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What They Said...

Life can feel very restrictive to a kid. You face a constant barrage of  "can't, don't, shouldn't" that feels like it would never end. The world is a pretty small place, if the farthest you can go is limited to how far your feet can carry you. When what you can (almost nothing) and cannot do (practically everything) is dictated by parents and teachers. And you tell yourself  "I will do whatever I want when I grow up."

The adults around me promised that it would happen too. Whenever I wanted to do something fun or learn something new, it was always 'You can do that when you grow up' and 'You'll understand when you grow up'. Well here I am, all grown up and somehow the world seemed to have changed in between. What I imagined adulthood to be like and what it actually is, appear to be worlds apart. Let's take an inventory shall we?

They said that all I have to do is study well in school and get into a good college. College is a time of fun and discovery, growing up and finding your place in the world. A world with no uniforms, attendance register and parents looming over you to do homework! Everyone I talked to said that college was the best time of their lives.

What actually happened was that I got into a good college but none of the other stuff happened. I had to follow a dress code, keep my attendance above 70% (boys got away with proxies) and curfew was 6:30 pm even though college only ends at 5!

Note: I did leave that college after a year but colleges in India seem to have mastered the art of time travel. They are actually going backwards every year. Thankfully, there are still some bastions of freedom left (I went to one of them)...though I don't know for how long!

They said if you get good grades in college, you'll find a well paying job. You'll get promoted and retire eventually with substantial savings, without a care in the world.

What actually happened was the recession. I graduated without a job, landed one later with a company I loathe. Apparently some organizations still operate on the 'incompetence rules' principle. So I quit. Still trying to figure out what to do...

They said the world is a wonderful place, full of beautiful things and incredible people just waiting to be discovered. Who knows what science will come up with tomorrow?

What actually happened is that humans are growing like a cancer on the planet. Much of the ecology is already destroyed and it looks like we won't stop anytime soon. Scientific and rational thought seems to be waging a losing battle against superstition and religion. I'm normally optimistic about most things, but I'm also a misanthrope.

They said I would meet someone and know that he was the One. I would fall in love and live happily ever after.

What actually happened was that I met +Abhilash Bingi and knew that he was the one. I fell in love and lived happily ever after.

1 out of 4 ain't bad huh? I'm not actually complaining. When the most important thing works out, nothing else matters as much!
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