Credits: Neehal Sharrma

Neehal Sharrma is a Btech graduate in Mechatronics from MIT Manipal. He graduated in 2022 and has since been actively involved in mentoring and guiding students and aspirants of MIT.

You can get to know him better here https://www.linkedin.com/in/neehal-sharrma/

About Manipal Itself

The "Brand" Name

As a private institution, Manipal is without a doubt one of the greatest in the country — I'm not going to compare it to BITS, VIT, SRM, or any other colleges — and the facilities, famous alumni (Satya Nadella and Rajeev Suri spring to mind), teachers, and many other support structures all work together to build up a fantastic name for the Manipal brand, be it in the business, academia, or popular image. Personally, I'm not a fan of the entire "college > branch" equivalency that students fall prey to — if you don't enjoy EEE, for example, it won't matter if you get a prestigious college since you'll hate every second of it — but when compared to other engineering colleges, MIT undoubtedly holds its own as a part of MAHE, one of the country's very few Institutes of Eminence.

Drugs and the Reputation Problem

Now that the question of reputation comes up, the question of rumours of Manipal being a drug-filled place do pop up. I'd say it's not true — you won't see people smoking bongs on the side of the road — but I won't refute that students do engage in substance abuse and other pursuits that would put them in trouble with the law, which most parents would be concerned about. However, having had acquaintances from other institutions (including premiere government institutes) tell me about the drugs and other student issues there, I can assure you that this situation exists everywhere; it's just that because Manipal has a number of relatively wealthy students, this label appears to have perpetuated given the standard rich kid image.

The Place and People

Manipal, being a student town that built around the MAHE campus, is a very open place to acclimatise to for those outside Karnataka. I was pleasantly delighted to see all of the restaurants, stores, and other attractions that you'd expect to find in any other city. The weather is hot and humid, as is normal for Karnataka, although there is rain at regular intervals, which helps to dilute the scorching heat — monsoons, on the other hand, are a different bag of worms, and anyone who have experienced the severe Manipal monsoons will understand what I mean. The residents speak Tulu, Kannada and other local languages but can also talk in Hindi very well, and some locals can even have a conversation in fluent English; this is undoubtedly due to the influx of foreign nationals and other English-speakers. As a Maharashtrian born and raised in Pune, I was relieved not to be forced to eat the Idli-Dosa-Vada trinity every day, and I didn't leave hungry; this place will rapidly grow on you till it seems like a second home.

General Tips to follow as a Student

If you're coming to Manipal, congratulations on your admission! You must be looking forward to a variety of enjoyable activities and educational opportunities here! However, before you put on your rose-colored movie-college-life glasses, let me remind you that this will be an experience unlike any other, in more ways than one.

Friendships take Time. Don't Worry

Once the initial wave of settling in has passed, many students are plagued with homesickness and loneliness, having been abruptly plucked out of their comfortable lives in their hometowns and placed in a completely unknown environment, as well as a slew of other problems that come with being away from home for the first time. This truly ruins your first few days here since you may not have anybody to talk to, and for those who survived the JEE race (which is virtually everyone), almost everyone except the natural extroverts must be struggling to interact and build new acquaintances and relationships with individuals from all over the nation. As a diehard introvert (obviously, considering I frequent Reddit XD), I, too, found it challenging to forge new relationships, especially after watching the more socially competent weave their way through this tumultuous sea of people. But don't be afraid: because this is your first time moving as a totally autonomous individual, it may be difficult to adjust, but conquering hurdles like these will be the first step toward your entire personal development.

As long as you stay active in class, make the effort to talk to the person besides you (something as simple as asking their name and where they're from can be a good way to start off), and most importantly give some time for connections to form, I'm sure you'll be able to find a peer group that appeals to you. Joining student clubs or projects is another excellent approach to meet new people and find something to talk about beyond work hours. Many of my closest buddies were created during my time in groups and student projects.

That being said, Connections != Friends.

You can have a tight circle of pals with whom you would embark on road trips, visit each other's homes, and engage in the usual 3 Idiots shenanigans. You can also have a different set of professional connections and acquaintances with whom you can network and create your own brand. Remember that your network is often your net worth. Definitely make the most of your four years here by networking with as many prospective contacts as possible who can aid you later in your professional life.

Be Organised

Don't slack off on your studies, and pay attention in class from the start. You won't have to spend as much time and effort studying if you make an attempt to engage in class. The longer you procrastinate, the more this decision will come back to haunt you when you run all-night marathons on the night of the exam. However, not everything is doom and gloom: as long as you're consistent, manage your time properly, and don't slack off when the situation calls for it, you'll be able to maintain academics, extracurriculars, a nice social life, and some time for personal growth and just hanging out. The timetable and course structure is built keeping in mind the amount of hours one would need on a minimum keeping in mind non-academic activities as well, so don't worry about having to study all the time.

When I was in college, I used to use my calendar app to block specific times in the day for specific events, and by organising my days/weeks in advance, I was able to be more productive while still setting some time apart for the normal campus goofing around, all while managing to keep a reasonable level of academics and my innumerable co-curriculars. Many of my colleagues could easily retain a branch topper status while still participating in extra-curricular activities. All of this would, of course, rely on the individual's capabilities, since not everyone would choose to work that way, but keep these broad guidelines in mind as you go about your college life.

Don't Lose Sight of your Vision

It's easy to arrive to college and be swept up in the flow of college life and enjoyment, only to be hit with a harsh reality check the moment you step out into the world as a graduate. Explore as much as possible to gain as much exposure as possible, and then settle on a clear objective or personal vision for yourself that you can strive towards for the remainder of your college life. I recommend spending your first year exploring as much as possible, and by your second (or third) year, you should be able to cement a vision for yourself that you want to follow beyond graduation. This "timeline" may change for each person, but by the time your convocation arrives, you ought to have a game plan in place. I've seen many people stumble around until third year and then receive a rude awakening by fourth year - it's not possible to turn yourself around without a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. In my case, I stumbled around until the second year, but the COVID-19 lockdown provided me the push I needed to get my stuff together and figure out my plan for the following couple of years. During those years, I spent as much time as I could upskilling myself and working on projects to better myself, and it all paid off in the end.

Tips for MITians

1st Year

Join a Student Project.

Try to join a student project taskphase now, since it becomes more difficult to enrol again in the second year. This is also because most team tenures occur the year following taskphase, so if you apply in the first year, your team tenure will occur in the second year, as opposed to if you apply in the second year, which would have you serve tenure in the third year (a very important year for personal development). Don't worry about your skills; just show up eager to learn. Because taskphase requires a significant amount of time and dedication, I do not advocate joining any other clubs during your first year; instead, do it during your second year.

Know your Way around Campus

Spend your first few weeks touring campus, your department, the neighbourhood around Manipal, and so on, a s it will undoubtedly help you find your bearings if you decide to view particular laboratories or travel to certain spots to see a staff member or someone else.

Try for a Non-Technical Internship.

Use the summer after your first year to look for non-technical internships. Most first-year students lack the technical skills to pursue technical positions, however non-tech / management intern positions will provide you with valuable work experience and insight into how businesses operate, which you may use to your advantage next year when you pursue technical positions next summer.

2nd Year

Join a Club

Clubs are typically more lenient with year-to-year screening, so I recommend joining one now if you can. If you participated in a student project during your first year, this will allow you to put your student project abilities to the test in a more casual situation, as well as act as an excellent networking opportunity.

Participate in Department Activities

The second year is when you begin to interact with your department. Maintain solid relationships with your professors, since they are your primary route to additional research activity in the department as well as other chances that they may present.

Try for a Technical Internship

Now that you've spent a year learning about courses related to your field, take advantage of this time to work on projects and improve skills that will help you land a technical internship. If you were able to get an internship the previous summer, your prospects will improve even further.

3rd Year

Focus on Personal Development

Because most clubs and student projects do not have much work for third-year students, this is the greatest time to focus on your growth. Use this opportunity to expand your network, and if you wish to pursue research, approach professors and work as a research assistant under them. You can also utilise the summer of this year to seek another technical internship that counts toward your degree's industrial training criterion, killing two birds with one stone.

Solidify your Future Plans

Make a future plan for yourself after graduation if you haven't already. Given your prior experience, it shouldn't be difficult. This is what you would do for your fourth year and beyond.

4th Year

Execute, Execute, Execute

By the time fourth year comes around, a lot of things are set in stone. Companies coming for placement, universities, and other entities will evaluate your profile and skills to deem you worthy of acceptance. If you were able to effectively cultivate your resume this should be smooth sailing for you. If you have your plan set, put that into motion and start working towards your goal. This is the time to reap the fruits of your labour.

 I hope this will help those who are a bit unsure about what to do when in college, as well as serve as a bit of a pep talk to help you find your way.