Three in One Sachet

Teacher's day is just around and corner and so is Raksha Bandhan. Hence it would be apt to pay tribute to my mentors who have taught me as much as my teachers (if not more), been as supportive as a brother should be and lastly been the friend who will stand by through thick and thin. 

A 3 in 1 sachet of coffee has ground coffee beans, creamer and sugar. The beans give the coffee its aroma and the creamer gives it milkiness. The sugar makes the coffee taste better. Most people are like single ingredients, they offer a single flavour to life. A few add more than one flavour to life by taking multiple roles in your life. My post is dedicated to these 3 in 1 people.

During the first week of college, I met a senior. He was in his final year of Undergrad. I never explicitly told him about my cultural shock at college. I had studied in a girls school and was facing a class with 97% boys for the first time. I was not used to the mug and write technique and could not cope with college well. I do not know how he understood what was running in my head. He once came up to me and asked me if I was alright. I admitted my fears to him and he took over the reins partially from me. He had been through it all and understood my situation better than my kith and kin. He guided me through my college and assured me that it was just a matter of time before I would finish my undergrad. He was right. With his motivation, I managed to excel in college. Though it has been over two since I left college, he continues to keep in touch and mentors me when it is necessary. He was my guardian angel through undergrad.

Once my first mentor graduated from University, the next informal mentor was another senior in college. He was more of a brother than a mentor. If I ever ran into trouble he would be there and give me quick solutions to exit from the situation. He would lend me his books and would cheer me up with his antics. I did not spend much time with him, but every time we met , I had a great time. He does not keep in touch and seldoms talks to me. However I am sure that every time I need him, all I need to do is call and he will be there to bolster me and make me smile.

Undergrad was challenging, but Master's was better. The only thing that dampened my spirits during my Master's was the PhD Admit after my Masters. I had applied to half a dozen universities and all admission committees seemed to dislike my application. My confidence went for a toss. A PhD student in the university coached me through the entire situation. Whenever  I was low, he would offer me a bowl of Kothu Parota (my favourite dish) and that would momentarily lift my sadness away. He would use to opportunity to coach me and get me back on track. His encouragement played a significant role in me getting my confidence boosted and finally resulted in a PhD Admit.

The last person, definitely the most important person is my brother. A sister is born the day her sibling is born and my life till today would not be as meaningful as it has been if not for my brother. Aditya (or Adit as we call him) has taught me a lot and we have learnt a lot from each other. He is my pillar of strength. He unconditionally supports every decision I make and loves me despite my faults. He taught me that we can always fight and patch up with the people we love most.  By teaching him, I learnt things better and he is and will always be my best friend and one of the most important people in my life. Thambi Thanga Kambi ( a younger brother like a piece of gold) does not hold true for him for his influence in my life is far more precious than anything I can ever imagine.

We associate teaching with classrooms and knowledge, but fail to acknowledge those who have impacted our life and taught us life lessons. A big thank you to my guru-bhrathra-mitr 3 in one packages for everything you have done for me.

Happy Teacher's day and Raksha Bandhan in Advance.