What My Second Year at JIMS, Greater Noida Has Been Like

 

I am Ankit Joshi, currently pursuing B.Com (Hons.) in my second year at JIMS Greater Noida. When I joined college, I had a very simple idea of what these three years would look like—attend classes, study for exams, make friends and eventually graduate. After spending more than a year here, I have realised that college is much less predictable than that.

The biggest difference I noticed between school and college was the amount of responsibility you have for yourself. Nobody is going to constantly remind you to complete every assignment or prepare for every test. You have to keep track of things yourself. During the first year, getting used to this was probably one of the more difficult parts for me. By second year, I have become better at managing my classes, assignments and other responsibilities without getting completely stressed out.

B.Com (Hons.) has also been different from what I imagined before joining. It isn't limited to accounts and traditional commerce subjects. We get introduced to different areas related to business, management, finance and economics. Some subjects naturally interest me more than others, but that is actually helping me understand which areas I might want to explore further after graduation.

Another thing I have noticed is that classroom learning is only one part of the college experience. We have presentations, group projects, discussions and various activities throughout the academic year. Working on group assignments can sometimes be chaotic because everyone has different ideas and schedules, but it also teaches you how to divide responsibilities and work with people who may have completely different approaches.

The professors are another important part of college life. My experience has been fairly good overall. Different teachers have different methods of teaching, and some classes are naturally more interactive than others. What I appreciate is that when I have a genuine doubt or need guidance regarding an assignment or presentation, I can approach the concerned professor. I have also realised that the more you participate in class, the more comfortable you become with your teachers.

One of the things I enjoy about college is that there are opportunities to step outside the usual classroom routine. Industrial visits, seminars, guest lectures, competitions and college activities provide a change from regular classes. Industrial visits, in particular, are interesting because they give us an opportunity to see how things work in an actual organisation instead of only studying the concepts theoretically.

Of course, college isn't always exciting. There are days filled with back-to-back classes, pending assignments and deadlines that seem to arrive all at once. Attendance and internal assessments can also add pressure. But looking back, these things have made me more organised and taught me to plan my time better.

The social side of college has probably been the most unexpected part for me. You start with a group of people you barely know and gradually end up sharing inside jokes, lunch breaks, last-minute assignment discussions and countless random conversations. Some of these ordinary moments end up becoming better memories than the big events.

Now that I am in my second year, I have started thinking more seriously about what I want to do after B.Com (Hons.). I have realised that a degree is just the starting point. Building skills, gaining experience through internships and understanding your interests are equally important.

Overall, my time at JIMS Greater Noida has been a combination of learning, deadlines, friendships, activities and figuring things out along the way. I still have another year to go, so I can't say I know exactly where this journey will take me. But I can definitely say that college has already taught me more than I expected when I first walked through the gates.