Disclaimer: Vox Populi, IIT Kanpur, is the exclusive owner of the information on this website. No part of this content may be duplicated, paraphrased, or interpreted in any other way without written consent from Vox Populi. If you want to reproduce any of the content on this page, please contact our chief editors directly or reach out to us by email at voxpopuli@iitk.ac.in.
In this 24th edition of As We Leave, a Y21 student from the Department of Chemical Engineering reflects on a journey that began in the world of lights and cameras and found its way to the heart of IIT Kanpur. Through moments of change, challenge, and quiet triumphs, we witness a story of transformation—where the campus becomes more than just a backdrop, but a co-author in one’s personal narrative. This is a tale of growth through unexpected turns, of friendships forged, and of a self discovered amidst the chaos and calm. Between the first step through the gates and the final goodbye, this account reminds us how IITK becomes not just a chapter, but a lifelong imprint.
Prologue: The Opening Scene
If my life had an IMDb page, the first act would be a montage of spotlights, scripts, and the hum of a shooting set. Until Class 10, I was living the actor’s life—TV shows, short films, ads—my parents’ world of cinema was my playground. You might call it nepotism, but as Harvey Specter from Suits would say, “The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Auditions taught me that even if you get a foot in the door, you have to earn your place. I kept my place for over ten years there! When my parents nudged me toward science, I didn’t know if I was leaving behind a lead role for a cameo, or an even better opportunity in a hit-film. Looking back, it was just a genre switch—one that set the stage for the wildest series of my life.
Season 1: Origins – From Reels to Reality
My IITK story didn’t start with a Eureka moment; it began with a Class 10 board exam score and a gentle parental nudge toward science. Neither my parents nor I understood the sprawling coaching universe, led by big players like Allen, Narayana, and FIITJEE, so I stuck with my local coaching institute, blissfully prepping for boards through 11th and the first half of 12th, inadvertently. Then, COVID crashed the shooting set—turning the world upside down but giving me the chance to binge-learn from YouTube’s best. In those last 5-6 months, I hustled harder than ever, and thanks to a JOSAA counselling twist, I landed in Chemistry at IIT Kanpur.
If you’d asked the pre-10th version of me, I’d have declared “actor” as my destiny. I’d already been on sets, in front of the camera, and even landed some good roles. I learned early, that connections get you to the audition, not the final cut—just like cheating might get you to the internship/placement interview, but the offer is yours to earn. But my parents wanted me to focus on studies, and I followed their script, not knowing if it was the right choice. Now, I see it as destiny’s best plot twist.
Season 2: Transitions – The Chemistry of Change
Landing in Chemistry at IITK was a happy accident—a preference slip that rerouted my story. I’d aimed for IITD, but fate (and my own ranking) had other plans. If my entire life is Breaking Bad, then my IITK years were Better Call Saul—unexpected, sometimes awkward, but always building toward something bigger.
Despite my acting days, I was shy off-screen. The first semester, online and distant, kept me in my shell. I barely took part in events, and my dream of a branch change seemed to fade with my first semester SPI. But I promised myself a comeback. When we finally arrived on campus, after a long 4-month hiatus, Hall 13 became my new stage. I did better, but the cutoff for branch change was a tough antagonist. I filled the form, keeping CHE as my lowest preference, expecting nothing after seeing last year’s cutoffs.
Then, on a train ride back from a (short) summer break, my father, who used to drop me off at campus, handed me the phone—a friend was calling to say, “Congrats, you got the branch change to CHE!” The group chat exploded with messages. My father didn’t realize the magnitude, but for me, it was the best day of my college life so far. From a hesitant start to a surprise breakthrough—season two ended on a high.
Trips with my group “Dr. Strange” (yes, named after the movie) brought a new kind of magic. I planned and managed the finances, and even visited IITD—my old dream, now just a pit stop. Internship anxiety crept in, but my best friend was my anchor. After months of rejections from interviews, a FAC friend and also an APC, talked with HR to accept my application for an internship at Vedanta, after I’d missed the deadline unintentionally.
I had some regrets—leaving Inter IIT Tech Meet midway, not contributing to hall GCs—but Raktarpan brought redemption. Our Republic Day camp in 2024, while I was the Manager, broke donation records, finally beating IITD, which used to get the highest numbers till then. That memory still feels like a finale-worthy win, like RCB and Harry Kane getting their first trophies in 2025.
Season 4: Finales & New Beginnings – Beyond the Summit
After my internship, I was quietly confident about the PPO—but from what I learned after watching Suits, never assume the deal is done until you see the paperwork. I waited, not prepping for placements, which could have been my undoing, and proved disastrous. The PPO finally arrived in October, and life shifted gears. I even got a semester exchange in Hong Kong for the last semester, but fate had other plans, and I stayed at IITK.
A chance meeting with an M.Tech. at a Product bootcamp led to a spontaneous Rajasthan trip—three strangers, a fake wedding card for casual leave, and a week of unscripted adventure. It was the kind of plot twist you only see in movies, but sometimes, real life delivers the best scripts.
Placements were the ultimate test, also for those not sitting—many sleepless days, endless anxiety, and the pure joy of watching friends get placed. When my friend’s offer was getting delayed, I pulled a classic Suits move: a little negotiation with the Coco/Volly, which led to them talking with HR, and within a minute or two, the offer was on the table. Sometimes, you have to channel your inner Harvey and play the game smart, as he says, “I don’t play the odds, I play the man.”
Trips became my celebration—Goa with Dr. Strange, having a near-miss accident with my bhai, and a trek to Kedarkantha during the midsem break with the “Benzene peeps.” Even there, IITK connections surfaced unexpectedly — two during the trek and a group in Dehradun — reminding me that this place isn’t just a campus, it’s a constellation of people that lights up your path, no matter how far you wander. I didn’t reach the summit — my body gave out just before it — but I didn’t. Obese, untrained, and gasping, I still pushed forward. I wasn’t chasing a view — I was silencing the part of me that always quit. I didn’t conquer the mountain, but I conquered myself. Like Tyler Durden from Fight Club said, “This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time”, and I chose to spend that minute fighting.
My last semester was a montage of night cricket in Hall 9, where I used to be addressed as Thala; random walks, day and night; and friendships that turned into family. From early morning batch-shoots to Zethorers’ wild nights, every moment became a memory.
Curtain Call: The Next Season Awaits
To my juniors: Treat your IITK years like your favourite series. Try every subplot, make friends for life, and don’t be afraid of plot twists—they often lead to the best episodes. You’re writing your own story here, so make it one you’ll want to binge-watch again and again.
Looking back, this AWL is my rerun—which I’ll revisit whenever nostalgia hits. Thanks for being part of my story and reading this patiently. This is not just a climax, but a teaser for the next season.
Sayonara—and see you in the next production!
Written by: Akshat Jain
Edited by: Abhinav, Divyanshi Agnihotri
Designed by: Pankhuri Sachan
