I still remember that day clearly

I still remember that day clearly. It was December 2023 and I had to go to Chandigarh alone for my college admission documents verification. Before that I had never travelled alone outside Shimla. I am a person who always travelled with my family, so this was a big thing for me.

My bus was at 6 AM from ISBT Tutikandi. I woke up at 4:30 AM, it was so cold and dark outside. My mother packed paratha for me and she was more nervous than me. She kept saying, "phone charge hai na, power bank liya na". I reached the bus stand at 5:30, my hands were freezing.The bus started and for first one hour I was just looking out of the window. The hills were covered with fog. Slowly the fear started going away. I started talking to the aunty sitting next to me. She was from Solan and was also going to Chandigarh to meet her daughter. We shared my parathas.When we crossed Kalka and entered the plains, it felt like a different world. So much traffic, so much noise. In Shimla we are not used to that. I reached Chandigarh at around 11:30 AM. The city was so big and confusing. I used Google Google Maps but still got lost and asked 3-4 people for directions.Finally I reached the college, completed my verification, and it took almost 2 hours in queue. I was tired but I felt so proud of myself. On the return journey at night, I was not scared at all. I was listening to music and enjoying. That day I realised I can manage things alone. It was a small journey for others, but for me it was my first step towards becoming independent. That confidence still helps me today when I have to travel for college and other works.