Have you ever experienced the sensation of riding a rollercoaster? I was terrified of those thrill rides as a child and always used every excuse I could find to get away from riding them.
My cousin eventually had to use a Coldplay reference “If you never try, you’ll never know”, which pretty much sealed the deal for me. So, I sat there, holding onto dear life, my poor fist-sized heart pounding in my chest, the beat echoing in my ears, as loud as those EDM concert speakers.
The ride started slow but picked up pace as we approached the first hill. I couldn’t see what was beyond the slope but my cousin chuckled right next to me. What followed after the first dreadful drop-off were a series of unexpected drop-offs, twisted bends, and steep slopes around every turn. People were mostly screaming and hooting but when a lady lost her sunglasses in the wind, we all laughed in synchrony.
Astonishingly, I found myself laughing and smiling as we disembarked. I realized that the ride was synonymous to what my childhood looked like. My father’s profession always demanded us to move to a new place ever since I was a toddler. I never knew what was coming up next but the excitement of moving into the next house, joining the next school and most importantly, the next set of stories that would unfold became a deep-seated part of me. I looked forward to those new stories like I anticipated every turn on the rollercoaster ride.
As Indians, even if we grow up away from home, most of us are naturally inclined towards career routes that are steady and preferably those that satisfy our families. With a little persuasion and some reasonable arguments, I convinced my family that I wanted to find happiness in a profession that I choose for myself.
I needed to pick a profession that would surprise me every second of every day and fill me with the same euphoric energy I felt on the rollercoaster.
I stumbled across the words “The power of PR in a changing landscape” while browsing through college catalogues. This intriguing phrase grabbed my attention and I desperately looked for the best course but opted for India because I wanted to stay closer to my dog, Shiro. I completed my Bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication but the very basics of PR and the importance of effective communication in a digitally entranced world left me craving for more.
The uncertainty of what we might see around the next bend has made Public Relations the most thrilling roller coaster ride in this amusement park called life. This is a career that will persuade you to sail around those uncharted niches in your brain and bring out the most insane yet unique ideas that delight you. It will either be a hit or a miss because there is no way of predicting what will happen next. The urge to give it another try will become the motivating indulgence that we all are desperately seeking during these arduous times.
Six months into this dynamic course, I have realized that PR is evolving and there is always a new challenge to look forward to. The global pandemic has condemned us to a dreadful confinement but the paradigms in PR are shifting and the wheels towards a better future keep turning in this evolving industry.
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