SHREYA WRITES

  Absence in Presence Sometimes, the hardest hurt doesn’t come from strangers. It comes from the people you trust the most — the ones you call home. The ones you think will always be your anchor. But when they drift away emotionally, even while physically present, it feels like the ground beneath you disappears. Like the world is moving ahead without you, and you’re stuck trying to catch up. Since the start of my second year, life has been… chaotic. I threw myself into everything — classes, projects I’m leading, clubs I joined, web dev, android dev, DSA — just to keep my mind busy, just to keep moving. My plate is overflowing, but I know I can handle it, and somehow, by God’s grace, some things are going okay. Still… the loneliness? The emptiness? It’s there, growing quietly, like a shadow that never leaves. Sometimes I don’t want anyone around. I just want to be alone. Independent — emotionally and financially. And in the process of building my career, of trying to become a better...

 Ever since my second year kicked off, life has been nothing short of chaotic. Managing everything all at once feels like an impossible task, and in trying to juggle it all, I end up managing nothing properly. The result? I feel completely drained—emotionally, physically, and mentally. It’s like a constant tug-of-war. When I focus on one thing, something else slips away. When I try to catch up on that, another area starts falling apart. Deep down, it feels like I’m stuck in a loop—while the world is moving ahead, I’m trapped in the same 9-to-5 cycle, running but not really reaching anywhere. The start of this year was actually exciting. I was full of energy, motivated, and everything seemed to flow. I even joined three clubs, and I’ve been learning so much through them. On top of that, I’m leading a project this semester. From the outside it may look simple, but honestly, it’s not easy—and yes, I am a little scared. Then comes the toughest balance of all—academics and personal life...