Remember
“When you want something, all the
universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
I
wanted to share the last five months I had spent in our campus. The journey was
in stark darkness and I was not able to see even the slightest glimpse of a
distant light in entirety of this journey. The path was never a bed of roses
but filled with thorns. I had to wait, I had to bear it, and it was an endless
agony that I need to undergo. I was growing impatient, day by day, but there
was not many things I could do.
Every morning I woke up with the expectation of 'my date with my dream', started preparing towards it and went back to bed with my expectations unmet.
Every morning I woke up with the expectation of 'my date with my dream', started preparing towards it and went back to bed with my expectations unmet.
I
had come to Raipur with going back in an Operations role as one of my dreams. I
was happy to be part of OPEP. I was happy to don the cap as the Pan IIM magazine editor. Nothing mattered.
There I was in standing unplaced and my final exams, farewell and the month of February
done.
I
turned to look back where I had done the mistake.
I
had upheld the values my parents had taught me throughout. I was able to put my
foot strong and stand up in places wherever I felt something was wrong. Still I was here without a job.
I
had not involved in a single malpractice in the exams throughout. Those who
involved in them were having their dream job and was leaving for their STEP. Here
I was waiting to catch my dream bus.
The
people who did not contribute to any classroom project and watching movies in
their room were happily continuing the same but now with a job. I was waiting
for my date with my dream.
The
alcoholics and drug takers who were smoking who were partying all night long were
still partying, but now with a job. I was there lurking in darkness to find a
light.
The
people who went to home on holidays without taking part in campus events
continued to start to their home, but with a job. Here I was still finding the
solution for the puzzle of why I am jobless.
There
have been people getting supply chain roles over a single night sessions taken
by me, there I was still unplaced. Did I lack in my SCM knowledge. The self-doubts
were arising
The
placecommers said “You are stubborn”. My UG friends said “Straight trees are cut
first”. My peers said “Why don’t you compromise and look for other options”. The
seniors called me and told me “Hop for the next opportunity that you get”. I
said to myself.. - “WAIT”.
The
suffering was not only for me, it was also for my well-wishers. The nights were
very lonely. The days grew tougher. The thoughts of remaining unplaced in me
piercing my brain. The mind says move on, the heart says to pursue it.
I
had to walk out of my room wearing a mask – a smile, and tell myself that
things will get better. In order to avoid the thoughts in me when I lay down, I
started playing shuttle through the night, a place to vent out my anger. I
would tire my physical energy, so I can sleep without thinking.
There
have been days that I had cried inside a restroom and come out to continue on
with Equinox documentation work. Equinox was done, but my dream still pending.
There
came an opportunity in the form of Latentview PPI. Nights of effort in a hope
to achieve my dream. When there were birthday celebrations in mess, and I was there
preparing my tell me about yourself. More than a dozen of mock interviews, loads
of puzzles and case studies I solved. But
still I was not good enough to get a job. Atleast that’s what people said.
Then
came the day that I had most dreaded. People leaving the campus, there I was
standing unplaced. I had to send off people in the campus and still not ready
to send off my dream. The bag packages were being couriered to home, and my
packages of worry growing. The trains left the platform, but there I was
waiting for my train to arrive.
The
journey became even tougher with dwindling number of batchmates. Coming down to
the mess was not good, coming to shuttle court was not easy. Standing near the parapet
walls started to belittle me. People discussing about me in open houses were
not pleasing. No events to focus, no companies coming to campus. There I was
still waiting to get a date with my dream.
I
had two options. To get sucked in or to stick my head out and say I am going to
do what it takes to reach it.
The
turnaround happens. Daimler – the father of automobiles recruited me in March.
It was luck said some. It was perseverance said some.
Now looking back, I wonder whether I would have done the same thing now, I doubt. Where did I drew such a courage to standby, when people around me were panicking? Was I numb to my environment? Was I thick skinned? Did I have it in me? I have no answers for this even today.
Now looking back, I wonder whether I would have done the same thing now, I doubt. Where did I drew such a courage to standby, when people around me were panicking? Was I numb to my environment? Was I thick skinned? Did I have it in me? I have no answers for this even today.
But
I learnt some very important lessons in these days of despair. Not to look
around, as their normal activities will be construed by us as against us. It
taught me lessons that my two year course did not teach about people. I learnt
about emotions. I was able to appreciate my own vulnerability. I was able to witness
the humane side of people.
“The world ain't all
sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place... and I don´t care how
tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently,
if you let it. You, me or nobody, is gonna hit as hard as life. But ain't about
how hard you hit... It's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving
forward... how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That´s how winning
is done.
Now, if you know what you
worth, go out and get what you worth. But you gotta be willing to take the
hits. And not pointing fingers saying: You ain´t what you wanna be because of
him or her or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain´t you! You´re better than
that”