What these two years of preparation taught me. 

We all have been through that phase in life after passing our grade tenth. Most of us end up taking science to later realize that life after the tenth isn’t as easy as we thought it would be. So, I decided to take up science after the tenth. My parents wanted me to become a doctor (actually the first doctor in our family). However, I decided to prepare for an engineering entrance exam, little did I know what was coming my way.

But these two years did teach me a lot of things.

It is never too late to start something:

I joined my coaching a little late than my other classmates did. The only thing I kept thinking was, how will I compete with people who are already so ahead of me? I feared that I will fall behind. The first few months were quite difficult, I realized the transition from class tenth to eleventh wasn’t a piece of cake. I feared to ask doubts in class, I remember I used to cry in the middle of solving my daily practice problems because I found it difficult to solve.

But giving up wasn’t an option, I started to thoroughly understand a topic, asked doubts, and didn’t care about how others are so ahead of me. I tried to take an interest in the subjects, so I found physics quite interesting. I took help from my teachers and looked at solutions and explanations for certain topics online. I improved in tests and I no longer felt that I was behind. I realized that it's never too late to start something and that your competition must be with yourself, not others.

It's okay if it didn’t happen:

I couldn’t make it to the IIT. I was sad. I accepted the fact that there were students who worked a lot harder than me, they got into the IIT and they deserve it. But that doesn’t mean that it was the end of the world for me, there are a lot more things in life ahead for me. I couldn’t go into an IIT doesn’t mean that I am any less. I learned to accept things in a more mature way.

The plan B:

I knew I wanted to pursue engineering,

I also gave the state engineering entrance exam and secured a good rank. I got into a tier-one college in my state in a branch that I wanted. I realized that even if things may not go as planned, there are other options, other paths, and other ways.

As I am done with my exams, I have time to do things that I used to love doing. I read, write, and also have started to code. A part of me has grown a lot, I have learned to accept mistakes and learned to find a balance between my studies and my hobbies. I have understood that it's okay to take help it's okay to ask, and it's okay if you are curious. And the value of discipline and consistency in whatever you do.

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