Kritika Singhal

Truly inspired by the song ‘Am I wrong for thinking out the box from where I stay?’ , I have numerous times paused at every single line and wondered how much control do I have over my life. Am I doing the things I wanted to do or am I still doing things that the society expected me to do? Hailing from that part of India where one’s life was more so a reflection of how the ‘society’ perceived it, to be independent, to have a mind and mouth of your own was defiance. To be oneself was being a rebel for women my age.

There was a school informally set up by the people around, through which, I grew up with teachings and questions like, why is your denim so tight, why are you earrings so long, you are a bright student and kids like you are not supposed to dress up well, women are supposed to cook, why don’t you cook, your mother-in-law will not like you, get married as education is important but marriage is more important, you are a liability to your family as you are a woman since your father is no more and so we must get you married, women were born to sacrifice and give and bear and listen to what family says and what men in the family say, who are you talking to, why are you talking to men, no you cannot do a degree in fashion, you have to do engineering, no you cannot go on trips with your friends until you are married because you are a girl, why do you speak in English so much. I came from a place where it felt like a crime to be pretty and to be aware at the same time.

Thinking of how far I have come with a double Masters in Business and Science from a reputed university in America, I realized my potential to grow out of the men vs women categorization and be an individual who wants to travel, explore, love, dress up and most importantly live. I learnt not to judge anyone just the way I wanted the ‘society’ to let me be. I took a world tour before I will get married because I did not want ‘my husband’ to pay for my travels unlike how my family suggested. I drive, work, eat and cook and take care of myself. I will marry at an age I think is right for me. I have bigger plans in the future and they get me excited. These might seem like basic rights in some countries, but they are enormous achievements for me.

I am not living inside or outside a box because I think there is no box. It is an open sky and vast land as far as the sight can go and it is all yours. You can be something for real!