Today marked my first day at the London School of Economics (LSE), and it felt surreal to step into the world of academia again. As I walked through the campus, a wave of nostalgia hit me, bringing back memories of the last time I felt this mix of excitement and nervousness—back in 2013. Eleven years ago, I was in a similar situation, walking into college with little idea of how things would unfold. Fast forward to 2024, here I am, starting again as a student, yet with a decade's worth of experiences shaping who I am today.
It’s funny how life has a way of taking you on unexpected journeys. Nothing about my career path has been conventional. I started out as a software engineer at Zoho, moved to teaching in a government school during my Teach For India fellowship, and eventually, I founded my own social enterprise, scaling it across India. Now, I find myself at LSE, back as a student, learning social innovation and entrepreneurship and thinking about taking EdZola global. As I walked into my first lecture, I couldn’t help but reflect on Steve Jobs' famous quote: "You can only connect the dots looking backwards." Every experience, every decision I made over the past decade led me to this moment, even though it was impossible to see how at the time.
There’s something special about being back in college. A part of me has been looking forward to this. I don’t know if I fully appreciated my undergrad days when I was in them, but working for the past few years made me realize how much I missed that environment. Watching friends pursue their master's degrees over the years gave me a bit of FOMO, and today, I’m finally here, part of that world again. It’s exciting to have the chance to hit pause on my career and just immerse myself in learning.
But I won’t lie—there’s some anxiety mixed in too. After years of running EdZola (and still continuing to) , managing projects, and working hands-on, I now have to switch gears. The thought of sitting through long lectures, reading academic papers, and writing assessments feels a little daunting. My attention span isn’t what it used to be, and I know it’s going to take some adjustment. Still, challenges are part of the growth process, and I’m ready to embrace them.
I also learned today that LSE has been ranked the number one university in the UK for social sciences by The Times, which is an amazing testament to the quality of education here. One of the reasons I chose LSE was their motto, "Rerum cognoscere causas", which means "to know the causes of things." It resonates deeply with my purpose for being here: to understand the root causes of social issues and to broaden my perspective on how to address them. I know that this experience will not only deepen my knowledge but also reshape my worldview, making me better equipped to drive social change.
On a lighter note, I had the chance to meet some of my classmates today—a truly diverse bunch. People from all corners of the world—Colombia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Japan, Malaysia, and so many more. I can already tell that this global mix will lead to some fascinating conversations and learning moments. It’s not every day that you get to study alongside such a wide array of perspectives.
Today, I also attended an entrepreneurship event called "Student Founders Panel by LSE Generate" and I could already see how I might contribute to LSE’s entrepreneurial community. One thing that stood out was how someone mentioned LSE’s struggle to find strong tech talent. I realized that’s something I can offer—over the past 10 years, I’ve worked on countless tech projects, integrating technology into social impact. It’s second nature to me now, and I can see how my experience could be invaluable here.
In all, it was a great first day—a mix of nostalgia, excitement, and reflection. I’m looking forward to the journey ahead, both as a student and as someone who brings a decade of real-world experience into the classroom. There’s a lot to learn, and I’m eager to see how this chapter unfolds.
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