Placements - a lesson in reality

A sense of achivement. Dejection on account of rejection. Exctitement due to uncertainty. Celebrations. Shattered dreams. Al of these and much more could be found in the first round of placements that took place a few days back.

For most of us, this was the first experience of the fact that out in the real world, away from the cozy confines of our family, the life is tough. Hailing from affluent families, most of us have been used to getting what we asked for. Rejection was not something we were made to expereince unless we were utterly irrational in our demands. But in the past one week many of us experienced rejections. The blow was severe because while they were rejected, other people around them were accepted. Within a span of few hours equals no longer reamined equals. There sprung up two camps "Placed" and "Unplaced". Either side was reeling in discomfort. The "placed" had to utter every word carefully lest they would hurt their "unplaced" friends. The "unplaced" struggled to preserve confidence in their hearts and smiles on their faces. Added was the responsibilty that at no point should their "placed" friends feel that the "unplaced" friend was jealous. All these led to a mysterious silence. Faces that I looked at everyday seemed to hide something in those days. Kids had grown up.

Rejections are essential in life for they keep one's feet grounded and motivate one to work harder provided one knows how to handle the rejections and make them work for one's benefit. Otherwise, rejections may wreak a havoc with one's confidence and sense of self-respect. Looking back, I realize that except for IIT there has never been a rejection in my life. Whether because of this I have missed important lessons of life, only time will tell.

Placements were also an exercise in strengthening of ties. Friends stood by each other during tough times. And celebrated to the hilt when the tough times ended on a pleasent note. The genuine words of consolation, the heartiest congratulations, the words of motivation, the eagerness in their eyes as they waited for others' results - friends gave each other all these and much more and this display of the spirited side of my colleagues is what has made these placements leave an indelible mark on my psyche.

I am now an employed youth. Salary that I have been offered is not something I would be going ga-ga over. But hell, it is my first job and I am happy. More than a job, placements have offered me some valuable lessons of life - The importance of hardwork, the essentiality of being able to expresse oneself, the characteristics of human mind, the importance of true friends and the realization that God has indeed been kind to me for which I should be as much grateful to him as possible. I may or may not join the job I have been offered. But these lessons have been entrenced in my memory forever.