A Dreamer's Defiance : Vanshika Verma
Coming from a family whose folks have secured a job position in the STEM world can give one a lot of pressure. I was in this category of a family where all of my uncles and aunts were mostly Doctors, Lawyers, and Engineers. Given how everyone had a planned path to follow, my path, too, was paved for me.
I remember when I was in the 7th standard, I told my parents that I wished to take up English in the future. The look of bitterness and disappointment fell over my parents, for they had already planned my career step by step.
However, school friends and my teachers supported what I had to say, and it was their words that made my desire stronger to pursue English. If it was not for my teacher Renu Arora, I would be able to rewire my parent’s minds. She was keen to meet my parents and have a conversation regarding me and my decisions. She somehow was able to convince my parents and showed them the bright side of taking Humanities. But there still lingered this eeriness between my parents and me.
I had my eyes set on Christ University. It was at that place where I wanted to pursue my degree in Humanities. I managed to qualify for the first round with breeze and was waiting for the later results. I was jittery, and the thought of not getting it made me even more anxious.
When the results came out, and I saw my name on them, I was in a euphoric state. I was so glad to get into the place where I wanted to be. I made a friend in the institution, and we had a great time writing young adult fiction. These writings solidified my decision, and I have never looked back again.
Humanities are often misconstrued as an enigma to our society. People do not have an idea of what it can be later on. What people don’t understand, they hate, so, sadly, that’s the reality for students who take up humanities or some unorthodox goals. The best thing to do if you are in a similar nutshell is to reach a mutual understanding with your parents and have them understood by a person who can level up to them. Do not give up on the idea of doing something just because others haven’t done it.