ago.
Summing up, I explored new avenues, developed new skills and made some great friends. IITB has helped me add fresh facets to my personality. And this is only the first semester! I’m sure more interesting vistas will pop up in due course of time. Finally, the time has arrived-the time to get out of my cosy comfort zone and step into the proverbial big bad world, and make a statement.
