“It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius.
Having grown up in a fun-filled joint family, Donthula has always been around people who respect and take care of him. Donthula, fondly known as Karthikraj, is a third-year Computer Science student studying at Rajalakshmi Institute of Technology, Chennai. 20-year-old Karthikraj has grown up in an orthodox family that believes in traditional values. He has always been interested in playing cricket and reading books. Karthikraj has done his schooling at a prestigious school in Chennai and is grateful for his family members’ support.
“My life was just family, studies, and a few occasional get-togethers. I did not know life beyond this.”
Karthikraj describes himself as an avid reader who can sit for hours and hours with a book in his hand, absorbing all the knowledge he can. He also likes to share this knowledge by interacting with other people interested in ‘quirks of Karthik! Kartikraj was also an exceptional cricket player who has played many matches, representing the pride of his district. He loved his life growing up, filled with joy and hope. Karthik started college life by taking admission at Madras Institute of Technology, but fate had other plans.
Upon his joining, he was exposed to a new culture, new people, and new passion! However, by the time he was in the 4th semester, the covid-19 lockdown was imposed, and so, Karthikraj started noticing few changes in his thought process.
“I had to stay at home while my classes were going on. Everything was virtual, so I was unable to explore my other hobbies. I started missing the campus and company of other people.”
The sudden change was unfavorable for Karthikraj, as he began to feel demotivated staying at home. Though he has a supportive family, few of the family members started taunting him by saying things like, “you don’t seem to be caring about your future” and “there is nothing left in India. It would be best if you moved abroad.” – It was already difficult for Karthikraj to cope up with the lockdown woes, and hearing such harsh things about himself, made him even more stressed. As a result, he lost his focus and interest in studies and even distanced himself from his passion.
“I told my friend about what I was feeling all this while. He was very supportive and even suggested counseling. That’s how I got in touch with YourDOST and found a dedicated coach for myself.”
Karthikraj contacted YourDOST as the first step of his self-improvement. He got connected with an expert but could not find an emotional comfort zone with him. So, he took YourDOST’s help to assign a dedicated coach for his specific issue. He got connected with YourDOST expert, Ms. Malavika, and began his journey. However, due to some issues, Karthikraj could not continue the session with her. After a brief period, Karthikraj again signed up for YourDOST’s counseling service and automatically connected with Ms. Malavika. As surprising as it was for Karthikraj, he describes this as a life-changing decision!
“Malavika was very patient and listened to all my issues one by one. She was not too quick to judge. Instead, she gave me enough time to self-introspect. She was very empathetic and kind.”
Rather than providing vague solutions, Malavika advised Karthikraj to grab a pen and a paper and jot down all his worries and confusion he had. After reviewing everything, Malavika suggested that Karthikraj take ‘one day at a time’ and not worry about the future by compromising on enjoying today. Malavika helped Karthikraj develop a mind map to frame his vision and goals.
A mind map is a diagram used to organize information visually. It is hierarchical and shows relationships among pieces of the whole.
Mind map helped Karthikraj analyze his strong and weak points and decide upon a career he could pursue. By practicing this daily, Karthikraj maintained his focus on studies and started gaining a positive outlook on life.
“My relationship with Malavika was like the one with Krishna and Arjuna from the Mahabharata. She acted as a true guide to me, just like how Krishna guided Arjuna. Without her guidance, I would not have been able to identify my passion.”
The above words by Karthikraj have made a deep impact on us. Not only did he thank Malavika, but he also left all of us with the most appropriate definition of a counselor! Karthikraj rates his improvement a 3.5 out of 5 stars, and he adds,
“I am standing on the bridge, with one end as a failure and the other as success. Counseling made me realise that I am on the way to success, and not failure.”
From all of us at YourDOST, Karthikraj, you are a true warrior to have acknowledged and addressed your emotions at such a young age and inspire hundreds of others!
Karthikraj’s Warrior Tips:
1. More awareness about the role of psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists is required in countries like India.
2. Always try to search for passion; you will find the answer within yourself!
Are you someone who has gone through a difficult phase and emerged stronger and better, with some professional help? Share your story with us to encourage thousands of others who might be struggling. Click here to submit your story.
