AKKSHITHA. S
II CSE – 1
In what felt like an instant, a whole year slipped away. I think time sprinted in 3x speed. As I look back I realise how much I have grown as a person and each memory floods my brain poignant and clear. A bittersweet year with new friendships, new surroundings, experience, and growth is how I would describe my first year in college.
Exactly a year ago, I remember applying for around ten different colleges and anxiously attending all entrance exams. Yet here I am. It feels nostalgic and calming to sit down and reminisce. Nostalgia – such a simple word for something that causes us to feel a bundle of emotions.
New goals were set and I was anticipating how things would be. Stepping into the campus for the first time I was struck with a mix of apprehension and excitement. If I am being honest I had a hard time the very first month of college. Being an introvert, I was very awkward at socialising. And I had the biggest concern of getting lost inside the campus. Writing this I am glad how things turned out and am really grateful to my extroverted friends who practically adopted me.
I met people from all walks of life and realised how vividly different college is from school. Different perspectives and personal stories made me realise how different our lives were yet how we ended up in the same place. Harking back, I think it’s the social experience that shaped my growth the past year. I started the year with a lot of doubts but all the uncertainty soon turned into definiteness.
Through the year, I realised how much I have stepped out of my comfort zone and embraced experiences new to me. I remember the thrill and exhilaration of getting recognised after a presentation which slowly upgraded to giving a talk with a mic in hand.
In a year where fantasy collided with reality, creating unexpected challenges, I find solace in nostalgia as the driving force behind hope and transformation. Stepping into the next chapter of my life, I feel a touch less anxious and a lot more eager than before.
