Reality 'n' Life: 5 Down

5 years is not a short time.

Half a decade!!

If I go back in time by that amount of time, I would find myself sitting at an office desk, just like I’m doing now. Only difference would be that it was a working day.

If I go back half a decade more, I would find myself probably trying to figure out what’s my next class. That was another life, filled with books and cycles [the biochemistry types] and chemistry and hostel life. Let’s leave it there and come forward by 5 years.

I had finished my internship, 6 months spent learning office etiquette, SAS programming, document review and formal communication, all the while also realizing that it’s not as difficult as I imagined it to be. I was absolutely scared about this internship before I started. How would I cope in a place that required you to do things on time, in the right way and all this while maintaining a formal dress-code? I had conveniently ignored the fact that I had formals in college, that IBAB taught us to meet deadlines and pull all-nighters, and most of all, 16 years of education in our education system had taught me how to conform. So, unexpectedly for me, it turned out well. And in turn, they offered me a job.

And it has been 5 years since the day I signed on the dotted lines and took up a job as a Statistical Analyst at Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. at Hyderabad.

What did I manage in these 157,766,400 seconds?

Well, many of these 1,826 days were spent lazing around at home, sleeping, eating and just being lazy. But of course, there were days which were more productive.

Workwise, I managed to stay ahead in the rat race for most of these 43,824 hours. Lately, I have been falling a bit behind, but I guess that’s just the Normal distribution catching up with my life. I saw my department change names, 7 times. Then I decided to change department. 7 is a good number, you see. I managed to work with people based out of 6 countries, and more than a dozen nationalities and ethnicities. I learnt how some stereotypes are true, and some are just made up. I managed to leave the office as early as 2PM, and also as early as 3AM. At one point, I even got accustomed to people randomly walking up to me and asking me how to solve this issue and that. Never thought that day would come. Over 60 months, I realised I was a decent speaker, and also grew a penchant for teaching and training.

Personally, I managed to get through 2 relationships. Fell in love a considerable number of times, though it was mostly one-way traffic. I gained at least 10-15 kilos, lost a few strands of hair, a few feet of vision, and managed to outgrow all my old clothes. I Learnt that I could travel, and that I loved watching performing arts in any form whatsoever. For a few months, dramas held my imagination like nothing else ever had. And then for a few more, I was engulfed in photography, learning its various nuances. I also understood that I can write half-decently, but don’t have a good vocabulary or understand anything about web traffic. I have learnt how to follow recipes and how to appreciate a good drink. I have also learnt that sometimes you can let your hair down, and get on the dance floor. But what the hell! Travel, photograph, enjoy a little drama or dance here or there. And I have managed to make and hold on to a decent number of people who call me their friend, and a few who wish me well. What more can you ask from life.

Well, you do! You want more money, a nice car, a great bike. You want a fine home. And most of all, you want a companion to share this all with. But I think the once that for me precedes all this is the thirst to see the world. Luckily, I did manage to get a taste of this for 14 days in Switzerland. And as is true with all appetizers, I’m dying for more.

In true corporate style, I should now lay down a roadmap, for the next 5 years. And this will coincide with Modi’s grand vision for India. Hope we both manage to pull off a few unexpected rabbits out of our hats, and go well beyond all expectations. Here’s to the next 5.

To look back at the last 5, here are some pictures from the last half-decade of my career.
[advance apologies to everyone featured in the pictures below. if you want me take down any of these images, let me know]