A Morning I’ll Never Forget
It was the morning of June 27, 2025 — a date that will always stay with me.
I woke up to a message notification on my phone. Half asleep, I opened it and froze.
My first stipend had been credited.
For a moment, everything went still. The noise around me faded, the world blurred, and I could feel only one thing — quiet pride. It wasn’t just about money. It was about proof. Proof that the long days, late nights, and endless self-doubt had meant something.
That single moment made me rewind through every step of the journey — from a nervous beginner to a student who had finally started seeing her efforts take shape.
The Beginning — Stepping Into the Unknown
It all began when I joined PICT. Everything felt new: the campus, the people, even the language. I was a quiet girl trying to make sense of this new world, often feeling lost but determined to find my place.
Slowly, things began to fall into rhythm.
From confusion came clarity, and that clarity turned into results. I scored a perfect 10 in my first semester — and again in the second.
People often asked, “Why work so hard? A 9-pointer is enough.”
But I always wondered, “Why stop when I can see how far I can go?”
That question — that curiosity — became the compass for my journey.
The Commute of Dreams — Sixteen Kilometers and a Million Thoughts
Every day, I traveled sixteen kilometers to college and sixteen back. I walked a kilometer from the bus stop to campus. What could have been a tiring routine became something much deeper.
Those long rides became my reflection time.
I revised viva questions, finished assignments, and often daydreamed about where I wanted to be.
Somewhere between the noise of the road and the hum of the bus, I found silence — the kind that lets you think.
That’s when I began asking myself:
What do I want? What’s holding me back? Can I become better?
The Learning Curve — From Knowing Nothing to Building Something
Second year arrived like a storm. Suddenly, there was so much to learn: C++, Java, OOPs, DSA — even Marathi.
I wasn’t the best in my group, but I was always consistent. I showed up every day with one goal — to be a little better than yesterday.
Of course, it wasn’t easy. There were nights when I felt like I knew nothing. Times when I questioned everything — my skills, my confidence, my pace.
But each breakdown became a turning point.
I realized that growth isn’t linear — it’s built from every failure you rise from.
Whenever I fell behind, I reminded myself:
If you’re falling today, maybe you’re building tomorrow.
Grades, Grit, and Growth
That semester ended with a 9.73 GPA — a dip from my perfect 10s.
It hurt, but it also pushed me harder. I promised myself I’d bounce back.
In the next term, I focused deeply on DBMS. I stopped copy-pasting from ChatGPT or lecture notes and started experimenting — trying to truly understand how things worked.
I wanted to learn, not just submit.
The Teachers Who Lit the Way
No journey is complete without mentors.
I was fortunate to have teachers who were more than instructors — they were guides.
Some stayed late after class to explain a concept again. Some encouraged me when I doubted myself. And some simply said, “You can do this” — words that meant more than they probably realized.
They didn’t just teach me subjects. They taught me confidence.
To every teacher who believed in me before I believed in myself — thank you.
The Unexpected Knock — Hello, Siemens
In February, Siemens announced openings.
I didn’t expect much. There were students around me who seemed more prepared, more confident.
Still, I applied. And to my surprise, my resume got shortlisted.
Maybe all those quiet efforts were finally adding up.
I performed well in my in-sem exams, scoring 135/150. I gave everything I had in practicals and the end-sem.
Then came the online assessment. I gave it with a calm mind — and that’s when the real surprise came.
“Interview tomorrow at 10 AM.”
My heart was racing, but my mind was ready.
The Interview — A Test of More Than Just Knowledge
When I joined the call, I reminded myself of something from my school days — how I had once frozen on stage during a speech competition and how, years later, I had won the extempore contest in class 12.
That growth gave me courage.
The interview covered everything — aptitude, puzzles, DSA, OOP, DBMS, and projects. To my surprise, I handled the puzzle questions quite well.
The second round was Techno-HR — a fast-paced mix of personal and technical questions. They asked about my family, college choices, coaching, and mindset.
It ended earlier than expected, and I wasn’t sure what that meant.
But I knew I had given it my all — with honesty and calm confidence.
The Result — When Effort Becomes Reality
A few days later, I got the message.
I had been selected.
My first industry offer. My first stipend. My first taste of turning effort into something tangible.
It was one of those moments that make all the silent hard work worth it.
The Tribe — My Family, Friends, and Supporters
Behind that success was a village of support.
My friends who stayed up with me before exams.
My dad, who listened patiently when I talked about projects he didn’t fully understand.
My brother, who made sure I didn’t skip meals.
And my mom — who literally fed me while I worked late into the night.
This wasn’t just my win. It was ours.
Just the Beginning
27th June 2025 — the date my first stipend came in — marked more than a milestone.
It reminded me that every effort counts. Every small step, every failure, every doubt you overcome — they all lead somewhere.
The journey has just begun. And I’m ready for what’s next.
If you’re a student who feels lost or unsure right now, remember this:
Consistency, self-belief, supportive mentors, and a spark of madness can take you further than you imagine.
This is only the beginning.
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