A step toward the goal

AFTER the last examination is written, the last goodbye said, the last tear shed, only after that does the reality of the future sink into the school-leaving student. The reality of being on the threshold of a brand new world - the college campus. An adult world with all its metaphors of colour, vibrancy, fun and freedom. So how does the pre-collegian view life ahead? Is there a confident calm or a rush of adrenaline or a bout of the jitters?

Urvi Savla: "College, for me, is going to be one more step forward towards my goal, for I want to be an engineer. So I have a lot of expectations from the next two years. I know that everyone talks about college life being a lot of fun, but I have decided that I will not neglect my studies. Because finally, I want a lot from life."

Sajjad Mehndi: "I'm going in for commerce - and hopefully some fun too! Our school curriculum really kept us on our toes over the last two years, so I want to relax a bit now. And I'm looking forward to the forthcoming changes in my life."

Farsheed Cooper: "I don't have too many expectations from college for right now I feel that school life is a lot better. But no, I'm not apprehensive about college. I'm reasonably confident about getting along without too many problems."

Sana Memom: "College life will obviously mean a lot more freedom and I'm really looking forward to that! School was fun too, but I guess this will be a different kind of fun."

Gayatri Kannan: "I have enrolled for science but I don't have my future planned out yet, so I will have to make a lot of decisions depending on how things go in the next two years in college. And that's an exciting proposition."

Ishaan Randheriya: "Academically, I hope my commerce college leads me to an MBA and good business opportunities. Personally, I'm hoping to make a whole lot of new friends and have a whole lot of fun."

Anuradha Chatterjee: "I don't think college life is going to be drastically different from school. It's just a question of making new friends and I'm good at that."

Aditya Kothari: "I guess, the academic load will remain the same. But there will be much more extracurricular activities along with it. Since I'm interested in music, I am especially looking forward to being a part of college festivals - something which I've always wanted to do."

Natasha Kharbanda: "I miss school, and my teachers, already. I hope I can keep in touch with them. I always felt very safe in school because of my teachers, but now we will be on our own in college."

Anahita Postwala: "I'm excited, of course, about going to college. But I'm also a little apprehensive because coming from an all girls' convent school, I've rarely had too much interaction with boys. While in college the situation will be different."

Pratap Chandran: "I think college life means being a little more sure of yourself than you were in school."

Ananya Saha, 17, from Lawrence School, Lovedale: "I'm very nervous about my results, as I want to get into a good college and entrances are based solely on marks. I hate this period of waiting. I miss my school a lot but I'm looking forward to college where I plan to do Psychology."

Neikhela Reddy, 17 from Adarsh Vidyalaya, Chennai: "I am very nervous about my results but I like this in-between phase as I have nothing to do and can sit back and relax. I do not miss school. I want to do a post-graduation course in Financial Management which requires a four-year-course degree. I plan to do Engineering."

Anjali Motha, 17, from Tuticorin: "I am very scared about my results and I hate waiting. I miss my school and if I had a chance, I'll probably go back. Yet, I'm dying to get into college."

Sonia John, 17, from Lawrence School, Lovedale: "I am nervous about my results but I love this phase as I have time to do so many things that I've always wanted to do. I miss school and I think about it often. Yet, I'm glad to be getting into college as I will be going abroad. I'm planning to do Hotel Management and I have already got into the International College of Hotel Management in Australia."

Anna J. Kurien, 17, from Mahindra College of India: "I do feel understandably impatient about my results. However, I know that school has meant more to me than just academics and that my grades can never represent the sum total of my achievements here. Moreover, I'm not too nervous about my results as I have already been accepted into a University in the United States on a full financial scholarship. I am really looking forward to college. I am ready for new ideas, people, things and a new environment."

Shiv Dewan, 17: "I am very worried about my results as they are the key to everything. I do not like the phase I'm in as I hate the foggy-future atmosphere where you have no idea where you will be in the next few months. I do miss school, as the best of one's life seems to be in the sheltered existence of school in the midst of your friends and it seems unbelievable that it's over. At the moment, I have no future plans - they all depend on which college I get into."

Inputs by PIALI BANERJEE in Mumbai and ANANDITA PHILIPOSE in Chennai.

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