FOMO: The Opportunity Cost of Not Attending DU?

While reflecting on my two-year journey at Boston University, I reminisce about the college application process and my penultimate decision to move abroad. Let’s address the elephant in the room (quite literally, as DU’s official mascot): why am I even writing for DUverse? As someone who lived within walking distance from the Vishvadyalya metro station and still chose to move miles away from it, my experience would be of some intrinsic value.

Throughout my later years of high school, I had one goal - USA- in my planner and several tasks on my to-do list. Colleges abroad are highly competitive, not because their entrance exams are harder (case in point: the SAT did make me miserable, but I’m sure not as much as my JEE folks), but because of how they assess an application. They judge a student's co-curricular achievements on par, if not more, with their academics. Hailing from CBSE, I had always just focused on getting good grades. This led me to question my “why”: why did I even want to go abroad? Back to the drawing board. I rethought my decision's various opportunity costs: DU was significantly cheaper, world-renowned, and great for campus placements. Crossing the north campus university roads daily made DU too familiar in my mind. After receiving a scholarship from BU, I circled back to an education abroad in a spree to challenge myself and leave the comforts of my home behind.

Life abroad was quite unlike anything I ever imagined. The increased level of financial and personal responsibility teleported me straight from Chapter 2 to Chapter 10 of “Adulting 101”. During my first semester, I was trapped in an incessant web of cultural shocks, academic pressure, and mundane chores. Drawing comparisons from my peers studying at DU, Boston University was much stricter with attendance (missing more than 2 classes for each course per semester resulted in grade penalties) and grade deflation (my college ranking the highest in the USA). The arctic cold weather and home sickness were the cherry on top of this seasonal depression-induced cheesecake.

With time, I managed to appreciate the global exposure, networking opportunities, and financial freedom (note to future self: three part-time jobs at once can suck the life out of you). I was able to pursue two degrees with ease because of the abundant flexibility in choosing one’s classes. As I never found rote learning useful for my understanding, I wholeheartedly prefer BU’s academics to my high school. Over time, I have evolved to understand how my “whys” align better with Boston University. However, I ponder my decision frequently and revise the prospects of becoming a student at the prestigious Delhi University. Although this road not taken is far beyond my reach, I encourage all future undergraduates to eradicate the fear of missing out on certain college experiences and reflect on their “whys” before making their final decisions.