Before I delve into a more emotional introduction, I would like to start this entry with this incident right away. Three years ago I had asked my cousin to read a blog I had written as a UNICEF intern. The very first comment I got from him was this "You have won yourself a 100% sympathy vote but instead of focusing on how you have had less opportunities, why not write about what you have achieved?" I was a little angry with him for not being happy for me, for not saying well done and understanding what I was trying to say. Now, as I sit here and write this, I know that he was only trying to push me and make me realize that despite whatever shortcomings, what we can achieve is never limited to such constraints.
I had a dream. Last year I was able to make this dream come true. In this past year I have learnt a lot. Universities abroad are much more organized and systematic than the ones back home. But this is not to say that the ones back in India are bad. Education is a big business now. One will be amazed to see how every action entails some kind of an extraction from the student. Balancing study and work was not an option but a necessity. Now when I think of my undergraduate and previous masters days in Delhi, I fail to understand why we never tried to look for part time jobs then? I hear it has become worse now. With parents sending servants to look after their children while they study. Here's the thing, I refrain from using the term servant in the first place. You can buy someone's labour power but you cannot own the person, therefore I don't understand why anyone should be called someone's servant? I think its a shame that most parents tend to spoil their children with such comforts. This can only mean that children are fully dependent on their parents for a much longer time than seen elsewhere.
Coming back to my experience, the first semester results made me smile. I had a distinction in both the papers which put me on the top of my class. This made me realize that I was able to handle my work and study very well, at the same time it gave me a drive to do even better in the times to come. But my second semester proved to be a disappointment with plagiarism charges leveled against me (simply for not referencing properly). Despite this setback, I still managed to perform well. Maybe not at the top but not too far behind. The final dissertation took a lot out of all of us. Sticking to a 12,000 word format can be tough when you have a lot to say. My topic was 'Human Rights and HIV/AIDS in India' and as much as I would have wanted to nail it, I think I did a pretty decent job. The final results came out yesterday. The marking system here recognizes two levels while the rest fall under the pass category. While all of us were unsuccessful in securing a distinction, I am joined by a handful of friends in getting a commendation.
What we choose to do in life is not a matter of getting the right opportunities, but rather a question of whether we have created enough chances for oneself. Right now my life is a lesson for all of you going through a similar transition. Lets stop relying on our parents for everything, learn to make our own decisions and stand by them. A very common scene we see in Delhi is parents queuing up in New Sikkim House for a room during the college admission time. I had some parents give me company while running around for the loan to be sanctioned. You don't need your elders helping you out with the loan or college admissions, get out there and familiarize yourself with the system. Learn to fight for what you want, learn to be independent. While Sikkim is truly heaven on earth, we must get out of this comfort zone and expose ourselves to new cultures. In this way we can benefit not just ourselves, but others around us through our experiences.
"One person with a belief is equal to ninety-nine who have only interests"- J. S. Mill
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