My LPU Journey: From JEE Struggles to a New Beginning

The past year has been an emotional rollercoaster — from late-night study sessions to unexpected results, endless counseling rounds, and finally landing at Lovely Professional University. This post documents how I turned rejection into redirection, and why I chose to be the head of a cat rather than the tail of a tiger.

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JEE: The Challenge That Started It All

Like millions of Indian aspirants, I aimed for top engineering colleges through JEE Main. I joined Sri Abhida Junior College, Hyderabad, and gave my best despite ups and downs. When the results came, I had a few good options — top IIITs like Kalyani, Dharwad, and Vadodara, but only for branches like Mechanical and Civil. I knew I wanted Computer Science Engineering (CSE). That was my passion, my future. So I took a bold decision: ❝ Better to be the head of a cat than the tail of a tiger. ❞ – I chose what aligned with my goals, not just what looked good on paper.

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JoSAA & CSAB Counseling Rounds

Here’s how the counseling journey went: JoSAA Counseling: Allotted: IIITs with Mech/Civil branches Why I skipped: Not aligned with my core interest in tech CSAB Special Rounds: Gave it one last try — still no ideal match Final realization: It's not about just getting in, it's about what you'll do after getting in 👉 Instead of settling, I decided to create my own path.

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Why I Chose Lovely Professional University (LPU)

LPU wasn’t my first thought — but it became my best decision: Beautiful campus and strong digital infrastructure CSE program with focus on AI/ML, Cybersecurity, and Python Active placement cell and industry-aligned projects Freedom to build and experiment – startups, side projects, hackathons Supportive environment that values both academics and innovation LPU didn’t just give me a seat — it gave me a stage.

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My First Year Plan

I’ve already mapped out my learning journey: Mastering Python (official course language) Learning C and C++ independently Strengthening DSA skills Practicing on LeetCode, Codeforces Dreaming big — MNC placements, internships, and product development

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My Projects & Startups

Even before joining college, I’ve been building my own ecosystem: 🖥️ DadsCloud My self-hosted data center project — India’s local AWS alternative ⚙️ TripleETech A startup aimed at IT services, electronics, automation, AI & web development 🔗 Open-Source Contributions From Devicon to custom AI assistants — building with the community 🌐 Personal Branding Sharing my journey through my blog, YouTube channel [pop2all], and my portfolio 👉 LPU gives me the environment to scale these dreams — with labs, mentors, and like-minded peers.

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Lessons I’ve Learned

This journey taught me a lot more than books ever could: Failure is just redirection Focus on your goal, not trends or rank lists Your path is your power — own it Choosing LPU over a "tag" college wasn’t a compromise — it was a commitment to my CSE passion and startup dream.

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The Road Ahead

Now that I’m here, the real journey begins: I’ll build tools, platforms, and businesses from my hostel room I’ll collaborate, contribute, and grow I’ll be the best version of me — at my own pace, on my own terms If you’re someone who’s stuck between “what you got” vs “what you want” — remember this: ❝ Be the head of a cat, rather than the tail of a tiger. ❞ Choose growth, not just glory. ✍️ Written by Dharun Ashokkumar Future Engineer | Entrepreneur | Creator of DadsCloud & TripleETech