College. Such a new change—not just in terms of, what do we say, being in a university, but it feels like a whole damn lifestyle shift. Suddenly, no more uniforms. You can wear whatever you want, apply whatever nail paint color you feel like, do your hair however you want, basically just… do whatever you want. Bunk classes? Attend them? Roam around? Totally up to you. But then again—DU hit me with the whole “75% attendance” thing, which is still my so-called life goal, though honestly… I don’t think I’ll ever achieve it.
Now, technically my college life started on 2nd September, but the whole anticipation and excitement had been building since the day I finished boards. I was constantly thinking: Oh my god, college is going to start, will I even get into one? Honestly, as a general category student, I didn’t even expect to land in DU. I always thought my marks weren’t that great. But then—it happened. I got into a DU college, that too in the first round, and into a college I actually wanted. I was so happy. And since I had way too much free time, I ended up watching a gazillion YouTube videos about college—what to wear, how to present myself, people’s advice, their stories—basically hyping myself up and preparing for this brand new phase.
Then came the actual day. The imaginations vanished and nerves kicked in. What if I ruined it with my awkwardness? Because see, I’ve always been a very shy kid. Shy as in… literal social anxiety while talking to people. And I kept telling myself: I cannot carry this forward into college life. If I stay the same, these 3 years will be ruined. No way am I letting that happen. Of course, I wasn’t expecting a Student of the Year type glamorous campus life, but I definitely hoped for at least a good group of friends and a chance to step out of my comfort zone.
So, there I was, traveling two whole hours on the blue line metro to reach college (thankfully I don’t travel that route anymore). I got off and saw it—Maharaja Agrasen College. Standing outside, I thought: This is it. New chapter of my life begins.
My first class was around 10:30 or 11:30. Room 307. It was supposed to be taken by the HOD. And honestly? I wasn’t even there to learn anything on that day—I was there for the experience. But when I entered, it didn’t exactly scream “fancy campus” like I had in my head. DU campuses are not five-star hotels, obviously. Still, the vibe was different.
I was early—20 minutes early, in fact (and now, I laugh because these days I’m usually 20 minutes late). A senior was sitting there, so I asked him if the class was happening there. He said yes, but I didn’t have the courage to continue talking.
Then another guy walked in, and that little voice in my head went: Radhika, you need to do this. You need to talk to someone. So I turned around and said a simple “hi.” He replied “hi,” and I was like okay, not rude. Then I introduced myself—“I’m Radhika”—and he shared his name. I found out he was from Journalism, and we started chatting. That’s when I learned that my college had actually started on 1st September, but I showed up on the 2nd because I had no idea. Anyway, he added me to a WhatsApp group, and suddenly I wasn’t as lost anymore.
The HOD came in and ranted for an hour straight. I even took notes (which is wild to me now, because who takes notes on their first day?!). Then the attendance moment came—oh my god, attendance on my first day, the most DU-core feeling ever. Meanwhile, a few more people walked in, and this guy happened to know them. He introduced me, and suddenly I was talking to 10 new people. Instagram exchanges, smiles, small conversations—I was doing it. And honestly? I couldn’t believe it. Where did shy, socially anxious Radhika go? She vanished that day. I felt like I absolutely rocked my first day.
Sure, now after a year, I know half the people I thought were “real friends” back then aren’t really friends. But that day? That moment? I was proud of myself. Because it took so much courage to even start a single conversation, and I had done it.
We all went to the canteen, grabbed something to eat, I got introduced to more faces, and then I left. I didn’t stay long—just about an hour and a half—because I had to travel all the way back through the blue line. But it didn’t matter. That short day meant the world to me.
It wasn’t like the long days I have now, where I reach college around 10 or 10:30 and return at 8. But that day was amazing because it went exactly how I had imagined. And more than anything, I was proud of myself for coming out of my comfort zone and talking to people.
Now that a year has passed, looking back at that first day feels surreal. From joining societies, to attending classes, to managing everything in between—I’ve shaken hands with new people, let go of old fears, and stepped into experiences I never thought I could handle. My first year has been amazing. And honestly? I can’t wait for what’s next.
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