I always felt like I was trying to catch up and was not living by my own terms.
Fleeting and waiting for none, Time has a habit of enforcing a routine to sleepwalk and merely go through the motions. If a victim falls prey to Time, there begins to exist a need to “catch up” on every step of the way. The victim may feel like progress is being made, but lives truly by someone else’s rules. Time demands control. Time devours. However, if tamed, Time can provide immaculate strength to its wielder.
The Orientation week at The Symbiosis Centre of Media & Communication seemed nothing short of a dream. Watching advertisements and short films made by older students welled me up with pride though this was a family I was yet to become a part of. It was evident that this journey would not be easy. The first semester was a sneak peak into this idea, and how much work and dedication was required to make true progress.
The beauty of a building is mere substance; the construction of its foundation is what truly stands to the testament of time. Symbiosis stands firm on its cornerstone, one that is vital for society to function, which is discipline. Everything happens on time here, from classes to deadlines. The earlier half of the semester was a whirlwind, and I, personally, felt overwhelmed with the amount of work coupled with the scarcity of time. I felt rushed to college, rushed to submit an assignment, rushed to stop and breathe. I always felt like I was trying to catch up and was not living by my own terms. Not guiding my learning outside the classroom to a direction that I deemed fit. Just when I felt this feeling overtake my senses, was the time we had our first Open House with the Director, Professor Anupam Siddhartha. We covered myriad topics, out of which one was “time management”, a topic I had thought about but never really dwelled upon. We discussed how we had to prioritize where we invest ourselves and to what extent. These ideas seemed very normal superficially but I felt a need to ponder upon these ideas to a greater extent post the session.
I found myself pouring over and discovering new time management systems, through authors such as Cal Newport, Malcolm Gladwell and Thomas Frank, who spoke of time in such lucidity, whilst I was tackling the pressure of deadlines and the insatiable hunger to submit quality work. I started viewing time objectively, as a perspective to look through rather than an enemy to battle. As my research progressed, I discovered alternate time management systems such as the Pomodoro Technique, Momentum, and how to successfully use Google Calendar. As I pondered upon this idea further and spoke to Professors and seniors, I realized how careless I had been with my time, and how much I could have achieved if I had truly made an attempt to conquer it. As the semester progressed, so did the workload, but I felt myself spending less time at a task and yet being able to produce results that I was happy with. Towards its conclusion, I poured over information for hours at length, and found myself being burnt out much slower than I would have in the past. The study tour to Panchgani was a time that cemented these beliefs and made me discover what my true aims were, and what I needed to prioritize to achieve them.
I believe that Time is precious, and if treated with respect, can be really rewarding. The first semester was a time where I was broken down and built again, just to understand this idea better. I haven’t mastered this idea completely, but this semester was a step in the right direction to receive my most prized possession of learning. It is one that aids every other facet of my life and has opened me up to an entirely new world of possibilities.
Article by: Armaan Dua (Batch 2019)
Photo Concept by Vijay Shelar (Faculty)
