A letter to the freshman version of myself.

Hi Aklank,

I know you are scared right now, for no one knows you here , it’s 2000 kms away from home and you have never been alone before. I know you want to run away from NIT Silchar right now, but please be strong , go for registration. You’ll be allocated your hostel and your parents would bid you goodbye, bite back your tears and brace yourself for a ride.You would be alright here.

You would be told that your branch has no scope in this college because core branches are the king here. You would be sad hearing this, your future would appear dark to you, you will witness your fellow branchmates trying to shift their branch, but don’t be scared. The people of your branch through their efforts and hard work will improve themselves, improve their branchmates through competion, get labs accessible for students and by the time you would leave your branch, it would have the best placement record amongst all.

When the first debate competition would arrive, you would feel scared to participate, for there were 500 students in your hostel and all of them would be so talented. Still you will go and and try to qualify and you will qualify. In the first round, when you would hear all the shouting around, you would be completely blank , for the ruthlessness of the big league would get to you, don’t worry then , you will qualify for the final round and go toe to toe with the legend himself , and you’ll lose with your head held high and your first trophy in the college. That will be the moment of your salvation, it would give you the confidence required to do whatever you want to and you would make the most of it, you would be a rock star , a dancer , a painter and a poet too. You’ll win a lot more trophies in your time here.You would be back home after four years and your parents see your trophies and putting them on the front shelf for all to see , you would be proud of yourself and pat yourself for the risk you took four years ago.

There would come a time when you would want to do a MUN , and you’ll go to your role models in college and ask them if there is this concept of MUN ‘round here, you’ll hear no and you’ll be disheartened, but don’t lose hope for you would soon realize that you will have to bring the change that you want to see and you’ll meet like minded people and you all would go and make sure everyone in the college gets to know about MUN and conduct successful MUNs. This would help you bring further changes, further improvements you want to see in your college and you would start a coding club and fulfill your dream of being a TEDx Convener. 4 years later when your juniors would come to you asking the same question about one of their interests, you will just smile and tell them no and hope that they soon make it a reality here.

There would come a time in college when you would have the choice of standing in Gymkhana Elections, you’ll be very scared, and till the last moment you would say no, but in the end your instincts would win and you will stand and then you would lose,for the odds would always be against you. You’ll be broken after that , I will not tell you to stop crying for you would need to let it all out, but just take a look around you and you would see all your friends, crying along with you and that would be one of the most special moment in your life as your friends would make that defeat not yours but theirs and life would be much more simpler after that as you would get closer to your friends and loved ones and soon life would be normal again, in fact it’ll go in an overdrive with something I would keep a surprise for you.

During these 4 years you would have highs , lows , successes , regrets, heartbreaks and love for these would be an eventful 4 years of your life, in fact some of the best ones. You’ll be free. Just embrace everyone around you, don’t be afraid to talk, I know you’re an introvert, but there is so much to learn from everyone and you will learn a lot. Learn to live your life, learn to say NO. You’ll make it here ,You’ll be a changed man and you would be someone who would be proud of yourself. I promise.

All the best

Aklank