It was a pleasure to be a part of batch 365 of the Basic Mountaineering Course at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India. I was fortunate to experience hostel life again after 7 years and met awesome people from all over India and the best instructors at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports. In the span of 26 days, I transformed into a mountaineer, embraced a soldier’s discipline, developed a profound love for nature, prioritized fitness, and honed my self-discipline.