Perks of being an Engineer :D

As someone who has spent the last 4 years of the beginning of my adult life learning to become an engineer, I guess it’s time I shared the quirky ,well known and funny perks of being one .

Before I vent out my opinions ,let me remind my dear readers that I respect and in fact love the marvels and technological innovations engineers can bring about and I am proud to be an engineer *yeah I am one :D atlast! * and I myself have smart focused engineer buddies who will sure create wonders( in short this just for fun) .

Perk 1: Your career isn’t restricted; you needn’t become an engineer after all! Haven’t we seen enough and more engineers venture out into so many different arenas like Arvind Kejriwal into politics, Chetan Bhagat into writing , Alfred Hitchcock into direction and production, Scott Adams into creating the cartoon Dilbert .So all my engineer friends out there who had so many more different wishes and ambitions I guess engineering is like the inflatable swim ring which is there to keep us buoyant in case we don’t do so well in our other aspirations. Long live the versatility Engineering offers us ;)

Perk 2 : 4 years for introspection : Trust me this is linked to the previous one ,but c’mon you have chosen engineering for reasons only we know (I still wonder what is that powerful force which made the Indian society get obsessed with Engineers or Doctors and force their kids to become one!!)  This gives you 4 long years to either develop interest in actual engineering or delve into various other passions like photography, entrepreneurship, event planning and so on. The best part is by the end of 4 years you will be a graduate and most probably have a clear outlook what you want in life and what you don’t want! Thank you engineering for the clarity you give us!

*Perk 3: Your temperament will be raised by the time you graduate(True story :D) .Yeah whether its surviving on bad food constantly( Best training ground –Hostel mess) , preparing for exams in 1 night (You would still ace with such preparation ),writing the most nonsensical gibberish and still scoring well (My Professional ethics paper was one such piece, it has the most hypothetical heartwarming ethical stories as examples), surviving the most enlightening lectures :P ,*sarcasm oozing out* you would have had  professors who are awesome as well as the not so good ones (I am being way too kind by not using other adjectives :P),filling up your answer sheets with your  well  perfected  art of creative story writing ( At least one answer in my paper would be  my  self professed technological creation, I pity my staff really! ).I am not quite sure how all of this will help you but I am sure it will (optimism another gem you inculcate ;) ). Engineering is after all a skill acquisition platform.

Perk 4: You will be left without choice, but to learn to live economically :D ! This was my basic way of surviving for a month :

Day 1- 10 : Yaaay! Dad’s credited money! Eat out, hang out, plan trips for the next month, and many other plans. (Oops I forgot , make the never enduring resolution to plan and spend :P)

Day 11- 20 : Alert! You don’t have much of your pocket money left! Hardly Rs 250 left from the 1000.You start cutting down. Try liking the mess food *sigh*, public buses and what not!

Day 20-30 : Trips planned during the first days are postponed due to insufficient funds, Search all my jean pockets for some long forgotten money, *sharing is caring* and making friends treat you :P   and in short even the dhaba walla gives you a pathetic look when he sees you counting all the possible change you collected from the gang of friends you went to eat with to pay the bill!:P

So this does teach you a lot and you learn to live more frugally :D.

Perk 5:This ones for students who are pursuing MBA after your engineering. We all know that an almost instant bond is formed with your new friends who are engineers, it’s basically because all of us understand concepts the same way and get confused for the same subjects: D !That’s when Commerce students rescue us J*our very own saviors’ ;) *

*P.S – My dear undergrad College authorities do not take any of this seriously: D, my graduation isn’t over yet so I guess you understand! *sheepish smile*

Now these are few of my observations and experiences from my engineering years J I am sure my engineering readers will have even more valuable ones, do share them and those who are  not engineers read and have a good laugh ;) and those who are laugh and relive those memories :D.

So Happy New Year folksJ Havee an awesome 2014 and I will continue writing do read and enjoy them!
As  always Stay Happy and Keep that Smile on J

The Broom Revolution

It’s been quite some time since my last post and I guess it’s time I rebound like how Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has created a surge in Indian politics (incomparable, I get it :P).Now as someone who has followed politics initially without choice ( How can I not know politics when I listen to news involuntarily in 3 different languages and 2 mediums (TV and Radio) throughout the day *thanks to my mom J * ?!) then I started to like following politics ( my mom will be proud :D)  and forming opinions about the way we are governed, policies ,manifestos, corruption and so on. I was quite happy when the Jan Lokpal Bill movement which questioned corruption came into being and the Right to Information Act put to place as these were initiatives which empowered the common man, the people ,the Indian who bears the brunt of a good or bad government. I agree it might be too early to judge how AAP will govern or if they will they live up to their words but this is a new beginning for India. Most people expected AAP to lose out or barely scrape off few constituencies but the rude awakening was when it not only uprooted Congress from Delhi where it had stood firm for 15 years , it also left BJP shaken after all  AAP had a close sweep with the BJP( Wonder how long the “Namo” campaign will keep the Lotus from withering!). 

People from every strata are supporting and could feel a connection with the AAP, it is basically because the party and its leaders are common people who are just like any one of us( No big political legacy or Hindutva agenda). Then after the years of moral depravity in Indian politics when AAP showed that clean politics is possible and validated it with proof of the sources of their funds which in all these 66 years of Independence no party has even made an attempt to do(These parties still had the audacity to ask for the sources of AAP when it was clearly posted in their website, I guess that’s the way politics works- “Hey AAP I know your funds are declared publicly still I will bully you over it ! And don’t you dare question mine!”) . AAP also steered clear of caste and religion based politics and never banked on these issues rather voiced out the common problems like rising prices, women security and corruption were on focus. There was a ring of sincerity in their pitch unlike the false veil of concern that’s exhibited only when elections are round the corner.

And a factor which I quite liked in them was the contestants AAP had, all of them were educated ( I agree we have had few brilliant not so well educated politicians but education is critical )  and they also had separate manifestos for every constituency. This is quite refreshing after having seen constant statistics of uneducated politicians and people with tainted pasts being elected to important positions, the stand out point was when there was an accusation at one of the contestants he was removed the accused one ,instilling more confidence in the party. And another touchdown point was that even when Anna Hazare tore apart AAP, Mr.Kejriwal stood cool and reflected with respect to his mentor and saved us from the usual political drama .I may sound biased but I guess this is what lot many people feel ,we need a change and usually history has shown us that a quick surge in politics is like a fire cracker the energy and beautiful firework doesn’t last long but I have a good feeling about AAP (*fingers crossed*) .

Finally from the usual grunts of “you can’t do anything to stop corruption” ,”our country will never change”,” politics is the main reason for the nation’s state”, this rookie party has made us realize that each one of us can be the change we want in our country. If a party which is just 1 year old can strike a chord in the hearts and minds of the common man and resonate the change we wanted , I am sure it’s a new beginning and we are yet to see AAP in actual action. Lets hope that the jhadu (broom) cleans our nation and brings about a new era where you and me will not be tried to influence by manifesto's promising freebies but quality promises which will empower our nation . Jai Hind.

Now that was a serious post after my previous light hearted ones ,so do let me know your views on this post! Till then Keep that smile on your face and keep spreading the positive aura  J !