‘I didn’t have many friends; the professors were my friends’

Born and brought up in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, his family shifted to Delhi where he completed his Class XII Board exams. Like most students his age, he was 16 at that time, he was hoping for a perfect world once Suyash Dayal entered college life. But it all came crashing down.

“I took up Science (non-medical) in class XI since I wanted to pursue Computer Science. My head was full of ideas that I would implement once I was in college. But then reality hit me. After I joined School of Engineering and Technology at Apeejay Stya University , I faced the harsh reality – nothing is perfect; this disillusioned me and when I was in my fifth semester, I took a sabbatical in 2017,” the Python Web Developer at Netweb Technologies, said.

In a candid interview, he talks about what he did during his three years of sabbatical among other things.

How and why did you choose School of Engineering and Technology at Apeejay Stya University (ASU)?

I think it was more like it chose me. We live in Faridabad and there was an education fair. My father and I attended it. We looked at several institutes like Amity, GD Goenka, and of course ASU for BTech in Computer Science and Engineering programmes. When I looked at their brochure, I was impressed with the facilities it was offering – lab facility and faculty as well. When I visited the campus I was convinced that this was the learning place for me. Finally, my interaction with Professor Jindal clinched the deal for me.

What made you take a sabbatical for three years?

Back then, when I was in the fifth semester, besides having some health issues, I was disillusioned with the world at large. In school, we think that the outside world is perfect; this is not the case, at least this is what I think. I had only wanted to take a couple of months of a break but that continued till 2020.

What kept you busy; were you working?

After I recovered, I was still not prepared to go back to classroom learning. So, I decided to take up some freelance work. A couple of these were while I was still with ASU back in 2016. In 2017, I did a couple of projects for Job Shapers. This continued till 2020. That is when I realised the importance of having a degree. So, I decided to go back to ASU to complete my programme.

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“The best thing about ASU is that its faculty is more than just people who teach and mentor you. We all need people in our lives who are there to help and listen to us; my professors donned that hat”

–Suyash Dayal, Python Web Developer at Netweb Technologies

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How did the sabbatical help you hone your skills and would you recommend it to everyone?

Taking a sabbatical is not something that may suit everybody. What I would say is that it is okay to take a break if you feel the need to step back and get a better perspective if things are not working for you. What I don’t recommend is that you take a sabbatical to while away time. Take a break if you must but utilise the time constructively.

The sabbatical was God sent. While the first couple of months were spent recouping, the rest of the time was spent doing projects that helped me get industry experience and to learn how things work in real-time.

Was it tough to get a job because you had such a long break in your education?

What the recruiters are looking for is how much you know about the subject in which you have graduated. In my case, they saw that not only did I have a four-year degree, but I also had three years of working in the industry. These may have only been small projects but the interviewees understood that I had practical experience. That helped. The fact that I had completed my degree added value to the work done.

How was your relationship with the faculty?

The best thing about ASU is that its faculty is more than just people who teach and mentor you. Each student is given a mentor who guides them on a one-on-one basis. I am an introvert; I had very few friends so my professors became my friends. Whenever I would have a problem, I would go to them for guidance. We all need people in our lives who are there to help and listen to us; my professors donned that hat and I am extremely grateful to them for playing this role in my life.

The memories and relationships that I have with my professors and a few friends that I made have outlived my time at ASU. This is what is special for me from my time here.

Is there some advice that you would like to give to present Apeejayites?

I will quote my father: People who don’t have any morals in life will have problems. This has always stayed with me. Life is full of roadblocks and there will be difficulties. Therefore, instead of blaming others for your troubles, look within and see how you can improve. Once you do this exercise, communicate with those around you. Always have open communication with people who matter – be it your professors or even your immediate boss.