So You Are......

My baby brother is finally an adult! He is moving to another country to pursue medical education!

The little kid who used to annoyingly scribble over my homework, pee all over the house, and basically acted like just any other unbalanced toddler, is now going to be a doctor!

For me, he will always be that kid but today I had to have a talk with him about being a responsible adult (especially in a foreign country).

This was my advice to him and all the other people here who are newly-turned/transitioning into adulthood. Taking it or leaving it is at your discretion :)

There is no space for ‘excuses’ or ‘giving up’ if you want to succeed.

I have suffered from depression

I have suffered from panic attacks

I have had suicidal thoughts

I have felt the utter dejection of not feeling a purpose in life

I cried myself to sleep and spent a lot of hours hiding in my blanket, isolating myself and simmering in my depression.

But despite all that, I turned up at work. I did my job.

Sometimes, I’d go and cry in the middle of the day in the dark equipment room. I would cry until there were no tears left. I would scream silently.

And then, I’d clean my face and finish my duties and responsibilities.

I could have just cited my mental state as a reason and given up on everything. But then all my dreams and ambitions would have died with it.

Not a lot of people get second chances so you need to make the best of what you got.

A lot of you will be taking student loans etc. to go to college. Or just investing in your future.

It will be very hard at times. You will feel like giving up. You will justify your excuses.

But listen to me, if you give up on making efforts, that loan will always chase you and pull you to the depths. If money is not a problem for you, remember that the feeling of not being able to unleash your full potential is extremely bitter.

The regret of ‘If I had tried a bit more, life would have been so different’ is very heartbreaking!

Take help, seek counsel, but don’t stop trying!

Being an adult means that you have to suffer the consequences of all your choices. You, just you.

So make the right choices! Fail or succeed, but never give up trying!

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-Srishti Kotiyal