Ankit Kumar is a Y18 graduating student from the Department of Civil Engineering. In this edition, he reminisces his journey from “not an original fresher” to accomplishing his goal of doing something unique and remarkable during his stay at IITK.
Disclaimer:- The views presented below are the author’s own and are not in any manner representative of the views of Vox Populi as a body or IIT Kanpur in general. This is an informal account of the author’s experiences at IIT-K.
मैं “किसी से” बेहतर करुं क्या फर्क पड़ता है.
मै “किसी का” बेहतर करूं बहुत फर्क पड़ता है.
Hello everyone! To be honest, I am very good at writing things like this (as indicated in my social media posts (not LinkedIn, obviously)). Still, I don’t know how to go about this piece of writing here. Fun Fact: I had dropped a course just because it required me to write a report of 2000 words while I was safely securing an A in that course. So, things have ironically happened to me in these last four years at IITK.
Okay, now that I have a slight clue to write my AWL, I would start from the very beginning. I was a partial dropper from NIT Kurukshetra, so when I got into IITK, I wasn’t an ‘original’ fresher. I predicted some things to go in a particular manner, and they did too. I wasn’t the one who would miss the home or was scared of a new place and people. I have always been an extrovert. Socializing and talking to new people has always been my strength. It made us (me and some of my wingies) go to a random wing in the initial days of orientation for an ‘interaction’, and I haven’t remembered the wing yet. Moving forward, my only (at that time) aim before coming to IITK was to do something different in my own way or do something remarkable, which now I think I was able to achieve. Coming back, I was one of the Departmental Rank Holders at NIT. So, I didn’t pay much attention to academics until I got the first 0 of my life, obviously MTH101A quiz.
You know there is a weird moment when your roomie gets full marks, and you get a 0? Yes, that was the day. I felt utterly shattered that day. I realized why IIT is different from an NIT. From that day, I accepted that I was an average (below, at times) student. However, I still didn’t know the importance of CPI at IITK, so my only motive was to pass the courses without worrying about my grades. This continued until I got an E in LIF101A in my second semester. Agree or not, I can assure you that it was due to the change in grading policy that got me to fail. If it weren’t, I would have surely passed. Fun Fact: I still got a C while repeating the course again with no regrets.
Now, aside from academics for a while, I didn’t explore the non-academic side of IITK much in my first year. Ironically, I thought of doing this the most when coming to IITK. So, this made me push myself in different clubs, etc., in my second year. I was a part of FAC, AnC Council, Outreach Cell, Udghosh, Techkriti, and SoCE. The one thing I most engaged in my first and second years was Techkriti. The festival gave me very good friends and seniors to whom I can reach out anytime for anything. Cool, side by, I got my first 7+ SPI in my third semester, which increased my CPI to 7.1.
Now, here comes Corona, too early (?). We didn’t know it then. I have performed really bad in the mid-semester exams of my fourth semester, and Corona saved my ass. Until now, I can assure you that if Corona hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have been writing this AWL. I would have been busy adjusting my course template for completing my degree in 5 or 6 years. As we switched to online mode, I was blessed with my department wingie (Mridul) and Apes Together Strong, which helped me pass all the courses. By the end of the sixth semester, my CPI had increased to 7.8. The online mode also opened doors to me being overly expressive on social media. I don’t regret it because it boosted my confidence to face people with different mindsets and opinions. It was a good time when IITK Quarantine Posting and IIM 3.0 posts were worth waiting for. Also, in my third year, I was a part of FAC, SoCE and Techkriti. I joined SoCE as a Coordinator with a vision to take it to greater heights, and as my tenure ended, we (Mradul, Yashkrit and me) saw the change taking place. I joined Techkriti’21 as a Core Team Member because of my love for Techkriti since my first year and Namit (favourite senior, obviously). But now, I can’t deny that over time, a toxic culture inculcated in the festival, so I parted ways. But still, I cherish the good moments in the past.
Now, at this point, you must be clear that I am going back and forth, so please bear with me. It is how this piece will go.
Counselling Service
Whenever I think of doing something in my third year apart from academics, it is Counselling Service. I put my utmost effort (single-handedly, a very important word here) into joining CS as CTM, but most of them went in vain. As I got to know in the coming years, I can clearly say that when we say that every student body runs through politics, CS is nothing different. People who had been a part of CS have stated it themselves to me that I was not made a part of CS based on internal politics. Still, I respect the people who have tried to maintain the culture of CS by doing their work honestly and enthusiastically. CS was my first (and only, maybe) love at IITK, so I definitely deserve closure on a sour note.
A Bosom Friend
Now, my IITK journey wouldn’t have been possible without this one person who I met through SOC171A/Rendezvous’19. Since the third semester, a single person has remained constant with me throughout this journey, so it is worth mentioning her (in detail, obviously). Dona and I became the go-to-person of each other in the online mode. Be it summer internship search, grades and CPI, resume making, personal life or Hunt for Success, we were there for each other. We were the first person to feel happy or sad for each other about anything. I can write a lot about her, but that is what you are not here for. So, saying thank you and moving ahead.
Another Friend
When my eyes were searching for a person like me in the wing on our first night, I saw this guy whom I can call my life saviour. Somu was the first guy I thought would be my kind of person. I was correct. He was with me in my worst on various occasions, which need not be mentioned here since some things should remain unfolded for you all. Life is a bitch, and so are some people, so you have to save the good ones out of them. He is one of them. At this point, I will say, “Guys, main to toot gaya”.
Hunt For Success
My As We Leave can’t be completed without this. The starting quote of my blog says I have always tried to help people at IITK in any way possible. The origin of Hunt for Success was also from here. Until now, people working for several years in the industry cannot understand how a single individual can take one page to this height. I may have been the single person running this initiative. Still, thousands of people motivate me every day to continue this. Also, hundreds of people try to demotivate me every day (not now, hehe).
Moving ahead, I was also living my life to the fullest in the online mode, with all the lows and highs, hoping for campus reopening. Online mode lost some old friends, but it also helped me make new friends in the department and among the juniors.
One needs to know that nothing stays forever. You will encounter different people at different points in your life for small instances. You need to live those moments to the fullest without worrying about when you will be on the verge of separation, and nothing will stay the same.
Placement Drive 2021-22
We reached campus ‘soon’ on Oct’21, and I lived each day on campus as if it was the last. Everyone says that your wingies will be there for you in your best and worst during the placements. I would partially agree with it. In my case, some wingies were there for me before Nov 30. However, no wingie was there for me during the interviews. And some wingies who had sorted their placements even before the placement session were never there for help. Things that seem normal from the outside aren’t the same if you look at them from the inside, and then people come and ask what our mistake is? So, always remember that only 1-2 people will be there for you during the placements. Don’t entirely rely on your wingies (unless you are the selfish cry baby, you will get the help). This paragraph must have sounded harsh, but the truth must be told. The names, even if not mentioned, are understandable.
Last Semester
I can cry for days over this. I have spent the best five months of my life with the best group of friends one can ever come across. As known, I am the only person to be a part of two festival core teams. But the bond I share with Team Udghosh’21 is beyond any Core Team. I had hit the lowest in my personal life this last semester, but I survived because of these people. Be it C108 or B106, each one of us was an entity. I have made uncountable cherishable memories with these people. I am really happy that this will continue further in Bangalore.
As I wrap up my AWL, I will share some of my learnings at IITK with the juniors who still have ample time left at IITK.
Always be the first to interact with people, make them feel comfortable and feel special even if you aren’t getting the same in return. Trust me, someday you will feel the same too.
Always trust your instinct. No one in the group might support you, but if you think you can do it, you surely can do it. I got your back. Go for it, kiddo.
Always feel happy about the achievements of your dear ones even if you are at your lowest, be their family and trust them more than they trust themselves.
Always try to interact with as many seniors as possible. Every senior will not help you or guide you but trust me, every senior will never misguide you.
Always help others.
I left my last point unexplained. Still, if you ever feel doubtful about it, contact me on LinkedIn, obviously, hehe.
IITK has been a blessing for me. Thank you for everything.
Written by: Ankit Kumar
Edited by: Mohika Agarwal, Bhavya Sikarwar
