My Journey

Every step has been a lesson and every challenge an opportunity.

Dream Team!

I have always been a stellar student but all of that changed when I started my undergrad. I was no longer the smartest in the room. It was unfamiliar and uncomfortable. In my second semester, I decided to take two courses from the CS department, one of which delivered me the blow of my life - a zero test score. I was really disappointed and blamed myself, despite having put effort into preparing for it.

Later, I was encouraged to view this experience differently, which changed my perspective. I realized that neither the test nor I were at fault. I had taken a step outside my comfort zone and made mistakes, but I wouldn’t have learned otherwise. This incident taught me two important lessons: first, that learning should be measured not by grades but by the skills and knowledge gained, and their applicability in real life; second, that making mistakes is not something to fear. Trying something new will not always lead to immediate success, but what matters is persevering and pushing myself beyond familiar boundaries.

2023

My First Zero On A Test!

2014-2018

On the Move...

In 2014, I moved to the United Kingdom and spent four years of my childhood there. Honestly, I was excited when my parents broke the news. Beyond the prospect of my first international flight, I loved the idea of a new school, new places, and meeting new people. In 2018, when my parents announced we would be returning to India, I was again excited. I would miss my friends, of course, but getting to live in a new state in India felt like another adventure. These experiences sparked a lasting curiosity about different cultures, shaping the way I approach both life and learning. I later moved across the country to complete my undergraduate degree and now hope to continue this journey by pursuing postgraduate studies in Europe.

For the longest time, I was comfortable working independently. While I worked well in teams when required, I often saw my strongest learning when working on my own. That changed when I met what I now think of as my dream team. They questioned my ideas as rigorously as I questioned theirs. Being surrounded by those with people of comparable motivation and intellectual intensity pushed me to articulate my reasoning more clearly, defend my assumptions, and revise my thinking when needed. I learned to appreciate disagreement and watched as my thinking grew stronger. Working with this team taught me what effective collaboration truly looks like.

2024