Every journey tells a story. Some happen on runways, others in classrooms. When we step onto an aircraft, we are not just traveling between two geographical points; we are experiencing a sequence that mirrors life itself — especially the journey of a student shaping their future and career.
Booking a flight begins with choice — selecting the airline, route, and timing. This, much like the college selection process, is guided by aspirations, possibilities, and dreams. Exploring institutions, filling out applications, and finally securing admission is akin to booking that long-anticipated ticket to one’s future. It’s a moment filled with hope and expectation.
As the boarding call echoes and you step into the cabin, the experience takes a personal turn. This is the moment every student begins their college life — stepping into a new environment, meeting new people, navigating early uncertainties, and finding a seat in the larger journey of learning. The engines hum to life, and the plane taxies to the runway — just as a student spends the formative years of study gathering knowledge, skills, and experience, building the momentum that will eventually lift them into the skies of their profession.
Then comes take-off — that exhilarating rush when the nose of the aircraft points skyward. This moment perfectly captures the transition from academics to a professional career. The first job, the first project, the first recognition — each pushes the individual higher, fuelled by ambition and purpose. The climb is steep, the energy intense, and the learning rapid.
After the climb, the aircraft settles into its cruising altitude. The view stabilizes, the ride smoothens, and a quiet rhythm takes over. In one’s career, this phase often signifies stability — the period when experience matures, confidence deepens, and one’s role becomes established. Work feels purposeful; growth becomes steady rather than wild.
Eventually, every flight must begin its descent. Not every landing marks an end — sometimes, it’s just a transition. In the professional world, this could mean completing a successful tenure, moving to a new organization, or reinventing oneself for a new chapter. Just as the aircraft touches down gracefully to embark on its next route, careers too thrive on the art of renewal — embracing each landing as preparation for another take-off.
Each journey — academic or professional — carries its take-offs and landings. What matters most is not just the destination, but the grace with which we navigate the skies, handle turbulence, and keep faith in the power of flight — our own.