CHECKMATE - When life plays game with you

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Life is just like the game of chess, if you don't play safe, you will get a checkmate.

This is the exact phrase my father quotes when things go wrong. I'm not even sure if it's his original saying. My father, in his time, used to be a renowned chess player. But now the game of chess has decreased its popularity. Nowadays most of the young generation loves to play simulation games where there is a continuous burst of energy. Personally, I do enjoy playing chess and I'm fairly skilled at it but I don't share my father's passion or his tendency to sprinkle chess-related proverbs into conversations.

You must be curious about me, aren't you? Well, I am Charlotte, studying Nutrition at Yale College of nutritional science, sophomore, in Brooklyn. Being an Indian origin in America, I am more shy & introverted when compared to other of my fellow Indian friends.

Despite being a straight-A student, this time I was struggling a lot with maintaining a balance between my social life, academic life & my responsibilities. But I was super stressed to talk about this to my parents because you know Indian parents will look at you from top to bottom as if you are talking in an alien language. Moreover, I don't want to shatter the expectations they have of me.

 - Charlotte, you have to say it to your parents.

- But what will they think? That I am a loser. That I am having a break when I should be running towards my future.

- Taking a break from college doesn't make you a loser or less worthy in any way. You are taking a break to improve your quality of work and to know yourself much better.

- But Samantha I-

- Hush. I am your best friend. I know the best for you. I will go to your house and do the talking with your parents.

- No. I will do that. You just accompany me.

To be very honest, I was feeling a sort of guilt about taking a break from school. But Samantha was right; I needed a break from this exhausting school life.

Later that evening after school, we headed to my house for the conversation. I was nervous. I was imagining the worst-case scenarios—varieties of "what if" were stressing me out.

- Chill babe. Everything is gonna be fine.

Fine? My foot. Poor she doesn't know how conservative Indian parents are. I love how Samantha can balance everything; straight-A student – have a boyfriend [Though she recently broke up with him] – goes for clubbing or outing once or twice a month – have not-so-conservative parents. And here look at me, goes nowhere, studies at home all day, do not have a broad social life and yet can't balance life. I am jealous of her, to be honest. I am jealous of how perfect she is.