Throughout

Throughout my four years of college, the one thing that was constantly talked about was campus placement. It was pitched as the grand prize, the culmination of all the late-night study sessions, exams, and projects. "Just get good grades," they said, "and a great company will pick you up right from campus." It felt like a guaranteed path. The placement season started with a bang. My friends and I were a bundle of nerves and excitement. We spent weeks polishing our resumes, practicing for aptitude tests, and cramming for technical interviews. I thought I was doing everything right. I had a decent GPA, a couple of solid projects, and I made it to the final rounds for a few companies, including one I considered my "dream company." I sat through the group discussions, the technical grillings, and multiple HR rounds. Each time, I'd leave with a glimmer of hope, only to see the final list of selected candidates posted without my name on it. Meanwhile, I watched my friends get their offers one by one. Their relief and celebration were awesome to see, but it also amplified my own anxiety. The constant "Got placed yet?" questions from relatives and peers started to feel like a judgment. By the time the last company left campus, I had nothing to show for it but a handful of rejection emails and a serious case of imposter syndrome. The "guaranteed" path led to a dead end for me, and now I'm navigating the off-campus job hunt, which feels like a completely different and much bigger ocean. I wanted to share this because it feels isolating, and I'm sure I can't be the only one. So, I'm genuinely curious to hear about your experiences!