Simran Singh - Jamshedpur, Jharkhand

 

The very first time I came across Let's Make A Difference was in the year 2009 at Regional Conference in Jamshedpur which later translated me into coming for National Youth Conference 2012.

Back then in 2012, I was a person who shared a very bitter relationship with my parents, I always used to feel that all they want is to love my younger brother. Things did not end here, I was under influence of wrong company of friends and had no vision about life. I never knew what I had to pursue after my 12. I had been just moving forward, without any direction and all that mattered to me was my ‘friends’ and enjoyment.

During the quiet times of Youth Conference when I was comparing myself with for standards of PHUL, I realized I was so opposite of all the standards. I had always blamed my parents for not loving and understanding me. I WAS SO WRONG TO DO THIS because it was me who had failed to see their love. I always expected from them without even thinking about my own responsibilities and love towards them.

After going back to Jamshedpur, I made two promises to myself:

• The first promise: To mend my relationship with my parents and to remove the curtain which I had drawn before my eyes that my parents don’t love me and to recognize my parents love.
• The second promise: To set a goal for myself and just focus on my studies for ISC exams. And yes, after going back I became more regular with my quiet time and kept working on my both promises. Eventually, as the time passed I came very close to my parents and our relationship today has converted into an ideal one which is looked upon by my cousins as something to learn.

In the year 2014, after my ISC results were out, which were pretty good, I got through in the TISS-NET entrance with flying colors in which only 60 students from all over India are selected to pursue 5 years integrated course that comprises of Bachelors in Social Sciences and masters in any of the specialized course of MSW. This has been my biggest achievement till day for I never thought that an average girl like me could become so focused with life and get into an institute which is best college all over Asia. The other good thing about my achievement was that my father always wanted to complete this social work course from this prestigious institution but because of his family responsibilities he could not do so. He was the most happiest person when my result of TISS-NET had come out on 25th May, 2015.

The change process started in 2012 and it is still on. A lot has changed and a lot is yet to change. I am completely different person from what I used to be in 2012. It was only through quiet time that I could reflect on my actions, whose had it not been there I would have not become so focused today, a person whose first priority is to fulfill all the dreams of her parents.

And today even though I am far away from home and college, I make sure that I spend some time listening to my inner voice because this is the voice which tells me about my quality standards PHUL and guides me in taking my paths to life even when I am so far away from my home.