We are what we repeatedly do....

We are what we repeatedly do,

Excellence then is not an art, but a habit. - Aristotle

I love writing. I always have loved it. Imagine being able to write with the style and sensitivity of J. K. Rowling, or the wittiness of Eoin Colfer or the intensity of Mary Higgins Clark or the sheer laudable brilliance of Agatha Christie!
It should come as no surprise then that I believe so completely in what Aristotle said. I know making writing a regular habit is the only way I can come even within the vicinity or these literary geniuses, that only when I do so, will I achieve excellence in writing.

I don’t exactly remember when the notice for this competition came up on the college notice board. I just remember thinking, " it sounds nice, lets check it out." ,and I did so that evening on the net. I remember thinking the topics sounded interesting but vague and perhaps , therein lay the challenge to the student.

I tried to enter the Commonwealth Essay Writing Competition in my 10th class but backed out at the last moment because my board exams were looming severely over my head. I have always regretted not being able to participate in something as prestigious as that competition for the simple reason that I refused to manage my time. So I surmise you can imagine how happy I was, when years later, out of the blue, I got the opportunity to participate in something just as amazing as the Commonwealth Essay Writing Competition.

I consider it just as amazing as something that phenomenal because to me, this competition presented an opportunity of combining my love for regular writing with the career path I have chosen. Of course, the coup de grace of the whole competition was that I was going to be assessed not only for my writing skills and my overall communication skills, by obviously highly competent judges, but also I was being given an opportunity to learn and explore more about the pharmacy field overall through regular and continual research. Research and continuous work on a topic increases interest and concentration in the given topic and ultimately results in a good level of proficiency in the given subject.

Honestly, the first essay that I did turn in finally as my official entry for the competition did not require much research. I'm a regular blogger and maintain 3 blogs, each through a different blogging website simply because I love variety. So that’s the first essay.

The second essay that required the student to talk about why he/she thinks communication skills are important for a pharmacy student, did make me pause for thought. I honestly don’t ever recollect worrying about my communication skills - whether I have any to begin with to try to improve on them.

The only reason I was able to finish the essay successfully enough to bring me to this level, was because I started thinking about all the people around me who are so largely successful. I realised then, that my father was the best example I could take and learn from. I did so immediately and that completed my second essay.

Naturally, the third essay was the trickiest of them all. It took me 3 days to settle on the topic that I finally stuck to - my favourite book. This was the longest of my 3 essays but took me the shortest time to write. Very frankly, it is my favourite of them all.

After finishing my essays, my next step of course was choosing my guide teacher. Nazia Zareen ma'am was my first choice. She is a most able and skilled lecturer and is the one of the newer additions to the staff at my college. She finished her M.Pharm in Pharmacognosy recently at my college and was offered a teaching job here immediately. I'm so glad I have this opportunity to thank her for her support.

The invariable thought that follows is, of course, what next, she's done with everything, she probably sent her application which got accepted and she got through the competition….. Well then, do let me correct you.

As many exciting opportunities as this competition offered, I still had many things to consider….

Do visit my next blog entry to know what those things were.