IIT Mandi has given me growth, self-discovery, and long-lasting friendships

I am an undergraduate student in the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering's bioengineering stream at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi. I belong to Lucknow but my academic life started in Kanpur, where I studied up to Class 10 in KDMA International. After that, I did Class 12 from Lucknow Public School.

As a kid, biology would be so interesting to me – perhaps it's because my father was a veterinary doctor. Observing him in the field would always leave me yearning for the science of life sciences, while Data Science and Artificial Intelligence during the initial half of my JEE preparation led to the vision of combining biology with computation. All of which necessitated the career of Bioengineering that I am fortunate to be seeking presently at IIT Mandi.

I attempted JEE Main and JEE Advanced for the first time right after Class 12 in 2021, but the result was not as I had envisioned. I thus lost a year and appeared for JEE in 2022. Abandoned for a year, I self-studied through online study material, traditional books, and mock tests. It was not easy – we all forfeit social life, birthdays, celebrations, even hobbies. But now I tell wannabes not to miss everything. These days will never return. The secret is balance. Success is good, but so is the journey. Don't lose your head in pursuit of your dreams.

Living in a hostel at IIT Mandi during November 2022 was my first-ever experience staying away from home. I did miss my home food, old friends, and my little small sister for whom I am immensely fond in the initial phase. But then all of that was thrown out of the window when I met my gang here, my friends such as Ayush, Aryan, Vishal, Dhruv, Harsh, Vivek, Vibhu, and Shreyansh. My first semester was one of the closest experiences of my life – late night project making, hackathons, competitions, and laughter with them.

Campus life here is different. It's not because it's in the heart of the Himalayas, but it's the students who create that difference. Peer group that you have in an IIT motivates you a million times. If your boy doesn't go for an internship, course, or competition, you feel like saying, 'Hey, perhaps I can do it too.'

Outside of school, I was involved in a couple of clubs – drama, design, Sysadmin, and Kamand Bioengineering Club. The clubs introduced me to something that I otherwise wouldn't have done and helped mature me. School life and club life were difficult to balance out, but the environment here compels you to learn to multitask time and challenge yourself.

The personnel at this school is also highly collaborative. One of my most memorable experiences is when our Japanese teacher participated in a student-arranged 'Glow in the Dark' paint-painting session with us. That role-reversal activity, where we were teachers and she was the student, was one I could never forget. One of the experiences that occurred to my memory with vividness was when I had lost direction on my way to the campus bus and one of the instructors guided me to the academic block – it was just such a frivolous experience, but it was obviously indicative of the teachers' welcome and hospitality.

My experience at IIT has changed me intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally. I learned to be persistent, manage time well, lead, and work in teams. But above all, I understood that everybody is lost.

It's at times as if you're the sole person who's lost your plan, but we're all searching for it. So check yourself every now and then if you're doing something you love. If you come up with a 'kind of yes,' then keep going. Try everything out – because you don't want to graduate college with a pinch of regret.

During my second year, I participated in our college team to Dramatics Club 'Nukkad Natak' at Inter IIT Cultural Meet and received second-best scores. Later, I headed our delegation with team management, logistics, and leadership skills under a stressful but enjoyable setup.

My routine comprises morning classes, class and lab assignments, and assignments. I spend my evenings with friends, clubbing, or hiking. I am not into any sport but yes, watch anime and movies, and hike on the picturesque surrounding hills. We take over the Village Square and hostel rooms, play table tennis or foosball, and eat at canteens in the campus. Siddu, a Himachal local dish, is my binge food here.

I finance my own living costs partly by teaching assistantships and partly by allowance from my parents. And while I adore the peace of our hilltop campus, I miss city life – shopping malls, cinema, and amusement parks.

In the future, I see myself doing more studying, perhaps in Computational Biology, Genomics, or Neuroscience.

The cuisine, history, and culture of Lucknow are very close to my heart – and yes, I do miss them. But above all, I miss midnight food finds with my sister. But all said and done, I would say that this IIT Mandi experience has been an experience of personal development, exploration, and life-long friendships.