From Dreams to Reality: Walking into IIMC for the First Time

 From Dreams to Reality: Walking into IIMC for the First Time

The day I got my allotment result, I couldn’t believe my eyes that I had been enrolled in the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Jammu. It felt like a dream come true, as if all my prayers had finally been heard, and I had found a vision and a purpose. My seniors had told me that IIMC feels like a dream, a place that becomes your home and teaches you lessons and values just like your parents did. They weren’t wrong; it does feel like a dream.

My first day at IIMC Jammu was both exciting and nerve-wracking. I came to Jammu with my dad, and we had quite a hard time finding the institution; no one in the local area seemed to know where it was, and we struggled to explain it to them. When I finally reached the campus, it gave me a sense of pride. My dad said, “This place is going to be your home for the next two years.” That’s when it hit me that all my good and bad days from now on would be spent here, away from my mother’s comfort and my father’s shield. 

The next step was document verification. While compiling my papers, I realised some photocopies were missing, so I rushed to a nearby store. My happiness slowly turned into nervousness. There were so many things happening at once that I became even more anxious and, to make things worse, I ended up breaking my phone by accident. My teachers and parents told me to relax and not be so nervous, but I couldn’t help it. Something was going on in my head, and I just couldn’t switch it off. After verification, I waited for my hostel allotment. My name wasn’t on the hostel list, so I had to wait for a revised one. While the new list was being prepared, I had an interesting conversation with the regional director about how I had survived my three years at my previous college, and the sympathies made me feel better about myself somehow. That conversation helped me. It made me realize I have already seen the worst; there can't be anything worse than it. 

At 4 p.m., the updated hostel list came out, and we were allotted the guest house. It didn’t feel like a hostel; it felt like home. I got to know my roommates, and we discussed our living arrangements, which rooms to choose, and how to decorate them. I met my classmates, faculty, and caretaker; everyone was kind enough to listen to my endless questions, answer them patiently, and guide me through the process. My first day at IIMC Jammu was a complete rollercoaster; my dreams turned into reality, and everything here felt real and magical at the same time. Looking forward to making a lifetime filled with memories and long-lasting friendships. 

Celine

MA in New Media Communication