Semester 1A, Term 2

Officially marking the beginning of term 2 as my 1st round midterms are done for good. I had one of the most awkward moments where I came out of the lecture hall with a friend and his friend. My friend and her were talking about the midterm and how they felt it went for them. She ended the topic with 'wanna catch a beer?' looking at my friend and then me. I waited for my friend to respond and he looked at me as well and I had to say that I wasn't 19 (according to my university ID card) and I didn't drink either... Don't know why it felt so awkward at that time but I'm thinking it had something to do with being asked to get a drink BY A GIRL and having to say no hahaha... So, as you can probably tell, the midterm went smoothly. The written portion was much simpler than I anticipated and the CAD modeling portion was a bit more work than I thought. I think the time constraint was the only thing that was challenging to follow. But then again, I feel that way about every assessment except homework assignments when I seemingly feel I have all the time I would ever need! I was thinking about the assessments of this generation of education and leaning environments and trying to compare the challenges in previous generations (like my father's and uncle's time)... Their challenges were to gather the tools and resources to guide them to study and enhance their learning. WE already get these things via the power point slides or PDF files that professors post up online. Some professors even record their lectures in halls that have such facilities. All this has truly made studying in this modern era a smooth sailing journey as well as one with greater depth and more complicated questions and answers that we discover. And to become a part of the resources that I obtain from school, I decided to become a note-taker for one of my classes. A system where I am known to the people that want my notes but they can remain anonymous. I did it mainly to enhance my own learning but also for a student that I see in the front row of the lecture hall. He is disabled and is the second motivating reason to write these notes. Whether he uses the notes I write up or not is not in my hands and I don't hold any such expectations but I hope it helps someone out there who does need these resources at some point. If I am able to get my hands on so many tools to guide me, I feel I should attempt to give from what I have to offer as well. And the beauty of the system is that I don't have to spend any extra time or effort to do so. Instead, it ensures that I understand the content thoroughly while I potentially help others. So, I hope my efforts help others in whatever way or form possible because I know it'll help me at least. With that happy note, I shall take some rest for tomorrow's busy and adventurous day!

Love,
D.P.

Day 310

There are official only 55 days remaining until the culmination of the year 2012. Like everything we have feared and faced as a human race, this year is just another example of the world's ways of keeping pace. And as they say, 'time and tide, waits for no man'. Speaking of culmination and conclusions, I am one day nearer to finishing my first round of midterm examinations. I will finish my Graphics and Design for Engineers midterm tomorrow and then start to study for the second round of midterms for Linear Algebra and Calculus and the dreaded Physics! But as every day passes, one thought continues to come to mind as I get the chance to rest. I am moving towards my dream of becoming an engineer.. Closer by the days.. It's such an obvious realization yet so moving to conceive. My dream is slowly becoming a reality in front of my eyes and sometimes even without realizing it.. I am changing myself to the ideal version of myself that I've always aspired to be. And like everything else that comes to a close, I shall do the same for this message right here. May the beginning of tomorrow be better than the end of today.

Devarsh Pandya

The second chances

I was watching some video clips of famous and successful people in all professional fields. Some of the most decorated ones are the ones that have acquired great heights of achievements in young ages. Some are advanced in their generation. And a few are the believers of hard-nosed effort with the genuine faith of becoming the best they can be in all walks of life. Even though these people are measured by their successes by many.. Some like me, may have looked closer at how they actually got out of their life's challenges. I find that a second chance in life is actually something that makes or breaks a person for good. The person must realize what will transpire from their decisions after the second chance has been granted. This is often overlooked by many people because they may not face a situation where they need a second chance until some experience that leaves its impressions and lessons in one's mind. The truth of the matter is, I wouldn't have noticed it myself if I hadn't gone through what I did over a year ago. A final year of your education should be every bit enjoyable as it is about it's difficulty and your responsibilities. However, I learned of these balances in a harder way.. Which was terrible for the instant but proved later that I needed that lesson to actually sink within me and teach me about it in that way because I was almost blind and deaf to see and hear what my reality was at the point due to some thoughts and feelings of uncertainty. I tried to distract myself from working at times because I thought I was working properly when I wasn't focusing on school at all. But the numbers never lie.. The reports showed me my failures in an instant and haunted me that summer which was seemingly unending. This had meant another year of attending the high school that I wasn't very attached to anymore because my friends had moved on. This meant a year of repeat telecasted concepts. But there was still some determination and faith I had in myself. I told myself that I can carry myself through this.. My own body was out of breath but the voice in my head had conviction. It was my life. My choice.. And after all the things I had seen.. I knew that educating myself and learning with its true meaning was the only tool I would ever need to reach my goals. And so, marking the end of a year of the year that put me behind my own generation in some respects... Here's to a future where I put in more efforts and time than I an ever imagine.. To the only fear that someone may outwork me.. To the belief that my ability to do work will always be my greatest wealth along with the love and care of my family and friends. After a second chance and all this to come along with it.. What can I ask for?

Thank you to one and all who have been with me through this short but defining part of my life,

D.P.

'Aging'?

The past few days have been a pleasant break from the hectic schedules of school. Firstly, I did finish the first few midterms of my university career. It was something I had never really been anticipating since I was slightly nervous till the exam paper made its way to me. Thoughts of uncertainty hit me after the exams of Linear Algebra and Calculus but the preparation was all I had to keep me confident.. And the practice had been great because I actually had a history of test anxiety that I noticed in my final years. And there is only one way to fight the fear.. I had to empower myself with the knowledge and confidence through practice. It is just the beginning and the truth is that the grade 12 content is very much overlapping in the course content now. However, if there is a goal I have this term.. It is to adopt more habits that will guide me to my goal of being the best student and engineer.. As my father says, the first part of it is to make sure you are accompanied by the same values and goals as you. The second and equally important if not more, is to put in the hours to master the content. This is advice I have gained over the years and it is genuinely the truest. Advice, has changed it's importance and has changed my perspectives in these few days. It has gone from being 'the old, and repeated dialogues of my mother and sometimes father'.. To 'proven practices and guides that carry people to success'.. But I do agree that, it is easier to offer advice than actually follow it in one's life. And why am I thinking of all these things all of a sudden? Well, I have recently finished nineteen years of my life and had the opportunity to reflect upon them and see how to make my time to come.. An even more memorable one.

Panda out.

Junctions of Surprises

So many things have happened in the past few months that I had almost lost track of time. Since my lonely days from summer came to a conclusion as September came along, I had actually found new ways to write and finish incomplete poems, thoughts and actions from my past. These past few days have a been a little above average, a little MORE special and memorable indeed. Let's start with Friday, the day when I was eager that I had the chance to finally skip the entire afternoon from school to go and hang out with friends and shoot pool. Somehow, I ended up among the others in the school to watch the assembly which was screening a low budget film about one of the oldest problems of our society- racism. At first blush, it seemed unnecessary, redundant and almost boring until I went from just hearing the audio to listening to the true vibe of the narration. It was actually quite amazing. At the end, I got a chance to meet with the director, Mr. Paul Saltzman. He is an amazing artist who encapsulates an entire problem in our world, with today's time and circumstance and an original way to not only stop this but solve this. My first surprise was the realization that I was having the chance to talk to the mastermind of such a story. The second was to learn how simply he was able to talk about the solutions to the 'apparently' almost-impossible-to-solve kind of problems. My final surprise for that day was when he pulled out his business card and asked me to write for him because he found my interpretation of his message a little bit intriguing I guess. Was it really? I don't know.. But the gesture was enough to get me feeling important and a little more worthy too. The days that followed involved dancing, meeting friends, being sore and finishing up work. This was because it was one of the most hectic yet enjoyable weekends yet. It is 'navratri', the festival of the nine nights of dancing. So, I went to the temple in Richmond Hill with my family to celebrate the third official night but for me, the first night. I didn't actually expect to dance since I was feeling tired prior to walking in the temple but a couple of my friends caught a glimpse of me and insisted on me to dance along so it turned out to be another crazy night again. I didn't know when I would see them again so I decided to seize the moment.. I surprised myself there, that's not very much like me to as spontaneous as I was that day. I guess times have changed me. The next day was resting and working where I accidentally wrote an essay 4X longer than the requested word limit. The teacher was the one who was surprised at this though since she couldn't understand how I had so much to say about community service being a vital role in the educational system.. haha.. And then the Sunday brought the second october again, the Gandhi Jayanti. Incidentally, my cousin decided to invite us over for 'navratri' that night so we went over and joined in on the dancing at his house again since it was his first navratri after getting married earlier this year in July. As Monday came along, I thought the surprises would come to a conclusion but I guess I was just unstoppable since the calculus test surprised me that it actually was easier than I anticipated. I finished early AND got an extra twenty minutes to check over. So, that was a very convenient start to my Monday. But the biggest and most unexpected guest waited for me at home when I returned. I twist the metal key in the lock, twist the doorknob, and push the door and there it was.. on the coffee table! I quickly made my way there and found that the submission that I was complaining about (in my head) to which I thought was futile since I wanted to publish that piece in the publication that my English teacher at school suggested. SURPRISE! I actually got a letter from that online poetry contest and they said they considered my poem as a semi-finalist in the International Open Poetry Contest! I could barely believe what my eyes had just 'claimed' to read. It took me a minute to realize that they weren't deceiving me and it was the truth. So, now I have the shot at winning some prize in this 'World Poetry Movement' and I may have some work which gets published in the hard cover, leather bound publication of 'Stars In Our Hearts'! So, I hope this good luck, good fortune and surprises continue and find their ways from me to one and all as well.

Love,
Devarsh

The Breaking Dawn

I see a ray from the breaking dawn,
I'm no soldier, just a pawn,

Waiting for my way, to pay,
My tribute to the nation that lay,

In the true east, the land of the brave,
When the others feast, some lived only to crave,

The day when the light would disperse,
And a little patriotic voice whispers,

Whispers what our ancestors voiced,
To the flag that flies, the one we hoist,

And the next day when we see something wrong,
We walk on along thinking I'm not strong,

Thinking 'who am I' and 'main hoon kaun',
Without thinking that we are the rays of that breaking dawn,

We have the freedom to right these wrongs,
We are united and so we ARE strong,

And when one thought becomes a nation's goal,
We re-incarnate the flames from the coals,

And when the smoke clears, the pure air comes through,
And it is felt with sacrifices of a few,

Because even the fruits of a tree,
Only come from the barial of ONE seed and its creed,

To be alive and not a slave of our times,
So its time to speak and voice out the mimes,

Because beyond the silence and closed doors,
Lies the cold, hard truth and their inner roars,

And when the efforts are endless but we are gone,
Now, THEY see the rays of this breaking dawn,
I'm no soldier, just a pawn..

-Devarsh Pandya

the coming days..

somewhere along my vacation, I had meandered too far into the unknown and now the time has passed but I am back to blog more.. the remaining prompts of the challenge will be coming up soon