This date August 13th on a Friday morning 10years (decade) back I signed papers which marked my entry to a different world. And a different life from thereon. I entered into one of the prestigious institutes in India, Regional Engineering College, Trichy (now National Institute of Technology, Trichy) to pursue my MCA (Master of Computer Applications).
Friday the 13th is not considered auspicious by many but I still havent figured out whether it was auspicious for me or not.
Today in my work life am not working on 80% of concepts that I learnt back out there but it did shape my life, personally and professionally (some may disagree on this).
That also marked my movement out of house to stay in hostel for the next 2.5years and in different houses and PG here in Bangalore.
How I entered into the college itself was not without drama and anxious moments atleast for my parents. I was first under the General Quota. Before you start appreciating me, it was not the main list but waiting list. Under general quota in a class of 30 there would be about 8 – 10. Maybe my maths is wrong here.
I was relaxed because my friend from under graduation, Sridhar(with whom am in contact still, thanks to facebook), also got selected into RECT but confirmed that he would not be joining since he wanted to pursue MCA at Anna University, Madras. Tense moments did fade away finally at home when confirmation of my admission came through.
Maybe I would have got married had kids by now if I had not shifted to a hostel (this is purely from my perspective). Sometimes I feel I have seen so much in this time that my ideology is completely different from what many others have. For the good or bad, I wouldnt go much into that.
What surprised me was I never felt home-sick in the initial days in hostel and also later on. Maybe I was in my own world trying to figure out things around me by myself. By myself in a cycle which had no brakes and no gears. From the initial days till today there are two things am still continuing; running and cycling. When I first started running it was barefoot in the ground within campus. Today I buy shoes every 6-12months for running alone. Those long nights of just chatting over internet at Octagon (nick-named Octa, the computer center) or at hostel or over movie. The long walks at night time around campus and outside the campus. And on & on & on, so many activities.
The transition to professional life was never to be difficult from there. Few years into the professional life I bought a car, first ever. Got disinterested a year later after riding Royal Enfield ThunderBird and finally settled for Royal Enfield Standard 350. Also, in recent times bought a new cycle. A mis-adventure years back saw my cycle breaking down enroute Chennai from Bangalore.
Travel has become a passion few months before I got my car and the shift to long distance running from just jogging and long distance cycling from just around campus many years back. Within India and within Europe, staying in lodges, youth hostels, couchsurfing, tents. Travelled in all modes of transport air, water, land.
Whereever I am and whenever I attribute the shift to the entry into REC, Trichy.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen 