I Didn't Expect to Find My Younger Self Waiting at School

I went back to my school after 4 years.

Like most alumni visits, I expected familiar classrooms, old memories, and a wave of nostalgia.

What I didn’t expect was to find a younger version of myself waiting there.

As I walked through the campus, I stopped in front of the school’s achievement board. Among the many names that had come and gone over the years, one caught my eye:

“S. Kaviya Priya – 2018-19 | Athletics | 800m & Long Jump | 1st Place.”

For a moment, time stood still.

Back then, it was just another sports meet, another medal, another day as a student. Today, looking at it after years of college, work, challenges, and growth, it meant something completely different.

It reminded me that before the professional titles, the endless emails, and the responsibilities, there was a young girl who simply loved to compete, push her limits, and believe she could win.

The board wasn’t just displaying an achievement. It was preserving a chapter of my story.

Sometimes, we become so focused on our next goal that we forget how far we’ve already come. And sometimes, all it takes is a visit back home to remember.

Thank you to my school, teachers, and coaches who helped shape that chapter of my life.

Some achievements earn medals. Others become memories that stay with us forever. 🏅