As an epilogue of sorts to this post, I am writing to let everyone know : It's happened
For people who haven't read the older post I've linked to, the gist of the situation is that I had been a great student in classes 9 and 10 (got a full 10 CGPA) but have been performing miserably in the higher classes, partly (okay, mostly) due to general indifference for the Indian Education System and increased skill and interest in the custom Android firmware field. Of course my family was and is against it and have tried multiple ways to beat it out of me, without success. Until today
Yes, begrudgingly, I have officially retired from all my custom ROM work ( And in the process broken many hearts and deprecated many of my github repositories). All users have been notified and bug fixing deferred until further notice. Sucks like hell.
The vast, vast, vast majority of people will appreciate this decision, being right to some extent that it'll help me focus on studying because custom ROM development gets addictive pretty soon once you start getting the basics and ramp up your game. But, the person I actually hoped to join this crowd, my school counsellor Ms. Manika Pal, simply shook her head and said I was a moron. The same words. Leaving your passion completely by will is one thing, having someone else force you to make that decision is unacceptable, according to her.
This kinda made me rethink my decision.
Do I really want to abandon my passion and hobby? Do I really want to just put to waste the entire year's worth of knowledge gained to slog for a college that'll add another four years of misery? Will I even have any of this skill left in me when it's all said and done?
Logical as these doubts were, I simply couldn't stand any more of the indecision. I stuck with it and she could just tell me that I was making a mistake, which again, she needn't have to. I know it's a mistake I'll possibly regret my entire life.
And so, I ask y'all again, Is this the right step? Am I doing injustice to myself, treading the beaten path that was never mine to walk upon?