Mystory@Tanmay Sinha: How I chose my course and college

Mystory@Tanmay Sinha

By the end of Class 12, I had developed interest in Programming, partly because I found it easy, and partly due to the popularity of Computer Science in our society. Hence, I had little doubt about choosing between Biology and Computer Science (I was quite sure I wanted to opt for a scientific career). I opted for Computer Science, and much to everybody’s and my own expectations, performed decently.

Somewhere along the way, came the pivotal point that completely changed my thinking. It hit me like wind in the face: the realisation that I had never wanted a job that comprised sitting in a closed cubicle all day long. Like everyone else, I had been fickle-minded about what I wanted to do in life, but one thing that had never appealed to me was sitting in front of a computer screen. Desperate to switch my career option, I began looking for other things that interested me. I decided that I either wanted to do English Honours or pursue Research. The second option eventually led me to study Chemical Engineering.

How I cracked college admission

At the end of Class 12, I was in a dilemma. I wanted to pursue English Literature with all my heart, but the odds against it were heavy and bearing. More than my parents, the knowledge that I gained from my surrounding dissuaded me from taking up the course. I somehow came believe that there was a one in a million chance of me getting settled through a career in English Literature. Every string of research, every line of enquiry, led me to loose ends, strengthening my decision to relinquish my preferred option. Finally, after a lot of mental struggle I finally settled for the alternative: Engineering.

I took coaching classes for nearly a year. I had hardly been regular with classes and assignments, and hence it is no surprise that I do not attribute much of my learning to it. However, the regular test sessions did prepare me for the JEE Mains, and somehow, through a trick of fate and my preparation, I ended up scoring less-than-decent marks in the Mains, which was, in fact, more than expected. Normalised with my board marks, JEE Mains scores helped me get a seat in Chemical Engineering programme in BIT-Mesra, which was more than I could ask for.

All about my college years

To be honest, college, through its bittersweet experiences, has made me more mature, more level-headed and calmer. It has taught me to stay composed in handling situations. I spend most of my time in research and working for the student clubs and societies that I am a part of (i.e. if you discount partying, which I absolutely). I make sure that I perform my research experiments regularly, as that helps me stay in touch with my course of study, and also, so to say, gives a direction to my career. When it comes to student clubs, the News and Publication Society has been nothing short of a lifeline to me. Ever since my first year, I have done everything in my capacity to make sure I do not let the club down, and in return, have received a lot of knowledge and learnt a lot of new stuff that otherwise I would never have. It is a society with which I dearly cherish my association, and would want it to continue even after college.

I do not like to attend most of my classes mainly because of the teaching method of most of the faculty. Their way of teaching, according to me, makes the lectures uninteresting and lackluster. However, some teachers do walk the extra mile for students, and I appreciate their effort and enjoy learning from them.

Given a chance, I would like to participate in many more extra-curricular activities. I enjoy swimming and playing billiards when I am at home, and would want to engage in the same at college, should there be opportunities. Besides, I would like to learn to play a new sport, preferably, basketball or football, and also learn a new musical instrument (the violin happens to be my current favourite). I believe that participating in many activities not only teaches you multi-tasking skill, but also entitles you to a host of opportunities to interact with and learn from new people, and learn from their experiences.

About the Author:

I am Tanmay Sinha. I am an introvert and usually like to keep it to myself. I like to read diverse genres of books and explore places. I love to write, and have been involved in many writing competitions ever since my school days besides maintaining a collection of stories and poems.