OK. Let me make this very clear right at the outset. This blog post is a complete waste of your time. That is, unless you like reading something that hasn’t got much to do with anything. If you do, then by all means proceed…
Just so that you know, this post is nothing but a way to occupy me for the next hour or two, when the tatkal bookings open. Tatkal, that devilish scheme which gives 1. people sleepless nights, and 2. the railways lotsa extra money — I often feel things would be better without it.
Anyway, so it’s been quite some time since my last post… (like most other things, I find it rather tough to be regular at this). These past few months have been quite eventful. Lots of things have happened, but the one thing that’s hit me the hardest is the parting of ways that came with our graduation. The B.Tech fellows have left, some for jobs and some for other pursuits, leaving behind a bunch of oddballs — The Dullas (“Dual Degree people” — clarification for non-IIIT-H junta). Needless to say, lots of familiar faces are no longer seen on the IIIT campus. Vacant rooms remind you of their erstwhile inhabitants, and a single stroll through the OBH is enough to bring back lots of (happy) memories. We dullas have come together like scattered drops of water, old “wings” amalgamated to form new ones, and what not. But it’s going to take a fair amount of time to get used to the new life, if at all. The speeches made by some of my batchmates on the farewell night come back to me afresh. Things have changed.
I bet I wouldn’t be wrong in saying that each one of us dullas has, at some point or the other, wished he/she were among those leaving. But life’s a bitch. We were naive and gullible, filled with the excitement of what lay ahead, when we chose the 5-year Dual Degree at IIIT-H without really finding out what it entailed. As most of us know, it isn’t really a 5 year degree (before starting an argument on that, I strongly advise the reader to find out the average passing out period of a dual degree student). But my grudge isn’t with the duration as much as it is with the nature of the degree. I strongly believe that a person must get to choose to do research, it can’t be thrust upon someone. I’ve not done an ounce of it myself, but nonetheless, I’d stake my reputation on that last statement. A dual degree student doesn’t really get to make an informed choice. And that’s sad.
Having said that, I’ve no scruples in admitting that I’ve not been a model student these couple of years at IIIT; I don’t regret it. But I guess it’s time now. Luckily I have a guide who is great — both as a person and as a professor. There are people who have found their passion in research. It’s just a matter of finding mine… (or so I hope)
In the words of John Wayne – “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do”.
Oh, and as an afterthought — I’ve given up on GNOME 3.0 (Fedora 15) — it’s promising, but not quite there yet. KDE’s better… (yeah, I know that was totally random. But I warned you, didn’t I?? >:D)
Piyush Arora
July 4, 2011
nice one bey…and true “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do”.
njoy the trip ..:D
mudit bansal
July 4, 2011
really dude “life is a bitch”
vrikmace
July 4, 2011
My experience tells me that for better or for worse, the days spent as a dulla post btech is rather unique and you may not get such a chance/experience later in life. Research is not about producing research papers or improving systems/proposing better solutions. Research is about being able to work on your own with no one to motivate/push you. If you can do that you can do anything. Sometimes AIEEE exam feels like a child’s play in front of MS by research !!
The hardest part is that you’ll spend more time with yourself from now on!
I hope you discover more about yourself and do great in research.
All the best.
Manish Sharma
July 4, 2011
You missed an adjective for life……. Life is a f***ing bitch.
harshitsurekashit Sureka
July 4, 2011
An Honest Post. True that every one of us has wished that we were among the leaving. We can not choose to do or not to research but we can cherish the fact that we still have the chance to sleep all day and watch movies (play Dota in ur case) all night and have access to DC everytime and all the other perks here … lets enjoy while we can, research ho jayegi — sabki ho jati hai …. o/w as u mention – A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do !!
daveamol
July 4, 2011
Awesome post sir…….
KoNvIcT
July 4, 2011
Yes, things are changing. And that is how it’s meant to be. We have to just face things (research) and carry on.
Nice post
Abhinav Goel
July 4, 2011
nice post man
Rahul Agarwal
July 4, 2011
true!
Sankalp
July 4, 2011
@Piyush: Yes, I surely will
@Mudit: haan saale… tum udhar ayyashi karo aur bolo zindagi kutiya hai
@vrikmace: I hope it turns out that well. nonetheless, the issue of choice stands
@Mux sir:
@Sureka: “harshitsurekashit Sureka”… seriously??
@Amol, @Abhinav, @Rahul: thanks yaar
@Sarkar: bas aap ki meherbani hai… sab ho jaega
Ankita
July 4, 2011
Nice one! but trust me, life is a bitch once you are outta that campus.. facing the real world.. with all the problems of getting into the best company possible, confused about your future.. you never stop asking questions about what life holds for you five years from now..
stay at campus… cherish as much as possible.. and you are really lucky to have a gem of a guide
Sankalp
July 20, 2011
@Ankita: i guess you’re right… but wo kehte hain na, “the grass is always greener on the other side”
Rahul Raman
February 14, 2012
Can’t say Sankalp…just dunno whether you would say the same if your research turns out satisfactory..really! All the best!
Sankalp
February 14, 2012
@Rahul: My grudge isn’t with research, but with the fact that people like me were never given the liberty to make it their decision whether or not they’d like to pursue research at IIIT-H. Put differently, the dual degree shouldn’t be there at all… B.Techs with sufficient motivation will convert to Dual if/when they want to.