When I got in to the college I had no idea of what was waiting for me. And even if I had, I’m not able to recall whether I was happy, excited, sad or indifferent. School and College were like two different planets! Only 5 days a week – The only good thing I could quickly relate to. And fortunately, I was able to make some great friends from the day one.
The syllabus was immense and we had so many practical files to make. I remember my first year of graduation went into just making the practical files over the weekends. So many diagrams, and loads of theory in the practical file. My art hobbies like a true friend took a place on the back burner.
Both myself and my parents thought that I was studying but the annual results revealed a totally different story. Even some of my classmates were shocked as I used to sit on the first desk, take notes and I looked sincere. No, I didn’t fail, but my marks were less AND they were the least in my group. And I think the story was mostly the same for the rest of the three years of my graduation.
But if we keep my marks aside, I really loved studying some of the subjects, especially pathophysiology and pharmacology as they were really insightful. Amid all this, drawing and craft was just limited to making greeting cards or collage for friends on their birthdays.
I think, once or twice I participated in a poster making competition as well. But as I’d described in my school time journey, drawing was mainly copying from somewhere and colouring it. So whatever I used to do it was copied from somewhere or if I made something on my own it used to look AWFUL to me.
I never even tried to learn how to draw without a reference OR appreciate what I made on my own. I never felt the need of it actually. We used to look at the transverse section of seeds in the microscope and put that out on a paper, observe the multiplication of microbes in culture but I never realised it back then that it was pure ART.
That it was coming very close to the not so visible part of nature. They were just subjects! There were few more in my class who used to draw or do some craft work, but I don’t think I ever went to anyone of them to talk about it.
Talking about it was not a necessity let alone being a priority. Back then, I had no idea that I’d transformed into someone who’d be looking for avenues to talk or indulge in art-related activities.
During all those four years, I just used to pay attention to whatever was right in front of not only just my eyes but everyone else’s too. I did not have much interest in going beyond those thick books. But there’s got to be a life outside that. So I just used to follow what my seniors or friends around me were doing back then.
Some people started preparing for MBA entrances and it looked like a nice option so I joined the club. A couple of firms came for interviews towards the end of the fourth year so I sat for it like others did.
But ultimately I got something which I feel changed my thought process or I’d rather say it laid the foundation of my OWN thought process. It was my experience during my MBA days.