I’m currently working as a Student Assistant at the Business Library and Disability Services. One needs me to check out and check in books (Read: get up and sit roughly 134 times per day) and the other needs me to work for extended hours on the computer ( Gives the Theory of Relativity a whole new meaning ). I still don’t have an internship and the chances seem Bleak (Notice the capital “B”). Recession decides to hit at the best time of my life. Oh well, it isn’t that bad to tell people where the staplers in the library are like 14 times a day. On a serious note, at this point of time, things couldn’t be worse. Senior management getting laid off every single day. People packing their bags and returning to their own homelands. Never-heard-before cases of suicides in the country where thousands of people nurture the “Great American Dream”. Even though the political scenario is changing and everybody hopes for things to be better by the end of this fiscal year, as a student with no relative experience, I don’t know where my chances lie as thousands of skilled people who have been laid off are probably going to be the first ones to get in when the recession subsides. Then I see my seniors who are extremely good at what they do roaming around with no job offers and extending their graduations for trying to stay on campus and keep trying. It is indeed a sad state when you think about your parents who have invested their lifelong savings in your education and who tell their friends with great pride about their sons and daughters living and studying in “America”. Another sad part that I have noticed after coming here is the working of this whole “getting-a-good-job” procedure. In my own course, I know few excellent people with absolutely no jobs and few totally undeserving (forgive me for being brash, but its true) candidates enjoying the most enviable jobs in the industry to the hilt. It all works through a “reference” system where you are given a call for an interview when an internal employee refers you. Apparently, this recommendation holds more value than any reference given by a professor (Again, strange but true). Considering almost the whole of Boulder considers me to be an ill mannered snob with lots of attitude, don’t even ask if I would be referred by anyone. There are some moments I repent not taking up the TCS job offer. Who wouldn’t want to rest on the bench while having all the fun, especially with TCS having nothing to do at all. Ah, well.
Coming back to the Life, weekends and weekdays still fly by. I don’t have any more roommates to fight with. Quoting myself again, “…but there is some strange kind of fun in this life too..this is the first time I am paying my own rent, taking decisions on my own, learning to manage time effectively, taking responsibility for myself and meeting many different kinds of people of totally different cultures..basically learning how different life can be at the other part of the world..making this experience the one to cherish and retain in a corner of my heart to treasure forever!”
The strange kind of fun seems to be coming to an end. Given the situation and people here, I can’t wait to run back home.
Popularity: 5% [?]
So u gonna come back after graduation?
Subodh
February 3rd, 2009
@Subodh
Definitely!!
Manjiri Keskar
February 6th, 2009
well, i can understand that u feel lonely …. but besides this, what else does prompt u to run back asap ??
ankit
February 15th, 2009
I have visited this blog after a long time, probably after one year -there were no new posts for a long time,grad life probably didn’t allow that time be devoted to such ‘trivial’ things, I thought.
I found this new post this time, and frankly speaking, my eyes turned moist. The total change in optimism and outlook, for the worse. And how I could be in this very same position in just three months time. When I started to dream about this journey in the 5th semester and read some of the wonderful posts in this blog,I was so filled with happy thoughts and excitement about the future. And now, as I have my admits,decent ones’ too,I shudder with fear and disappointment over whether my dream will just remain a dream. Destroying my parents’ life savings is the last thing I want, but at the same time, not boarding that flight to be an “M.S” is an emotional wrench, after seeing the same dream for something like 15 months. My parents don’t like to stay away from me, and with the recession turning lives and dreams head on,I may have to join Infosys from July after graduating and probably try to go next year or just try to erase this from my mind, and be content with what I got.
Making this tough decision-whether to try and defer my admits and go next Fall or perhaps never, or just take God’s name and go Fall 2009 as a fresher, with best hopes, is giving me a lot of anxiety.
Yasir
May 1st, 2009
Sigh!! …
Vivek
July 15th, 2009
This blog has been a real eye-opener…thank you!
Arjun
August 8th, 2009
Again Manjiri…
100% true…
I feel like you have written the story of ME and my friends. I feel the same way you were feeling. Let’s hope I will get a job before going back to India FOREVER.
Good luck all readers…
Jaydeep
February 21st, 2010
hey!!!! I have read your blog recently and i couldn’t turn my head around till i read all of our posts..am actually a 2′nd year B.tech student and even i would like to pursue ms after completion of my graduation.But my family members are against the idea of their only daughter leaving the country..And am confused about what my decision should be.Can u give me any advice regarding it..?? Does pursuing ms in us stand as a better option than getting placed in any company??
jyothi
March 9th, 2010
I remember this site since last year at college. The posts read consistently good. Nice to see the +ve nes.
All the best in life.
- A Reader
Rahul
March 18th, 2010
@ Jyothi
Parents are a little concerned and we can’t really blame them for it, but you have to take a stand for what you want to do. Think about what you want to do in the long term, rather than just thinking about getting placed in a company. Do you want to work and live in the US or India?
Also think about how you want to shape your career. Definitely take your parents’ advice too, you don’t want them longing for you for the rest of their lifetime, and yours!
Manjiri Keskar
March 28th, 2010