Learning....sigh!

I was a nerd from day one in school. The kind who would hang on to the teacher's last word. Throughout primary school, one 'good' from the teacher would make my day. I was the kind who would read the books the day i got them. And then reread them whenever the teacher told us to. I tried reforming in high school. Needless to say, failed miserably. The joke going around was that I was the teacher's adopted kid. Was that diligent. Maybe it's in my genes. I come from a family that places education above everything else. Where the talk in marriages is about whose child is going to which prestigious college/uni. Or maybe, it is the effect of having close family members who were teachers.

My grandmom was a headmistress. Every summer vacation of mine till she retired was spent in rural villages where she was posted. The children used to adore her. They used to come and tell her their achievements to make her proud. I blindly followed their example.

Till college came. And my professors told me not to study. One of them actually told me to get out of class and attend a particular debate which was happening. Threatened me with non-attendance if i attended her lecture that day. And thus i started doing other things in life. And started enjoying them more. Today, i get mildly offended and amused when called a nerd. I feel like telling them how i used to be.

But i wonder why i was/am (as some of my friends point out, maybe i am incorrigible) so big a nerd. Its because there were always interesting things to learn. Some addition to what you know. Some new skills, some different way of looking at things. Till i reached b-school.

Now, i wonder. Everything seems to boil down to language and semantics. Common sense has given way to jargon. Hardly do i truly discover anything. What was a 'problem' is now an issue or a challenge. 'A decision which makes sense' is not enough. It has to be looked at from efficiency, profitability, effectiveness, stakeholder value perspectives. 'What you are good at' is inadequate. It has to be your core competency, core product or some such crap. How the hell does it matter? I wonder. But I still take active part in all the class discussions. Though my conscience prickles me. But then CP has marks, you know!

P.S. : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.