LESSON OF LIFE

✍ RASOOL FATIMA

It is rightly said that life is full of lessons and each crisis you survive whether big or small, becomes a milestone which change your life for better. My life too had these turning points. I had my first major experience in standard 8^th. I was part of close knit group of four girls. We all were really close and used to have the best times together. But then puberty struck and all of them turned into hormonal teenager prone making stupid decisions. Somehow, I seemed to have escaped the malady and that made me an outcast. The distance between us seems to grow with each passing day. I tried to cling to that friendship but the silly acts they put up; the emotional blackmail plans they hatched in order to attract the attention of boys, I couldn’t justify and refrain from participating while trying to make them understand. They only turned against me but I kept holding on to this toxic friendship. I entered mild depression, my grades dropped and I took my frustration on my family. It went on for year when one fine day, I decided this can’t go on. I told my parents about everything and they listened, supported me through the process where I distanced myself from these ‘toxic people’. Being out of that group allowed me to meet new people and make some lifelong friends. I was afraid to be alone but it is better to be alone than in a bad company. And also, parents are your greatest support system. Communicate with them.

The second major life changing experience was when I got admitted to an elite college. I am by nature an introvert. And I have lived my whole life in a quiet small town. Moving to a metro city that to an elite college full of rich kids drunk on latest trends, it was a shock to my system. Life seems to rush in the big city. Being out of comfort of home from the first time, I had a real difficult time to adjust. The environment in the college only made more difficult. In elite college, especially if you are a girl, there are high levels of standards you have to maintain and certain ways you have to act. And I refused to follow the norm and thus I had no friend to turn to. I was going through the days being numb to all the noise around me. After a month of staying as paying guest, I got the college hostel. At first it was awkward, sharing room with strangers. But slowly, we started talking and I found they are experiencing the same thing as me. And on this shared ground, I build new friendship and now after almost two years, I can safely say, I found a second family. I never thought I could find such amazing, kind and loving people but despite little conflict here and there, I am blessed to be part of my hostel family. It is important to be true to yourself. It is only then you find people who truly accept you with all your harsh edges.