I was a Mechanical Engineer with 7 years of work experience in I.T. With a desire to make a career in Media and Communication, I enrolled myself into the M.A. (Communication) course in HCU in 2010.
But, honestly, when I joined here, I did not have great expectations from this place. To me, it was a place where I would acquire my higher degree in my field of choice. And may be, find a well-paying job.
But, with each day passing by, every element of this campus taught me something. If the security guard’s broad smile taught me about patience, the canteen uncle’s warmth taught me about good customer service. If my teachers’ dedication taught me about loving one’s job, my lab staff taught me about commitment.
The active discussions that I used to have with the faculty and my fellow students from various departments have not just broadened my academic horizons but have also changed my perspectives on many things in life. Also, all these made me realize that learning is not only about acquiring new knowledge, but it is also about ‘unlearning’ several dogmas that I was exposed to in the past.
The films screenings, the campus election debates, the night canteen chai discussions, the list can go endless. Indeed, the idea for our start up Wings and Oars Media Comm was an outcome of one such night canteen chai discussions.
Today, as an alumnus, each time when I go back to campus for some work, I am greeted with the same warmth and affection that I had received on the day of my admission.
And, I can vouch for the fact that my life has changed forever after my name got tagged with a brand called ‘HCU alumnus’.
By Gautami C, 2010-12 batch of MA – Communication at UoH