Like every other university, Manipal too has a bustling variety of occupants. But what sets it apart is the way that these cultures merge to become one – the Manipal culture. People from all around the world and from various walks of life, make Manipal the dynamic space that actively transforms the lives of each and every one of them.
One of the group assignments we were given in the fourth semester of my course, was the one that made me realize how much this diversity impacts the lives of those in Manipal. The assignment required us to publish a magazine that strictly follows industry standards. Our magazine did really well and what I remember is the remark of one of my professors. “The range of articles covered and the geographies it stretches through is very commendable,” he said. I looked back at my team and it stuck me that all seven of us came from different regions.
This diverse nature of its people and their unified experiences here, are what make Manipal unique. It wasn’t just students from across the country; it was students from all over the globe, making memories and leaving their mark on this beautiful town. Though I learnt a lot through my classes and the intriguing assignments, I learnt most from the multiplicity of Manipal’s culture.
Every new day, the shell I was living in before Manipal was broken down, bit by bit. I saw things from multiple perspectives. I learnt to adjust and accommodate. I became more open-minded. And the opportunity to learn from this diversity is not just limited to Manipal. The exchange program that it offers, with a whole list of esteemed institutions across the globe, is the best experience anyone could learn from.
I went on an exchange program to Hochschule Bremmen in Germany, in the small Northern town of Bremmen. I had thought that I had learnt to handle responsibilities and be self-sufficient after my years of living alone in Manipal. But the exchange program taught me that there are multiple levels of adapting and learning to do before you become an adult.
Germany helped me become fiscally responsible and I found out that there’s so much you can learn from the nuances in every culture. And this wouldn’t have been possible without Manipal. I have made friends from UK, USA, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Germany, Holland, Croatia, Spain, Mexico. Now, I have a place to crash wherever I go across the world.
Every bit of learning that has come my way is all thanks to Manipal. Now that I have passed out and I look at the person I’ve become since I started out, I see the wholesome development that I have gone through. I have now learnt to experience everything that life throws at me with an open mind and with open arms. I believe it is essential that every student goes through an experience like the Manipal experience.
