20th Feb, 2025

• 
  It’s 3:30am, I’m still awake. No need to surprise as it’s the daily routine since ITI had closed. I just had to wake up, join the Google meet for attendance, then fall asleep again if there is nothing to do. Is it really me? Yep…
  I haven’t been writing anything since long, Sobhit being my new diary. Of course, it feels better to share things to a person hearing you than typing in a journalling app.
  Anyway, ITI has opened, but I have taken a few days break, not because of my depleting health but because of BOARDS. Not mine. Yet, I am doing this because they pay me 8k.
  
  No plans ahead… not even after Veena wants me to teach maths for the next academic year. Choosing between private and government is getting a nightmare as long as I keep wasting time…
  “Bhaiya, what’s your age?” Diya said, one of my 9th class students.
  “22” I replied
  “Then you have a lot of time. Why did you say…”
  …
  “I have given up my dreams” That’s what I said to her, when she asked what I had to become.
  
  Her question had forced me to introspect.
  Am I really wasting my time or trying to run the fastest in the race. The race where people try to find the best job but end up in call centres. Sometimes it’s not just the race but responsibilities. At least, I am not in a race to marry… like her.
  
  Anyway, let’s try a government job as a stenographer this year and ultimately shift to a private job as a software engineer by next year as soon as I receive my final degree. So that I don’t have any guilt of either having MCA degree or Stenography certificate.
  
  And that’s what I said…
  “…ending up as a software engineer with 1 lack+ monthly salary!!”
  “That’s what we were waiting for!”
  Children said.