School Life

School is the part of Shaurya's life that exists between building sessions. It has spanned two countries, two schools, and a constant tension between academic obligations and the urge to ship products.

ISGI -- The Oman Chapter

Shaurya's school life began at ISGI (Indian School Al Ghubra) in Muscat, Oman, where he studied from childhood until age 13. ISGI was not just a school -- it was his entire social universe. Every friendship that matters from that era was forged in its hallways and classrooms. The Oman friends -- Palash, Ved, Mehal, Sheen, Prisha, Aliyah, and the rest -- were all ISGI.

ISGI culture was communal and event-driven. French Week was a major cultural event that got its own group chat and turned into something everyone cared about far more than expected. The "amerigyans" group chat from March to June 2023 represented peak ISGI energy. Birthday parties were elaborate productions with dedicated planning chats. The school operated on a slower rhythm than Dubai -- there was time to be bored, time to wonder, and that boredom is what led Shaurya to ask "how are games made?" and start coding at age 9.

Jebel Ali School -- The Dubai Chapter

After moving to Dubai at age 13, Shaurya enrolled at Jebel Ali School. The transition meant building a social life from scratch in a city where everyone is from somewhere else. Param Diwan was one of the first people to make the new school feel like home. The Dubai friends formed around Jebel Ali -- a crew bonded by shared classes, exam stress, school events, and the particular energy of an international school in a transient city.

Jebel Ali brought its own culture. The TOMM decoration team in December 2023 was Hinglish banter at its finest -- endless coordination and roasting. Insta8tion was another school event that brought people together. The Dramaclub group chat became a reel support ecosystem centred around the school social scene.

Exams and the Eternal Tension

The ICSE board exam system defines the academic reality. Mocks, boards, finals -- the cycle never ends. Physics remains the nemesis. "Go study" is a meme among friends because everyone knows Shaurya is probably building something instead of revising. The tension between building and studying is the defining struggle: juggling LockIn development, Simplifly operations, and Raly research while also having a math exam tomorrow.

Yet the grades stay up. "My average is 99% im chilling" was said at the Nasa reunion and meant sincerely. Shaurya takes a pragmatic approach to school -- he focuses on the subjects that serve his pilot dream (mathematics and physics) and his ventures (business studies, computer science). Prisha kept him accountable with Tuesday study calls. The exams stress group chat messages -- "We have boards," "Screw boards," "My mocks gave it in the bum" -- are shared suffering with friends across both schools.

School Events as Social Glue

The events are what make school actually fun. Whether it was French Week at ISGI or TOMM decoration at Jebel Ali, being involved in making events happen rather than just attending them created the strongest memories. Teacher changes alter the vibe of every class -- some teachers get you, some do not, and that unpredictability is simply part of the experience.

The Bigger Picture

School is a tool, not the goal. The real education happens in the building -- the debugging sessions, the App Store rejections, the co/Build demos. But school provides the structure, the friendships, the shared experiences, and the discipline that make everything else possible.

See also: School & Education | TOMM Decoration | Nasa Reunion | Insta8tion | Exams & Stress | Oman Friends | Dubai Friends