This is me writing about the last 2 and a half years of my life, away from home, in a completely different city. All kids are scared of the dentist’s chair—the bright light piercing your face, the sound of whirring instruments, and the dentist telling you to get ready, reassuring you that it won’t hurt much. But it always does. And you’re always scared.
I was scared of the city from the moment I got into IIM Ranchi. It might sound silly, but I was terrified when I received the “We are pleased to inform you that you have been provisionally selected for admission into…” email. It meant that I had to leave Mumbai, my home for the past 18 years. It meant creating a life and identity from scratch. It meant adjusting to a new lifestyle, new people, new inhibitions, and new responsibilities. I was so not ready for it. I spent three days trying to convince my father to let me reject the offer; he didn’t agree.
That brings me to today, 24th January 2025, precisely 2 years and 3 months since I sent the “I’ll be joining IIM Ranchi” text to all my friends back home. I am sitting at my desk—the very desk where I used to take IPMAT mocks. Life is nothing like it was. I went from being an IPMAT achiever to a CAT aspirant to a “bombed CAT” person. I went from being scared to being elated and also terrified. I have hated Ranchi, loved it, regretted it, and craved it. To say the least, this place has changed me in ways I never imagined. For better or worse? Time will tell.
Find what matters to you. Figure out your goals.
Pretty sure most of us here have been school toppers and student council members. However, when you bring 60 of these prefects to one place, things obviously won’t be the same. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to be okay with being yourself. Life will give you enough opportunities to outdo yourself, so don’t keep stressing over every milestone. You might see people running, but you don’t have to catch up. Relax, find your own pace, and go with it.
It is so important to figure out your goals. It’s very easy to get lost in a sea of achievers, where you’re fighting to stay afloat. But that’s not what you want to do—you want to swim. If you want to achieve something, you’re your only limit, and you should be your only reason too. Chasing after something you don’t want will only leave you gasping for breath.
Find your people. You’ll end up with good stories.
People come from different backgrounds, mindsets, and upbringings. You’re not going to gel well with everyone, but you don’t have to. The most important reason I survived college has been the people. I have been lucky (touchwood) to find pillars who stood by me through everything (absolutely could not have done this without Shreya, Anushka, Tanay, and Vansh).
Living with friends 24×7 will teach you more about yourself than anything else ever will. You have to show up for yourself every day, no matter what. You have to learn how to prioritize, balance commitments, and let go of certain things. Not every day is going to be extraordinary, so find people who make the mundane fun.
You’ll also face setbacks, but remember to come back stronger. Tomorrow might be worse, but someday it will definitely get better—trust. Worst case? Escape this place.
Be unabashed and waste some time.
Not everything needs to be done for the CV.
I used to be really scared of trying new things or putting myself out there before college. However, over the past two years, I’ve realized that the worst that could happen is being bad at something new—but at least you tried.
I’m glad I played football for the college team, signed up for the Gender Sensitization Committee, and applied to be the Co-Owner of Hamel Hawks. Ignore those who call all of this a waste of time. It’s never a waste of time if you really enjoyed it.
Go for that committee, that SIG, that franchise. Sign up for case comps, visit different campuses. You have literally nothing to lose. I ended up seeing IIM Indore, XLRI Jamshedpur, IIT Kharagpur, and IIM Bodhgaya in these two years, and I have only good memories. You might have a few bad experiences too, but that’s what makes stories.
I don’t know if I’m leaving this place or not, but I am definitely leaving behind a huge part of me as I graduate. Even today, all that I have in my heart is gratitude and love. It wasn’t the smoothest ride, but I’ve reached the shore.
All kids are scared of the dentist’s chair—except those born to dentists. For them, the dentist’s chair is a place of comfort. Well, my parents are dentists, and IIM Ranchi is the dentist’s chair.
