The supposed ‘wonder years’ of life in college can be quite dreadful for some of us, especially when you have to move to a new city leaving behind your whole life. More so if the college/course that you got admitted to wasn’t your first choice. The rosy dreams that we all paint for ourselves turn into scary monsters of the sucky crowd and boring lectures. College does not make sense. Being one such girl, I decided to conduct a little survey amongst random people in their sophomore/ final year who were initially not very enthusiastic about joining their respective colleges. I asked them if much has changed since the first day and if they like college more. And their responses were far from being blue or depressed. Looks like there’s hope for all of us.
1. “When you go to a new place, you make some notions about the place. College for me was like that. I was in a different world, a different atmosphere. A course that was like a dream come true and a group of friends who became my lifelines. Then just like all good dreams, this was shattered within a few months of college. Different ideologies caused a rift in this journey. With no friends and pressure mounting, the college became from a place of my dream to the ruins of my nightmare. But all nightmares come to an end. With the burden of competition now no longer lingering over our heads, one good old fashion conversation sometimes does the trick. With each day passing by, we developed a bond just like the old times. Guess college wasn’t bad after all.” – Udit Sharma
2. “My initial days at college were not very interesting. The college crowd seemed dull and not very keen in interacting and also, there weren’t many active societies. This situation was far from ideal for me as I’ve always been a very sporty kid in school. But gradually as I got introduced to different students from different courses I started connecting with them at different levels. Now after completing three semesters at my college I am very comfortable and moreover, I enjoy myself in college with the company I have. I found some good friends and feel at home with them. You have to give it some time.”
-Harmeet Singh
3. “I was really excited to start with college. It was pretty much an ideal situation. I got the course I had always wanted at the college I had always wanted, and to top that, my best friend happened to join me! But once college started, differences came up. We were trying to establish ourselves in an alien environment, and it wasn’t easy. We fought, and weeks went by without a word spoken or a message sent. But eventually, things got better. All it took was an honest heart to heart, and we were able to sort out our differences. It’s been seven months since, and we haven’t been closer.”
-Rahel
4. “I felt like it was going to be a new life altogether. Expecting people to be different and mature definitely, the kind you’d think don’t exist on this planet anymore. I expected so much and as a consequence, I was left disappointed. People are the same everywhere, my mom would tell me. Now that I think of it, I’ve come to terms with it. Also, there’s so much more to college than people.”
-Eisha
5. “The entire college experience did not start on a good note for me. I did not get the college of my choice. I was very apprehensive about my future. It all turned around when I got selected for the debating society. It exposed me to different points of view and I found great friends in the debsoc. Going up on the stage and speaking gives me a unique, heady thrill. Life has indeed changed a lot since I joined college. My advice to all freshers would be to delve themselves into societies and make the most of the opportunities around yourself. The voice beckons at the door. College is full of such voices. You can choose to open as many doors as you want.”
–Chandrashekhar
6. “I’ve always found it really difficult to make friends, so when it was my time to go to college, I really dreaded it. What made it scarier was the fact that it was neither the college nor the course of my choice. However, the college turned out to be a hell lot better than I had expected it to be. I would be lying if I say that I didn’t meet some of the best people I’ve ever known here. Though the street-play society takes up most of the time and I rarely get to attend classes, I have learned a lot more than I would have even if I was studying the course of my choice. I look forward to the rest of my days in college with so much enthusiasm, that it would beat the desperation with which I wanted college to never start a year ago.”
–Ditsa
