What I Would Change If I Could Relive My School Days?
This question literally brought tears to my eyes! Those sweet-and-sour olden days!
When I was in my prime, my parents were younger, and my mom was still alive.
I don’t quite know what to say, but as I turn back the pages of my life’s history to the time when I was in Class 10, I realise that if I were given a chance to go back to my early years, I would ask God for just one thing: to keep my mom alive.
I have missed her terribly since she passed away in 2017. I have no complaints and no regrets. My mom was the best.
When I Completed My Class 10
If I remember correctly, I completed my Class 10 or matriculation examination, as it was known in those days, around 15–20 years ago. I never attended a convent school, and that feeling of having missed out on a particular kind of school experience has always stayed with me. I wanted to be among the best, and I often wondered what it would have been like to experience school from nursery or even Class 1.
For many children, going to school, making friends, participating in activities, and moving from one class to the next are ordinary parts of growing up. For me, these experiences were not always guaranteed. Looking back, I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like if circumstances had allowed me to experience those years differently.
What Did I Miss in My School Days?
Instead, I joined school at around 10 years of age, directly in Class 4. I then progressed through Classes 5, 7, 8, and eventually Class 10.
Yes, my school life was almost like a game of Snakes and Ladders. Whenever I managed to complete one year of schooling, I would sometimes miss the next. You might wonder why that happened. The reason was simple: a lack of financial support.
When financial resources are limited, education can become less about choosing what you want and more about making the best of what is available to you. My educational journey was far from straightforward. Although I cannot change those circumstances now, they remind me that every educational journey is different, and not everyone gets to follow the conventional route.
My educational journey was full of hardships, but I eventually completed my Class 10 examination with distinction. I may also be among the relatively few students in India who studied under multiple educational boards (CBSE, ICSE, state boards, and NIOS) before completing their Class 10 examination through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
NIOS offers an alternative route to schooling, and I chose the subjects I felt most comfortable with at that time. My subjects included English, Hindi, Economics, Social Science, Mathematics, and Business Studies.
I Did Not Choose Science in Class 10
I have no hesitation in admitting that I loved Physics and Biology. Chemistry, however, was a different story! I was scared of it. Chemical formulae, balancing equations, and memorising chemical reactions often seemed overwhelming to me.
Looking back, leaving Science out of my Class 10 subject choices might seem like a hasty decision. However, I believe my career journey has worked out reasonably well. I eventually transitioned into content writing as a full-time career, giving me the flexibility to work from different cities and, at times, embrace the lifestyle of a digital nomad.
One of the things I appreciate most about my career in content writing is its versatility. I get to explore different industries, learn about unfamiliar subjects, and turn complex information into content that readers can understand.
The opportunity to keep learning while earning a living has made content writing a meaningful career choice for me.
My educational journey was not conventional, but it did not prevent me from finding my way into a profession that suits my interests and circumstances. Today, I see my career not as the result of one perfect decision made in school, but as the outcome of a series of choices, experiences, and opportunities.
So, did I make the right decision by not choosing Science? Honestly, I am not entirely sure. Perhaps I could have explored a different path had I made a different choice.
Looking Back: A Deeper Reflection
In hindsight, I sometimes wonder whether my fear of Chemistry influenced my decision more than it should have. I enjoyed Physics and Biology, so perhaps I could have explored ways to manage the subject I found difficult instead of ruling out Science altogether in class 10.
At the same time, it would be unfair to judge my younger self entirely by what I understand today. However, all I can say to youngsters today is this: Do not let one difficult subject alone determine your entire career direction. Understand your interests, explore the opportunities available to you, and seek guidance before making a decision that could influence your future options.”
My decision to pursue Commerce in Classes 11 and 12 also worked out well. It gave me an additional career option in accountancy, which I could fall back on if my writing career did not take off. Having an alternative career option gave me a degree of reassurance.
Content writing was the career I eventually pursued, but I did not want my future to depend entirely on one possibility. My Commerce background gave me another direction to consider, and that mattered because I understood how uncertain career decisions could be.
In Conclusion
Today, when I look back, I realise I missed out on parts of a typical school experience, faced financial difficulties, and had to make educational choices based on my circumstances. Yet, I managed to complete my schooling with distinction and eventually build a successful career for myself.
If I could change one thing about my past, it would not be my choice of subjects or even my career. It would be to have my mom by my side forever.
As for my career, I am happy with how far I have come. Perhaps I could have taken a different route, but I have learned to appreciate the path I chose.
Life may not always give us the choices we want, but we can still make something meaningful out of the choices we have.
(Atish Home Chowdhury)
