Nostalgia drips from the words of a man who talks of his college, be it a freshman, sophomore or an alumnus. Well, college is indeed the best part of one’s student life and more so because one has so many memories attached to it. When I ask myself what makes my institute special, it is not just one thing that I can give credit to. In fact, it is the blend of the rich diversity that Manipal Institute of Technology holds, which makes it special.
Manipal is a small town in the state of Karnataka with an area of about 26 square km and yet irrespective of its size, history has been a witness of various achievements made here. Beginning with T.M.A Pai setting up the foundation of Manipal University (now known as Manipal Academy of Higher Education), there are alumni who have raised the bar of excellence throughout the country, and then there are ever-increasing achievements that the students keep constantly bagging in, there can be no rebuttal to the fact how incredibly the area has developed over time.
The freedom and support that institute provides to its students is stupendous. Students have the freedom to choose to do anything they want to do as long as they are growing in that segment. Students have full freedom to express themselves in any matter whatsoever. The college believes in inculcating in individuals the ability of making their own independent choices and be confident enough not to doubt it. Students are free to work on any potential idea in the institute’s very own business incubator. Students are allowed to suggest any projects that the institute might not have given thought to. To aid the students with projects and research, the institute provides support financially as well as academically by assigning experts in the field to supervise the students and to cater to their needs.
To ensure overall development of the students, not only is the academic bar set high but also is the case when it comes to their social life. Students enjoy a remarkable social life in the campus as well as outside. In the campus, there is always some event being organized by different clubs both technical and non-technical, which observe good number of participants as well as a large audience. There are many open mic events held in campus and outside that gives the participants a platform to bring up any issue that needs re-consideration or simply a stage to express themselves with their talent. Manipal is a place that is suitable for anybody and everybody. It serves the needs of every single person. There are clubs for party animals, beaches for the relaxing type and waterfalls and trekking for adventurous kind. One just need to pick a type or experience each one of them over the years.
The students that are the heart and soul of the college comes from so many different cultures and states, which include national as well as international, that it create a unique philosophy in the college. With the outraging intolerance protests all over the country, it is delightful to see how students respect each other’s cultures and traditions and celebrate it with equal enthusiasm too. There is no festival, big or small that go uncelebrated in the college. When the students are feeling home sick during festivals, friends and colleagues become family away from home. This very bond is the secret ingredient that adds sweetness to college life and drives away the sense of loneliness.
Often individuals get bored following just one dream and remain too focused on one thing. To make sure that one does not get too heated up, they are a large number of hobbies that one can pursue. A person just has to name it. College tries it best to provide everything in its scope to make sure that students can follow their hobbies and passion, which they could not before.
In conclusion, I feel my college is special because it provides a plethora of everything in ways that are most apt for a student as well as his future. Not only my college provides the much-needed exposure it also trains one to be excellent and thus successful in their fields along with a personality of a man that has overall development that is required in an individual.
