“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built”. If I had not mustered the courage to step out of the safe haven of my parents’ home, my support system and the comforts of a known territory to venture into the unknown 620 kilometers away, different language and customs, I would not have become who I am today and I would not have defined the virtues I abide to.
When I joined Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan College of Pharmacy (YBCCP), I was already late and the first sessional exams were around the corner. I had every intention of excusing myself from those tests that I was sure I would fail. Had it not been for the very unforgettable PE lecturer, A.R.Khan Sir and his words of wisdom, I would not have learned my first virtue – fortitude. He said, “Do the hard right instead of the easy wrong”.
Self-control did not come easy. I was exposed to a reckless freedom. Had it not been for the strict lecturers, I had back then, who at that time seemed conservative, I would have become a very self-destructive person. At YBCCP, I was taught the art of moderation and the techniques to delay indulgence in pursuit of bigger and better goals.
It would be injustice if I did not write about the wisdom, a virtue without which, I would stand no worth. The quality education and the teaching practices not only gave me an edge in the job market but also made me recognize my resolve. And, it gave me the audacity to pursue higher grounds in the USA – an MBA that opened up other possibilities that I never thought existed.
I have not come across a happy campus like YBCCP. The stairs in the front of the building were not merely there but nurtured so many lifelong amities and shaped so many characters. This is where I must have imbibed my first seeds of positive attitude, the sense of never-ending hope, enthusiasm for life and of course my sense of humor (which I am still refining).
My biggest achievements are my friends that I made at YBCCP, their families who took me in and did not let me miss home. They let me drink from the wells that I did not dig and taught me gratitude. To this day, that is one virtue that keeps me lucid.
No one is perfect. But recognizing our inadequacies, not letting the pride creep in and ensuring that we have enough modesty in us is a solid foundation of a good life. YBCCP taught me such lessons of humility, carving out my true self and incorporating the unassuming preparedness to acclimatize to changing epochs.
There is no substitute for hard work. YBCCP and its faculty pushed me beyond my limits to achieve some rare successes. Taking initiative, meticulousness, goal-setting, and creativity were embraced if presented appropriately. It was not an easy path to prove to them. I may not have made a great pharmacist, but my experiences at YBCCP made me a good leader, a commendable manager, shaped the brand called “Aparna Kadari’ and of all helped me make a mark as a good human being.
(Note: I wrote this for my college e-magazine and it awaits to be published).
QUOTIDIAN BLESSING 