Ended up in an eamcet college after missing tier 1 private college admissions. Here’s the truth no one tells you
Wsg gng, I finished my 12th last year and I used to be quite active on this sub. Today, I want to discuss something bigger because many of you will likely go through similar struggles this year.
For context, I missed my chance to join a tier 1 private institute because my IPE results were delayed. (I don’t want to dive too deep into that situation because it still frustrates me), but by the time everything got sorted, most colleges had already closed their admissions. I was left with limited options. The only thing I was sure about was wanting to study mechanical engineering. I’ve loved mech for years, and I wasn’t willing to compromise just to get into a “better” college. I eventually joined a well-known eamcet college for mechanical engineering, even though I didn’t even take the eamcet myself.
My parents were disappointed, not because I chose mech, but because they knew what these colleges are really like once you step inside. Honestly, I didn’t fully understand what they meant back then.
Now I do.
These colleges feel like an extension of Sri Chaitanya and Narayana. Same vibe. Same mindset. Same “just survive somehow” atmosphere. If you come from a different social, cultural, or academic background, the adjustment can hit hard.
The culture shock was tough for me.
People looked at me strangely for speaking English to faculty. I got judged for wearing baggy jeans. People would stare if you acted even slightly different from the norm. I know this might offend some, but I honestly don’t know how else to describe it—the environment can feel very backward at times. There’s a strange obsession with acting “mass” all the time. Catcalling girls, making dumb comments, mocking people for speaking proper English, trying too hard to seem dominant in front of others… and everyone acts like this behavior is totally normal. It honestly drained me mentally during the first few months. i did find a few good friends from my class.
The worst part is that when you enter an environment like this, you start to feel disconnected from yourself too. You stop talking as much. You stop expressing yourself since you know people will judge you for anything. You start to question if you’re the weird one for wanting a healthier environment in the first place. I used to come home feeling genuinely frustrated every day. Then there’s the comparison phase, which is honestly even worse. Watching people you know join tier 1 colleges, seeing them post campus pics, clubs, hackathons, fests, internships, networking events, while you sit in classrooms that still feel like intermediate coaching centers… yeah, it messes with your head. I won’t pretend it doesn’t. There were days I felt like I had failed despite knowing the circumstances were mostly out of my control. But after spending enough time here, I realized something important. At some point, you either keep complaining about the environment forever, or you start building yourself up despite it.
The harsh truth is that nobody will magically change your college life for you. If you end up in a place like this, the biggest mistake you can make is mentally giving up during your first year. I’ve seen many people do that. They become bitter, lazy, constantly angry at the system, blaming the college, and eventually, they stop improving altogether.
Please don’t become that person.
Focus on your work no matter how bad the environment feels. Seriously. Your skills are what will set you apart later. Especially in fields like mech, civil, EEE, etc., you HAVE to put in effort outside of college. The syllabus alone isn’t enough anymore. Use the next few months to really understand your subjects instead of just studying for internals the night before. Start learning software early. Build projects. Learn CAD. Learn coding even if you hate it. Watch YouTube lectures. Explore internships. Join competitions. Build your communication skills. Once you enter your second and third years, reality hits fast.
And please socialize.
I know it’s easy to isolate yourself when you feel like you don’t fit in, but trust me, isolation makes everything worse. Learn to deal with different types of people, even if they seem completely different from you. Not everyone around you is bad. There are good people in every college; you just need time to find them. Another thing that doesn’t get talked about enough is protecting your mindset.
Seriously.
An unhealthy environment can slowly turn you negative without you even noticing. You become cynical about everything. You lose motivation. You stop dreaming big because your surroundings make mediocrity feel normal. Don’t let that happen to you. Your environment affects you, yes. But it doesn’t completely define your future unless you let it. Honestly, college in India is odd in general. Many people are emotionally immature because we come straight from years of academic pressure without developing socially. Some people grow out of it, some don’t. Eventually, you stop taking everything personally.
I’m still figuring things out and I’m far from having life sorted, but I wanted to make this post for anyone who feels disappointed, stuck, isolated, or mentally exhausted after ending up in a college they never imagined they’d be in. Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. But that doesn’t mean your story is over.
Feel free to message me if you need help or just want to talk!