Three Years, One Journey: Learning, Growing, and Thriving at SGT University ~ Neel Setya

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” I asked That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the cat. ~ Lewis Carroll.

Well, I always knew I wanted to get to a place of psychology, a place of learning, discussion, exploration, philosophy, and science. As fate would have it, that place became the School of Behavioural Sciences, SGT University, for me. Along that same string of fate, I write this blog to tell you about my story over the last 3 years, my journey at SGT University.

As said in a particularly wonderful watch, "Let's start at the beginning, for we know that it is a very good place to start.” It all started when I was sitting with my parents, pen and paper in hand, staring at the list of universities. When I was scared for my future, when nothing made sense, and when I was overwhelmed by my choices, my mother asked me, “What do you want from your bachelor’s?” and my response was to work on myself, and now, as you can probably guess, I picked SGTU. I remember the day I visited the university for my admission, with both of my parents with me; the admissions team led us to E block and introduced us to Dr. Waheeda Khan, Advisor to the School of Behavioural Sciences. I remember Ma'am guiding me through the complexities of a B.A. vs. B.Sc. and, during that interaction, deciding that I would proceed with my admission in BSc hons in Clinical Psychology.

SGT University offered an advantage I could not find anywhere else: the ability to grow beyond my academics through weekly events, fests, workshops, and conferences, along with over 1,000 opportunities to get involved in various activities every year. Within the first year, I found myself in multiple societies: anchoring at the university's biggest fests like Synergy and Diwali, and joining the student body of academic clubs and debating at a national level through Tuskers, Anvaya, and Mannthan, respectively. Looking back through my rose-colored glasses, I can only tell you how much I enjoyed the last few years of my life. Perhaps one of the most impactful moments was joining Mannthan—the MUN and Debate Club run by two seniors of mine. The club encouraged and often dictated the way I was spending my time in my first year, participating in multiple debate competitions and Model United Nations, and even organizing them. While I had some experience in debating during my school years, Mannthan was where I truly polished those skills and made them shine. In fact, I was recently invited to serve as the Vice Chairperson for IPC for the Mannthan International Model United Nations, a role that actively shows how far I have come from the early days.

At the start of my second year, I found myself at the forefront of another opportunity, the creation of the Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness (RCESH) under Dr. Waheeda Khan, the very teacher who first interacted with me during the admissions process. Of course, I jumped at the chance, serving as an office bearer for 1.5 years. Under her guidance and the guidance of the then-faculty coordinator, Ms. Maitri Prasun, I organized various events and even authored several articles in the quarterly RCESH Magazine. During my 3 years, I have achieved various accolades, even publishing a research paper as a co-author with my seniors, Ms. Priyanka Singhal and Ms. Khushi Kadyan, and mentor, Dr. Anita Manglani, in a Q4 Scopus-indexed journal. I have also presented research papers and posters at several international and national conferences. Furthermore, I was also selected to be part of the organizing committee for multiple international conferences organized by behavioral sciences, for which I have to show my gratitude to my senior here, without whom I would not have participated in many of these conferences.

That is not all; I have also been fortunate enough to be considered for various internships as part of my academic curriculum, including one at SGT Hospital, where I gained a deeper understanding of psychological practices, therapeutic interventions, and ethical considerations to take note of in the field.

Continuing forward, it is only right to say that the most important part of my college experience was the people I met, my friends and peers in my own classroom, and the students I met during the various events and competitions, not limited to my own field. I made friends in interdisciplinary fields, from students studying dental sciences to those studying English or physiotherapy. I had chances to interact with experts in pharmacology, research, and, of course, psychology, for which I am ever grateful. I can honestly say that I won't be the same person I am today without the guidance of my faculty advisors, internship supervisors, and seniors.

The best advice I can give you is not to depend on a classroom, though there are wonderful teachers who are experts in their fields who pass on their knowledge as best as they can. During my experience, I have found that relying on a trusted peer or senior to figure out your life by learning from theirs is far more fun and rewarding than sitting in a classroom for the mere sake of “being in class” or "attendance." This was and continues to be the biggest reason for my choice of SGT University: the flexibility, the opportunities, and the authoritative style that allows a student to truly grow without the worry of other factors are truly the unparalleled, unique approaches that make SGT University the way it is and the perfect university for any student to choose.

Neel Setya, Student of BSc in Clinical Psychology