ST MARY’S COLLEGE! It is not just a college but something way beyond that. Hundreds of new students join St. Mary’s every year with a lot of expectations, excitement, enthusiasm, and, yes, some with fear and anxiety! I was one such person who was really scared on the first day of college! It was scary for me, especially because even in my deepest dreams, I had not visualized my doing a regular undergraduate course, for I always wanted to be a doctor. Yet, when I turn back and look, I can clearly see that there is some magic here, which moulds and transforms everyone, including the ones who were unsure when they joined.
Any student who comes into the campus in the first year is like a lump of clay, but trust me, the time spent on campus, the education received, and the experience gained, all shape the student to come out as a beautiful person. In my opinion, the main factor behind this is the support from the faculty members. They are always behind the students motivating and inspiring them in ways which help the students achieve their goals. I can vouch for this as I have personally experienced this during my two years here.
When I joined St. Mary’s, I was a completely different person, an introvert who lacked confidence and had poor social skills. I was often scared of new situations, and most importantly, would avoid socializing as much as possible. Two years have gone by and I have transformed completely. I actually find myself a brand new me! There are many factors – friendly faculty members, a campus environment where fear is not there, really cool friends from such diverse backgrounds – that make any student feel comfortable and make it feel more like a family than a college. That’s almost a dream come true for any aspiring student! Besides academics, the immense encouragement to students in their extracurricular activities is a big plus! It is the vibrant campus activities that bring out our hidden talents. I actually didn’t know that I can write until I started writing articles which, in my case, was one of the hidden talents I discovered at Mary’s. I would compare our college life with a treasure hunt where we search for clues to find the treasure. Here, the treasures that we discover are within us, our hidden talents which help us reach our goals!
From my personal experience, I would also say that internships play a key role in a student’s life. In fact, I would wholeheartedly recommend to all fellow students that they should do some internship or the other, as it enhances all kinds of skills and provides exposure unlike anything else. The main things I learned from my internships include time-management, money-management, social skills, and the importance of focused effort for any task.
I have a year more to complete my degree, but life at Mary’s has already brought positive changes in my life, changes I yearned for. I am Anjali Reddy and I’m a proud St Marian! I am Made in Mary’s, made for the world!