During my first year of engineering, I had an important internal exam scheduled in the morning. I started from home on time and took an auto to the local bus stop. Everything seemed fine until the bus I boarded broke down midway. The driver asked everyone to get off while he tried to fix the issue. I requested him to return my ticket money, but he refused and told us to wait. I waited for about 15 minutes, but there was no sign of the bus getting fixed. Realizing that I was getting late for my exam, I decided not to wait any longer and looked for an auto instead.
Many autos were passing by, but they were either already full or had only one or two seats, which got occupied quickly by other passengers from my bus. I kept waiting and watched 6 to 7 autos leave without getting a seat. It was frustrating and stressful as the clock was ticking. After waiting a while, I finally found a small space in the back of one auto where I could barely stand. I grabbed the chance and got in. The auto kept stopping at several places along the way. I politely asked the driver to go faster since I had an exam, but he didn’t listen. I kept praying silently, hoping to reach the college on time.
I reached the college gate 10 minutes after the exam had already started. Without wasting a second, I began running towards my exam block with all my strength. I was completely out of breath, but I didn’t stop. People were staring at me as I rushed in. Just outside the exam room, I was stopped by the college director who was taking a round. He asked why I was late. I couldn’t answer immediately as I was trying to catch my breath. After a few seconds, I managed to say that the bus met with an accident. He calmly advised me to start earlier next time and wished me good luck. I nodded and quickly entered the room to start my exam, already 15 minutes late.
When the results were declared, to my surprise, I had scored the highest marks in that exam. I could hardly believe it. That day taught me a powerful lesson: even if your day starts badly or doesn’t go as planned, it doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. It’s about staying determined, keeping faith, and doing your best in whatever time and situation you have. A rough beginning doesn’t mean a bad ending – sometimes it makes your success even more meaningful.
