THE LETTER OF REALIZATION

To all the readers out there,

You might open this letter, maybe because of the cover image you saw here, right? Perhaps you've found something similar in your wardrobe or somewhere inside your home. Or maybe you're just curious about what I'm going to write by including these pictures. Sometimes, you might be reading this now because you know me. Regardless of your reason, you are most welcome!

Before I begin, let me make one thing clear: I am not a professional writer, nor am I someone who is extraordinarily passionate about writing. I'm doing this because I feel like I'm ready to do it now, at this very moment.

Have you ever thought that one day you'd be sitting in front of this social media platform and reading a letter written by me? To be honest, I never thought about it until this very moment. But I'm thrilled that I can share my thoughts and experiences with all of you, my wonderful readers.

Do you understand the significance of this 'moment'? For me, this moment is beautifully described as 'Realization.' I know you might be a bit confused, but let me clarify.

I used to be a girl who fell into the ambivert-studious category, doing everything according to the instructions of my family, friends, and teachers. I was punctual in front of everyone, and at the same time, I never failed to entertain others. I had a terrible stage fear, a fear of doing things on my own, and a constant worry about what others would think if I did something different.

However, I was also passionate about talking, spending time with my friends, excelling in exams, and indulging in various crafts. This is how I could describe myself until the age of fourteen. There was nothing particularly remarkable, and everything seemed quite similar to everyone else during those fourteen years.

But as I started experiencing something unusual during my growth, everything began to change. My ingrained thoughts began to shift, and I took my first step toward something new and uncharted.

Even though I entered the field of engineering, a path I never thought would suit me, everything started to change there. For me, it was an opportunity to experiment with things because, unlike before, I had no clear-cut final goal.

I became highly motivated without any apparent reason and was ready to embrace any challenges that came my way. Congratulations, I have discovered a new talent! I eagerly took up my first challenge as the Student Coordinator of the IETE Forum at the beginning of my first year in college.

From winning the first prize in an inter-college poster-making competition, where I learned about the tool called Canva for the first time, to my journey as a mentor, speaker, coordinator, leader, and Executive Committee Member of Tinkerhub, IEDC, and more, was not an easy process. Balancing my studies with extracurricular activities was a daunting task for someone who had never attempted anything like it before.

But I never forgot to savor the journey because I always enjoyed putting effort into things that made me happy. Perhaps that's why I received numerous opportunities to participate in various events, from college events to the Professional Students Summit and the AWS Community Day.

As the years passed, I eventually returned to my comfort zone because I realized it was time to try something different from what I had already done. It might take years, but the rewards would be sweet.

Now, let's talk about my "Realization." Dear leaders, during my journey, I encountered numerous ups and downs. I felt demotivated, and exhausted, and questioned why I was doing all these things while my friends focused solely on their academic responsibilities.

I felt the pressure of meeting deadlines, coordinating with people, brainstorming, organizing, and so much more. But when I look back on it now, I feel happy and proud that, even at a young age, I accomplished meaningful things, no matter how small they may seem. Yes, little things matter greatly.

Whether they create a significant impact or not, all those little things you do might bring about positive changes for you and the people around you. You may have offered a helping hand to someone, shared a thought that had a profound impact on someone's life, or a seemingly trivial idea might have been the solution to someone's major problem. As I type this, countless faces pass through my mind!

From your perspective, you may have gained at least a little knowledge about the things you've done. You've experienced both good and bad times, learned to navigate difficult situations, overcome moments of demotivation, found solutions to your problems, acquired new skills, met deadlines, improved your interactions with people, resolved conflicts, made new connections, efficiently use social media and gadgets, utilize online tools and platforms, and so much more. Through all of this, you may have discovered who you truly are, your likes and dislikes, your skills, your goals, and your passions. Isn't this a moment of realization?

As I sit here, with music playing softly in the background, my windows open to let in the fresh air, and a laptop in my hands, I am at the point of realizing what the next step in my journey will be. I consider this the culmination of all the experiments I've conducted along the way. It doesn't signify an end; rather, it's the starting point of creating something that could make a lasting impact.

With this reflection, it's me, Swathi Shabu, bidding you farewell!