Remembering the year that went by

It has been a year since I got posted in my hometown Bhubaneswar. A year since I left the Mysore campus and the hostel. Miss those days. We were trainees then. Four months of rigorous hard-work, fun and frolic, making of new friendships and discovering a new way of life away from home. It was the first time I had ever been to the hostel. My schooling and college was done in my hometown, so I could live with my family while studying. I haven't tasted much of the freedom that comes with hostel life.

When we were posted in Bhubaneswar, it was just a few of us, not all. Some of my best friends, including my roommate had to stay in Mysore for another month. It felt lonely in the new surroundings at first. I had no project for the first week and the lack of work felt horrible. It was boredom and an idle mind that gave me an almost depression. And over the top the new people everywhere. Some friends remained close in this phase, and some didn't. It was a turning point. I used to go to the guest house room allocated to one of the batchmates and sleep for hours on end. Otherwise I would go the dormitory and lie there from mornings till evenings either reading a book, watching something in my smartphone or just dozing off. Somedays I went to the library, read three to four newspapers to pass time or read a magazine from end to end to fight boredom. I had completed reading two magazines, deliberately reading word by word, in two days. It was a struggle not having anything purposeful to do. I felt reckless for whiling away my time like that. I prayed and prayed for a project.

My prayers were answered really soon. I hadn't expected that. Just the next week I was called up for an interview. I had received a mail with a document to fill up with personal details and identity information. Then three of us went for the interview. All of us were selected. I was happy that I finally got a cubicle of my own and a place to sit in office. I was really glad and I thanked a lot that day to the universe.

But the tests too started with the allocation of a project. Nothing comes easy for a newbie. A fresher has to carve his or her own path, treading on thin rope. Connecting with team members was not easy for me. Acquainting myself to anyone new is always a task for me. Then understanding the work culture, the norms of the workplace, the etiquettes, etc.etc.etc. I still can't make my way around this. Even the knowledge transfer sessions seemed daunting. I admit I am a rather slow learner, compared to my other team mates. But I do work hard and am very disciplined and punctual when it comes to sticking to the deadline and delivering the code.

The learning phase is always tough. I tried to accept that fact. Stress and pressure depressed me some days. But all's well that ends well. So the journey takes persistence. And I saw it for myself that however difficult, tough and daunting a task seems, it can be achieved through sheer persistence and diligent effort. Deliberate practice is the key. 

Linking the post to #UBC , and #DailyChatter.


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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju

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