Hey.
Firstly, thank you for stopping by. I'm an average teen (almost a tween) who thinks college is really an important part of life. I study at Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology popularly known as CEPT University in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. CEPT is one of the premier architecture colleges in the country. I'll be lying if I say the purpose of the blog is to help people and stuff. No. The purpose is to provide me with a platform to rant about college, to have a record of my life, and make my memories immortal. Life at architecture colleges is difficult. You're bombarded with assignments. CEPT is no different. My dad says it'll prepare me for my life ahead as a professional. I don't know. I'm in my second year of college. To be precise, I'll start my second year tomorrow. My first year has been quite an experience. To be honest I never thought, I'll make it through my foundation year.
Okay, I'll start from the beginning. I'd always been a bright student. I scored the third highest marks in my school in my Std 10 exams. I had a perfect score of 95%. However, in my 12th, I think I became reckless and lazy. Or maybe I just enjoyed having many friends. I don't know. Whatever might have been the reason, I ended up scoring only 64%. Hey, before you feel sorry for me, I don't regret it. I probably had the best 2 years of my life. But the best 2 years did create an obstacle. I didn't have sufficient marks to do architecture. My dad and I started looking for the next option (I wanted to do something related to architecture only) and settled for Planning. Only 3 colleges (that I could get into with my poor score) in the country offered the course. Amity University, Noida, School of Planning and Architecture, Mysore and CEPT University, Ahmedabad. However, in CEPT it is called Bachelors in Urban Design. I applied in all 3 colleges. Got into Amity and SPA. CEPT had an entrance exam followed by an interview. I cleared the entrance but ranked 74th in the interview and there were only 40 seats.
I joined SPA, Mysore. I loved Mysore and hated college. I think God had pity on me. 2 weeks after I'd joined SPA, I received a mail saying I was being offered a seat in CEPT. The next day, I got my TC and left Mysore. Classes had already begun in CEPT. I joined after 2 weeks. I was very nervous on my first day, I'm no introvert, but I was scared. I thought I making friends would be very difficult as people would have already formed groups and became friends.
The first week was difficult. Very difficult. I was lonely. College was hectic. I felt leaving Mysore was a mistake. I only knew a few people who stayed in my PG. I was never used to being friendless. I always had a lot of friends back home. I think I forgot to mention this, I'm a Keralite who's lived in Mumbai her entire life. After spending a week in Ahmedabad, I fell sick with dengue. I was at home for a week. Now, when I look back, I'm glad I fell sick. I'm glad I could spend time at home.
After I went back, it was Navaratri season in Gujarat. I think that's when I actually made friends. I went shopping with my roommates, we stayed up till 3 dancing in college. Garba is a very important part of CEPT culture. I had settled in college by then. I made my closest friend. It was fun after that. We'd go out every day, got inked on an impulse and did random stupid stuff. After Navaratri, it was Diwali and I was at home for 2 weeks. This time, I actually looked forward to coming back to college. College was definitely hectic, we had a lot of work, we stayed overnight in college to finish submissions on time, but, it was fun because I had friends. I was no longer frustrated about staying up late. Only thing I hated was the 8 am class.
Then, in December, we had a field studio in Varanasi. It was a very different experience for me. To be honest, I did everything apart from work there. Those 10 days in Varanasi were the most adventurous days of my life till date. But, once we got back, life wasn't easy. There was too much stress about the submission. At one point I lost hope. I fucked up the most important submission of the semester. I was at a point, I thought I'll fail. In CEPT, 85% attendance is mandatory for all classes. For the morning class, I only had 64%. Then, it was Christmas break. And the results were out. Due to God's grace, I got a conditional pass. I'd failed one subject. My friend failed the semester. She couldn't continue.
I hated the new semester. I no longer had a friend to hang out every day with. I had friends, but I missed her. Also, work was piling up. I broke down one day. It was a group assignment and I'd gotten into an argument with my group member. I literally cried my eyes out on campus, something I never thought would happen. On the brighter side, we had a fresher's trip in January. I did things I never thought I would. I asked a senior out to be my date. Got wasted. Made some unexpected friends. The most remarkable feat - I learnt to spend time alone. I realized that I don't always need people around me. And then, corona came into my life. We were sent home in the second week of March. We were told it was only for 2 weeks. It's been 140 days now. Meanwhile, we completed 2 exercises online, had our first jury. This time I passed all my subjects. And I call CEPT my home now.
As I write this, I'm very proud of myself. I learnt to live alone in a new city. I feel at home in a college I never thought I would. I made friends. Close friends. I learnt to fend for myself, control my temper and most importantly to ADJUST. Adjusting has always been difficult for me. In less than 12 hours, I'll be in second year. I'll be attending my classes from home because CEPT has decided to conduct the semester online. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Also proud, because I cleared my interview and got picked for the studio I wanted. I'll tell you about the studio selection procedure tomorrow. I hope I didn't bore you.
Firstly, thank you for stopping by. I'm an average teen (almost a tween) who thinks college is really an important part of life. I study at Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology popularly known as CEPT University in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. CEPT is one of the premier architecture colleges in the country. I'll be lying if I say the purpose of the blog is to help people and stuff. No. The purpose is to provide me with a platform to rant about college, to have a record of my life, and make my memories immortal. Life at architecture colleges is difficult. You're bombarded with assignments. CEPT is no different. My dad says it'll prepare me for my life ahead as a professional. I don't know. I'm in my second year of college. To be precise, I'll start my second year tomorrow. My first year has been quite an experience. To be honest I never thought, I'll make it through my foundation year.
Okay, I'll start from the beginning. I'd always been a bright student. I scored the third highest marks in my school in my Std 10 exams. I had a perfect score of 95%. However, in my 12th, I think I became reckless and lazy. Or maybe I just enjoyed having many friends. I don't know. Whatever might have been the reason, I ended up scoring only 64%. Hey, before you feel sorry for me, I don't regret it. I probably had the best 2 years of my life. But the best 2 years did create an obstacle. I didn't have sufficient marks to do architecture. My dad and I started looking for the next option (I wanted to do something related to architecture only) and settled for Planning. Only 3 colleges (that I could get into with my poor score) in the country offered the course. Amity University, Noida, School of Planning and Architecture, Mysore and CEPT University, Ahmedabad. However, in CEPT it is called Bachelors in Urban Design. I applied in all 3 colleges. Got into Amity and SPA. CEPT had an entrance exam followed by an interview. I cleared the entrance but ranked 74th in the interview and there were only 40 seats.
 |
| The picture I took on the day of my interview. |
The first week was difficult. Very difficult. I was lonely. College was hectic. I felt leaving Mysore was a mistake. I only knew a few people who stayed in my PG. I was never used to being friendless. I always had a lot of friends back home. I think I forgot to mention this, I'm a Keralite who's lived in Mumbai her entire life. After spending a week in Ahmedabad, I fell sick with dengue. I was at home for a week. Now, when I look back, I'm glad I fell sick. I'm glad I could spend time at home.
After I went back, it was Navaratri season in Gujarat. I think that's when I actually made friends. I went shopping with my roommates, we stayed up till 3 dancing in college. Garba is a very important part of CEPT culture. I had settled in college by then. I made my closest friend. It was fun after that. We'd go out every day, got inked on an impulse and did random stupid stuff. After Navaratri, it was Diwali and I was at home for 2 weeks. This time, I actually looked forward to coming back to college. College was definitely hectic, we had a lot of work, we stayed overnight in college to finish submissions on time, but, it was fun because I had friends. I was no longer frustrated about staying up late. Only thing I hated was the 8 am class.
 |
| Watching sunrises after staying all night is an inevitable part of CEPT life. |
Then, in December, we had a field studio in Varanasi. It was a very different experience for me. To be honest, I did everything apart from work there. Those 10 days in Varanasi were the most adventurous days of my life till date. But, once we got back, life wasn't easy. There was too much stress about the submission. At one point I lost hope. I fucked up the most important submission of the semester. I was at a point, I thought I'll fail. In CEPT, 85% attendance is mandatory for all classes. For the morning class, I only had 64%. Then, it was Christmas break. And the results were out. Due to God's grace, I got a conditional pass. I'd failed one subject. My friend failed the semester. She couldn't continue.
 |
| I played my first ever dodgeball match in CEPT. |
As I write this, I'm very proud of myself. I learnt to live alone in a new city. I feel at home in a college I never thought I would. I made friends. Close friends. I learnt to fend for myself, control my temper and most importantly to ADJUST. Adjusting has always been difficult for me. In less than 12 hours, I'll be in second year. I'll be attending my classes from home because CEPT has decided to conduct the semester online. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Also proud, because I cleared my interview and got picked for the studio I wanted. I'll tell you about the studio selection procedure tomorrow. I hope I didn't bore you.
 |
| We're online this semester. |
That's awesome dear , all the best for your SY 🤗
ReplyDeleteThank you so much :)
Delete