Which ‘course’ will the river of life flow on?

Leaders are not born, they are made. And leadership comes naturally when one is conscientious about pursuing the right calling in life. This week, my fellow CJs talk about their plans for the future.

Leaders are not born, they are made. And leadership comes naturally when one is conscientious about pursuing the right calling in life. This week, my fellow CJs talk about their plans for the future.

Mohammad Zaid, Tushar Priyadarshi, Niharika Maggo, Ria Yadav, Jessica Duggal, Ishita Bhattacharjee

Education and career are two sides of the same coin. After choosing a particular stream in high school, we all invariably face the challenge of selecting a particular subject that will help us shape our future as well as our career.

Individually, all six of us have different views on the courses we will like to pursue.While Ishita plans to discover new horizons in the field of psychology, Jessica and Ria wish to pursue political science. Due to its association with contemporary economic issues, commerce is Niharika’s first choice.

Immense love for machines, circuits and programming coupled with a great passion for mathematics encourages me to take up engineering. Tushar on the other hand aspires to be an engineering teacher.

To conclude, I would like to say that you should believe in yourself and your vision. Work hard to achieve your dreams.

Of nuts, bolts and circuits

Mohammad Zaid
Facebook: m.zayd.h@facebook.com
Twitter: @Ht_MZaid
Instagram: insta- @m_zaid_h

Hopeful of receiving a Nobel Prize for laziness or getting an acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the age of 17, I step into one of the most important stages of my life: college.

I have always been interested in physics and mathematics, right from the time I was introduced to these subjects. As a child, I remember the pleasure I got by opening electronic appliances to the last nut and bolt and destroying them completely.

As I grew up, I was drawn to aero-based vehicles and their circuits. My dream is to join the Indian Space Research Organisation or Indian Air Force and I have selected electronics and communication engineering to fulfill this dream. Engineering is a tough nut to crack, even Sherlock Holmes would have problems.

This subject not only improves a student’s theoretical ability but also helps students explore the link that exists between science and everyday life. Working with tools and equipment facilitates overall intellectual development and enhances a student’s ability to think.

With a variety of career opportunities, engineers can get jobs based on their imaginative and creative skills.

Engineers play an important role in maintaining a country’s international competitiveness and ensuring a constant stream of profits.

I am sure that with the love I have for machines, I can work towards making India a better place to live. Studying electronics would be an enriching experience and I am looking forward to a wonderful time ahead.

Aptitude vs abilityAptitude vs ability

Tushar Priyadarshi

Facebook: tusharpriyadarshi@yahoo.co.in
Twitter: @tusharscs
Instagram: @priyadarshitushar

I come from a family where higher education is synonymous with science and technical education. It is, therefore, not surprising that I have opted to pursue an engineering degree.

I have been having this internal debate over aptitude versus ability before choosing a career ever since I understood the meaning of the word aptitude. This debate has always been in favour of aptitude winning on paper and ability in practice.

The Merriam Webster defines ‘aptitude’ as “natural ability to do or learn things”. The inherent aptitude has given way to the “process of aptitude development”.

And as I said in my previous article, “the process is far more important than the result,” we have, somehow, given far too much importance to this process.

Since I am from a family of engineers, my childhood has been characterised less by beyblades and more by broken parts of old television sets and the Murphy Radio. I have always aspired to become a electronics engineer and I am working hard to achieve this dream. This is just how my and many others’ journey with science began and it was, very scientifically speaking, “catalyzed” by the electronics club I joined in Class 8. The ‘Mr BB Roy’ colour codes of resistors, those alarm circuits and bulbs left me spellbound.

So, it was probably the crush I had on resistors, my falling in love with chemistry and the challenging battles with my frenemy (friend + enemy) math that finally made me choose engineering as my area of specialisation.

I had an extra-marital relationship with biology. I shared a complex relationship with it marked by cycles of break-ups and making up, which is beyond the scope of this article.

Simply put, becoming an engineering professor in a country obsessed with the course would feed into my ‘zest’ for knowledge and give me the much-needed opportunities to learn.

Passion reveals purpose

Jessica Duggal

Facebook: duggal.jessica­­@gmail.com
Twitter: @jessicaduggal
Instagram: @duggal.jessica

Ever imagined how it would be to live in a world without any governing body-----without a prime minister or a president or a queen who ceremonially waves at the public? Or ever imagined an India without any ‘dharna’ or any ministry or panchayat? Never? Well, me neither because even if we censure the government and various intermediary governing bodies, we are all tied intricately to the politics of the world. So much so, that we don’t even realise how or when, our personality and thinking gets influenced or swayed by it.

Bishop T D Jakes once said, “If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion for your passion would lead you right into your purpose”

I applied the same logic to realise my calling. I am passionate about working for others and breaking those omnipresent barriers that stop people from attaining what is right. My passion led me towards the realisation of my purpose - working in the UN. I instantly realised that the subject that will open doors in this direction is political science.

Why political science is a question that I cannot possibly answer in a few words. Probably because the process of realising a passion and choosing a career based on it is not something that can be described in 70 minutes. At this stage, all I can say is that I am fascinated by political science because it helps me understand the dynamics of various unique institutions that govern the many countries on this planet. I hope that my study and understanding of the subject will open up a whole new world.

From brain to gain

Ishita Bhattacharjee

Facebook: ibhattacharjee26@gmail.com
Twitter: @ishie_b26
Instagram: @ishie_b

The brain is an amazing organ, which works constantly, day and night, helping us learn, see, remember, hear, perceive and I intend to gain greater understanding of how it works. Thus, psychology is the most plausible option to get an answer to these questions. It is the only way to understand the brain better.

My decision to take up psychology is not just based on the fact that I’m curious and want to understand the processes that underline human thinking and behaviour. I also intend to apply that understanding to solve practical problems. Daniel Goldstein once said, “Psychology, unlike chemistry, unlike algebra, unlike literature, is an owner’s manual for your own mind. It’s a guide to life. What could be more important than grounding young people in the scientific information that they need to live happy, healthy, productive lives?” and this is what ignites the passion within me to pursue this subject.

Also, psychology is a field that would not just feed my curiosity but open up a wide range of career opportunities. Clinical psychology will help me satisfy my desire to help other human beings.

Being politically correct

Ria Yadav

Facebook: ria.yadav97@yahoo.in
Twitter: @riaya_
Instagram: @riaya_

To acquaint myself with the pre-existing, and existing political systems of our country and beyond, I’d like to pursue political science as my subject. It will give me a deep understanding of the forces that govern and are in power, that dictate relationships around the globe and that affect us as citizens. Choosing a career in political science would be vital for those who want to work in the government, who want to work as the government, who wish to work in international organisations, or interest groups, and those who want to pursue journalism or law.

Larry J Sabato, a noted political scientist, once said “Every election is determined by the people who showed up.” I want more than the person who showed up, I want to be active where what I say matters, where what happens to all of us matters. And for that to happen, I need to comprehend political happenings, the best of which I’ll gain by pursuing a degree in political science.

When I was asked about where I would see myself in ten years, I’d said I’d be a human rights lawyer, and I want to be that with all my heart. After graduating in political science, I’d pursue law. Becoming a lawyer would be intellectually challenging, especially putting in long hours for that perfect legal brief but the best part would be arguing for something you believe in. Arguing legal cases gives me a high and the thrill to prove that I’m right. It would be emotionally rewarding, too, if I use my prowess to help those in need. Pursuing law would equip me with the knowledge I need to help those who can’t help themselves.

Commerce it is

Niharika Maggo

Facebook: niharika.maggo@gmail.com
Twitter: @niharikamaggo
Instagram: @niharikamaggo

Today as we stand at the threshold of college life we are all thinking of a few things - the course, the college and of course our future plans. Allow me to share mine. I come from a family where taking science at the graduation level is almost a tradition. I dared to be different and opted for commerce. Fortunately there was no resistance and my family members supported my ­decision.

I aspire to get admission into a BCom honours programme. It is incidentally one of the most desired courses in Delhi University. Personally, I want to pursue it as I feel commerce would open up a plethora of career opportunities.

After studying commerce in Class 12, this is an obvious decision. An honours degree in commerce at the bachelors level is a good way to extend one’s knowledge about the subject and later decide on a specific field of interest. The course includes study of management, economics, business law, business mathematics, marketing etc.

Studying this course would not limit my horizons to a particular subject and gaining knowledge in a wide variety of subjects would help me understand every aspect of running an organisation which ultimately will help me realise my goal of becoming an entrepreneur.