Students on the crossroads: What next ?

These days, even the Pune Division toppers are not too keen on following the common streams, and courses like ICWA, CA, physiotherapy, hotel management are a few of the courses which are coming up. Some of these students express their dreams and aspirations and the reasoning behind their varied choices.

Shraddha Potdar, commerce student would like to do her ICWA course along with her graduation. “I would like to be a legal advisor in some company,” says she with a smile on her face and confidence brimming out of every pore.

Aarti Phadnis, science student and an artist, would like to be an architect and laments that there are very few colleges catering to this field. But she will follow her dream anyway, because, “they are the ones whose thoughts are actually put to action. everyone dreams of creating something but only architects can fulfill that dream.”

Shailesh Sreedharan, on the other hand, belongs to the old school where engineering remains the only choice. “Any science student knows that there are unlimited options in this field.”

Belonging to the old school is also Kavitha Gullnawar, who having done well, will choose the medical profession as she says, “I believe in `Healing the world’ and medicine is the right profession for it.”

There the others who want to go in for something different, as Dianne D’Souza. Tall and beautiful, Dianne wants to become an air hostess. Having fared well in her board exams, her parents are wary of her decision, but she smiles confidently and says, “It’s the smile that you wear that can take you everywhere.” Well, she sure is riding high… I mean flying high!

On another road not taken, Milind Phadnis, a science student, wants to follow his father’s footsteps and study at the Maharashtra Institute of Catering and Hotel Management.

Gitanjali Salunkhe and Seema Potdar both want to do a three-year course in physiotherapy while Anagha Girme, commerce student would like to do a course in computer graphics along with her graduation.

The others who are trying to do something different are Rohit Mallick and Praveen who, inspired by the motto of "Service before Self", want to become NDA cadets. Smita Sathe is into fashions. An arts graduate she wants to become a fashion designer and take her place in the burgeoning fashion industry. Ketaki Sarpotdar is happy to go for a computer science degree as she would like to make it in computers and plans to go abroad in the near future.

Pottery design is perhaps the rarest of all career choices, but Sohaila wants to learn every intricate detail and enhance the already considerable skill she possesses in her nimble hands. An Arts student, she knows that she is venturing into untested waters but she insists confidently, “I want to become the top artist in the field.”

David, a commerce student, having done well in the board exams wants to do his CA course, along with his bachelor’s degree. “A degree is a must for any stream,” he says firmly. Smita Mathew, a science student wants to be the lady with the lamp as she plans to do a nursing course and help the the needy. “I’m inspired by my mother who is a matron.”

Vinaya, an arts student will first complete her graduation before appearing for her IAS exam, an endeavour in which her father, an IAS officer, can guide her. Diksha Patwardhan, a science student, is interested in doing a course in pathology, though she wanted to get into a medical course, she did not get expected results and has chosen her second option, instead.

Saundarya Iyengar will pursue a graduation after which she will do her dietitian course and become a dietitian as a, “good diet keeps a man in good health.”

So as these confident youngsters have cleared the curve of examination with success their hopes are bright for the future and we wish them the best of luck in following their dreams. As Goethe rightly said, “What you can do, or dream you can, begin it, boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”