Cover

PRAISE FOR STUTI CHANGLE

‘[Changle is known for her] relatable characters and inspiring message … [her books make for] a popular read for those seeking guidance and inspiration on their own life journeys.’

—The Economic Times

‘Stuti Changle wants to inspire youth to “make a move!”’

—YourStory

‘Her book inspires you to listen to your heart and follow your inner calling!’

—Dainik Bhaskar

‘Changle is known for her simple prose and memorable characters.’

—Deccan Chronicle

Dedication

To those who have known loneliness, carried a broken heart, or felt lost along the way—may you always find your way back home, to yourself.

Epigraph

‘The world is our home. It is delusional to call your apartment home. Even worse to stick to the same place all through your life. If you’ve found love or happiness somewhere, you’ve found a home.’

— Ramy, On the Open Road

My New Game

Nirvaan

Friday, 9 December 2022
IIT Delhi, New Delhi

‘You’ve got to have the will to build anything and everything from scratch in life.’

When does a person feel like they have achieved enough in life? We set goals for ourselves, and we achieve them. Then we set even bigger goals and march off on the quest to achieve them too. Sometimes, we’re happy while on the journey and sometimes we wait desperately for the destination. But at no point do we ever feel fully satisfied with what we’ve accomplished.

But these goals that we’re always chasing—are they even set by us? Or have they been imposed on us by society? Who is the master? Us or society? Has the modern world been designed as such? Are we like that circus-trained lion whose tricks are never enough for its master even though it risks its life to achieve them?

Then again, if we have nothing to chase, why would we even wake up every morning and live through the day? Won’t it feel like death to be that purposeless?

I’m on the way to my alma mater, IIT Delhi, five years after having graduated as a computer science engineer. My mind has been flooded with existential thoughts since very early in the day, but let’s shift our focus to the weather for a bit. If you’ve ever been to Delhi, you’ll know how cold it gets during the winter. And if you’ve never been to the city, you would’ve definitely come across the dilli-ki-sardi memes on the internet. But this week hasn’t been just plain cold; the weather has taken a magical turn, with heavy rain and chilly winds sweeping across the city. And that hasn’t helped with how I’m feeling.