The Bravest thing I did
I left my post graduate degree of Masters in applied chemistry as I realized pursuing a career in science was not my cup of tea.
I realized this during my six months internship period at a research institute called AMPRI where I worked under one of the leading scientists of central India.
There were several interns apart from me, some from IIT, some from NIT.
At that time, we were conducting a research on flyash. So there would be several experiments each day that would involve me dealing with alkaline and acidic solutions.
I still cannot forget that burning effect an sodium hydroxide solution would give me. Even though I would be wearing the thickest gloves in my hands
This experiments were horrific for me, I never actually liked them neither did I love those scientific case studies and all that calculations and observations around me.
But what I noticed was, It was not the case with interns around me, they actually loved it. I saw people there who were so passionate about science and loved their experiments like anything.
I was like passing time and always wished for evening to happen so that I could back home.
On days when I had nothing to do, I would simply use that fast WiFi they had in the institute and would publish poems and articles on blogger. Some days I would post 10 blog-posts in a day. That actually lead to rise in the number of readers on my blog and I started enjoying the whole thing.
In those six months, working with people who were so passionate about science and the research they were doing. I realized science was not meant for me because I don’t share the same passion for the subject as they do.
Even if I tried to push myself in this field, I may pass degrees, do a Phd and become a scientist in coming 7 years but I would be a mediocre one, I could never be the best.
And my days would be horrible
After getting some backs, though I finally passed the final semesters and submitted my thesis.
I wished to carve a career in writing somehow, I didn’t know how.
Somewhere the truth had hit me hard that I was not called for this but still that courage was lacking to quit and start again because too many years of study were invested and starting all over again was a fearful thought.
Relatives and family friends had already started declaring me as a wasted potential. That added more to the confusion.
The biggest problem a guy faces is after a certain age he cannot sit idle in his house, he actually has to go out and do something or else everyone around you will open the gates of hell for you. They would make sure you burn in shame and embarrassment.
I picked up teaching as I got a few offers from schools and colleges.
I tried teaching at a few places but failed miserably because I couldn’t understand the amount of paperwork teachers and those stupid rules they had reducing teachers to mere servants(Will talk about it some other day)
So I was not liking it, I changed schools, tried doing odd jobs and nothing was working.
Going through mental conflicts and depression is not a great thing at all.
And that bashing you get from your relatives and family members adds on to the agony.
I tried getting into publications and newspaper outlets of my city, if they could hire me as a writer or an intern or something.
I took my resume with some of my write-ups stapled and took it to every place possible but no one entertained me. For I had no formal degree and that was the greatest obstacle in the path.
Getting readers on your blog was easy, getting a job as a writer was the real deal.
Living in my city each day became difficult for me each day. A city I loved so much, I began loathing it like anything.
I packed my bags and left for Indore after getting a marketing job. I sucked in marketing as well.
I survived two months there, another two horrible months of my life. Though in those two months, I sent my resumes to a few places. And miraculously after seeing my resume, a startup called me.
Because in my resume, I had given a short description about my blog. I guess they had checked it and perhaps liked it.
After taking an interview which went good and a written test which went good as well.
They asked me if I could work for them as a content writer.
Booooom.
But the salary offered was a peanut salary too less to be described here.
I simply accepted it because I now had hope that what I would do resembles something what I love.
And I had to start somewhere
That thing — Switching my career leaving behind my degrees, opinions of my parents and people around me and starting again from scratch was the bravest thing I did.
Braver than picking up a fight with a guy who bullied me in school.
It was the bravest thing I did in 26 years of my existence
Its been two years since then, two years of learning and struggling. Enjoying those struggles and exploring what life is all about.
