#DearFirstYearMe- Navigating the Unknown: My First Year at Ashoka University- Pradyumna Subhir: UG’25

The first day of college is supposed to leave you jittery. In my head, if that wasn’t the case, then for sure you must’ve been in the wrong place. Thankfully, I was absolutely terrified when I first came to campus, but that didn’t mean that I wasn’t thrilled to be starting a new chapter of my life, and eager to learn and grow. I did miss the familiarity from back home, and the uneasiness of not knowing what my day would look like. The fear of the academic rigour here, and the long hours in the library, these thoughts haunted me for the first few days. However, the energy and buzz of the new year washed it all away. Seeing all the other freshmen calmed me down a bit. It took a long time to settle down, around a month as far as my memory supports me, but it all got easier from then on.

The transition from high school to university academics was fairly challenging. The workload was significantly heavier, with more reading, writing, and independent studying required. I quickly learned that I needed to be proactive about time management and had no room for tomfoolery as I’d liked before. Attending office hours and study groups was essential for keeping up with the material. I also had to adjust to the different teaching styles of my professors compared to high school teachers. Finding what worked best for each class and professor was something that I had to figure out as soon as I could. Although it seemed daunting at first, I understood the importance of it, and how it was meant to make life easier for me. By the end of the year, I knew for sure that I had got this! I felt cheery and full of hope that the next few years were going to go by in a heartbeat.

I’ve grown and changed a lot since my first year of college. I’m more independent, confident, and self-aware than I have ever been. Living on my own has taught me to be responsible for managing my own time, money, and well-being. I’ve learned to advocate for myself and ask for help when needed. Academically, I’ve discovered new passions and potential career paths through my coursework and interactions with professors. I’ve changed my mind on which subject to study at least a few tens of times.

Another aspect of life at Ashoka was the clubs and societies landscape. Getting involved in clubs and attending campus events has been invaluable to my college experience. The first year me would’ve never been able to even think about the number of clubs and societies that he would get to work with. I made it a point back then to never join a club on campus after I got my first rejection. It took a lot more friends of mine to convince me otherwise and go ahead with exploring these clubs to my heart’s content. Since then, these spaces of recreation and creativity have given me so much, that I’d never be able to thank them for it. The Ashokan badminton team, The Comic Relief, The Sports Ministry, and Jazbaa, they’ve all taken up a small yet permanent space in my heart for the rest of my life.

Speaking of such memories, it would be a great injustice if I didn’t shout out to my people, who made me as comfortable as possible on this campus. I’ll never forget our cooking nights in the pantry, whipping something up every now and then and having the time of our lives. I was very fortunate to find a great roommate as well, which has been a trip in itself. Who would’ve thought that we’d still be rooming together to this day? Another one of my absolute favourite memories here has to be Agneepath, the sports fest of Ashoka. Attending my first college football game and experiencing that kind of energy, I don’t think I’ll experience that kind of thrill anytime soon. That entire year went by so fast, and so much has changed from back then. But I remember the rush that I felt before I tried something new on campus. That’s a feeling that I would like to hold on to before I start any new journey. It all seems scary at first, but with the right people and a little bit of luck, I’ve realized that it all works out.