College has made me confident and independent: Ritika Prathigudupu

NIT, Calicut

The most important step after class 10 is choosing the stream to study in class 11 because it decides our future path. I decided to go with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry stream as I was more comfortable with Mathematics as compared to Biology. Those two years were grueling. But with the guidance of my teachers and the support of my family and friends, I made it. 

I was always intrigued by the ways things worked. The way the internet worked, the desktop worked were some of the things I wanted to figure out. This made me realise that Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) was the most suitable branch of Engineering for me. It is also one of the most sought after branches today.

 I wanted to pursue Engineering from a national institute or an institute of national importance. I also wanted my college to be in another city as I wanted to learn to live independently. After the announcement of my JEE Mains results and looking at the previous years’ opening and closing ranks, I was sure of getting a seat in the top five NIT’s. In the second round of seat allotment, I had secured a seat in CSE in NIT Calicut. It remained same till the final round. The Computer Science department in NIT Calicut is regarded as one of the best in the country. Also, I always wanted to visit Kerala so I choose NIT Calicut for my BTech programme.

How I cracked college admission

I did my 11^th and 12^th class in FIITJEE Visakhapatnam. We were taught the state board syllabus and coaching for the competitive exams was given simultaneously. So I did not have to take coaching separately. JEE Mains serves as the entrance exam for NIT’s, IIIT’s and Government Funded Technical Institutes and as the qualifying exam for JEE Advanced. The institute held weekly exams which followed the pattern of Mains and Advanced. After each exam, there was a session to analyze the paper thoroughly and the common errors made. This helped me know my mistakes and the concepts I had to read. I was able to crack the JEE Mains but did not do the Advanced paper well.  I appeared for other engineering entrance exams as well like BITSAT, VITEEE, AP EAMCET, Telangana EAMCET, COMEDK and entrance exams of institutes like Shiv Nadar University, Manipal University, Gitam University and UPES, Dehradun.

College has made me more confident

We have college five days a week from 8 AM to 5PM. We have a lunch break of one hour. If we ever get a free hour, we either go the laboratory or the library or the mini canteen to grab a snack. I try to attend all classes because attending classes really counts. There are many student clubs which bring out the hidden talents of students. I am a part of the Enquire Quiz Club which is the quizzing club of the college. There are many facilities for various sports too. There is a tennis court, basketball court, football ground, hockey ground, volleyball court and a swimming pool.

This is the first time I am staying in a hostel. The college experience has made me a confident and independent person. The exposure to different people in the college has broadened my outlook. It has given me the confidence to do what I want. If given a chance, I would like to do a few more courses.

Staying in a hostel has also brought me in contact with students from all states, their culture, language and behavior. It has also increased my interpersonal skills considerably and I am confident it will stand me in good stead when I go out into society and the professional world. The frequent curricular and co-curricular activities made me overcome my stage fear and now I speak on stage confidently.

About the author:

My name is Ritika Prathigudupu. I am pursuing B Tech, Computer Science and Engineering at National Institute of Technology, Calicut. I am from Visakhapatnam. I am a quizzer and a nature lover. My hobbies include reading books, solving crosswords and singing. I love travelling and photography is one of my main interests.