I would like to start this write-up with congratulatory message to all the students who have scored well in their 12th exam. And to all those who haven’t been able to score well or more importantly haven’t been able to score in the bracket of 90s, I would like to extend a bouquet of heartiest congratulations to you all as well...
The society, peer pressure judge us on our grades and percentiles that we score in our schools and high schools. From the day we entered school to the day we become graduates and to some of us who are post graduates, we are tied with the band of pressurized judgements on what numbers and what amount of stars we are getting in our 10th and 12th standards respectively.
But lemme tell you all my fellow junior friends Numbers are simply numbers and many of us are so creatively blessed that our world in numbers is just a tilt n tilt game. All throughout my schooling I competed with my fellow classmates to get into 90s bracket as that was the only trait which was necessitated to be in the favourite list of my teachers. And when I couldn’t scored till my 11th I just diverted my interest to taking journalism post my completion of 12th standard. And guess what, when I had scored 90 percent I was asked to take up Delhi university prestigious college, a prestigious course , ECO(H), just because, that was something, which would earn me a respectable job, respectable status and respect and honour in the society a good spouse and an honoured badge throughout my life. That time, I didn’t realise that whether I would be enjoying it or not, I just took it as that was the best option for a 90 percentile scoring student recommended by the geniuses and not so geniuses of the society.
Three years in the best college of Delhi university and life was dull. monotonous away from my likeable interests and hobbies of dancing, communication, music and media. I was sharing classroom with fellow students whose brains would like to be acknowledged as the best bureaucratic brains in the coming years but I was just out of the books, out of the number game. 90 percentile earned me respect in front of the society, I was greeted, called brilliant and respected for scoring 5 star marks but this brilliant stature had a brain that was looking for happiness, wanted to be different, wanted to be exciting and it was turning rebellious to the monotony ever gifted by brown chairs and white classrooms. The brain was looking for colours, something which was not in books, and something which was me as I was lost and away from myself in these 90 percentile rooms.
My score dropped from 90 to 55, to 65 and in the third year after a hurricane of sleepless nights, continuous tuitions and sacrifice of passions and interests, I could finally manage to score 61 percent in my final year and this was necessary to earn me at least some accolades from my relatives, friends and to the least from my classmates for whom red pen marks in the sheets gifted me tonnes of mockery, disrespect and trolls in those 3 most respectable years my life.
I decided not to be part of this thirsty quest anymore... I didn’t went for MA in economics. I went for simple MBA in communications from not so great college but I was back to passionate me there. I could smile back, I could dance, sing, laugh and was part of madness again I was missing for years. I was good in communication and my subjects in marketing helped me restore my inner self.
To conclude it here and not diverting to my journey in any details further, I had a journey of fails and pass, pass and fail, A grades and C grades, post my post graduation also. Many jobs, many judgements and it never ended and it never will but I relaxed and went with the flow for now every rejection, failure, agony, circumstance was pushing me to something better. May be I was a misfit into jobs, but I wasn’t a misfit in my work as the conclusion of the same used to get me exhausted but not unhappy and these disappointments in jobs where at times I used to run away from them or get rebellious or sacked, failed to affect my nerves and spirits. I was learning with every changing time and job and that was enough for me to keep me going ahead in my journey. Numbers, grade, awards, pat and accolades aren’t always leading you to happy paths and I have had realised it. Struggles, learnings, failures and accomplishments are better teachers and guess what all these failures in jobs lead me to an entrepreneurial journey finally.
So fellas, don’t be disappointed if it isn’t a 90 percentile today... may be you are meant for bigger things than just numbers... Don’t be sad, just be happy, you aren’t meant to shine now amidst few classmates as who knows some years down the line, some wall and board is waiting for your portrait to be painted or some stage is waiting for you to to be rocked or some page is waiting for your autograph, who knows it better than the times ahead. . Remember bright colours are important but so are the greys, blacks and blues. So for now relax, don’t tie yourself in the crumbling pressures of society, Enjoy and live every moment as it comes... Work and study the subjects that makes you happy, peaceful and gift you with a feel of actualisation and accomplishment. Remember, Numbers are Numbers, they aren’t life….We need not be a part of herd always, some of us are “change”, we all need, the herd leaders and the sooner we realise it, the blissful it will be.
Regards
Neha Sharma
Managing Director, BrandMommy Markcom LLP
