IITs are considered among India’s most prestigious engineering institutes, producing graduates often seen as some of the country’s brightest young professionals. Many of these young professionals are full of energy and eager to explore new ideas, build innovative projects, and pursue ambitious dreams.
Yet for one IIT alum, life after graduation has not matched those expectations.
In a Reddit post, the graduate opened up about finishing studies at a tier-1 Indian Institute of Technology last year and securing a well-paid job through campus placements in Bengaluru.
The next stage of life was expected to be exciting and full of opportunities. Instead, the graduate says the reality has been very different.
Life after college reality:
According to the engineer, daily work now feels “boring and mundane”, far different from the creative and inspiring environment experienced during college years.
“College used to feel so exciting,” the engineer wrote. “It felt like I could become anyone. The sky was the limit. I built things for the love of the craft.”
After graduation, however, the routine changed sharply. Much of the day is now spent commuting through heavy traffic on Bengaluru’s busy Outer Ring Road.
Friends who once spent time together on campus are now occupied with their own jobs and responsibilities. As a result, there are fewer opportunities to work together on interesting ideas.
“Yes, I have a nice paying job, but it’s boring,” the engineer wrote. “How much can you really love your job?”
“I wish my skills were being used for something bigger, something with potential, something that has the possibility to become something big one day. Something that excited me with the thrill of the unknown,” the post added.
The engineer wished for skills to be used for something bigger, like a project with the potential to grow into something meaningful and exciting.
Here’s how people reacted to the post:
Reddit users reacted to the post by sharing similar feelings about life after college and said the transition from campus to corporate work can feel difficult.
One of the users commented, “I tell every student to enjoy school and college because they will never have as much fun later.”
A second user commented, “I completely vibe with you. After those 4 wonderful years at college, I ended up in a situation just like you.”
“Being bored is a privilege very few have. You might not understand this right away, but eventually you will,” another user commented.