Letter to my 14 year old self

Hey there! Howdy?

Due to an erratically placed birthday and honest parents who refused to change your actual birth dates compared to birth dates in record, you have been seeing that you are about 6-7 months older than your average class mates. This will continue for the rest of your life (at least till you complete graduation for sure)

Now that you are in eighth standard, you are so damn scared of the DAV boards that are about to happen later that year aren’t you? Don’t be. The exams will go swell and anyhow they are nothing like the life that you have laid ahead of you.

Believe it or not, you will graduate as an engineer (now would be the right time to stop reading and focus on something else if you don’t want to screw your future by becoming one) from a premier engineering institute of the country (go ahead… laugh with relief).

Not only that; having faced the doom of being an engineer you will set out for something far bigger and expected to provide you with a “holistic view of approaching discussions” and “multifaceted approach and managerial viewpoints". Yes you guessed it right. You are doomed to become an MBA (though from yet another premier institute). Just like all had been Bollywood actors line up for stupid box; inadvertently almost all engineers line up for an MBA. Though, by passing out in the year 2009, how should I put it delicately and yet not reveal a lot that is about to happen in future; you would still realize less than the ideal placements that you would expect from an IIM (oops!).

So now that we have gotten THAT out of the system, there are some pointers that I would like to give out to you for smooth sailing in the future.

Learn to play an instrument: Throughout your life, you will have the regret of not having learnt a musical instrument. Not having been blessed with a musical voice, or for that matter any musical telent whatsoever, you fill find it disconcerting that you cannot play a musical instrument to save your life. But, now you still have so much time at your hand. So you can do that!

Learn foreign language: You have always wanted to learn a foreign language. Be it French, Japanese, Chinese etc. take some time to learn one now that you are still in school. Will go a long way to help you out.

PS: Learn Japanese. Will help you watch Manga without the need of subtitles :D

Propose to that cute blonde girl: You see that cute blonde girl that you have been wanting to, but hesitating in, ask out. Yes, the one with curly pigtails. Don’t be hesitant and go ask her out. Because she too has been hesitating in asking you out! Not much of a CV point, you may say. But will help you much more than many other such points combined ;)

More than just studies: Later this year your maths teacher, Ms. Subramaniam, will insist that you do more than just studies. Your parents will also insist on getting you some exposure to swimming. Let them. The all just want to help you out! Go for some sports etc. play some basketball, Badminton etc. You know you like them. You will get to like them more.

Develop your talents: You have always known that you have a bit of a flair for drama. The stint with NSD this summer will just go to prove that you are right. Not to mention the gazillions of anecdotes of your relatives’ account of you saying “aap ko jaana hai toh meri laash ke upar se jao” (If you have to go, you would have to do so over my dead body!). So go ahead yaar and develop into something more.

Now that you have read the complexly worded sentences so far without developing a serious headache, this should also give you a hint of another latent talent you have and part of which you have realized for quite some time now; a voracious reading appetite (in addition to voracious appetite if I may add!.. so look out for that one). Anyhow, what I was referring to was what your English teachers often complained and will complain about is your exceedingly complicated writing style. That is your latent talent and you would do well to develop it.

Though, fun parts apart, some serious tips too!

Don't be afraid: Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. In retrospect, you'll always wish you had. You’ll always wish you had said no to someone when you should have.

Disappointments are a part of life: Sometimes people will disappoint you in your expectations. On other times, you may be a disappointment to others. While efforts may always be done to ensure that it is not so, but all said and done just accept that fact and move on.

 Enjoy life: I understand that you always feel the need to be in control of things around you. But don’t forget to relax and have fun once in a while.

Life is not fair: Life may be tough for a short while. But always remember that everything in the life is a phase. And like all phases, as good phases come and go, so do bad phases. Sometimes the things may be such that you might look for some exit strategies. But you know you're better than that. There would be times when you will look back on those incidents and laugh out loud.

Kid! See you around in another fourteen years.

Images courtesy: impactinit.assetsdelivery.com, qbtpl.net, just4lovers.files.wordpress.com, whitneymcd7.files.wordpress.com, adviceforyou.org.uk, polyvore.com, sportsandgammingfun.com, sanskritika.gecj.ac.in, gallery.photo.net, clintoncountygov.com, ldswhy.com