by Srishti Sinha, BMS’24

Influx of first years reminded me of the time when I started college. Eyes full of optimism, enthusiastic about the journey ahead, loving each moment of college until you realize, (spoiler alert!) college life is not what it looks like in the movies. What they say about CBS having corporate-ish culture compared to other DU colleges is not far from the truth. 

Being one of the top undergraduate B-schools in Asia, the environment in CBS is competitive. You will find your classmates building up their resume right from the get go, their schedules packed with internships, fellowships, and case competitions. Now, do not get me wrong. It is pretty beneficial for your character growth and prepares you for real life but, at the same time, just squeeze in a few dates for just… hanging out. We all deserve a college life. Let me give you an insight into my first year and how I embarked on a journey of making a college life out of a corporate life.

I remember it being the event season, everyone deep neck in work, while I steal away some time for myself to attend a nearby poetry slam.

From roaming the streets of Daryaganj, looking for bookstores to get books at cheap prices, to finding my way to the Oxford Bookstore in Connaught Place. Going all the way to Prasant Vihar just to redeem an offer on waffle. Traveling in the metro just for the fun of it. Majnu ka Tila for its Asian cuisine. Bangla Sahib visit for the sake of wearing ethnic. Running off to Japanese Park with friends to catch a fresh breath, and release anxiety. And on the way back, having dosa and vada from the roadside stall. Staying in and binge watching Gilmore Girls in the comfort of my warm bed while I order in. 

I have made tons of memories – good and bad. After every bad day, my roommate’s “onion maggi bana doon?” always cheers me up. Movie nights, late night conversations, hugging your friends while they cry, after dinner walks in hostels. Who said you need big things to be happy? Ranting to your society members about corporate life while everyone sympathizes. Making tons and tons of mistakes, getting over a heartbreak, having crushes, losing friends, gaining new ones. From being an overachiever in school to almost passing microeconomics.

I have indeed done it all.

One year has passed, and it seems like kuch kiya hi nahi. But when I look closely, I feel great to have made efforts in creating a college life out of it and you can too.. Again, college life is not what it looks like in the movies. No unpaid Bollywood script writer is going to write your college life but you. Make it count.