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In this 44th edition of As We Leave, Sharvani Jadhav, a Y21 student graduating from the department of Mathematics and Statistics, shares the deeply personal and colorful story of her journey at IITK. From cycling through the streets of Pune to racing on the PE ground in Kanpur’s winter, from quiet Zoom calls in the early days to loud celebrations at OAT, her time at IITK has been nothing short of transformative.
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 used to read seniors’ As We Leave pieces with stars in my eyes, wondering what it must feel like to leave this campus behind. And now, it’s my turn—and I can’t believe how fast the time has flown.
To be honest, I never thought I’d write something like this. I’m not a writer, and I don’t expect anyone to read till the end… but this is my story, and here it goes.
I joined IIT Kanpur thinking I was getting into MnC. It turned out to be MTH. But looking back, I ended up loving my branch, especially all the people. The perks of having a small branch meant amazing bonding – we spent days before exams in the library and CCD, ranting over how these courses seemed irrelevant to our careers, counting absentees in Santhanam’s lectures, and escaping to the library rooftop. Our small, chaotic, lovable branch gave me some of my closest friends and my loudest laughs. Who knew that shared academic suffering and collective frustration would become such a core memory?
Our college journey started in the most unusual way—online. Zoom calls, freshers’ showcase, dumb charades with the MTH gang, amma meets, dancing with Tarun… We made the most of it. We couldn’t wait to meet each other in person. The online period led to some crazy adventures. I went to Jaipur to meet FOB peeps. Somewhere in the madness, I contested (and actually won!) the online elections, which gave me the confidence to put myself out there.
The one good part about online college? Time. I got the time to discover cycling. What started as a hobby turned into a passion. I used to while away hours going in and around pune and fell in love with my city all over again- with so many waterfalls, lakes, mountains, and bridges. I also met a bunch of amazing peeps (even old ones) who were super motivating and taught me the importance of staying active. But the craziest memory? I cycled all the way from Pune to Mumbai in one night. All my friends started calling me “cycle wali bandi” – something I’ll never forget, and honestly, something I wear as a badge of honor.
Of course, online friendships proved superficial, and we all drifted apart eventually. But those experiences taught me the importance of real, in-person connections.
And finally, when we were called to campus, it felt magical. Antaragni (Ritviz came!!), orientation, meeting people I’d only known through squares on Zoom—it was awesome.
Coming to campus for the first time felt like stepping into a giant playground—there was so much happening, and everything looked so fascinating. I wanted to try my hand at every club I came across. Somehow, in my second year itself, I was made the head of the Bicycling Society. At first, it felt like a huge responsibility—I used to get pretty intimidated by all the third years and PhD students in the council while I was just a second year. But honestly, it turned out to be kaafi fun. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me a lot about managing people and events—whether it was organising duathlons or leading fun cycling trips across Kanpur to places like Bithoor, Ganga Barrage and ISKCON. Became an SG and made great friends with 6 juniors. I also joined the Athletics team, where I met some truly incredible seniors who inspired me in ways I didn’t expect. I ran races in Udghosh, joined DebSoc, danced in the freshers’, even tried my hand at photography, DnA, GnS—and at one point, I had somehow racked up 10 PoRs! Over time, I realised that I couldn’t do everything—and that’s when I started learning how to prioritise what truly mattered and what I genuinely enjoyed.
Joining the Film Club was one of the best decisions I made in college. It gave me a family. We bonded over movies, created short films with very wild ideas, and pulled off the most creative sets and props with the least possible budget and many jugaads. We used to spend endless hours in the Film Club room—fuelled entirely by Red Bulls, kathi rolls, and last-minute panic—those are memories I’ll keep forever. When the time for Inter IIT came, I felt like an excited kid on a school trip. Exploring another IIT, competing with other colleges, not sleeping for 51 hours, the dreadfully long train journey, kaafi acha experience tha. It was all very fun thanks to Kavish, Khush, Mannu, Teja, Rohit, Praneat, Satvik.
I met some of the most wonderful people in the most unexpected corners of campus. Some stayed, some moved on, but each left a mark on me that I’ll always carry. By sheer luck, I bumped into Abhinav in RM—little did I know he would become my closest friend throughout college.
In MTH, fakkas were almost a tradition—half the batch failing a course wasn’t uncommon, and the fear of an F was always around the corner. With the lethal combo of Ganguly, Santhanam, and Santosha, many of our courses saw more than half the class fail. I thought I had a dream summer ahead in 2nd year— a research internship at CMI, SURGE, and a bunch of exciting plans. But then, out of nowhere, I found out I’d failed Abstract Algebra. Just like that, everything hit a rock bottom. It tanked my CPI to 6.9, just below 7, which meant I couldn’t sit for many companies in Phase 1 of the intern drive.
But something inside me didn’t give up. I told myself, jo ho gaya so ho gaya, now I just had to do my best with whatever I had.
That summer in Kanpur was brutal—literally and metaphorically. The heat was unforgiving, and so was the pressure. But I got lucky in one way: I had Zainab and Rudransh by my side. The three of us would sit and grind DSA every single day, motivate each other, and hold each other accountable. I can’t thank them enough for helping me stay on track—it genuinely became a life-changing phase.
Intern Day 1 came and went. Most of my friends got offers from great companies. Every day after that, I found myself regretting that fakka more and more. I started doubting myself. Why them and not me? I envied some people who, tbh, I didn’t even think were smart. But with time (and many emotional meltdowns), I realised how much of the intern season is just luck—CPI, branch, timing, and a whole lot of randomness. So if you’re reading this and didn’t get an intern—you’re not alone, and you’re definitely not “less skilled.” It sucks, yes—but don’t let it define your worth.
Instead, apply off campus, network, build skills. Cold-mail people. Reach out to seniors. You’ll get insights, and slowly you’ll build the confidence. Working at startups can be super cool too—you end up learning so much, so fast.
One thing I really want to say—especially if you’re feeling lost during intern or placement season—is this: don’t box yourself in. You don’t have to figure it all out in one go. Try your hands at everything—software, machine learning, finance, research, product, VC, etc. You’re in college; this is the one time you actually have the freedom to explore without pressure. You might not even end up in the place you initially aimed for—and that’s not a bad thing. Sometimes, it turns out even better. For me, after all the chaos, I ended up getting selected for a research internship in the UK. Something I would have never dreamed of or planned about.
So have some faith in your journey, trust in God’s plan, or whatever gives you hope. You never know what incredible opportunity is quietly making its way to you. Just make sure you’re working on yourself.
Newcastle University ended up being the most unforgettable part of my college journey. I’m incredibly grateful to Dootika ma’am and Lee for making it possible. Living in a new country, all by myself, was both overwhelming and exciting. From figuring out how to cook basic meals (even burning the kitchen once :p) to managing accommodation, travel, and labs—it was a crash course in adulting. But it also came with the most beautiful moments: exploring the lovely streets of Newcastle, wandering through London’s museums, hiking in Scotland, and sipping coffee in little cafés across Edinburgh, York, and Durham, trying surfing. The experience taught me independence, resilience, and how to enjoy my own company. And of course, it wouldn’t have been possible without Rohit, Mihir, and Shlok—thank you for making sure I didn’t starve or get lost too often.
Winning Galaxy: A Moment to Remember
Every year during Galaxy, we would hear the same things— “Ladkiyaan toh bas naam ke liye participate karti hain”, “Arre bhai, inka toh last aana fixed hai”. Har saal yeh sab sunna padta tha. The boys would tease us, laugh at our scores, and treat our efforts like a joke.
Galaxy 2024 was personal and became more than just another inter hostel competition for us. It was a chance to show what we were capable of. We didn’t have it easy—most of us functioned on 2-3 hours of sleep, motivating juniors, handling last-minute crises, coordinating, running around, managing practices, and pushing ourselves through exhaustion. I remember those long nights, sitting with my HEC, cheering each other up, and just trying to hold everything together. I still remember sneaking in 10-minute naps, and waking up to 50 missed calls. The best part was how everyone came together from all the batches—everyone gave it their all. And somewhere along the way, we started believing—maybe this time, we really could win.
And then, we won.
I still remember standing in OAT as the final dance results were being announced. And when we realised we were winning—sabko goosebumps aa gaye the. Literal happy tears. Girls were hugging each other, screaming, singing the hall anthem like it was a war cry. It was one of the most surreal, emotional, and proudest moments of my life.
But this win wasn’t just a trophy. It was a statement. A loud, unapologetic answer to “tumse nahi hoga.”
It wouldn’t have been possible without Anjali Pandey—the OG fighter who walked into every Pool Cap meeting and took on all the boys single-handedly. Komal, the pillar of our contingent, who poured her heart into the parade and was always just a call away. Anushka, who led the dramatics team to a historic win—something we had never achieved before. Priyanshi and Anwesha, who were the powerhouses making sure everything ran smoothly. And every single Y22 and Y23, who showed up with so much energy and enthusiasm.
This win belongs to all of them. To every girl who stayed back after class for practices, who showed up again even when things got tough, who believed that we could do better.
Galaxy was never just about winning. It was about showing that we were always capable—we just needed to believe in ourselves.
Placement Season
In the interest of keeping this short—I’ll skip the rant. But those 2–3 months were pure madness. You’ll see people at their most stressed, most competitive, most selfish point. It’s during this time you really figure out who your real friends are—the ones who cheer you on even when they’re struggling themselves. The tests felt endless, rejections hit harder than expected, and the emotional rollercoaster was unreal.
On Day 1, Hall 13 looked like a war zone—resumes flying around, interviews happening in every room, someone crying in one wing, someone celebrating in the next. Every corridor had its own story. It was chaotic, a little insane, but also weirdly memorable.
I had quite a few shortlists this time, and after the usual share of ups and downs, I finally landed an offer in a profile I genuinely liked. That feeling of relief… unmatched.
Adventure Club
Imagine waking up at 5 AM and running laps on the PE ground in the freezing Kanpur winter. Haan, that was us—half asleep, fully cold, and slowly questioning our life choices. The initial few weeks were tough—very tough. Sore legs, breathless runs, and the constant temptation to hit snooze. But all thanks to Drashti (and our “conversational pace” gossip sessions) who helped me push through, I started enjoying it. I started discovering how much my body could actually do, and by the end of it, I could run 8 km without stopping—something I’d never imagined.
And then came the trek, which was even crazier than we thought. Lunging our way through knee-deep snow, waking up to beautiful views, getting very delicious food thanks to our lovely guides, playing uno and games all night, it was one of the best college experiences. 10/10 would do it again.
Last Sem Shenanigans
:The most fun sem in the 4 years. I’m grateful to IITK that they keep organising so many fun things for the final year graduates like farewells, photoshoots, abhinandan dinner, tshirt painting events, baraat and whatnot 🙂 Last sem kab shuru hoke kab khatam hua pata hi nahi chala. Going on long walks, talking endlessly in our wings, enjoying our last breakfast, sobbing while writing testimonials for our friends, seeing them go home, it’s all very bittersweet.
Some gyaan before I go (take what you like, ignore the rest):
Make mistakes. Mess up. But get involved — wherever your heart wants to go. Don’t let acads or awkwardness hold you back. Thoda sharmana chhodo, be shameless in making friends, in asking for help, in talking to seniors. IITK is full of incredible people — go find them. Talk to alums — not just your seniors, but older ones too. Their stories are very inspiring.
There’s no one “correct” path here — so don’t blindly follow anyone’s. Try everything, explore all the options, and then choose your way.
If someone tells you you can’t do something, prove them wrong. And even if you fail — toh kya? At least you tried.
Don’t take a POR just for FOMO or to add to your resume. Do it only if you love the work or the place.
Apply, apply, apply — for everything. Interns, exchanges, fellowships, fests. Worst case, you get rejected. But what if you get in?
If you ever get a chance to go for Inter IIT, a hackathon, summer exchange, or travel abroad — take it. You won’t regret it.
Workout. Move your body. Get fitter, stronger, faster. Go on at least one trek with Adventure Club. Waking up at 5 AM might sound insane, but it’s 110% worth it.
Practical > theory. Get your hands dirty — nothing’s as hard as it seems, bas shuruaat karni hoti hai.
Add a little sambar to your poha, try thepla at Divyam.
Go on trips every chance you get. Yehi chhoti-chhoti baatein baad mein sabse zyada yaad aayengi. 🙂
To all my friends—thank you, yaar. For the late-night talks, the crazy impromptu plans, the wing gossip, the hugs before quizzes, and the random “chal walk pe chalte hain” that turned into therapy sessions. Tum logon ke bina ye 4 saal imagine bhi nahi kar sakti. I feel really lucky to have found people who felt like home.
And a big thank you to the Vox team, especially Disha and Archit, for patiently dealing with my last-minute edits, overthinking, and constant delays.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I leave with a heart full of memories, gratitude, and love—for this place, these people, and the person I’ve become.
As the quote goes, “We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.”
Turns out, we made a lifetime of them.
With my whole heart ♥️
Sharvani
Written by: Sharvani Jadhav
Edited by: Archit Rahalkar, Disha Singh
Designed by: Pankhuri Sachan, Pragya Puri
