Four years have passed by and I stand at the Entrance gates of my Post-graduation at IISc. Yet questions linger in my mind on what I learnt, after all, in four long years of my under graduation. Maybe these would have been answered some months back had I planned to continue my PG at the US, as they demand rigorous SOPs and recommendation letters. Anyway, I list down all I learnt at CEG, point-wise yet in no order of their priorities.
1) Real learning takes place in your mind
There have been several occasions when I spend time with a view to learning something new, but ended up failing. The root cause of these is the lack of mind control. I believe I have made poor use of the sensory organs that God has gifted me. I don't feel the 'taste' with food in my mouth; I don't appreciate the intricate beauty of my legs as they walk. So the focus has never been there in whatever I do, resulting in an inadequate tapping of myself by me. The biggest demon I could ever encounter is my mind itself. An orderly mind can go a long way in scripting success stories.
2) Real entertainment takes place in your mind
The same argument jells well for entertainment. Indian people are always crazy about films. A
great "WHAAAAAAT" is always heard when you concede that you haven't watched a
particular acclaimed movie. Similarly, I have come across all sorts of crazes in CEG - about
films, sports like tennis and cricket (myself for cricket;)), outing and friends. Yet I have spent full days sitting before my PC, never feeling tired, bored and lonely.
3) Even two cooks can spoil the broth!
In any arbitrary event, the probability that one will succeed is going to be always small - say 10% or 20%. In that case when we depend on someone for succeeding in a teamwork, the probability that both of us will succeed is reduced poorly (say 10% (0.1) becomes 0.01 and 20% (0.2) becomes 0.04). Of course, an argument that the prob. that at least one of us will succeed is enhanced is impertinent - it takes two to tango in teamwork. So trust your individuality and independence.
4) The World is Not for the Meek
A really lovable person is one who is calm, composed and stoic. But that should not translate into being indifferent. Beneath the calmness, it is inevitable that we inculcate a cognizance of what we are capable of and what we cannot afford to forgo at any cost. Equally inevitable are the cries
of our arrogance that come along with our voices against our oppression. But as the old story of
man-wife-donkey-river goes, it is impossible to gratify all people at all times.
http://nirvanamusing.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-can-man-ride-on-donkey-but-let-wife.html
5) The Omnipresence of Indolence
A truly amazing realisation from CEG. Retirement of professors, recommendations to some inept lecturers and unwillingness of the existing faculty to learn new ideas- Features which simply
caught up with the students and incinerated their passion for ECE. Indolence is an obnoxious
weed - when you have 2 peers one of whom is lazy and the other hyperactive, you will be only drawn towards taking the cue from the lazy person. Unless you have the elephantine attitude
to overcome that, of course!
6) Unswerving - Easier to enter than to Execute
Imbibed this from one giant of a professor at CEG. Amidst all low quality teaching there was this person who pursued silently the US university type of education; he worked all day on projects and burnt his head to understand research papers of yesterday; all this and more at an age of 50! Who else can provide me with a greater inspiration than him? Build ideals and principles - your life is loose if it's devoid of them. And work harder mindless of the environs to pursue them. In short, BE WHAT YOU ARE!
7) Pretension is an Incurable and Cancerous Disease
Face thy ignorance. It paves the way for your learning. Pretension can hurt very badly. Only empty bottles got to be and need to be filled. Pretension is like a gas that fills up the bottle of knowledge. Everyone in this planet can be awed by you - not the least until you are ashamed of yourself at some point of time in your life. Point all your vulnerabilities and vices to yourself.
If being truthful can move mountains, truth to "your self" can do much much more!
8) Learn to Live with the Vices
Unlike in a mega-serial (soap), clear and well-marked demarcations don't exist in life as to who are the good and bad ones. Men are as good (or bad) as the wireless channel. Countably many factors contribute to their behaviour on a particular day (to wireless reception as well ;)). Many have been blessed with superb virtues which they exhibit on the majority of days.
Some behave (ostensibly?!) irritably on most of your interaction periods with them. Retain some of those vices within you as well (Kalavum Katru Mara,
Thirukkural, Thiru Valluvar). One of the best lessons that we learn in life is Tolerance. It makes little sense to be oppressive without being tolerant.
9) All Limits tend ONLY to Infinity
That's again an undeniable truth. We always have little to boast of, whatever we achieve. There are numerous people who can confront you and say "Have Been there and Done that" without
batting an eyelid. With proper goals set in life, it is only apt that we keep moving them from time to time away from us. It is like when a mother teaches a child to walk and keeps moving herself farther away from the baby as it eagerly approaches her.
10) Patience - The Ever-So-Elusive Possession
Till date, there is one nice word that I proudly use to describe myself - "frenzied"(borrowed
from one of my team-mates as he described me). Patience has cost me some really valuable
things in life. I have been left pondering over the "What-Ifs" on those occasions. Getting
ready for college, waiting for and boarding the bus, lecture hours, preparation for exams
and browsing on the Net - are just some few times (!) when I have found myself
distinctly incapable of being patient.
So guys, time to wind up. I am proud to have found myself in good humour and cheer for most of the times at CEG. These learnings stand proof enough for the fact that academics are not the only things you get to learn from a college. If that were so, I believe I could have learnt more from home than by coming to college. College has enabled me to build a unique personality; to appraise problems and suggest solutions;
to be vocal wherever I am and to be lucid in explaining about myself and my goals.
I pray to God that I retain these lessons from CEG for a long time and not forget these in a jiffy.
1) Real learning takes place in your mind
There have been several occasions when I spend time with a view to learning something new, but ended up failing. The root cause of these is the lack of mind control. I believe I have made poor use of the sensory organs that God has gifted me. I don't feel the 'taste' with food in my mouth; I don't appreciate the intricate beauty of my legs as they walk. So the focus has never been there in whatever I do, resulting in an inadequate tapping of myself by me. The biggest demon I could ever encounter is my mind itself. An orderly mind can go a long way in scripting success stories.
2) Real entertainment takes place in your mind
The same argument jells well for entertainment. Indian people are always crazy about films. A
great "WHAAAAAAT" is always heard when you concede that you haven't watched a
particular acclaimed movie. Similarly, I have come across all sorts of crazes in CEG - about
films, sports like tennis and cricket (myself for cricket;)), outing and friends. Yet I have spent full days sitting before my PC, never feeling tired, bored and lonely.
3) Even two cooks can spoil the broth!
In any arbitrary event, the probability that one will succeed is going to be always small - say 10% or 20%. In that case when we depend on someone for succeeding in a teamwork, the probability that both of us will succeed is reduced poorly (say 10% (0.1) becomes 0.01 and 20% (0.2) becomes 0.04). Of course, an argument that the prob. that at least one of us will succeed is enhanced is impertinent - it takes two to tango in teamwork. So trust your individuality and independence.
4) The World is Not for the Meek
A really lovable person is one who is calm, composed and stoic. But that should not translate into being indifferent. Beneath the calmness, it is inevitable that we inculcate a cognizance of what we are capable of and what we cannot afford to forgo at any cost. Equally inevitable are the cries
of our arrogance that come along with our voices against our oppression. But as the old story of
man-wife-donkey-river goes, it is impossible to gratify all people at all times.
http://nirvanamusing.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-can-man-ride-on-donkey-but-let-wife.html
5) The Omnipresence of Indolence
A truly amazing realisation from CEG. Retirement of professors, recommendations to some inept lecturers and unwillingness of the existing faculty to learn new ideas- Features which simply
caught up with the students and incinerated their passion for ECE. Indolence is an obnoxious
weed - when you have 2 peers one of whom is lazy and the other hyperactive, you will be only drawn towards taking the cue from the lazy person. Unless you have the elephantine attitude
to overcome that, of course!
6) Unswerving - Easier to enter than to Execute
Imbibed this from one giant of a professor at CEG. Amidst all low quality teaching there was this person who pursued silently the US university type of education; he worked all day on projects and burnt his head to understand research papers of yesterday; all this and more at an age of 50! Who else can provide me with a greater inspiration than him? Build ideals and principles - your life is loose if it's devoid of them. And work harder mindless of the environs to pursue them. In short, BE WHAT YOU ARE!
7) Pretension is an Incurable and Cancerous Disease
Face thy ignorance. It paves the way for your learning. Pretension can hurt very badly. Only empty bottles got to be and need to be filled. Pretension is like a gas that fills up the bottle of knowledge. Everyone in this planet can be awed by you - not the least until you are ashamed of yourself at some point of time in your life. Point all your vulnerabilities and vices to yourself.
If being truthful can move mountains, truth to "your self" can do much much more!
8) Learn to Live with the Vices
Unlike in a mega-serial (soap), clear and well-marked demarcations don't exist in life as to who are the good and bad ones. Men are as good (or bad) as the wireless channel. Countably many factors contribute to their behaviour on a particular day (to wireless reception as well ;)). Many have been blessed with superb virtues which they exhibit on the majority of days.
Some behave (ostensibly?!) irritably on most of your interaction periods with them. Retain some of those vices within you as well (Kalavum Katru Mara,
Thirukkural, Thiru Valluvar). One of the best lessons that we learn in life is Tolerance. It makes little sense to be oppressive without being tolerant.
9) All Limits tend ONLY to Infinity
That's again an undeniable truth. We always have little to boast of, whatever we achieve. There are numerous people who can confront you and say "Have Been there and Done that" without
batting an eyelid. With proper goals set in life, it is only apt that we keep moving them from time to time away from us. It is like when a mother teaches a child to walk and keeps moving herself farther away from the baby as it eagerly approaches her.
10) Patience - The Ever-So-Elusive Possession
Till date, there is one nice word that I proudly use to describe myself - "frenzied"(borrowed
from one of my team-mates as he described me). Patience has cost me some really valuable
things in life. I have been left pondering over the "What-Ifs" on those occasions. Getting
ready for college, waiting for and boarding the bus, lecture hours, preparation for exams
and browsing on the Net - are just some few times (!) when I have found myself
distinctly incapable of being patient.
So guys, time to wind up. I am proud to have found myself in good humour and cheer for most of the times at CEG. These learnings stand proof enough for the fact that academics are not the only things you get to learn from a college. If that were so, I believe I could have learnt more from home than by coming to college. College has enabled me to build a unique personality; to appraise problems and suggest solutions;
to be vocal wherever I am and to be lucid in explaining about myself and my goals.
I pray to God that I retain these lessons from CEG for a long time and not forget these in a jiffy.
