ALMA MATER !!!

12^th June invariably every year was a day filled with sadness. Vacations over and school starts. Just the name school was so unpleasant that we associated negativity to it. We then did not know how wrong the notation was because ‘fun’ actually began there. The level of unpredictability was the same but yet ‘unknowingly’ we enjoyed so much that even the little changes what we call uncertainty today was taken with positivity and joy . I think looking back now; I feel that was the best way to deal with it.

Trrriiiinnnnnnggggggggg!!! Bell rang at 7 am and the school starts with 6 pretty girls singing the national anthem. Students belonging to my category mostly sang the national anthem in their dreams, because we have always managed to come late and squeeze in somehow and join the line in between our generous classmates who always allowed us to sneak in. Entering the class we got hold of the ‘least visible place’ so that we could sleep whenever our body commands us to sleep. Except for a few lectures rest were boring because many of the subjects we learnt were irrelevant and could not relate to it.

The physical training sessions were the most awaited time. The little naive arrogance followed the fights while playing, asserting their own versions of rules and knowledge about the game. The half an hour which we got 3 or 4 times a week was the fastest to pass by. The more we are engrossed at a task the more we are oblivious to time and space.

Memories are not done without the vivid friendships. Volley ball during the break was the reason for us to gulp the food in a jiffy.  15 minutes was just not enough for POA that we always had for the break. Whenever you see a glutinous bunch of people together, surely it is the best cuisine of the day. We did all that we couldn’t do otherwise during lectures, going to others classes, eat whatever we see, gossip about a cricket game to the girl in the other class. The sight of the class after the break was putrefied, with food scattered and water spilt all over.  

The sports week was the most awaited event in the year for which we prepared right from the start. Even with the immense rivalry amongst each other we still managed to be the best of the friends after the events. There were times when we did not have players willing to play a game; hence few passionate people like us for whom the sports day meant more than anything ends up playing that sport to save our group. These events inherently had a great bonding power unknowingly we made many good and worthwhile relationships. It had this power of integration. It brought like minded people to venture new avenues. It was joyous, it was fun, and it was a celebration!

The annual day was another such event about which I only have to think and my heart palpitates. We remember every bit of it, from the preparation to the actual event more to arranging food, and to mix music. Annual day was one such event we just waited to let go of ourselves. If there was an emotional graph made for ourselves it was at the peaks during the annual day. Working together was always delightful. The friendships grew stronger and stronger with such events. The girls that we admired only from far and ran the whole story in our head now came into reality. All of a sudden we see few people just desperately wanting to make an impression. The overtime practice we did just to spend some more time with the loved ones. It was the only time where as students we did not congregate for academics and class work and had all the freedom to discuss and ponder upon various aspects of life, so we made best use of it, even better when the loved/desired one was with us.

On the flipside these events also broke a lot of relationships. Some of them made sense and was just meant to be, but some were absolutely obnoxious. Two immensely bonded people broke apart over wrong scoring of the groups. Such was the effect the events like sports day and the annual day had on us. Good healthy relationships were lost over some baseless misconceptions. The strong friendships that broke over a loved one were the worst to ever happen. It was understandable at that point of time as we went the flow, and we were immature. But carrying the load still makes no sense what so ever. The resisting force within us just does not allow going back and save the relationship. Where we had to save friendship and let our ego go, we saved the ego and let our friendship go. ‘Silly and crazy’ as we think of it now.

As I jolt down these memoirs my eyes moist. With a heavy heart full of love and understanding I would like to apologize to everyone whom I have knowingly or unknowingly caused impair. It was not what I intend to.  I will indeed miss school all my life---the ambience, the camaraderie, the feel, the freedom, and much more ….. Every bit of that part of my life will be truly missed. I am indeed lucky to have lived it all without any regrets.

People call it school, we call it life!!