I think I do not intend the AWL to carry any message, but rather that it be a record of the 4 years and the emotions I have felt at IIT Kanpur and at my hostel rooms – which by the 2nd year I had begun calling “ghar”. Decades down the line when I look back at this same experience – I will undoubtedly feel differently about it.

The 1 month or so prior to 27 October  2022 was pure bliss – everything was done and enjoyment was the only thing in mind. Joining IITK was tumultuous – it began a sequence of events and actions which through highs and lows would allow me to understand myself more, improve myself (and gain some bad habits along the way).

Hum wingies ke beechme pehle hesitation tha obviously, which was made a little worse for me because of my extra strict “Don’t’s” list arising from something like germaphobia. Yet eventually, these were the same wingies jinke saath movies dekhte raat me and jaha 6 launde 2 bed pe sote (we probably agreed to not tell others about this, but well !). Also…like a tryhard…. I signed up for both Techkriti and E-Cell right in the 1st year/1st semester and soon that led to reduced time with wingies – but also discovery of other fun and tryhard people across campus. In the midst of all the chaos of 1st year, I also found some reliable and calming friends across the road in H4. End of 1st year was also when late night walks began with Rashi and other great friends- these walks, I will very dearly miss and try to replicate wherever I go – they give a true sense of freedom found nowhere else.

With barely any time between the semesters and after the 1st year – IIT Kanpur was just as much comfortable as home and 2nd year was set to be much easier, well that was until I planned to take 3-4 PoRs simultaneously, although EE ke 3rd sem acads are fairly chill. It was through ICG that I met more like minded people, and interacted with some folks in administration. I mostly treated my 2nd year as a time of finding the right club/team for me – and guess what, I did not make it to the 3rd year PoR at the only one I applied to  (ICG). Obviously it was one of the worse times at college – with most of my friends making it to their respective clubs. What kept me sane through all this was the friends and putting efforts towards one thing I could do well – in this case acads. Also just because everyone was doing it  – I took up SURGE – hoping to explore 5G Communications. This began a year-long association with a faculty – one I never fully utilized and never gave it the efforts it deserved and yet pulled through because of some great folks in the Lab like Yogesh. Looking back – I realised the importance of exploring because I discovered what I didn’t like – even though it took me a year to understand that Communications was not for me.

One of the most ironic situations was during the intern season – poora summer I had done barely any coding, DSA, CP etc (even to this day I barely know the difference between how one preps for DSA and for CP) – stressed out over it lot during OAs- only to not hear back from any of these companies and end up at HUL. The kind of selfless guidance that some seniors like Raghav gave then and how much he has guided till today can’t be stressed upon enough. Raghav was the first senior at IITK who made me realise what giving back to juniors truly means.  In the quest to find something outside academics and spending time with friends – I ended up on the DUGC – a relatively lonely PoR which was made fun only by Amay and the shenanigans that some students/faculty pulled. I remain glad for this role not just because of the work (which was often not very great – wdym that 10 people ask the same goddamn doubt even though you sent a mail regarding it??) but also because I am leaving with a much better understanding of the system and the folks that govern us students. I particularly remember the gyan chodi sessions we gave to others or the gyan chodi profs gave to us. But quite a few faculty were great, understanding and open to listening to us and talking about random stuff.  A new roommate is always a new adventure and so was my time with Mudit. The late night gaming sessions and we used to invite people from other halls. EE330 ki exam ghatiya gayi?   F**k it we ball karke play road redemption till I couldn’t keep my eyes open – im glad Mudit and Vighnesh pushed me to resume playing games – its a core memory ill carry.