So. I finally graduated.
Two days back was the last day of my 4-year B.Tech degree, and I won't lie - I didn't expect it to hit as hard as it did. They say when a person is on their deathbed, their whole life flashes in front of them. I don't know about that, but the second it sank in that I was done, I saw the last 6–7 years play out in my head like a highlight reel nobody asked for.
I saw the kid I was in 10th - the one who had to ace everything. Every exam. Every competition. Every game he touched. There was this voice in my head back then that just wouldn't shut up unless I was winning.
Then came COVID. 11th and 12th. The same kid - now barely passing exams. From acing everything to just surviving. From being someone people looked up to, to being someone people quietly counted out. And they weren't wrong, by the way. The numbers didn't look good. The colleges I'd dreamed about weren't happening.
"So I took admission in a tier-3 college. And it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life."
Not because the college was special on paper. But because of who I found there.
From day one to the very last, there were exactly four people who made it all worth it. Together we are 5 idiots - and honestly, that's the title I'll carry with the most pride for the rest of my life. These people have seen me win. They've seen me lose. Every time we're together, whatever was going on in my head just... quiets down. That kind of thing is rare. That kind of thing is everything.
Beyond the five of us - thank you to the batchmates who made the mundane feel fun, the seniors who showed us how to navigate this place, and the mentors who actually gave a damn when it mattered most. I didn't always say it, but I noticed. I was paying attention.
And to the people I'm not on the best terms with right now - no hard feelings, genuinely. Mistakes happen. I made my share of them too. It's a small world and we'll cross paths again someday. Until then - be happy, be healthy, and go chase whatever it is that keeps you up at night.
I started this journey trying to ace everything. I'm ending it having learned something far more important: the right people make every version of the journey - the winning, the barely-surviving, and everything in between - worth living.
Ending this one with my favourite quote
"Fuck around and find out." - do it for the plot 😉
Thank you so much if you're reading till the end