I used to travel 30-40 kilometers for chemistry tuition in Sonarpur, a city area. I struggled with my studies so much that my teacher said if I could crack the engineering entrance exam, he would stop teaching and leave the center. One of my friends from near my home, named Manideepa, was the most talented student of all.
Initially, I thought my teacher was ignoring me because I was from a rural area, but then I realized that Manideepa was also from my area. Perhaps the teacher knew how to provoke someone into achieving something they didn’t believe they could do themselves.
A year later, when I qualified for engineering, all my friends urged me to confront him about his earlier comments. However, that day I understood why he said what he did, and I will always be thankful for his guidance.
I took a gap year in my 12th grade, during which I worked at my father’s cycle repair shop from 7 AM to 9 or 11 PM. Although I was familiar with the work, the thought that consumed me every second was that I would do anything else but this. I needed to escape; I had many dreams to fulfill. That year was one of the darkest periods of my life. Everyone, from outsiders to teachers, treated me like a failure. But once I moved into engineering, I felt like I had a new lease on life.
Later, I found that many of my friends were still struggling with decision making about their futures, while I at least knew what I wanted from my life.
Life isn’t very difficult if we maintain a routine and follow it over the long term. We need self confidence, believing that whatever the world says may be true from their perspective, but I know myself and what I am capable of. I will always believe in myself. This belief is crucial. There is a phrase: “Repeat a lie often enough, and it becomes the truth.” Therefore, don’t let negative words affect you. However, be judgmental; assess what others are saying, as sometimes nature tries to convey something important to you.
When I entered my engineering college, I was the shyest and most tech savvy boy in my class. I was the only student in the entire class who had a desktop in the hostel, which I carried home every week or every two weeks, making the 150 kilometer journey back and forth.