Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Finding Yourself

I am no profound thinker, but recently deep thoughts have been twisting the realms of my consciousness. They swirl, twine, connect and finally establish themselves with startling clarity. What makes a teenager tick? Career choices! The prospects are scary because I am fully aware that they’ll completely impact the rest of my life. It is an easier matter to be swayed by the torrents of advices, suggestions which flow perennially from all sides. Being a spirited person, I looked for answers from within myself, and not without careful exploration of what I really want to be.

Many a myopic eye see only two glimmering opportunities before them which makes it foolish to consider anything else---Engineering or Medicine. Only a few observe that in between them, there are a multitude of other careers which can be just as rewarding and fulfilling. There might even be careers which intigrate the two. They see it as a vital promise for the good life.
“Oh come now,” some say to me, “I know you can wriggle through electrical engineering.”
My problem is that I don;t want to wriggle through anything. I aspire to choose a subject in which I am strong, talented and skilled---something for which my aptitudes and interests converge. Something which awakens the passion in me. Many who forcibly take up engineering or medicine don’t have skills to really master it. Or else it is simply the pressure or the follow-the-herd instinct. I am unwilling to cheat myself by forcing myself to like something like electrical engineering, when I know it’s not my cup of tea, and whine the rest of my life. Medicine holds an interest too, but is a little demanding. True, true, I am aware of how much I am deviating from the conventional pattern---some say there is a lot I’ll miss. But there’ll be a lot I’ll gain too. It’s just a matter of finding yourself.

I’ve chosen to deal with the biological sciences. Be it anything from biotechnology, biochemistry, genomics or biosystematics, I’ll embrace it. You see, I’ve nurtured a dream to see me here, that it would be cruel to orphan it. In eighteen days, I am off to the United States to study in a community college my father has chosen and then transfer to a university. I still look within for everything that’s needed from me when a new phase of my life opens up. I’ll be a short wait before I find an answer. Many more thoughts provoke my mind, like mild fear but I wish to put them to rest and wait to see where the winds of change will take me…..It’ll be a new path to tread and also an uncommon one. It’ll be a discovery....

15 comments:

Praveen Krishnan said...

Fantastic!!! For your writing as well as for your career choice. I am so happy to know that you are following your heart rather than the herd :-) If I have to rewind my life by a few years, I would definitely change my line of work. Good to know that you will be taking up what you want!

Hearty congratulations and all the very best for a wonderful future ahead!!! BTW, where in US?

Lakshmi Bharadwaj said...

In Cupertino, California, close to Fremont where I lived before.

Indrani said...

Well chosen Lakshmi, better not follow the Pied Piper! It is the "Biological Sciences" for the next half century at least.

All the best to you! God Bless!

Capt. Anup Murthy said...

Lakshmi, I guess all kids in India have this dilemma, even from my time: Engineering or Medicine. I'd have flunk both because of my complete disinterest and honestly, lack of aptitude. I became what I wanted to do since childhood and I am glad you have chosen to do what you really like. I wish you all the best in your field, it is going to be the field of the future. Once in the US, don't forget to keep writing, keep bloggin, in you I can see an emerging author as well. Someday, we may have to buy books written by Lakshmi Bharadwaj! In the meantime, have loads of fun and study hard in your US school. Take care.

praneshachar said...

hardika shubhashayagalu clearly it shows u r different and hats off to your parents for encouraging there are very few parents today who will do this. they force their children to do what they want or what they missed but u r so lucky and I wish from the core of my heart all the best to you keep writing amidst your busy schedule in US I pray god to bless you with plenty and prosperity and achieve what you have planned all the best i don't have words to express my happiness about your decision and fully supported from your family it is simple marvelous lot of people should take clue from your decision I wish more and more people read it
pranesh

latha vidyaranya said...

best wishes to u! may your head n heart work together to achieve the best!

may godess saraswathi inspire your intellect always!

Lakshmi Bharadwaj said...

Mr. Praveen: Thanks a lot for the comment and also answering everything else I wrote to u abt.

Mrs. Indrani: Thank you , really, it means a lot!!

Captain: Thanks, but guess what? Alongside the lakshmi bharadwaj books shall definitely be "Around the world in 80 days--from the life of a pilot." and I bet it'll be a bestseller! :)

Thanks to Mr. Pranesh, a constant supporter of mine! Conveyed what u said to parents and they were delighted.

Thanks, latha mam, look forward to more posts from u. I read u often.

RAJI MUTHUKRISHNAN said...

Such mature views, Lakshmi. Let me wish you all the best in the course you have chosen, and the future.I hope you will keep blogging and putting down your new experiences for us to share. Good luck, and God Bless.

Narendra shenoy said...

My best wishes to you, Lakshmi. The US is much, much better than here for the flexibility and variety it offers in terms of careers. I am sure you will succeed in whichever field you choose. It is also easy to make a career out of writing which is a good option for you, given your excellent skills, but make that a side option, it's too unreliable as a bread winner.

Cupertino, and indeed the bay area, is a great place for Indians. You won't feel homesick.

And keep blogging!

Unknown said...

I came across this post only today. Though rather belated, let me wish you all the best.

Studies first of course. But when you can spare the time, do keep up the blog. You write so nicely; it is always a pleasure to read your posts.

God bless.

Maddy said...

well well..so you are here in US now! my second son has just decided on biochem himself, and is joining UCI this fall!!

congrats and keep writing. I thought you had stopped writing, glad to see that you are continuing...

Lakshmi Bharadwaj said...

Maddy: Really? I vaguely remember hearing Genomics, am I right? Oh, what is UCI---University of California? Which place? I'm planning on transferring to an UC myself after 2 years.

Maddy said...

University of california - Irvine -it is in orange county

Unknown said...

Well, to begin with, I just bumped into your blog. But, your writing has managed to make my stay a pleasure. There is a entertaining flair and interesting freshness to your writing. Keep it up for that.

As far as the career choices are concerned, every concerned student goes through his or her dilemma. Many people would like to stick with what the popular demand, and some would really like to give it a thought and narrow it down to their strengths and weaknesses. I see that you are intelligently thinking over your choices and I am sure that this will take you well in life. But you know what, sometimes when I left things to destiny, to chart my course, it did manage to make sense a lot. I also wrote a post about the choices I had made, some choices were I had to make, and eventually the finally picture. The post name is "Connecting the dots".

My best wishes to you, hope you have everything you aspire to.

God Bless.

Unknown said...

Well, to begin with, I just bumped into your blog. But, your writing has managed to make my stay a pleasure. There is a entertaining flair and interesting freshness to your writing. Keep it up for that.

As far as the career choices are concerned, every concerned student goes through his or her dilemma. Many people would like to stick with what the popular demand, and some would really like to give it a thought and narrow it down to their strengths and weaknesses. I see that you are intelligently thinking over your choices and I am sure that this will take you well in life. But you know what, sometimes when I left things to destiny, to chart my course, it did manage to make sense a lot. I also wrote a post about the choices I had made, some choices were I had to make, and eventually the finally picture. The post name is "Connecting the dots".

My best wishes to you, hope you have everything you aspire to.

God Bless.