My odyssey towards engineering began back in the seventh grade when I looked up to my older brother, who was studying at the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli.

Watching him work and excel in the field, I felt an urge inside me to pursue engineering as a career. To this day, my brother is my only role model whom I look up to with a twinkle in my eye. His contribution has been immense in shaping my career and helping me in every step of the way. He has been an inspiration and a mentor for me, for as long as I could remember.

The story goes such that by the time I reached high school, I had a straightforward plan: study PCM with CS then do BTech in CSE by making my way into either IIT or NIT. The specifics of the branch didn’t matter as much; I was following the road my brother had paved. To be honest, I didn’t have a well laid out plan when it came to pursuing engineering. On the contrary, it was a blueprint handed to me by my parents. I vividly remember being mesmerised by the medical profession when I saw a web series about doctors. But, the only time I suggested trying out NEET, the idea was shot down by my Mom who felt those were too big shoes to be filled by me and successfully convinced me otherwise.

I focused entirely on engineering entrance exams in my 12th grade. I won’t say I was so dedicated towards my JEE preprations, yet I would say that I enjoyed my journey, and as fate would have it, I got a seat in NIT Agartala Mechanical Engineering.

The first few days being in online mode did feel a little bizarre. Leaving for college felt surreal, yet I wanted to go alone to the campus. I met Dharun, who was my citymate through NLC. In two weeks after we switched to online mode, I was added to a Tamil WhatsApp group of my college by him, and people started chatting about the “Girl from Chennai” who was about to study mechanical engineering. I quickly became aware of the assumptions people made about me, that I’d be independent and a control freak. But the reality was a five-foot girl, barely an adult, who was doing her best to manage things alone for the first time.

Most of the first semester was online, which made it harder to feel connected. When we finally started in person, I kept mostly to myself, going to class with my cap, earphones, and mask on.I grew up speaking Tamil as it was my native language, however I was uncomfortable speaking in Hindi with new people. Gradually, I began to pick up Hindi and, with it, came the courage to talk to people. At this point, Harsh helped me open up, everytime I made a mistake he would just correct it instead of laughing it off.

It was in these initial interactions that I earned a reputation for being reserved. I’d only talk if someone directly approached me and often didn’t notice people until they were right in front of me. And though I was hesitant in conversations, I sometimes went to the other extreme by being overly accommodating and would prioritise others’ time over my own.

Life in Agartala, with its intense humidity, was an adjustment from the heat of Chennai. I grew up in a diverse environment, and despite stereotypes, I’ve found people from states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to be incredibly kind. And though I often joke with friends about being perceived as “rude” at first, people usually realise I’m just reserved. In future, if people remember me, I would like to think of myself as “the small little menace,” a title that makes me chuckle.

Meanwhile, my experiences at Gargi Hostel taught me resilience. Life there wasn’t glamorous, but I learned how to get by, asking for help when needed—whether it was for Maggi or medicine. My favourite spot on campus was the circles at TSR, where I’d sit for hours with Sadhvi, having conversations, laughing and enjoying memorable moments that I cherish.

I dedicated myself to both the Entrepreneurship Cell(E-Cell) and the NIT-A Literary Club(NLC). During my second year, I stepped into a leadership role in NLC which was empowering but also quite demanding. In my tenure as AGS of NLC, the most exciting part was going to Alcheringa. As a 2nd year student, taking responsibility for 20 odd people was testing but rewarding. NLC holds a special place in my heart; it opened doors to countless opportunities and serves as the foundation to my college life. However, I equally love E-Cell and have put in a lot of effort there as well. I spent New Year’s Eve working on a sponsorship brochure with Sadhvi, a close friend, until well past midnight, and my entire winter break was filled with E-Cell projects.One of the most memorable experiences from my time in E-Cell was during Carpe Diem. I wasn’t technically part of the content team, but I wrote most of the drafts for the events, including the contest descriptions. The only exception was the IPL auction ideas, but I handled everything else. It was rewarding to see juniors look up to the standards we had set, and it was a time of real joy for me.

I often tell juniors that clubs are essential but they should not define you. They’re valuable tools to build specific skills, like communication in the case of E-Cell or NLC. But it’s crucial to keep a balance, to make time for academics and personal growth. And while leadership roles sound appealing, they demand a lot of time and energy, that might be better spent elsewhere. For instance, in my own experience, I worked in E-Cell until I felt I’d reached my limit. Just as I was stepping back, I was offered the position of President at NLC, and I had to step back in. Sometimes, I wondered if joining E-Cell had been the right choice and if I should have focused more on academics or coding. But later, when I interviewed for Phone Pe, I realised just how much E-Cell had helped me. Truth be told, I believe NLC and E-Cell both played an instrumental role in helping me get into Phone Pe. The credit goes to NLC for enhancing my advanced communication skills, while E-Cell groomed me in professional communication. My first internship and later opportunities were largely because of my work there; without it, my resume would have felt empty.

My third year introduced new friendships, like Aditya , who became a close friend. He also pushed me during my time of preparation for placements.In my fourth year I met another bunch of fun people like Prakhar, Prashant and Haru with whom I had an intimate group. But Saadhvi was my constant all along. She continues to be a dear friend with whom I have spent countless nights discussing random and vague things with a bowl of pasta or a plate of sandwich in hand. She is the one who always got my back and we shared a bond I hold close to my heart.

On the sidelines, with time, I became more comfortable with people around me, although in class, I typically sat at the back. Some professors, particularly those who shared my Tamil heritage, would pull me to the front. One professor, disappointed by my performance, expressed it to me directly, which stung. I confided in him that I’d been struggling after a tough interview rejection, and he not only listened but encouraged me to push through, eventually helping me improve my grades.

The summer after my first year marked the start of my professional journey. I landed an internship in marketing strategy, which opened my eyes to the world of business management. By the end of my second year, I secured an internship with the Indian School of Business (ISB), where I worked with MBA students and alumni. This experience made me seriously consider an MBA as my future path, with a preference for studying at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The long-term vision is clear to me: to blend business management with a role in data analysis.

When the placement season arrived, I was prepared but knew it would be tough. I spent an intense weekend working on resume updates, interview preparation, and online assessments. My group discussion felt shaky, and despite holding several leadership roles, the competition was fierce. A few weeks after starting my placements, I fell into a dark place in my life where I just wanted to escape from NIT-A. I still remember the moment I called my Mom, crying and asking her if I could come back home. In the background, I could hear my Dad panicking, urging her to book the tickets immediately.This semester was the most eventful one yet, filled with so many happy, sad, and surprising moments. Those experiences have reminded me that, despite feeling alone at times, I have many people who are rooting for me and love me just the way I am.

But by the time the second interview came around, I began to feel hopeful. Finally, I received an offer from Phone Pe, which felt surreal. I went back to my hostel, closed my door, and just sat there for two hours, alone, savouring the quiet moment. Everyone expected me to be out celebrating, but I wanted solitude to let it all sink in.After the excitement of placement wore off, a new feeling took over—a sense of emptiness, like crossing a finish line only to realise I didn’t know what was next. While my family was thrilled, I found myself wondering if this was truly fulfilling.

There’s a long-term dream that drives me, though: to give my mom a comfortable life in Bangalore, where I hope to settle down with her, supporting her as she did for me.As I reflect on my college life, I realise how much I have matured and grown in ways that the 18-year-old, BTS-obsessed, carefree Nancy would never have imagined.

Thinking about the future, my journey at Phone Pe is just beginning. I hope to pursue an MBA in the next few years and am determined to follow through with my plan of combining data analysis and business management. Personally, I hope to get married by 28, a goal I even mentioned during my Phone Pe interview, which surprised the panel. I dream of running a food truck someday—a plan for my forties when I’ll want to do something exciting after years in corporate roles. Cooking has always been a passion, and while I don’t see myself as an entrepreneur, I love the idea of connecting with people through food.

Reflecting on the journey, a BTS song, Pied Piper, best describes my experience. The line “Stop following us and go study” resonated with me during moments of demotivation, keeping me grounded. These years in Agartala, from navigating academics and clubs and striving to achieve a balance, have shown me the importance of following a path that’s genuinely my own, one that combines ambition, balance, and the connections I cherish the most.

Piece written by - Harsh Srivastava and Manya Agarwal