My Journey...

I am going to start a new phase of life this year as the transition from being a student to a professional awaits me in the coming months. Like every journey we ever take, the previous part of my journey was full of ups and downs . Here is me looking back at it , in the hope that it helps my juniors .

I am from Madhubani, a small town in Bihar. Did my schooling from there till 8th. I was not much into studies back then.?My elder brother moved to Delhi with my mother for his JEE preparation so she?took me with her as she knew I won’t study in her absence.

When I came to Delhi and took admission in a famous coaching institute , it was all different. I started studying and I was enjoying it too. I topped my batch in the first phase test and overall my position wasn’t great?but it was one of the best feelings I had. Then I started competing with people from other batches.?Teachers were giving me more attention than others. It was really a nice feeling.?With time, my intensity dropped a bit .?There was a break of around?2 months towards the end of my 10th class . I went to my hometown, relaxed a bit and then came back.

I got the top batch based on my scholarship test but going to a coaching didn’t feel new to me at this point, neither did?living in delhi. There was no fire in it that often comes with?new beginnings . My brother cleared jee with flying colors and I think this made me more complacent. I couldn't get into the topmost batch after a reshuffling test . It didn't hit me hard, it rather pushed me on the other side. I was studying but not practicing enough, I had a major problem of silly mistakes but I was not working on them. After completion of 11th, we had a reshuffling test again. I got the second best batch but it was the first time when I felt?that I was not doing right and if I kept on doing this it would be difficult for me. It was that time when one of my friends told me that he was going to Kota because there was a new coaching opened by top teachers of Kota and they were looking for good students. It seemed like a light of hope. I told my mom about this and she supported me.

We moved to Kota. It was new for me and this time I was in a good headspace. I started working hard, tried to cover things which I had missed in 11th. Finally, I got the confidence in Physics and Chemistry but I still lacked confidence in Maths. It was not like?I was not good at it but I never felt confident in it. Mistakes might have been the reason?but I didn't work on it back then. Finally I cleared JEE with a decent rank.?

As I was not very confident in Maths I thought that engineering as a career would not be my cup of tea, I should go for UPSC and I also wanted to go into IITs?so instead of choosing NIT's circuital Branch I chose IIT's core branches. It was not a wise decision and I want to warn all my juniors that branch is more important than college so think wisely before choosing !?

First semester flew by?fast in the high of getting into an IIT. In the second sem, covid came. I came to my hometown,?where I had plenty of time. I started questioning if I really wanted to do UPSC.?I figured out that I?mainly chose this cause jee was tough and I can't hustle through out my life like that but I enjoyed problem solving always and I was also good at it. I didn't want to go into a field which I chose just because of laziness and I was missing Maths and problem solving a lot.

Finally I decided to try coding?and I thought that if?I don’t like?it I can always go for UPSC but I can't do it the other way round. I started coding did for 4-5 months but I was not sure if?I will get a?good job cause my branch was civil. I spoke to a few seniors, they told me that placement is not good for non-circuital branches here.

I finally decided to go for?GATE CSE. I thought I will do M.Tech from old IITs in CSE?and then things will be sorted. It will take 2 additional years but it's alright, because I had seen people who had taken?drop during jee preparation really benefited from it. I started preparing for GATE?and decided not to sit for interns as if I tried?and didn’t get an internship,?it could demotivate me but suddenly Tech Industry boomed and intern and placement season were lit. It was difficult for me to study in December?and January when most of my friends had internships. I appeared for?GATE and secured an AIR of 778 which is almost 99 percentile. I was happy and confident in 4th year I will get into the top 100 then everything will be sorted.

I get influenced easily so I can't do something which others are not doing so seeing other people preparing for placements, I sometimes felt left out as I was preparing for GATE. I consulted?my friends and they told me to go for placements, you will definitely get placed and then you can switch?to MNCs and this is much better than GATE?and the Tech industry is also booming so in August I started preparing for Placements but suddenly recession hit.

Big companies started laying off and I was again doubting my decision and thought if I won't get placed then there will not be enough time to prepare for Gate also. I was a bit nervous?but kept on going and finally, I got placed. I am very happy and grateful to each and everyone involved in this process and supported me throughout this journey.