What Youngsters In India Should Do

I was traveling in bus today and happened to see my neighbor on the next seat fiddle with his mobile. It was a Samsung touch screen but screen smaller than 4 inches. He was much younger than me and might not have married yet. His hands were rough probably due to the manual work. Being Male and single is a very tough thing to be in India. Over that if you are unemployed the situation is indescribable.

Among the employed people, some may be happy in their professions while others feel frustrated with increasing anxiety and stress. Economists predict that the Indian youth population due to the demographic dividend would accumulate wealth faster in the next few decades. They also warn that if India is to realize its potential of becoming a top economy then the young need to get meaningful employment.

How do we youngsters relieve the stress that comes along with work? We cling on to some or the other support in life as a stress reliever. Most have hobbies like drawing, Reading novels, playing sports, surfing the net, watching TV shows, playing video games, eating out, listening music, exercising/gym, shopping, going out with friends, trekking, traveling, pilgrimage and visiting new/tourist places. The more knowledgeable ones may try commenting on articles in the internet, blogging and freelancing in software projects.

India is changing fast. We are seeing development at speeds never seen before. People are turning aspirational. One of the flip side of development is that in the mad pursuit of money we are loosing our health.

The situation for the student community is equally alarming. How would it have been if students don't feel as much stress as they would otherwise. Twelve years of schooling and three-four years of degree courses sap the energy out of youngsters. By the time they graduate they are half dead. We should not consider study as a burden and do it with conscious effort and not at the insistence of parents. Study should not be undertaken to escape from work(this is something i learn't in school). You may be good in something. Search for your strengths(quip:may be physical too). Set a goal for yourself. Achieve it with steadfast perseverance. Be scrupulous. Work diligently. Plan your actions in advance. Imagine what you will be after say two years, four years and ten years.

You have limited time. Invest it in fruitful activities. Prioritize. Things that do not need urgent attention can be done later. World around us is too competitive to be of any purposeful existence.

I attended a talk by the vice chancellor of our university where he said a few relevant things to the student community. This post is an extension of that.

We have to strike a balance between what we like doing and what we should be doing. Either you do what you like or you like what you do. No one is a laggard or poor student. Every soul has equal potential. The world is a very unjust place. There are many things beyond our control. Some element of luck is also involved in your success.

If you want to hear good things, work hard and achieve something. Do good things.

We all want to be successful. We are full of ideas but don't know where they will lead us. We would know a goal but not have any idea as to how it can be reached. If you are getting too many ideas you may  probably be in difficulty and that is why your mind is suggesting you alternatives. In this age of startups merely having an idea is worthless. If the idea takes the form of a seed and is watered it germinates and becomes big tree which would give fruits. Watering a seed/plant is like working towards your goal/idea.