Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Walking Backwards

Entering the final year in college is quite a funny thing. On the one hand, I'm feeling sort of relieved to finally be at the fag end of my engineering life cycle. Not that I did not enjoy it while I was here, its just that there is such a thing known as TOO much studying (or engineering - whichever you prefer) and I'm glad to be moving on to bigger (and hopefully better) things. And so, while I sat back reminiscing on how time just flew by during my three years here, I realised how different this was from entering the 12th standard while in school. Okay, obviously it is quite different considering that one is associated with one's school for way longer than with one's college. But, it just made me ponder over how different we were then and how unrecognisable I would be to my former school self.
Its a very commong thing for students in school to fantasise about going to college and you know, having THE time of their lives. But I never really felt that way. I was quite happy in school and was in no hurry to get to college (yeah...I can hear you screaming NERD! but that's just how I was). Now, I went to an all girls' convent (one of the other reasons why people fail to comprehend why I wanted to stay in school :P). But, I think I can safely say that I did have a great time while in school, and I think I wouldn't be wrong if I said that sometimes, college doesn't even begin to compare to school. First up, kids in school have a way better idea about having fun than their counterparts in college. While in college, you'll need to shell out a great deal of dough to have a "fun" time - for eg. going for a movie, followed by food (or booze if that's your thing) and then finally crashing at a disc - whereas an average school kid has a great deal more fun than that by engaging in a highly adventurous and exhilarating bout of the - NEWSPAPER FIGHT! Kids know how to enjoy the simple things in life - something we lose to the Levi's and the Lee Coopers when we get to college. Oh,and the yearly ritual of the school picnic - ours was a toss-up between either Nehru Park or the Lodhi Garden (I still remember grimacing whenever I heard that we were going to either of those two AGAIN)- was totally something else. I still remember the way we used to gape and joke (quite rudely) at the "uncles and aunties" trying to well, have an excursion of their own in the bushes while in the park. Oh, and the ultimate weapon of destruction, the FRISBEE could be seen flying all over the place with adrenaline-charged kids running after it for all their life's worth.
As far as studies went, well I might sound vain when I say this but me and Mallika(co-conspirator and partner in crime) were pretty much the "teacher's pets" in the most biblical sense of the word. Though I might add that I wasn't as neurotic and nerve-wrecked as she was ( she was more like the teachers' lap dog :P), still I did have my "nerdy" moments (and its really not as bad and geeky as it sounds - instant gratification never hurt anyone :D). This obviously singled us out as the class enemies and we had our classmates plotting and scheming to turn us against each other(divide and rule personified) in ways that would put Ekta Kapoor and her entire brigade of vamps to shame. So, I had people coming up to me saying how egoistic and nerdy Mallika was, and people would go up to her and chime about how I had told them a "non-veg" joke (biggest crime that one could get penalised for in the SIXTH grade) which was obviously an apt reflection of my "poor" character :P. But, in the end, I guess Harry Potter sealed our friendship forever (nobody could get through something as sanctimonious as THAT). And finally, in the ninth grade, we committed the ultimate act of treason - we BUNKED class ( although unintentionally, though I usually leave out this minor detail - doesn't sound as cool :P). The teachers were in shock as if their worst nightmares had somehow come to life. But, still we got through unscathed (though I'm not too sure about Mallika - she seemed to be having a nervous breakdown and a panic attack at the same time - I looked quite callous next to her :D) and managed to retain our dignity too, till of course the time when we recounted this incident during our 12th standard assembly to the principal's horror (I was quite smug though :P).
There are too many memories attached with school - the chemistry lab for instance - our lab attendant tearing his hair out at the amount of salt we took for our experiments ("salt khaana hai kya?"), and that one fateful day when I managed to break a beaker, a pipette and a test-tube within a span of 20 minutes (the attendant said he had never seen somebody wreak so much havoc during the 25 years that he had spent in the lab). Then, there was that one time in the tenth grade, when I yawned right in the face of the maths teacher ( I was in the front seat and I didn't even bother to cover my mouth). She obviously got the hint, but she went on (I've never felt so ignored in my life :D). Oh, and then during Chemistry class in the 11th grade with Mr. Khilnani (the only male teacher in our school - poor guy- not that he deserved any pity, the tyrant that he was). I really needed to go the loo and it seemed like the class just wouldn't end. Of course, it didn't help that he was teaching about "fluid pressure" during the class.
So, I guess that's enough about my rant about school. I could not have asked for a better school experience than the one I had at Mater Dei. But, more importantly, I don't think that it would have been as memorable without Potter (yep, that's what Mallika was in school...though I'm not too sure now :D). All the fun we had, the experiences we shared, all the fights and then the making up...everything just forms a very colourful mosaic which will always be a part of my life.

School really is cool.

Nikhita

7 comments:

Mallika said...

1. as for the neurotic part..let me add under recent circumstances or maybe on routine ( as a correction of yours)....the eccentric psychotic female that I am..how do you tolerate with me??? and the biggest t**** on planet is me(being a family blog :P)

2. lap dog: BULLSHIT..who sucked up to susan maam in 6th in that subtle way of yours

3. with reference to above para 1...as of now I use more of profane language than you..so irony bell rings :D...I know it scandalizes you to the core.

4.Remember Pandora's box?? :D

5.Why didn't Khilnani come for the farewell assembly?!..wanted to get my rep ruined..yours was already tarnished with Supu advising me to stay away from you...( would life have been better, I wonder? ;D?)

6.As for Joy... one of the most ecstatic moments of my life when you got butchered :D...(giggling from the sidelines was me)

7.IG's profound love for me came between our 'love'...what huh?? 377 has been passed..I always knew you were jealous :D

8.Sports day and that shitty seat...you made me miserable that day...you smug a**

9. Seetteng and waarrrmming the seat neekeeta koul uhuh??...that hilarious expression on her face

10.the unexpected and the unexpected preparation ;D

11.Rai's class on hormonal changes and my grave confession( readers not to worry)...dangerous grounds that I am treading on :P

12.I am unable to recollect khilnanis dialogues...in fact monologues..we were too scared to open our mouths..anyway enlighten me

13.the chor that i am..host and dost line :)

14. Tauri... for me most respectfully sister taurina..and not to forget irene and daisy :D

15.are you making me write a mini blog here..you desperately were waiting for this...

16. jayabalan and your woes...slapping the ball :)

17.how to forget ur veda convos with ahem and the shield woman ;)

18.i maintain that i dont like matt damon..firget sameer soni...new crush is mayank on mjht on star one

19.george harrisson and the coffin episode..you have always taken my case on that :)

20.to the bestest friend in the whole wide world...an ode to our friendship :)

nikhita said...

DUDE!!! there's a reason its called leave your "comment" - but i guess the subtlety of it is lost on you (as are most things :P)...but anyway, thank you for putting down in words all these memories which are truly priceless (Pandora's Box, my a**). Your life would have sucked( not that it doesn't suck now :P, but I'm sure it would have sucked more) if you hadn't hung with me as my very patriotic sidekick (HAHAHAHA....don't grit you teeth...just pulling your leg)...I mean, I was the one who gave you all the 'gyaan' (without which you would have been laughed upon more than you usually are :P :P). Oh, and the Harry Potter talks...you could NOT have found a better partner to do that with (unless you wanted Longbottom..in that case, I would have steered clear of your path - you have my word on that :D). Forget the veda talks, maybe its time for some...erm let's see...erm, what was it...oh yeah ' FRIENDLYWASH'!!!! (UGH!)...and I do not need to remind who your partner was in that particular ode to the geek family :D :D :D...and as far as Khilnani goes, you forced him to think of himself as a beggar(yess!!!!) - a Herculean feat, I must say! And on a parting note, I would just like to say one thing - "CHAHIYE PADHEGA" ( For your sake, I'll keep this one under the covers - you owe me BIG! :D)

Mallika said...

Rotfl :D :D :D :D :D love you...

Jayant said...

School.... sweet memories!
I went to 3 different schools to complete my higher secondary education so, unemotional as it might sound, never really "missed" them.
I did have my moments though.. I was lucky to have found one or two really good friends in each of them who have been there for me even now,I've not met one of them for more than a decade still we chat like the old days.we became "friends" when we confessed our crush for the same girl(we were in 4th std then) and later, started bunking classes regularly from the 6th grade onwards... ok,i'll stop here... may be I write a separate blog post for my school life :D

You never realize how badly you miss college until you pass out and leave those hostels,that campus and that city(like I did two months ago).I always believed that one can't make friends for a lifetime after school but my group at college was a comfortable excuse for not missing home too much, not regretting coming to hostel for the first time and the like..
hope u ppl think the same when you graduate.

nikhita said...

love you too :)...but you know that already, don't you?

arunabh said...

Well Nikhita.. you couldn't have put it better in support of the schools. But there is one place i really beg to differ.
Hostel Life! Arguably, hostel life would count as the most enjoyable phase of anyone's life. And by hostel life, I strictly mean the hostel life at college (as opposed to the highly disciplined hostel life at boarding schools).
And hence based on this premise, i would think twice before calling school life better than hostel life. Each phase is so memorable. And if i were to really get judgemental, I would choose college life over school life. But then, each to his own :)
And I dint know about the harry potter bit :P

nikhita said...

--> arunabh : hostel life is cool...but I'd prefer school anyday...mainly because (and I know it sounds naive)your friends are really your friends...there are no ulterior motives or any of that nonsense...I don't know about guys but there are hardly any girls you'll find here who will have survived together over a period of 4 years :)...and yeah Harry Potter cemented our friendship together ( don't you dare scream GEEK!)