Another week has flown by! Looking back, this week has been really hectic and I have no clue where it went. Maybe I feel this way because last weekend was hardly a holiday. I had gone to Chennai for my convocation.

For about a week before the convocation, I was really excited. At first, it was the excitement of graduating and then, it was the excitement of seeing all my friends… I was thrilled! As the day of convocation came closer, the excitement turned into something else.

I felt like one phase of my life was over and I have entered a new phase. I could no longer get out of Coffee Day without leaving a tip and say “hey, I’m a student and I can’t afford it.” Those days have gone by!

When I was at college, I was typically one of those girls who would bitch about their college at the first chance that came their way. Man! I couldn’t wait to get out of college. Once I got out of college, I realized how much that place had become a part of my life and how badly I missed it. I missed being a backbencher, I missed sneaking out of class with Aarti to eat samosa, I missed going to the library to check movie timings, I missed doing my record during English class, I missed dancing with my friends during lunch breaks, I missed going to Gangotri, I missed Shirdi mess, I missed bunking classes and going to Satyam, I missed the chowkidar, I missed giggling during the OAT, I missed cheering for my college, I missed NCC, I missed running around the college early in the morning, I missed bitching about having to run around the college early in the morning, and most of all, I missed all the wonderful people I made friends with when I was in college!

On the day the convocation, the college was filled with squeals of “oh my god! Can’t believe you’ve changed so much…” and “it is so good to see you!!” and “heyyyyyyyyy… been looking for you all over the place”… it was heavenly… it was so nice that even the yellow convocation robes didn’t seem like such a big deal. Finally, after a lot of hugging and screaming and shouting, we were all seated at our respective places. The convocation began! The usual speeches of responsibility and duty were made. All of us had to go and stage individually and collect our certificate. We were graduates!!!!

We stood up to take the graduate’s oath after which we sang the college song. And that was the moment it actually struck all of us that we would never again enter the gates this college as its students. We were the alumni now– THE CLASS OF 2005!! Tears were flowing and it was a weird feeling. A feeling of accomplishment, sadness and happiness rolled into one. Though I was leaving the college, I got to keep something that would always be mine, forever—the memories! I have such lovely memories of my college and the people I met there. Every corner of my college reminds me of so many people, the fun we’ve had together, the laughter and the tears we’ve shared, the bond that is everlasting. And it’ll always be mine…

Don’t ask me how i know what i know!!!

These are events that took place in a popular disc in Chennai, when 7 girls decided to go on a girls night out.. and i repeat the title, don’t ask me how i know what i know..

Scene 1

Act 1

(…seven girls enter the hotel lobby, three of whom are hmmm… lets say, “happy high”.. bunch of people (2 girls and about 6 guys) are waiting outside to enter the disc..)

(..one girl, lets call her the friend-in-need (significance of the name will be understood as you read on!!!), approaches our heroines with a wide smile..)

f-i-n: hey people.. Can you please give my guy friends entry?? Its just entry.. Nothing else.. Please..

(..looks pleadingly..)

heroines: hmmmm.. As long as its just entry, thats fine..

(the gal thanks our heroines and yo! all of them enter into the disc..)

Readers please note that out of our 7 heroins, 2 of them are making their debut.. The whole party scene happened so that those two can be “enlightened” about the chennai night-life. And those two, when the plans were made, made it VERY clear that they only wanted to go dancing and weren’t interested in booze or any other such activities!!(point to be noted for future reference!!!!)

Act 2

(…our heroines hit the dance floor and are dancing away to glory!!)

heroine 1: hey.. this is fun man!! Music is awesome.. btw, will you share a fag with me?? ‘Cos i don’t want to have one fully!!

heroine 2: (…carefully considers the question.. ‘cos she doesn’t want to seem too eager!)

hmmm… ok.. just one..

(heroine 1 return with a cigaratte that she managed to borrow from someone..)

heroine 1 lights the cigaratte and gives it to heroine 2

Both of them are happily fagging (should i say smoking?!!) The cigaratte gets passed on to all the other heroines.. but our debutants mainted their we-only-wanna-dance stand@#!*

As time goes on, 1 cigaratte becomes 2 and then 3 and other than our debutants all the heroines are found smoking..

Act 3

Heroines 2, 3, 4 and 5 (btw, heroines 4 and 5 are our debutants!) take a trip to the loo..

(..conversation in the loo..)

heroine 3: Hey.. You guys.. I want to fag.. Get me a cigaratte..

heroine 2: Listen, we’ve already borrowed some 4 cigarattes from heroine 1′s friend.. Might look bad.. Lets buy a pack of cigarattes..

heroine 3: Nah!! Why don’t we go ask those guys we helped enter… They f***ing owe us one (ahem.. readers may take the liberty of assuming that the heroines are generally very well mannered and the bad language is solely under the effect of alcohol..)

heroine 2: What the f***.. lets go ask them..

(heroines 4 and 5 don’t look very kicked by the idea.. But no one’s giving them a choice!!)

All the four of them walk out of the loo and our f-i-n stands there with a pack of cigarattes and a match..

f-i-n: (hands over the pack to heroine 2..)

This one’s for you guys..

All the heroines stare at each other, unsure of their reaction..

heroine 2: ahem.. i mean.. Thanks anyways!!!

f-i-n walks away leaving the four heroines with dropped jaws.. Now, i guess the readers would’ve understood the significance of the name.. lol..

As the saying goes, all is well that ends well.. By the end of the day (rather the beginning of the next day..) the debutants had 2 drinks each, were demanding cigarattes and all the heroines danced till they literally dropped from sheer exhaustion..

Disclaimer:

All the charecters, events and places mentioned in the above post are not fictitious. The events mentioned can be related to the author though the author will not disclose any details regarding anyone’s identity. lol

A really hectic week..

I must first say hey people… I’m back… Its been really long.. I somehow never found the time to blog ( read didn’t know what to write!!)

It has been a really hectic week. Not only has it been hectic, but also got me thinking about stuff that I have been taking for granted.

Life at college has not been very rosy! Too many practical tests. Not to mention, i totally f***** up most of them. Now I’m as sure as sure can get– physics is not for me. I cannot handle practicals!!! I have been in Isabel hospital and its vicinity last 3 days. This friend of mine who we’ll refer to as S has been taken sick. Been keeping her company in the hospital.. I’ve had to handle more than my fair share of disgusting people waiting to shun responsibilities in the last 3 days.

The following is an excerpt from the conversation I had with her hostel warden.

hw: ….. why did this girl pick now of all times to fall sick?!! (S has been plotting and planning to fall sick btw!) I can’t handle this right now… Does she realise how busy I am..

me: (looking all around.. Trying to admire the natural scenery in the hospital.. Anything to keep my temper down and not answer her questions! not that she needed answers to carry on!!!)

hw: Someone has to stay with her tonight at the hospital.. Thats too much responsilibity.. O my god.. who will stay with her?!!
(Looks around trying to decide who to delegate her “responsibility” to..)

(Finally the bulb glows… In her excited state, almost knocks off my glasses and says..) You’ll stay with her tonight.. So thats taken care of!

me: ( Didn’t quite comprehend the excitement around me.. Looked at my friend who explained the reason for her excitement to me!)

(Unsure as to what my response should be, managed a..) Oh sure… I don’t think that’ll be a problem ( Its absolutely no problem.. But DUH.. shouldn’t she ask me instead of telling me?? Or am i imagining stuff about manners and blah!!!)

(exit hw and me…)

Thanfully didn’t have any more encounters with her the rest of the day.. Bumped into her yesterday at college.. She looked very pleased.. (rare sight indeed..)

hw: Good morning dear! Did you speak to S’s guardian at the hospital? Her uncle has come. I’m sure he’ll take good care of her. Thats such a relief, isn’t it? (hmmm… to whom exactly?!! anyways)

I didn’t know about the arrival of the uncle as I was going to the hospital only that evening. I was really happy for S that got to be with someone from her family finally…

That evening, I enter the hospital room and see S in good spirits. I was very happy. My focus shifts to this boy who is sitting on the couch in the room. Looks around 17-18 years old. I look at S, waiting to be introduced to this boy.

S: hey.. meet ____ (don’t really remember the name.. too shocked too in any case… read on to find out the reason!!!)

He is my mom’s youngest brother.. Just out of school… He happened to be around, so decided to pay me a visit.. He’s new to the city…

SO, this boy is S’s “uncle”. The guardian who is supposed to take care of her. Someone who doesn’t even know his way around town…

I am flabbergasted.. It is very disheartning to see the way people behave when they have to act responsibly.

I was near tears when i put myself in S’s position. She knows all about the hungama thats happening around her. She must be feeling like the parcel in “passing the parcel”. All of us are striving for acceptance all our life. Life’s all about being with people who accept you for who you are. No one deserves to feel unwanted. She’s going through such a guilt trip, its unbelievable.

I’m able to totally relate to her, because as a kid, I have spent a lot of days in the hospital. I have been totally at my family’s mercy. And not once did they make me feel lake a burden on them. Till i saw how it could’ve been, I took my family’s support completely for granted. They made me feel like a queen. Seeing that they really cared for me and were always there, made it easier for me to endure the pain. I really looked up to my family for support and love.. And i owe them a big thank you… Its coming a little late.. But i say, better late than never..

And hey S, we’re all here for you. You are very special.. Whatever anyone says, don’t ever doubt that.. Its not worth it..