From Casuals to Formals..... a step into the Professional world.....

           As rightly said ' End is the start of a new beginning', with the end of phase 'Education' begins the next big phase 'Employment'. It is challenging and adventurous yet the most awaited phase of life that opens door to a big,fat pay cheque with a bigger, fatter bank balance. Life takes a new route as 'managers' replace 'teachers, 'colleagues' replace classmates', 'salary' replaces 'pocket money', 'laptops replace 'books' and finally 'careful and responsible conduct' replaces 'carefree and immature attitude.' Replacements like these mark the transition from learning to earning. The anxiety and nervousness that one experiences while stepping into the competitive world of making money is exactly how a child feels after leaving the care and comfort of home to enter into a disciplined world of school. Receiving first salary is an achievement that infuses satisfaction, pride and confidence. This valuable and precious amount disappears into thin air within no time,but leaves behind an essence that lingers around forever. Each one holds the memory of first job very close to heart and the mention of it or anything around it gets a big smile on the face. My step into the professional world was like an extension to learning. My debut role in career started as a trainee; in an environment of classroom with company of classmates ;)
         My strong belief that one cannot make friends after departing from school or college was completely broken into pieces as we eight trainees bonded into a close knit group;as strong as childhood comrades;as steady as college buddies.Within no time we shared our joy, happiness, worries, concerns , tensions, excitement with a strong sense of belonging as if we knew each other for years and years together. Anxiety to begin a new job, happiness to be treated as responsible adults, studying together to sail through assignments, complaining to have no rest, satisfaction to read the salary-credited message, excitement to enjoy the benefits of working, sadness to realize we were grown up, sharing the dis-pleasures while working, experiencing the pressure to perform, many such signals were crossed together while driving through the heavy traffic on roads and highways of professional life. It was a wonderful opportunity to share a strong formal but stronger casual bond with these seven, who made the start of my professional journey a very memorable experience.
        This year long journey has carved an irreplaceable place in my life , even though each one of us are now plying on a different route, the happiness of building a strong foundation together will stay forever. As I write this, I feel blessed to make close friends at such a different ,unusual and unexpected phase of life . The time may never come back but the memories will stay strong forever. On a parting note ....'hum rahe ya na rahe, yaad aayenge yeh pal ' ;)