Manipal is a city that manufactures dreamers. It was blatantly apparent, the first day I came here, that my life was about to be transformed in ways I didn’t understand yet. After valiantly battling the homesickness and the sheer lack of a clue, I set out on my journey to become an engineer. Little did I know, I was about to get far more than I bargained for!
I will never forget the days and sometimes even nights (ah, the hackathons; but more on that later) that I spent parsing through millions of lines of code and text in the grandiose study halls here at MIT. In the very beginning of my first semester, I picked a quiet corner in the library and it has
since become my happy place. The peace in that building is often enough motivation to get even the most mundane of work done.
To everyone’s surprise, I have now completed four semesters worth engineering courses without having purchased a single textbook. How, you might ask. I have never felt the need. The classroom lectures provide literally all the theoretical and practical knowledge required to do reasonably well in examinations. Moreover, the comprehensive exam pattern makes sure that every student is always in touch with the ongoing academics and no one is left behind in this process. But the credit for this has to be given to the exceptional faculty we have here at MIT. Their experience and proficiency is evident in their style of teaching and their concern for the subject, as well as their students as individuals, has a unique, personal touch.
Another very interesting wing of college life that I discovered soon into my second year at Manipal was the range and reach of the University funded student projects. Hundreds of students come together to create innovative technologies under the guidance of professors from across the University. What’s particularly fascinating is that the various institutions with separate genres of specializations (for example medicine and engineering) often work in collaboration with each other to push the boundaries of intersecting sciences. I was personally encouraged to take up a project in the field of my interest so I could delve deeper and gain expertise in the same. This effort, though challenging, was infinitely gratifying.
Being a trained musician and an amateur poet, I came to Manipal hoping to indulge more in these arts. Guess what? In my first year here alone, I met dozens of ambitious and experienced musicians. There were open mic nights, organized by students’ organizations all around the city and the energy in these rooms were more than overwhelming- it was contagious. The college fests kept me engaged. I was stumped by the sheer freedom of thought and expression which were not only practiced by the students but also encouraged by the institute.
One cool, breezy, monsoon, I remember walking back from KMC Green after performing at a Poetry Slam. I was talking to my mother, telling her, with failing exactness, about the unforgettable evening I have had and what she said is etched into the wall of my brain. She said that it was a
unique time for the world because today, the makers of tomorrow were creative beyond the scope of their professions and that she’d sleep a little easier knowing that I was among them.
One cannot go long without mentioning the immense natural beauty surrounding MIT. In fact, the city is cradled between beautiful golden beaches and the lush, mighty Western Ghats. There are dense forests as far as the eye can see. On days when the weight of living gets too heavy, my friends and I venture out into the wild, talk to the birds, climb down to the river banks and cherish all the things we have without even having asked for them.
Manipal is a city that not only manufactures dreamers but also equips them with the abilities necessary to fulfill their dreams. I have experienced the world in one city, learned new languages, witnessed new faiths and cultures all come together to form a common purpose- a better tomorrow. No matter who you are or whatever it is that you believe in, there is room for you here. There is warmth and happiness for you here. And I know this because I’ve never felt more at home, despite being so far away from it. There is no place I’d rather be!
