My most memorable moments of college days are the ones I spent in Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois, USA. I studied English Writing and Theatre Performance interspersed with courses as random as “Death and Dying” and “Sex and Sexuality.” They were not only good fun, but also gave me a
different perspective on life. While classes were fun and educational, personally I was broke. Well, at least most of the times, so I took up a job, actually, loads of different jobs to keep the money coming in. These are what I consider a proof of my hard work, learning and humble beginnings.
My first job was that of hanging newspapers on poles in the college library. I got paid $5 and hour. But it was only an half-an-hour job. So that meant I made only half the money i.e. $2.50.
I used to wake up early everyday when it was snowing outside. Go to the library and hang the papers, so that I could make enough money to buy myself a burger and a coke. It wasn’t much, but I took these on for what they call “sustenance”.
I have held jobs ranging from washing dishes in the cafeteria kitchen (which I got after I was promoted from cutting onions), working as an artist’s model, managing The Galesburg Symphony Orchestra, teaching underprivileged and low income group children after school hours, clothes salesman, construction worker, carpenter, and many more. And all this hard work, in my pursuit of that “Liberal Arts Degree” which after I achieved, I had no idea what to do with it.
So I decided to act, write, paint, design and talk all about the stuff I learnt, observed and applied; because eventually, that is what my education was all about.
Mayank Anand
Actor & Writer