Two Years at MTNC: Reflections on Teaching and Transformation

Two years ago, my dad dropped me at the entrance of MTNC, filled with excitement. Today, on a Thanksgiving Eve, I am writing about my personal experience as an Assistant Professor at this esteemed institution.

I still remember the mix of excitement and nervousness I felt when I first stepped into the department without knowing what lay ahead. And now, when I look back at the days, I am filled with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. From inspiring young minds to navigating through different challenges, my journey has been nothing short of an adventure. After so much thought, I finally decided to put it in words and share my reflections with my dear reader friends.

"There is a bittersweetness to everything in life that leads to meaningful growth."

I remember penning a blog post two years before sharing my joy of joining MTNC and boasting about how I got to live life as an adult. When I tried reading it again yesterday, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself every time I read the term “adulthood”. What is adulthood really? Is it about paying your bills, getting a bit plumpy, grabbing your knees when you complete three flights of stairs or preaching to youngsters that times have changed? Well, I have done it all yet haven’t really found a perfect definition of “adulthood”. And I believe you haven’t figured out as well.

A random click in the Department

A Nervous Beginning

When I began my job as an Assistant Professor at Lady Doak College, I wasn’t sure what to expect from life. My parents used to tell me that I was fit for the job, my well-wishers credited me for doing justice to the designation and all I had to do was agree with them. It took me months to realise that this is how it is. I was blessed enough to be nourished and fostered by an institution such as Lady Doak College. 

After a year, it was a call to be a blessing. I joined Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College as a newbie wrapped in cotton wool. The college gave me an opportunity to be creative, bold and opinionated. I happened to meet my long-lost college senior who became my bestest pal during the journey.  Though no one explicitly asked me to, I felt an internal drive to prove myself in this new role. This idea initially kept me super busy. 

with Jennifer Akka

Memorable Moments

As the weeks passed, I experienced some of the most rewarding moments and opportunities of my life. The Department of English (SF) organized an inter-school competition called "IGNITE 2023" where I had a fantastic time collaborating with students and serving as one of the Masters of Ceremony. This program not only helped me build a friendly rapport with both my colleagues and students but also made me feel comfortable and familiar with my new institution. 

While growing up, I always had a huge liking towards being on stage, thanks to my PhD guide, A. Ramasubbiah and the institution, I had the chance to enjoy the limelight by hosting a series of programs and conferences. 

The Mandatory Group Pic of INGNITE 2023

However, dolling up and hosting events is not what I have signed up for. With a new group of students, my preparations and delivery needed significant adjustments. I found myself in a constant cycle of learning, unlearning, and relearning to meet their needs and ensure their satisfaction. Gladly, I was able to reap the rewards for my work. 

Meaningful Relationships

For obvious reasons, my journey at MTNC is not only about work but has to deal with a lot of meaningful friendships. When I was six, friendship was as simple as borrowing a pencil. At 13, it meant having a buddy to share all the crushes we had. From 19 to 22, it revolved around doing seminars and clearing exams together. Now, at 26, I have come to realize that friendship is much more than just material and emotional support. It is a profound feeling that enriches our lives in countless ways, offering experiences and connections that vary from person to person.

I was lucky enough to find such relationships with my students as well as my colleagues. I often tell people that we aren’t powerful enough to solve others’ problems, but we can stand by them when they need a shoulder. Jennifer akka, Muthumeena akka, Pradeepa, Kothai ma’am, and Jansi ma’am were those souls who cared enough to lift my spirits in the department. Everyone goes through bad days, and I am no exception. I can be loud, but my mind is the loudest during lonely nights. When such days strike, I know I have people who are going to give their all to make me feel better. Isn’t it a true blessing?

From encouraging words and sharing lunch to making sure I don’t mess up in official matters, they got my back. Meeting such incredible people has truly made my time at MTNC one of the best decisions of my life. No matter how many shabby YouTube videos and blog posts I bombarded them with, they were kind enough to give their feedback and encourage me to do more. People like them are a true testament to one of my favourite quotes of Buddha, "Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world." 

Another notable segment involves the IQAC people we have in our college. We happened to work for the NAAC assessment for more than a year and I spent some of my quality time at the IQAC room either typing or proofreading words. I am a person who tends to forget or consciously ignore food when I am focused on a particular project. Sometimes, it is the opposite. Food becomes my sole motivation to keep my work going. Vimala ma'am, Murali anna and Prakash anna know this better than anyone else. During such work sessions, they made sure to keep my stomach full and always made sure I was feeling at home while working late. Regardless of a hectic routine, I had a chance to relish those moments thanks to them.

Special shoutout to Jaya amma, my hostel head cook who never failed to check on me and Canteen anna who generously hands out a cup of coffee after a tiring session even though I don’t have a penny. 

A click with my fav bunch

Being an educator for almost three years, the actual Koh-i-Noor to my crown is the friendships I have gained with my students. Educating and interacting with them in classes is the only thing I look forward to during gloomy days. It is the little gestures of love they show on campus and off that keep me going. 

Essential Takeaways

Throughout the years, I've held my own principles as both an individual and a teacher, often finding them at odds with traditional beliefs. This, combined with the academic challenges I encountered, led to occasional clashes of opinion and some distressing days. Nonetheless, these experiences have been instrumental in shaping my perspective and growth.

I am definitely one of the people who HATES bad days and life lessons learnt in a hard way. It took me years to understand that I can’t always dodge problems. Some situations just hit right at your face. It hurts, it hurts a lot. Either you learn how to handle such situations or how to ignore them and move on. Surprisingly, the latter one was the most difficult one to adapt.  

One of the chaotic trios in town

To those reading, here are a few lessons I've learned:

1. Being different requires courage.

2. Being opinionated doesn’t mean people have to listen

3. It's okay to be wrong sometimes.

4. Perfection isn’t the result but the process

5. Change is a natural part of life.

6. Never straighten a dog's ears

7. Love remains the most powerful force of all.

Finding Strength Within

Along with my daily professional routine, I personally had one of the transformative seasons in my life. Thanks to my institution I got to participate in numerous events and get connected with various experts around India. These opportunities paved the way to absorb, relish and promote myself in the space. It is solely because of my Principal, Dr. A. Ramasubbiah, that I found myself interacting with intellectual and genuine people around me. Meeting Dr. Samuel Rufus, Dr. Marx, Dr R. Dhayalakrishnan, Prof. Armstrong, Prof. Prabahar, Dr Beulah, Dr Angeline Sorna, and many others has been an irreplaceable privilege that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

With Dr R. Dhayalakrishnan and Dr. Marx

Despite having people all around you, there are times when a few battles have to be fought alone. Though I was a tough kid growing up, there were times I needed to go the extra mile to pull myself together. Staying in the college’s hostel was entirely different from being a hostel warden at LDC. I had so much time to work, binge-watch, reflect, overthink and cry about. I earnestly love my room. With pretty posters, cute stationery items, a stack of snacks and a lot of PERSONAL SPACE. Still, I am sure you will agree when I say that the soul may not always find peace being alone (I used to miss my sister the MOST). 

Those were the days I started finding strength in myself. From handling work pressure, scheduling a day, wallowing in self-doubt, daydreaming, struggling financially, and having too much on my plate to having nothing on the plate, I have had phases. The phases I hesitate to go back to but never regret. I might even sound cringe to say this but after reflecting on them for almost three months now, these phases were indeed essential for me to be who I am today. Yes, I have become an ambivert from being an extra extrovert and prefer staying at home reading a book (GAWD! I never dreamt I would say that) but this is the process I have endured to be the adult I am today. 

A Grateful Heart 

No matter how much I complain about adulthood and its challenges, it will never overshadow the deep gratitude I feel for being a teacher. Honestly speaking, I never chose teaching, teaching chose me. Being able to meet new people and educate and encourage young minds have whelmed my heart. Most of all, I get to hit the bed satisfied and whole. Thanks to my profession, I have got to be more empathetic, confident and independent. 

People who keep me going!

I am genuinely grateful to the institution for all the countless opportunities and lessons I got to add to my professional journey. Personally, these two years have been a transforming experience. With no doubt, I cherish every friendship, relationship and experience I gained during the journey. Looking back, I was fortunate to have spent the past two years at MTNC and am very much excited for what is to come next in the upcoming days. 

As I am typing these words at 00:30 am, I happened to see a meaningful image posted by Ankur Warikoo, author of Do Epic Shit on LinkedIn that reads, “Letting time unfold the Truth”.

Credits: Ankur Warikoo

A perfect way to summarize my two-year journey. With all the learning and hope I've gained, I'm eager to see the lessons that TIME and the PEOPLE around me have in store for the future. 

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Thank you for reading! It’s been ages since I wrote a personal post, so this reflective essay does mean a lot to me. Thank you for your time! Byeeeee!