10 years ago, I was interning at a startup in Delhi. For me, it was my first time being independent, all by myself, away from the shelter of my parents, friends, and my hometown.
The internship was my coming-of-age moment, and I have a lot to talk about my two lovely months in Delhi. The professional etiquette I picked up there, Google Sheets skills, food choices, and just being responsible for myself. Writing that previous line, I felt how rare it is to talk about “professional learnings” while not feeling soulless, sterile, or synthetic about it. It hasn’t happened very often in my work life, and my time in Delhi was definitely special for making me sincerely feel that.
2016 was 10 years ago. 10 years is a long time and you inevitably lose a lot along the journey of life. I’ve lost touch with some incredible people, forgotten learnings and let go of the ambitions that I once carried proudly. I think that’s alright too, for that is what makes room for whatever new entered my life since then. But I’ve also held on to a few things and people, and I’m incredible grateful to be sharing about one such thing.
It might seem petty, but something that I really cherished from my time in Delhi was the Pilot V5 pen. Sukhpreet used it in his little diary that he took down all of his notes in. As I really adored his notetaking skills, I borrowed one of his pens to take notes in a similar fashion. The pen was a joy to use, mostly because it made me feel like I have similar notetaking powers as Sukhpreet.
Of course, I now realize it was just me finding ways to appreciate something in someone that I wanted to inculcate in myself. And I did. Once I got back from my internship, I ordered myself a set of the same pens to jot down my notes. They weren’t cheap, something like INR 50 a piece, but they were worth every rupee.
Once I got to Berlin, I kept ordering the same pens as part of my regular stationary. It is strange to think of it: what stuck with me the most from one of the most special times in my life was a humble pen. And the notetaking that came with it. And whatever way that notetaking skill improved my life. All, from one simple pen and a little bit of appreciation for the person I saw using it before me.
These days, everything feels fast. Sometimes, it is nice. Most other times, it is scary. No time to master a skill, spend relaxed time on hobbies, read a long book. Gotta keep up in the AI race or get left behind. But maybe this pen is the solution. Maybe the solution is to stick to mundane habits, and see how the dots join. The Pilot V5 pen is a lesson in delayed gratification, in honing a skill, in doing something that sparks joy, in being grounded.
If you’re looking for a great pen to write on paper with, give the Pilot V5 a try. You’d love it. There’s always the slight chance that it reinforces a core value of yours along the way.
Thank you for reading.