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What Happens When A Shy, Introvert Girl Finds Her Solace In Radio And The Jockeys?

Do you know how a caterpillar forms into a butterfly and becomes more beautiful? Well, I was a classic example of contradicting that behvaiour. When I became a butterfly (metaphorically), I went into a cocoon. Being an under-confident kid, my shy and introverted nature tagged along everywhere I'd go. It'd take me days of self-convincing to ask my class teacher a doubt, let alone make friends. Socializing, making fun of teachers, and bunking classes were never my thing. I was the 'Naina' from YJHD of my school.As a girl who barely spoke to anyone, I always found my confidence in music. Growing up, my mum and dad used to switch on the radio every morning and listen to old classics. Be it, Kishore Kumar, from the 70s, or Shah Rukh Khan special from the late 90s, there was not even a day where we went without a radio. For me, music was synonymous with radio and so was friendship.When asked people who were their first friends, they'd name some names. For me, radio jockeys became my first friends apart from my mum. For me, radio wasn't only about songs, but also about listening to what the jockeys had to say from the studio. Whether it was traffic updates or late-night Love Guru shows, falling asleep without listening to my favorite radio jockeys was never on the schedule. RJs became the friends I never had.Now you must be wondering why I'm sharing this with you. The answer is pretty simple - for all the young fellas out there who are not so confident and have a hard time accepting who you are, constant comparisons and difficulty to socialize can be one hell of a time. It was for me. I still remember how I used to avoid every chance to mingle with people or even talk to my bench partner because of the "what would people percieve of me" fear.That phase is long gone now. Today, I'm a successful, more confident writer who drives the strategy and content team at a leading radio company. But did it happen overnight? No! There's a little story behind this. So if you've read it this far, please stay with me.Getting bullied in school or constantly comparing yourself with others was another weight I carried on my back along with that of books and folders. I'm not saying I never tried. I did. but somehow, I'd never fit into the "cool group" of my batch. I'd force-fit myself to be noticed but the thought of talking to my batchmates would be terrifying. If you noticed, not once did I say 'my school friends.' It was always 'my batchmates.'After having a rough week at school, the weekend was finally here. I woke up, home alone, and switched on the radio. Force of habit, you see. There it was, my favorite Radio Station - 91.1 FM. It was 9:00 AM and RJ Archana was on air. She was my favorite. Her show circled around Mumbai, the chaos, and how the city embraced everyone. I'd wonder, do I fit in into the city?That morning, she asked her listeners to rant out whatever they had in their minds and take the heaviness off their hearts. Gathering all the guts I had in me, I dialed her radio station. She answered. I disconnected. I bet you're not surprised. But to my surprise, she called back.My hands trembled as I answered the call with a shaky"Hel...Hello?" "Hi, this is RJ Archana from Radio City 91.1! Why'd you disconnect? Trust me, I'm here to listen,"Archana said.And those words felt like a thirsty person finally found some water after wandering hours amidst an isolated desert. Not that I couldn't confide in my mum. But having a friend outside the four walls was refreshing. She patiently waited as I spoke and vented out my thoughts to her. She calmly listened. And that was the breaking point.I didn't turn into a confident, extrovert child overnight. But I gradually learned how to come out of my cocoon, one step at a time. I guess music, radio, and jockeys were the trio to shape me into who I am today - a writer, a storyteller, and a person who feels comfortable in her skin. Today as Radio City 91.1 completes 21 years of dominating the broadcast music industry, my life has come full after writing this story while sitting in City's cubicle.For every under-confident kid out there, trust the process because you're not alone. Radio is and will always be with you.