What failure really means and how we look at it is changing. Nidhi Mehta, a freshman at Northeastern University, has already trekked to Mount Everest Base Camp and it couldn’t have been possible without facing failure. She has already achieved the gold level of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award; volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Make-A-Wish, Patana. Always exploring new things is something she really likes. She has already visited five out of seven continents and knows five languages.
Growing up in Bangkok, she never got the chance to see snow which is why it was something special to see snow and ice in Everest. The only thing she feels sad about is that she couldn’t see snow falling from the sky. Her trekking experience has had a huge impact. The trip was offered through her school. It required them to map their own routes and taking into consideration the physical impediments and fatigue that they would face.
The most challenging thing was how to live with 22 other people in close quarters for 16 days. No one had prepared her for this. The whole trip was intense but it left behind memories one can never forget. One of the highlights was an unplanned trip to a working monastery, where Mehta and her group got to witness monks chanting. It was a beautiful moment. It is very rare for outsiders to witness such an intimate moment and it was worth it. It was an enlightening experience. Mehta and her group also got an opportunity to climb Kala Patthar, a landmark on the south ridge of Himalayas. They had to turn back halfway from there in order to avoid an incoming blizzard, however.
Mehta took it as a learning experience. Just because you couldn’t do it for the first time, you may think of yourself as a failure. This is not how we should take failure, instead focus that energy someplace better. Failure not only makes you strong, but they are the stepping stones towards personal growth. No wonder failure is said to be the best teacher in life.
Soumya Pandey