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In this 16th edition of As We Leave, Akshay Choudhary, a Y21 student graduating from the Department of Electrical Engineering, reflects on a journey that began in the quiet isolation of online classes and slowly unfolded into a vibrant, purpose-driven life on campus. From eSports to Prayas, he navigated IITK with steady steps—building meaning in the everyday and strength through consistency. What began as a digital blur became a deeply human experience, stitched together by connection, service, and sincere gratitude.
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 IITK.
I was told to write AWL, so I started looking at my gallery to remember the memories stored in 30k photos of less than 4 years.
Being a part of the Y21 BTech Electrical Engineering batch at IIT Kanpur has been nothing short of transformative. From day one, the campus became more than just a place to study—it became home.
When I joined IITK, I came in with the ambition to explore every domain – academics, extracurriculars, and everything in between. But reality hit quickly: getting a decent CPI was not optional but essential. The journey began during a pandemic, with classes held online.
Bootstrapping the Circuit
Online classes didn’t feel real. It made exams feel like landmines, and yet, a strange casualness crept in. I couldn’t get myself to focus. Lectures blurred into each other. Motivation came in waves and disappeared just as quickly. I was technically ‘in IIT Kanpur’, but mentally, I was just a confused Wi-Fi signal floating somewhere in cyberspace.
MTH101 was a nightmare—proof problems we’d never seen before, and no idea how the prof taught. But turns out, while I couldn’t follow him in class, I couldn’t follow his smashes on the court either – played badminton with him in my last sem and got absolutely wrecked.
Did everything from online dance classes to online campaigning for elections.
Despite the distance, I found joy in the chaos: Bulla sessions that stretched late into the night, heartfelt family meets, department orientations, club meetings, and the thrill of joining college fest teams. Behind all of these, though, was a daily struggle—dealing with quizzes that wouldn’t load, and somehow managing to submit assignments at 11:59 PM with 2% battery and 0% clue.
After doing random experiments on Phyphox by hanging our phones and then finally stepping onto campus and seeing real faces instead of pixelated boxes on Zoom. In April 2022, the Y21 batch arrived on campus. After months of online guessing, I was finally here. The sun felt different.
But with offline life in full swing, time management hit like a truck. Between spontaneous hangouts, overdue assignments, and getting lost between OAT and LHC.
We got free Wi-Fi too, but were immediately told: “Use it for kaam, not Kamasutra.” Welcome to IIT Kanpur.
We explored the campus like tourists. Explored it so much that we kind of forgot to study. Volleyball, badminton, TT, cycling day and night, nonstop. Somehow, we still passed the semester. We picked up IITK lingo on the go, played way too much BGMI, and discovered the joy of late-night chai and unnecessary deep conversations. The treasure hunt was great fun in itself.
Orientation started, and seniors would storm in every morning, waking us up with classic lines like “Gap cover karo!” as we stood half-asleep in messy lines. Hall 13 was home for a while, pure madness and fun, until 3rd sem hit, and we were all scattered to different halls
Of course, exploring campus wasn’t complete without discovering Student Search. With wingies beside me and questionable curiosity in our hearts, we dove in.
Oscillations and Overloads
I got involved in eSports, joined the Finance Club, and somehow ended up becoming an SG. I still don’t know the criteria. One of my friends still does the occasional rr just because he didn’t make it. But if I’m being honest, the SG/AM scene has its fair share of problems. Many SGs I met couldn’t explain academics to save their own lives, and a surprising number have never even seen their bachhas.
Somewhere along the way, I also witnessed the madness of impeachments. IITK politics? Stay as far away as you can.
Then came my first bappu party, which was a blast! I also had the opportunity to work in Udghosh, which was an experience in itself. Among all of this, I started volunteering with Prayas, teaching 11th-grade math.
Then came the first winter on campus, it was freezing – but unforgettable. I still remember basking in the sun outside L19 and L20, books in hand, trying to make sense of both academics and life. Around the same time, I started working as a student marketer with Red Bull. The work was light, the fun was plenty, and the cans? Endless.
I became the leader of the Esports Society, and it turned out to be one of the most fulfilling chapters of my journey. Late-night scrims, strategy calls, and the adrenaline rush of tournaments forged bonds rooted in shared passion. Organizing events, working with an incredibly dedicated and lovely team, and even jumping into the tournaments myself – it was all pure joy.
Focusing on Prayas
What began as a volunteering stint soon evolved into something far deeper – a source of purpose, grounding, and joy. While I initially dabbled in multiple clubs, I eventually chose to focus solely on Prayas. And that decision changed everything. From the moment we stepped into the classroom, we were greeted with bright smiles and a chorus of “Namaste Bhaiya,” spoken with such sincerity and warmth that it would instantly lift my spirits. That simple greeting, filled with respect and love, reminded me every single day why this work mattered.
As a Manager at Prayas, I took on the responsibility of ensuring our classes ran smoothly. We conducted not just academic sessions but also a variety of extracurricular and awareness programs, ranging from Fine Arts classes to Sexual Awareness workshops. These initiatives weren’t just about education, they were about giving these kids opportunities to dream bigger and experience more.
Some of my fondest memories are from celebrating festivals like Diwali, Holi, and Raksha Bandhan with the children. We visited the students’ homes to distribute sweets and celebrate with their families.
Beyond the classroom, we worked to address the kids’ needs holistically.
Home visits gave me a deeper perspective on their challenges and made the bond even more personal. I still remember how the children would plead, “Bhaiya, aaj mere ghar chaliye khana khane,” and sometimes even argue among themselves about whose home I’d visit next. Their innocence, affection, and excitement were truly humbling. I still vividly remember the day before my end-semester exam, when the students I used to teach did a vc, warmly asked, ‘Aap kaise ho, Bhaiya?’
No matter how many years pass, Prayas will always hold a special place in my heart. The tiny excuses kids made to talk to us, their mischief, their wide-eyed questions, all of it stays with me. Prayas wasn’t just about teaching. It was about learning – learning to lead with empathy, to serve with love, and to believe in the quiet power of community.
The summer after my second year was far from a break. It wasn’t just about handling responsibilities. While internship preparation kicked off in full swing, I found myself juggling multiple commitments: managing Prayas, coordinating activities for the Esports Society, and completing a summer course I had enrolled in. It was a packed schedule, but I genuinely enjoyed every bit of it. I still remember those frantic days, sitting in the library, Hall 2 reading room doing DSA.
Peak Current and High Resistance
I gave 6-7 interviews during the internship season and faced rejections. It was disheartening, to say the least. Eventually, in the second phase of campus internships, I finally received an offer.
Around the same time, the campus went through something far heavier. In my sixth semester, we witnessed protests and dharnas following student suicides. The atmosphere turned somber, reflective, and charged with emotion. For the first time, I truly saw the power and the responsibility of the student body.
Summer break had started. This time, it felt real. I knew it was time to buckle down—update my résumé, practice deck-making, revisit DSA, and finally dive into machine learning. I cut out the distractions: swapped Instagram for LinkedIn, traded leisure for late-night prep sessions—it almost felt like getting back into JEE mode.
In mid-June, I received a call from an alumnus working at a startup who offered me a role. I accepted immediately. Since my campus internship was remote and relatively light on workload, I managed to juggle both the startup experience and placement prep. It was intense, but in the best way—productive, focused, and driven by purpose.
August came quickly. With our internships behind us, everyone returned to campus—excited, anxious, and slightly more grown-up. The pressure was on. Placements were around the corner, and all of us were quietly hoping we’d done enough.
Operating at Breakdown Voltage
This semester started off differently—no academic pressure, but plenty of DSA practice. I spent many hours tucked away in a quiet corner of the library, grinding through problems to prepare for placements. If you look closely, you might still find some handwriting left behind on the ground floor tables—a small reminder of those long study sessions.
I missed my last Antaragni because I had to travel to Mumbai for a Red Bull conference, which was an incredible experience in itself.
Before I knew it, mid and end semesters flew by, and placements arrived.
Five busy days, twenty-one interviews, and then I got placed on Day 6. It felt strange and surreal, and I’m still processing how it all unfolded. But that time taught me lessons beyond academics, and I’m grateful for the experience.
Discharging Gracefully
Then began the final and most memorable semester – a whirlwind of variety, unexpected moments, and unforgettable experiences.
Academics? Hardly anyone paid attention, after all, it was the last semester.
I traveled to Goa with wingies, they were there for every chai break rant, every pre-exam panic, every rooftop talk, and every shared silence that didn’t need words. They’ve seen me at my best and my worst and stood by me through it all.
Spent entire days playing cards, and tried a variety of new stuff. The photoshoots captured some of the best memories of this time.
Amidst this, campus buzzed with events – Scribble Day, Dance Extravaganza, Graduation Dinner, batch photoshoot, etc. I still remember shooting video with “ALs”, suited up and wearing shades, dancing at 7 a.m. in the middle of nowhere. These moments weren’t just fun, they were our way of being together, one last time.
There were also Indo parties, bachha parties, club nights, farewells, each event adding its own flavor to the final chapter.
Slowly, people started to leave, and the reality sank in: some of the most cherished faces would never be seen again. And just like that, college life came to its close.
I won’t be mentioning any names – because all of you, in your own beautiful way, have left a mark on my life. And if you’re reading this, know that you impacted my college life in a good way.
One of the biggest lessons I’m taking from IITK is to have a big heart. Learn to take rejections, handle the ups and downs. Someone will always have more than you – marks, PPOs, CV points, achievements—but instead of letting that break you, let it motivate you.
The ending won’t always be perfect. It won’t always be what you dreamed. But it’s still your ending. And that’s reason enough to keep moving forward.
This AWL isn’t meant to inspire you. I just hope that if someone somewhere is living through the same experiences I did, they’ll feel a little less alone reading this.
No need to learn much from it, merely read it as I wrote.
This isn’t a goodbye to one person; it’s a thank you to everyone.
With a heart full of gratitude and memories,
Akshay Choudhary
Written by: Akshay Choudhary
Edited by: Namrata Chavhan, Disha Singh
Designed by: Pragya Puri
