By Nikhil Sinha,
2nd year (3rd Sem), EEE, 2007023

The term “fresher” usually refers to, in most cases, a person joining an institution that they were previously not a part of. In the case of college students, it refers to the first-year students who have just completed high school. These students in the Indian scenario have just finished the arduous 11th and 12th grades, where most of them had rigorous coaching classes. After a short moment to collect their breath, these bright-eyed students join institutions to achieve their bachelor's degrees – they enter the real world. Having become an adult (at least legally), they get a taste of the world they are about to survive and thrive in. These freshers encounter an increased academic load, responsibilities of adulthood, newfound independence, all the while leaving the comfort of home. Juggling between studies and responsibilities, they also have to find time to enjoy their college life.

The expectations of their college life are usually based on pop culture examples, filled with movies and songs of road trips with friends, but many forget to add the reality of adulthood duties, budget constraints, and academic pressure. They also have to think about joining college societies and following their passion and so much more. However, the case of students who finished their schooling in 2020 was a peculiar one. Individuals who barely dodged the pandemic ruining their final exams, laboriously writing their entrance exams amidst the pandemic, have reached their second year. I have come this far without even seeing the campus, and I am sure it is the reality of several other college batchmates.

We have reached this far without experiencing the feeling of being in college. I am grateful to all my professors and seniors who have managed to do a phenomenal job to make sure the online classes and college societies of KIIT were functioning perfectly. Even though replicating in-person college experience is impossible, they still have managed to ensure we got the best possible feeling of university life online. I also have been lucky enough to find some genuinely marvellous friends who have stayed connected; though the distances between our places of residence are over a thousand kilometres, they played a huge role in creating a sense of belonging. But when we finally enter the university, I will be awe-struck, at least in my case, and amazed at the massive size of the campus. I would feel a sense of relief and one of getting a new home as I enter my hostel room. Embodying the fascination of a fresher, I will most definitely be overwhelmed irrespective of the number of photos one sees online; the sense of being in a place in the flesh holds a distinct charm that gives you butterflies.

The online experience has given me more time to learn how to handle the pressure of adulthood and “college life” all in the comfort of my home. Some things in life teach a powerful lesson, and this phase of my life has taught me the essence of college life, and I, as a fresher of 2nd year, will certainly make the best of my time at KIIT.