Mystory@Mehul Agarwal: How I selected my course and college

Mystory@Mehul Agarwal

Like most students of class X, I had no idea of how to go about finding the right career path for myself. Being averse to science, I thought of Commerce, as it offered the widest variety of choices possible. I was a bit inclined towards Economics, and this helped me firm up my choice of opting for Commerce.

In the final two years of my schooling, I realised that I had the journalistic acumen of digging out facts and reasons behind anything, rather than following a blind belief. This made me look out for journalism colleges in and around Kolkata, since my parents were not convinced about sending me out of the city for my under-graduate course. At shiksha, I came across Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Development (iLEAD), Kolkata, which offered a comprehensive course in Media Science, covering journalism and mass communication, media management, advertising, PR, video production and much more. The amount of practical exposure offered by this institute under this program was something irresistible, due to its immense industry oriented nature. This made me choose iLEAD.

How I cracked my college admission

It would be a lie to say that getting admission in this college was easy. Honestly, the night before the entrance exam was a sleepless one for me. I was told earlier that the examination would cover areas like English proficiency, logical reasoning, general knowledge, current affairs and basic media aptitude. I had prepared thoroughly for the same.

On the day of the examination, as soon as the written paper was over, I was made to sit for a group discussion with six unknown faces. As scary as it might seem, the session was quite engaging and enjoyable. Then finally came the interview round. The tension before that was truly unnerving. The executive director of the institute was scheduled to take my interview. My hands and feet went cold, yet I entered the cabin and had a very amazing conversation with her. I didn't require to take any tutorial classes for the entrance, but yes, I had to prepare myself for the same in a very dedicated manner. Besides iLEAD, I had also tried for admission at St. Xavier's College, Kolkata.

How I made the most of my college time

College life has been one hell of an amazing journey for me. The past one-and-a-half years have made me fall in love with my college in a very engaging way. My classroom is full of positive vibes and it’s the place where I

spend most of my time on campus. If not the classroom, one can find me on the terrace, which is like the chilling hub of my college. Our college library is yet another intriguing place for me, as it contains books on just everything. In the media science course, the subjects change every semester, so it would be difficult to say which classes I like to attend the most, though Advertising and Print Journalism & Comparative media have been my favorite papers here.

The college continuously provides an array of extra-curricular opportunities to students and expects them to be a part of the same. Apart from being actively involved in college activities, I am a proud member of the college's students' council as the academics assistant head. I have proactively taken up interesting and vivid internship opportunities offered by the corporate department of the college, which has helped me nurture professional qualities in me. Here, I learnt all those subjects which I have always wanted to explore and the amazing mentors of the college have even made me see the better side of subjects which I earlier dreaded. This, in turn, helped me gain the quality of respecting everyone’s perspective. This college has made me realise how it feels to be the man of the hour and rejoice without pride, as well as how to accept, acknowledge and use criticism for your own development. I have become emotionally mature and strong, thanks to the challenging and rewarding college life at iLEAD.

About the Author:

I am a student of Bachelors in Media Science at iLEAD Kolkata. I am currently in my second year of graduation. I also work as a professional tutor at a respectable coaching center in my locality. I love writing and have my own web page, which is http:\\mehulscreations.wordpress.com\. I am a big Varun Dhawan fan and a Potterhead. My hobbies include reading, teaching and cooking.