My Instagram caption after getting admitted to IIM Ranchi was: “Battle is over.”
This was the mindset I entered college with. I thought my hardest days of struggle were over. But this naïve 18-year-old girl was about to be hit by reality.
I am part of the third IPM batch @ IIM Ranchi. I was immensely proud of it—but so were the other 63 people in my batch. As my undergrad journey began, and I got to know my batchmates, truth be told, I was intimidated.
Everyone around me was so different yet so smart and talented. At times, I felt inferior to them. I had never been in such an environment—especially one away from home. Everything—the people, the atmosphere—was new to me. So new that it felt like my entire life had changed in the blink of an eye.
The Weight of Self-Doubt
While I was trying to adjust to this new environment, I found myself feeling lost. I struggled to keep up. There were times I compared myself to others, constantly thinking about how they were better than me—so much so that I wanted to run back home. But what I didn’t realize at the time was that this discomfort wasn’t a sign of failure; it was a sign of growth.
For instance, in our very first group project, I hesitated to contribute, thinking my ideas might not measure up. I wanted to voice my opinions but was scared: What if people think I’m being stupid? What if they judge me? I now see that this fear, as unsettling as it was, pushed me to prepare better and build confidence in my abilities. Without it, I wouldn’t have started taking myself seriously.
Amidst the struggle of trying to fit in and stand out, I was forgetting who I was. I was changing, but not for the better—a fact my friends could certainly attest to. Gradually, as the year went on, I got accustomed to the environment and settled in. And that was my second mistake.
The Comfort Zone Trap
Getting comfortable with the environment was important, but not in a way that stopped me from working on myself and improving. The moment you feel too comfortable is a very self-destructive one. Bhavesh, my senior, once told me, “Seek Discomfort—Great people are the results of an uncomfortable environment.” And he was right—discomfort pushes you to grow, while comfort can hold you back. I only wish I had understood this sooner.
Eventually, the first year ended, and during the long-term break, I had plenty of time to reflect. That was when certain realizations hit me. I recognized the things I had done wrong and decided I was willing to work on them. What had once felt like weaknesses—my self-doubt, my hesitation—were opportunities waiting to be acted upon.
A New Perspective
As the second year began, I started to see things differently. Over time, I realized that the people I used to feel intimidated by were simply my batchmates—not some impossible standard I needed to live up to. I began to look at it in a positive light: there was so much to learn from them, and so much knowledge around me waiting to be absorbed.
Organizing Young Changemakers Programme was one of the major achievements during undergrad. I worked with so many different kinds of people, each with their own perspective and opinions. This time, I decided to voice my own too. The experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me something invaluable: Sometimes, conflicts are necessary to bring out flaws in your ideas that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
Embracing Myself
The more you try to force yourself to fit in, the harder it gets. Everyone is amazing, but so am I. Instead of feeling insecure about their talents, I learned to embrace them. In fact, I learned to embrace myself. There were things that were unique to me—things no one else had. Yes, there was so much I didn’t know, but that only meant there was so much to learn.
I began seeing my perceived weaknesses as stepping stones to improvement. What I once saw as threats—the competitiveness of my peers, the fear of being judged—turned out to be the very things that strengthened me. When you start to believe in yourself and have confidence, others start believing in you too. After all, you wouldn’t buy a product if the seller themselves doubted its value.
A Valuable Lesson
You create your own Brand Value, and it’s up to you how that value is perceived by those around you. Everyone here is learning alongside you—they’re no more special than you are. If you can see the greatness in others, what’s stopping you from recognizing it in yourself?
These are the most important lessons I’ve learned from almost two years here. You are right where you’re supposed to be, and you can make things work your way—but only if you truly want to. You can move the world if you want to, but only if you start working toward it.
