Examination centre

During my student days, when I was going through a financially difficult phase of life, I often had to travel to different cities to appear for examinations. Living in the world’s most populous country, it was hardly surprising that such journeys came with enormous crowds, as everyone struggled to reach their respective examination centres on time.

Travelling in the general compartments of trains was an experience in itself chaotic, exhausting, and yet, somehow, always memorable. There were times when I had no choice but to spend the night at a railway station and manage my food and drink expenses as cheaply as possible, only to wake up the next morning and set out in search of an examination centre in an unfamiliar city.

During that phase of my life, I undertook many such journeys. Sometimes, I was fortunate enough to have friends accompanying me, which made the experience a little easier and perhaps even enjoyable. But there were occasions when I had to travel alone, and those journeys were considerably more challenging. Without a familiar face by my side, even the smallest difficulties seemed a little harder to deal with.

Those journeys were filled with hope and ambition, carrying the feeling that we were capable of changing the world. Perhaps that was the magic of those days no matter how many obstacles came our way, we somehow believed we could figure things out. With dreams in our hearts and determination in our minds, even the most difficult situations seemed manageable.