Finally in final year of Engineering !

Once upon a time...

This dream story began about 5 years ago, when I decided to opt for Engineering as a viable career option for my future life, since it was the best graduation degree that I could get, so as to satisfy the childhood dream - "Software Engineer". There is no such thing though... Technically speaking its more like Computer Science Engineering... Started preparing for IIT-JEE, known to be the toughest of them all, and it must be so, because it caters only to the best of the minds. Sadly, I couldn't make the cut - the blame lies on me entirely - you have to study too hard for that... But then there is no dearth of Engineering colleges in this country (the figure runs in many thousands! ). The next in ladder were the NIT's - National Institute of Technologies and fortunately I didn't screw much in the AIEEE (another entrance exam...) But the Computer Science Engineering dream remained a dream since I somehow got into Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. (please don't say YUK... some of our courses will fetch anyone career options that will be the envy of any engineer from any institute... more of that later...) So here I was, after 2 yrs of HSSC and Engg entrance prep, in VNIT - Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur itself, in my hometown. After a lot of dilemma over choosing over the discipline in engineering and the engineering college, I finally decided to go with the institute. And I can say proudly that its been a great decision so far !!!

VNIT - 1st year - The "FAST" year

Almost everyone, when they are to think about the first year engineering, the first word that comes to his/her mind is ragging ! Yeah... its just like that, but here in VNIT, I found an entirely new dimension of it. The word is "Interaction" - yup... thats the basic purpose of all the leg pulling that went around when we first years, all clad in that boring dress code gathered in the Aarohi Room where lots of thirsty seniors were vying for fresh blood... I loved it all and seriously got grooved in all the fun that went along with the seniors, even on the Cricket Ground. The way they showed us around in all the walks of life of campus and imparting the off-classroom education, I am really grateful to one and all to make me gel in the complicated webs of VNIT. The first year subjects were something that I found really great - whether it was drawing sheets in ED or solving fundoo problems in EM, it was something that fueled my liking for engineering to the fullest. I don't even remember how the first year drifted by as I explored the various 'hideouts' - the canteen, the library, the hostels, the computer center amongst the many others. This was the year when we start at the bottom rung of organizing many events - Aarohi - the cultural festival, Axis - the technical festival, Krikmania - the cricket tournament... it was just amazing. And the day we got freshers was just so memorable as we began flaunting our status as undergraduates to the whole world with unabashed pride smacked on our faces.

The "Second Coming" year and The "Third Grade" year

The activities remained quite the same except for the studies, which saw a new low. The "level" of fun and frolic increased with the feeling that someone below can bear the brunt of our misgivings! All the communities and organizations had the opportunity to be blessed with our skilled managerial tactics and were uplifted from their drudgery. Considering the academic viewpoint of my engineering life, I totally neglected the meta stuff (and that wasn't a good decision, in hindsight) and went on to learn new stuff about CSE (and that was indeed a better decision, in foresight). Went on to do some mini projects, an internship at an upcoming SW company and also went to an industrial excursion to a Steel Plant. Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, IIT Roorkee, Pune and New Delhi - all happened, for all sorts of reasons and suddenly I had travelled a lot during these two years with family, with friends all alike. It was just a glimpse of the great country of mine and I am sure I have not quite have had enough of it. Life took many turns and suddenly I was living on a freeway full of sheer crazyness - bunking college, lots of movies and sitcoms on the PC, orkuting, surfing and going on to new hang outs with buddies. Campus placements gave me a job at TCS - one of the best IT companies in the world and VNIT says that I still have one more shot at it. Started preparing to bell the CAT and get to IIM's, but right now its a distant dream. And then even before I could blink my eyes... It happened... I was suddenly in the Final year of Engineering... gulp !

At the end of the world...

Standing on the altar of 7th semester in this battle to achieve a piece of paper which will have "B.Tech" stamped on it (just kidding, it means a lot more to me), I am feeling really nostalgic right now. VNIT, formerly VRCE, was the place from where my father completed his graduation in Electrical Engineering and there are quite a few ties with VNIT. I hope that I have made them all proud, though, looking back I know that I have been more than a disappointment to everyone's expectations by not doing the required hard work at the right time. But Hey... thats the way I am, always living the moment rather than fretting about the future. And now the Institute seems a lot different to me. More responsibilities, more respect to the ever hard working professors, more yearning for "interaction" with juniors, more studies and more fun. I intend to spend this last year with a new outlook to life. To explore the hitherto unknown dimensions and to find more about the meaning of life... the purpose of existence - thats crazy, I know... But I am far from becoming a hermit right now ! Anyways... I think I owe a lot to VNIT. It has taught me many things which are just indescribable since they are all abstract nouns. When I finally complete it, I hope that it doesn't make my eyes wet. The joke goes around that I shed tears during senti movies, but the only thing that shook my rigid soul was "Swades". I have had the time of my life in this college and can go on continuously. Looking forward to another couple of great semesters where I can continue to extrapolate my stay in this magnificient campus.

Fellow VNITians, please post your comments if I have missed out something worthy of mention. Other blog readers, no one is stopping you to post your feedback and views !