MY EXPERIENCES WITH ENGINEERING

When I opted for engineering in place of medical, it was not something born out of interest; but can be attributed to the time required to settle that one takes in both fields, ie the time lag from completing a degree to getting a satisfactory reward, a fat pay check. I had no idea what so ever why I was going for it, probably it had more to do with the gossip, hype and euphoria that surrounded the most sought for field in India and that is why i had all PCMB in high school.

# I got a 3000 AIR and didn’t opt for any petty course in IITs thanks to such a high rank. I had a notion that a branch is more important that the tag that comes along with coll. With NITK being rated after the IITs in India today 2006 issue I went for it (a good engineering prospect i thought) . ECE was not my favorite (i would have gone for Aeronautical if were given a chance) but so was not mining, meta, dual degrees and MSCs which were on offer in IITs. I just thought of going with the flow (the herd mentality) and grabbed it with both hands, thinking it is for the best. I still had no idea what I really wanted to do with my life.

# I had no interest in studies from the very beginning in most of the courses except math, physics. Soon I discovered my love for entrepreneurship, thus getting a degree in engi is of little value (Pl note the obsolete curricula in Indian institues don't help an entrepreneur anyway, who are expected to see beyond present). I won’t like to invest any more in studies but in practical experiences, thus making a management degree the most I am willing to go for. What I want to emphasize is that you learn more about yourself in the first two years of coll than u wud do in ur entire life till then. You should be prepared to dump any notions that might have crawled into your mind, ready to accept new ideas and fearless enough to listen, accept and go with the better ones. Steve Job once said that you must continue to look for the things you love till you finally get them and just hope the journey and path would make lot more sense looking back.

# I have toiled with the idea of forfeiting, dropping out but the society has some strings attached. The figures with packages that one hears or sees are mostly over the moon and no where close to reality. A college does matter but makes little difference when you eventually land up with a job. Nothing matters much in the long run. Any college with above average reputation offers equal opportunities for their respective toppers give or take. Before following mere figures of pay checks that people are offered kindly give one hard look at what they are exactly doing, what is amount of effort they are made to churn. You also got to learn to differentiate between a coding, software IT job and a Core, less paying yet more rewarding and having more scope. Engineers are not rolling in money, companies never lose and they always generate more than they do invest, at least they try to. *A realistic figure is 10 times they invest.

# The biggest boost you get from a college with good reputation is that it attracts student of high caliber, and thus you live and grow in an envo with high competence and intellect. The most valuable asset of any organization is its people. Also it raises your risk taking capabilities because you cough up more courage and confidence with time. It also provides a feel good factor.

# If your heart is not at what u are studying or for that matter doing, u can never expect to compete with the best. You can work smarter but a certain degree of hard work is a must and is irreplaceable, which comes along only with certain motivation and heart. Most of the tech education that is provided is obsolete; it is essentially a disguise to sort out the hard workers from the rest.

# It is not the ‘I’ in place on ‘N’ that differentiates IITs from NITs, it is the culture, the grass root that no money, no investment, no tag of ‘national importance’ can change. The basic is the most essential part if any investment is to come good. If only money mattered than the NITs would have been developing at least half the pace of IITs, to say the least.

P.S.: Don't let your family, your friends, the society guide your life, it is your life, live it to the fullest and at your own terms. It is not as easy as it sounds, but at least keep it in the back of your mind and free yourself when you get an opportunity. Goodluck.