A Day of Hustle and Unexpected Twists - 3 october, 2023

A Day of Hustle and Unexpected Twists - 3 october, 2023 

"Some Days Test You in Ways You Don’t Expect 🌿💼"

From an early start in the kitchen to lectures, unexpected setbacks, and even a minor injury—today was a true test of endurance. But through it all, I’m grateful for the small moments of learning, new connections, and even a few laughs along the way. Here's to tackling the challenges, one step at a time, and finding strength in the hustle. 💪✨"

Today started unusually early. I woke up at 5 AM because my husband had an important meeting to prepare for, and I decided to get a head start on my day as well. I headed to the kitchen, brainstorming what to cook with the limited ingredients available—only chilies, onions, and eggs. I decided to make a pulao, following a YouTube recipe while multitasking by washing dishes and getting ready for college.

The commute to university usually takes me an hour, a 1.2-mile walk from the station. Today was a long day of lectures, starting at 9 AM and running until 5:30 PM, with only brief breaks in between. When I opened my lunch box during the afternoon break, I was disappointed—the pulao tasted awful. I made a mental note not to experiment with recipes when I’m in a rush again!

I was starving, having only had tea and a few peanuts in the morning. I went to the Subway on campus but decided against it due to the long line, so I went to Costa instead and grabbed a chicken wrap. Unfortunately, it had cucumber in it, which I don't enjoy—sweet and salty flavors mixed together just don’t sit well with me. After taking a few bites, I threw it away, regretting my choice.

Back to class, we were divided into teams for a group project with a deadline of October 31st. After the lecture, we formed a WhatsApp group and agreed to spend the next two days brainstorming ideas. On my way out, I passed a game stall where they were giving out coupons. I wasn’t sure if it was worth it, so I consulted my brother. After some thinking, I decided to take the coupons, considering my husband's birthday is coming up this month.

Interestingly, the guy at the stall mentioned that he was also from the construction management field, just like me. He generously shared a list of job opportunities in our field, which was incredibly helpful. I was very grateful for his advice. Later, I ran into one of my team members who works as a tunnel engineer, and we had a chat about job resources. I'm making every effort these days to explore every possible opportunity to get into my career.

I also realized in the group we formed for the project that I am the youngest member. On my way home, I stopped at Lidl to get groceries, despite feeling tired from the day’s physical demands. Every lecture required moving upstairs and downstairs, and on top of that, I hadn't eaten properly. To add to the exhaustion, I had to cook tonight too. I went to Lidl, but I forgot to buy chilies, so I had to go back after getting off the bus!

For some reason, I was craving noodles, so I decided to make them once I got home. Without taking a break, I started cooking, and in the process, I accidentally cut my hand—badly. For the first time, I saw a lot of blood, and although I tried to stop it with turmeric powder, it took a while to stop. I finally applied a bandage and, despite the pain, continued cooking.

Meanwhile, my husband, sitting comfortably on the bed, commented on how long his day had been. I couldn't help but think, "If only you knew about mine!" After eating dinner, I had to check my emails and tackle the checklist I had made for the day. Even though I was exhausted and sleepy, I knew I couldn’t postpone everything until tomorrow. My goal was to at least complete 50% of it before calling it a day.

Pooja mattapalli

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