Written on: Feb 22, 2009

It was a Thursday when I was traveling to Mumbai to join a software firm for training. A lot more freshers were joining along with me, and hence, a lot more dreams. It was a bunch of toppers, as the firm was highly selective when it came to hiring fresh graduates. I remember we were toppers from Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa. Most of us were not financially well-off. Seeing the facilities over there, we felt proud of what we had achieved. And slowly, the fun began to take over the moment. Just to give a glimpse—we were 150+ and it was full-time fun. Along with training, we used to make time for friendships, outings, late-night chats, shopping, sightseeing, parties, cultural activities, and much more. Most of our salaries were exhausted before the month ended.

It was here we made a mistake (?). All of us dreamt — dreamt of our future… dreamt of a smooth life… dreamt of friendship… We also enjoyed the life we were in—to the core. Most of us had brought gifts for our family members. It was a proud moment for us. During a period of recession, we were working, while most of our college friends were still waiting for their joining dates. It was a proud moment for our parents, who used to boast about us genuinely—that we were not affected by the recession. It was a proud moment for everyone around; people used to say the best ones always survive.

It was a Thursday again. Three days later, we were supposed to join the firm after completing our training. I was with one of my friends and had just booked a flat for ourselves. A few minutes later, I got the news of our termination. It was a shock. We didn’t believe it at first. But it was confirmed to us within minutes via a termination email. The reason was the recession. In no time, our world had changed.

Now, the world around us is different. All we get are consolations from the friends whom we had helped to get placed. Our parents are shocked and helpless at the situation. We know what’s going on in their minds, but still, they smile and say to us, “Don’t worry!” We friends have parted ways—each one alone and sad. We can’t meet our college friends, as we don’t want to be a subject of pity. There are people who left other offers, believing in the firm. And now, with two offers gone, they are still jobless. Life now is still—not moving an inch. And the days of editing resumes and forwarding them to all the contacts we know are back again. We used to suggest career advice to our friends, but now, we take it. We were supposed to be a financial help to our families, but now we’re burdening them again. This hurts. And of all these things, what we miss the most is the three months of training—being together with friends, having fun, no tension in life… That’s just a memory now… A sweet memory for a bitter present.

Personally, I don’t blame anyone for the life we are in now. I also don’t claim that our pain is greater than others who are hit by the recession. It’s all a matter of fate. I know my suffering friends are strong enough to push past the pain and fight to gain momentum. I wish all of them good luck and just want to say, “Friend, just prove that the best ones always survive. All the best!”

Last modified on 2009-02-22