The quote "try, try until you succeed" doesn't just mean you'll eventually succeed if you persist; it embodies the principle of "growth through repeated participation in an action." The more you try, the more experience you gain. I can tell you that reading material might provide logic and reason behind an event or task, but it doesn't teach you the real skills. In the "ideal world" of books, everything goes as planned, but in reality, things often go awry. Many popular personalities and fictional characters remind us that "things never go as planned." Real experience teaches you how to improvise and overcome emotions like nervousness, panic, and anxiety.
If you've read my previous blogs, you might recall my failures at two events in 9th grade. I encourage you to check them out as well. In April 2023, I got another opportunity to represent my school, this time at the district level in the 50th Rashtriya Bal Vigyan. Initially, I was only meant to mentor and help my juniors participating in the event. We were told through the brochure that it was a science exhibition, and the teachers conveyed the same. So, when the day of participant selection came, our ATL group decided to present our project from last year: glasses for blind people using ultrasound to echolocate objects and buzzing to indicate obstacles, similar to how bats navigate at night. By then, we were recognized by all the senior teachers and the principal for the efforts we had taken and results achieved, so getting through the selections was easy.
The event was the next day, so we quickly made a second prototype in just 40 minutes, adding a vibration mechanism for better response. The evening before the event, our teacher in charge, who was also my physics teacher from last year, told me to make a PowerPoint presentation on the project. I was confused; I assumed there was a qualification round for the exhibition due to the mass participation. My dad helped with the PPT using the outline of my previous presentation, and I prepared myself for the next day and went to sleep.
I had a senior with me from the 12th grade. During our travel, we discussed the projects, and talking to a sweet senior always gave me a moral boost. We reached KV Mankhurd and realized that it wasn't an exhibition but a seminar, with the topic "Scientific Innovation for a Sustainable Future." In my 16 years, that hour was the most horrifying of my life. My senior didn’t have a PPT, and our escort teacher, who was my math teacher, panicked because she would be blamed if our school didn't participate. We talked to the teachers at school, who told me to somehow relate the project to sustainability. My dad was only disappointed at the school for this but encouraged me to give it a try.
My senior had to pretend she was ill, and our teacher had to manage the situation. I was under great pressure since I couldn’t find any relation between my project and the topic. The judges from the Homi Bhabha Atomic Research Centre arrived, and the event commenced. My presentation was 6th in line, but it became 5th as my senior was "unavailable" to participate. During the 4th presentation, I saw the principal and the teacher in charge of the event leaving the hall. I approached them to explain my situation. The principal, with a very humble smile and a very polite voice, said, "If you do not want to present, no problem, I will handle it. But I believe presenting off-topic is not that big of a deal."
I snapped out of my panic and sat down beside my escort teacher, telling her I would present. My turn came, and I began with the prepared figures. As soon as I introduced myself, I improvised: “You might be wondering why I am talking about the disabled when the topic is sustainable development… (definition)… I believe true sustainable development is achieved when resources are available to all humanity, both the abled and disabled, in the future….” and I continued. I answered the questions well at the end and stepped off the stage.
My escort teacher, who usually saw me as a mischievous student, complimented me for the first time. She said all the teachers and students were impressed. The event continued, even the teacher’s round ended, and we had a lunch break. I didn’t eat; I had lost my appetite after the traumatizing events. My senior suddenly pointed out that the participation certificates had already been distributed. My escort teacher shrugged and then suddenly, with joy, said, “Maybe you’ll get it from the judges.” I wondered why, soon realizing I might have secured a rank. I expected 3rd place but was awarded 2nd. I was the only one for whom the judges gave a speech of compliment, praising my new outlook on "sustainable development" and my unorthodox ideas.
My senior was overjoyed, and my teacher, as soon as we left for home, called the school and my parents. I was still trying to process the series of events. I was also selected for the state-level seminar. I always believed that the first breakthrough would be pure joy after hard work. Contrary to my belief, it was rather traumatizing. But now, looking back, I realize my unique stand at the event was due to the miscommunication. Hence, I started believing in the saying,
"Adversity brings Opportunity."
But remember, you only cash in on the opportunity when you put in the hard work and effort.
Through this experience I discovered my ability to adapt and be nimble on my feet. Do you have any experiences that revealed abilities in you that you were not previously aware of? I'm all ears to listen to your tales. share them in the comment below.
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