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2041

Abstract

d="3f53">When I first started my blog, my tagline was PASSION, HARD WORK AND DISCIPLINE. With those words and my homeroom professor, Jasmine ma’am’s words “Never grow complacent” revolving in my mind, I can say that I have always tried my level best. My professors have always been a constant and while I am now really questioning my use of the phrase “Thankful for their constant guide and support” because I have used it too many times by now, I stand by my words. I really mean it all.</p><h2 id="d25b">The difficult days</h2><p id="0c7d">Of course, it has not been a path of roses. With gym, blogging, reading for pleasure, managing multiple social media handles of other companies — the little career I have made, as well as UNIVERSITY (which is an entire truckload of work in itself), there have been many times when I felt like I couldn’t do it anymore. There were quite a few times when I was on the verge of a burn-out.</p><p id="c533">It was during those times that my family and friends helped me maintain my vestige of sanity! My dad would always tell me, “Rhea, come and watch a movie. You are working too much” (I couldn’t believe my words when I first heard him say it a couple of semesters into my Bachelor’s programme)</p><p id="a158">Well, I cannot possibly name anyone now because I have a typically huge Indian family and my friends moreover only make this list longer. But that is not to say, anyone is any less important. They were my bedrock.</p><h2 id="11b9">Secret to Success</h2><p id="07d0">I have been asked many times, “What is the secret to your success?” in various ways. And for a while, I would laugh to myself — was I the right person to have been asked this question?</p><p id="c7b4">And it is only now that I have realized, I need to stop thinking that way because it undervalues my hard work! When I think that way about my work ethic, I am comparing myself to other really successful people and while yes, my bank balance may not be as much as theirs or my walls are not covered with as many recognitions

Options

as theirs, I am doing my best. I started earning at 18 and while it is not a stable sum and often fluctuates, I am earning and can often afford to buy myself books I want, makeup, clothes, etc. I can also finally afford to buy gifts for my Mom, Dad and my brother, and take them out for dining.</p><h2 id="c897">The secret to MY success</h2><p id="7313">This is where my answer to that insane question, “What is the secret to your success?”, comes in. As long as you keep working hard and NOT compare yourself in a devaluing manner against others, you will get there. Like Saif Ali Khan said in the movie <b><i>Race</i></b>, it is your perspective that matters. You have to think that you are going to win the race, and NOT that you are going to make sure that that other person loses. Looking back, I can surely say that my constant struggle has been to be better than I was yesterday. Was it an exponentially increasing growth? No, because there were times when I fell back or kind of grew stagnant. But was it constant? Hell yes!</p><h2 id="4239">The illusion of success</h2><p id="df0c">Anyone seemingly more successful than you is just further along the path you are on. And it comes with time, and opportunities, and your hard work. And as this phase of my life comes to an end (I CANNOT BELIEVE I AM DONE WITH MY BACHELORS!), I wish all the luck to my friends and batchmates, and I hope you learn and you keep growing.</p><p id="2447">For my juniors, I know it seems impossible and appears to be a goal in the really distant horizon, but trust me, you will get there. Every day is just another opportunity. If it ever seems really difficult, just tell yourself to live one day at a time, hell, even one minute at a time! You can do it!</p><p id="48b7">Nayanika Saikia is a blogger and YouTuber. She can often be found on her Instagram account <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pretty_little_bibliophile/">Pretty Little Bibliophile</a>. She also graduated top of her class and is an avid reader and book reviewer.</p></article></body>

I Conquered Graduation despite COVID: A Personal Victory

By a #Classof2020 valedictorian who never got to wear her robe

It was late and I was in my boxers, having just finished attending a virtual farewell that was organized by my juniors. It was almost anticlimactic — I and my girlfriends had spent months discussing our outfits and hair and makeup for the ceremony that every graduating class looks forward to. We had analysed foods items and hotels we’d go to after the event to eat and party and just have a plain good time — but it had all come down to this one Zoom meeting.

As I laid back in bed and tried to look back on my journey with a positive view and a compulsion to focus on the happy memories, all I could think was, what an amazing journey I had had!

The happy days

Back when I first started my degree course, I never thought I would experience all that I have experienced now. It has been one hell of a journey and I am not the same as I was back then.

I have accomplished a lot; besides learning a lot about English literature, I have learnt a lot about myself. I have learnt that I can give presentations in class without hoping that the earth would swallow me up, I have learnt that I can fail and yet give myself the push and the pep talk that will make it possible for me to dust myself off and get back on the saddle; I have also learnt that I can take part in a fashion show (spontaneously!), dance and act and also win! I have learnt that I can make new friends when I try and most importantly, that I can achieve everything I set my mind upon.

When I first started my blog, my tagline was PASSION, HARD WORK AND DISCIPLINE. With those words and my homeroom professor, Jasmine ma’am’s words “Never grow complacent” revolving in my mind, I can say that I have always tried my level best. My professors have always been a constant and while I am now really questioning my use of the phrase “Thankful for their constant guide and support” because I have used it too many times by now, I stand by my words. I really mean it all.

The difficult days

Of course, it has not been a path of roses. With gym, blogging, reading for pleasure, managing multiple social media handles of other companies — the little career I have made, as well as UNIVERSITY (which is an entire truckload of work in itself), there have been many times when I felt like I couldn’t do it anymore. There were quite a few times when I was on the verge of a burn-out.

It was during those times that my family and friends helped me maintain my vestige of sanity! My dad would always tell me, “Rhea, come and watch a movie. You are working too much” (I couldn’t believe my words when I first heard him say it a couple of semesters into my Bachelor’s programme)

Well, I cannot possibly name anyone now because I have a typically huge Indian family and my friends moreover only make this list longer. But that is not to say, anyone is any less important. They were my bedrock.

Secret to Success

I have been asked many times, “What is the secret to your success?” in various ways. And for a while, I would laugh to myself — was I the right person to have been asked this question?

And it is only now that I have realized, I need to stop thinking that way because it undervalues my hard work! When I think that way about my work ethic, I am comparing myself to other really successful people and while yes, my bank balance may not be as much as theirs or my walls are not covered with as many recognitions as theirs, I am doing my best. I started earning at 18 and while it is not a stable sum and often fluctuates, I am earning and can often afford to buy myself books I want, makeup, clothes, etc. I can also finally afford to buy gifts for my Mom, Dad and my brother, and take them out for dining.

The secret to MY success

This is where my answer to that insane question, “What is the secret to your success?”, comes in. As long as you keep working hard and NOT compare yourself in a devaluing manner against others, you will get there. Like Saif Ali Khan said in the movie Race, it is your perspective that matters. You have to think that you are going to win the race, and NOT that you are going to make sure that that other person loses. Looking back, I can surely say that my constant struggle has been to be better than I was yesterday. Was it an exponentially increasing growth? No, because there were times when I fell back or kind of grew stagnant. But was it constant? Hell yes!

The illusion of success

Anyone seemingly more successful than you is just further along the path you are on. And it comes with time, and opportunities, and your hard work. And as this phase of my life comes to an end (I CANNOT BELIEVE I AM DONE WITH MY BACHELORS!), I wish all the luck to my friends and batchmates, and I hope you learn and you keep growing.

For my juniors, I know it seems impossible and appears to be a goal in the really distant horizon, but trust me, you will get there. Every day is just another opportunity. If it ever seems really difficult, just tell yourself to live one day at a time, hell, even one minute at a time! You can do it!

Nayanika Saikia is a blogger and YouTuber. She can often be found on her Instagram account Pretty Little Bibliophile. She also graduated top of her class and is an avid reader and book reviewer.