Catching the waves…
Reflection on grad school after half a semester
Eight weeks ago I arrived at Newark Airport and entered this lofty country of the United States. I had butterflies before every little action. Luckily I could spend the first few days here with family — my cousin brother and bhabhi in Hamilton Township. And then I took the bus to Pittsburgh for a long-awaited journey at the dignified C-M-U for a master's program in design. Imagine butterflies flying around everywhere! The School of Design made some really sweet gestures to welcome all of us grad students, like the orientation with a scavenger hunt. It was a smart and fun way to get to know people and facilities. And without much ado… school began! Classes, assignments, readings — all at full speed! Weekdays, weekends, mornings, evenings — they are all the same now.
In this whirlwind of a master’s program — on one hand, in the Interaction Design Studio/Lab, I have been thinking upon questions of the ‘how’s for virtual assistants or emotion-invoking products. On the other hand, in Communication Design Studio, I have been rummaging through the ‘what’s of building trust in international news or abstract concepts like lightning. And in the IxD Seminar, I have been developing a variety of viewpoints for every step of these design projects like inclusion, autonomy, or designing sustainably for the future. Futures Studies is also the subject of my TAship and I feel happy to be learning about sustainable initiatives across the world.
On that note, I am somewhat underwhelmed by the lifestyle in this first-world country. There is an abundance of facilities and stuff (largely disposable stuff) but also a lot of waste generation — in contrast with the Indian culture that respects the durability of everything as a general rule — without advertising that notion! I feel nostalgic about my last workplace, MakeMyTrip, where we had communal ceramic cups for tea or coffee, and we were encouraged to use hand-dryers instead of tissue papers in restrooms. The air here is super clean, but with the waste generation all around — I wonder how? If I trash a coffee cup here, would it ultimately get burnt in or be dumped in a landfill in India?
I also miss Indian food — not the cuisine — but vegetarianism! I grew up lacto-vegetarian and am inching towards being vegan. It breaks my heart to see meat — in other words, murdered animals — everywhere. Sometimes, cruelty is not even apparent — for example, rennet in cheeses is sourced from the intestines of innocent baby calves. And imagine the collective contribution to greenhouse emissions with these high levels of consumption of meat. India has a high vegetarian population. You don’t always have to see displays of meat, and cheeses don’t have rennet, and cruelty-free food is a common way of life, it is not even a big deal that is advertised on the packaging or priced at a premium! I respect that now more than ever.
Eight weeks passed by, but it feels like half a year because there has been a lot to do — maybe also because sometimes, I just want to graduate quickly and start earning again! The good thing about the program content is that it is very connected to my undergrad studies, and the spirit of learning is equally good here as it was there. Facilities like labs and equipment are better here, but a laptop and a printer largely cover my day-to-day needs. The brand of CMU is definitely more well known, which is good for me, but it also makes me feel that the BDes program in IIT Guwahati deserves more recognition. I do wonder if it is justified of me to be paying a premium, on loan, to relearn things. I hope that the degree from this reputed university doesn’t turn out to be an overplayed way of establishing a student’s existing potential.
Please excuse my mixed-up feelings and cynical thoughts. I am passing through a difficult phase of personal life — being away from family, friends, almost everyone special to me. Pittsburgh weather has been too hot and sunny for my photosensitive skin. Student life is not exactly easy — especially when the dollar is around 70 times the rupee and a lot of my headspace is consumed in calculating the real cost of whatever I buy.
The silver lining in all of this endurance is the fact that I am making new friends from different corners of the world. I like those little moments in the studio — like coffee machine chats, or townhalls every Friday on themes like ‘listening’ or ‘nature’. I have found an all-vegetarian cafe Rooted on the CMU campus. I have been very lucky in renting a house, my landlords and their two cute children have welcomed us into a beautiful, fully set up home, and at the end of the day, I love walking back to the peace of it.
All said and done, I am hopeful that grad school will be a high-point in my career. I am optimistic about finding a lovable design opportunity in a value-sensitive design organization. In my one year OPT after graduation, I can possibly recover a good part of my education loan, and after that, I won’t be too worried about H1Bs or the dream of a US green card. I feel happiest about being in an international environment and the overall experience of this master's program.
The best way to describe the image in my head is a long beach and blue waters, with tides rising and falling, where I am now catching my waves. The waters are rough, but I am finding a way to keep riding. I might be here just for a few moments, but I can experience the thrill, and glimpse a new part of the sea, and maybe return to my shore… with some fine memories. :)
