Walk Down Memory Lane

Those words……Those words…..kept ringing in my ears, as if it was some kind of an alarm bell…..An informal talk in class by our HOD on the responsibilities of senior students, eventually ended up sending waves of panic across us.He had summarized the discussion with those carefully construed words….”Your Days as a privileged senior student is numbered” …..

No wonder it sent shockwaves in our minds. Truth always has a hint of harshness with it. No matter how hard we try to run away from it, will follow us with ease. The fact of the matter had really evoked my thoughts. I started wondering three years had passed and in one year’s time I will have to bid adieu to my dear friends.

October 4^th, 2004, my first day in college. I walked into this college with my parents and I met many anxious faces, off which many eventually became my classmates. I had two of my schoolmates in my class, and hence I did not suffer for the lack of company in the initial phases. I still remember how our class representative (‘Rep’ettan) was elected. A well engineered plan by my dear friend, who had quite unwittingly tricked our ‘Rep’ettan into a position of responsibility. He still shoulders that burden in convincing fashion.

During those initial phases I could hear many of my fellow mates complaining on the disdainful bit of infrastructure in our college. There were still many who repented on the decision to join this college. Some used to talk about the college being not so popular despite being well inside the city. The lunch breaks during those first year days were a bit of a nightmare owing to the fair bit of ragging, but the seniors never crossed the limits. So months went by, we all got used to the college and surroundings. The complaining voices had subdued, and a strong bondage was gradually growing among us. Then it was the time for exams, and I could see everyone going about studying. So I too followed suit took to my books, and did a reasonable job in the exams.

Finally we had “graduated” to second year and then things were going smoothly, for me until the union elections. I was coerced into contesting the elections by someone who was a close friend of my brother (who had apparently studied here), and I could not convince him to leave me alone. Elections were fought in nice spirit, and as expected I lost the elections. I need to mete out a special word of praise for the leaders of both parties for maintaining a peaceful environment in college. Ever since I joined this college there were no clashes on the basis of politics, or any matter to that extent.

Time flew by and exams were taking their due course and somehow I kept managing them. There were many moments like the Onam celebrations, the fresher’s day, arts festival, where we got together as class and did our part. There were the odd fights in class, which never snowballed into a ‘Big fight’(I am extremely happy to have not been part of any fight, but had often dawned the role of a mediator). The tour is that one thing I had always missed and I had some very personal reasons for doing so, and my classmates were never convinced by those reasons and I was always “tortured” for it.

Then came the big moment, our placement season had begun. Many were caught off guard (including myself), and some were upto it by going for CRT classes. A dozen of us (me too) from our classes had ventured to Ernakulam to attend the ‘Siemens’ placement campaign, and I still remember the time we had at ‘Marine drive’, awaiting the results of the test. That was perhaps my last visit to ‘Shreds’ because placements had already commenced in our college. Many including myself were recruited by wipro, there were faces of delight. It was disheartening to see the depressed faces of those who did not make it. Many companies are yet to come. I hope all my classmates would be placed by the time we “pass out” of college.

All good things must come to an end. To summarize my entire college days till date in one or two pages is an Herculean task, and so I have left out many memorable moments. Recalling all the ‘good things’ that has happened to me after I joined the college, I have every right to say that “College life is indeed an exciting phase in life”. The numerous friends I made, the time I spent with them are all moments that I will cherish a long time. Missing my dear friends would be an ordeal I need to cope with. It is inevitable though……………. To quote Winston Churchill

“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing has happened”.