I landed, on my first day of Manipal, a fresh-faced youth eager and anxious about what lay ahead. I was aboard a new ship – one that wasn’t familiar; one that wasn’t home and one that I was captaining all by myself for the first time.
How turbulent is this ride going to be? Am I going to survive without the comfort of my reliable co-captains (my parents)? Am I even in the right galaxy? These are a few questions that excited and scared me as I began the journey on this alien planet.
Little did I know, that I would turn into the most awesome captain there ever was and Manipal would become the best starship in the entire universe. The journey I’ve taken in Manipal is one that is fit to write sagas about. I experienced everything one would expect from the perfect voyage – adventures, challenges, fun, you name it and I had it.
What fuelled my journey was the learning and growth that Manipal offers everyone who boards it. The quality of education and the way it was imparted has broadened my horizons beyond comparison. The excellent labs, the engaged lecturers, the constant test of your ability to apply what you learned always kept my journey racing forth.
Manipal is always brimming with opportunities. Every corner you turn is an exciting choice that will boost your expedition further. One is spoilt for choice here – sports, dance, theatre, debate and so much else that makes your adventure here better. Mine was kicked up a notch when I lay my eyes on the Marena sports complex. The nail-biting matches in the incredible indoor courts, the magnificent facilities, the amazing people I met, Marena is one of the most defining experiences of my journey here.
But, the best part of my time in Manipal was the way it redefined freedom for me. Captaining the ship all by myself as an adult, I’d presumed the journey would go just the way I wanted it to. But, Manipal taught me what being an independent adult was all about. It was about choices. The choice between chilling on weekends or doing the laundry and having clean clothes for the week; the choice between online shopping or your WiFi bill; the choice between eating a fancy meal at Blue Waters or a hearty meal at the Manipal Canteen. These choices have turned me into a more confident and competent individual. To put it in a cliché, Manipal helped me find the best version of myself.
From being an alien ground waiting to be explored, Manipal has gone onto become my most reliable and amazing starship as I journeyed into adulthood. It has answered all my initial questions – Yes, it’s going to be a turbulent ride, but it will be worth it. My co-captains are going to be proud of my journey here. And, yes! I couldn’t have ended up in a more perfect place. Manipal is a unique shuttle with thousands aboard captaining their own journey of life and making the best out of it. Manipal is not just a place, it is an everlasting emotion.
