Reminescences
Memories would have worked well enough as a title, but I tend to "get inebriated by the exuberance of my own verbosity".
I'm just jotting down a few of my better memories of NITC. This way I figure I'll come across my own blog after possibly forgettin about it for 20 yrs after a certain point in the near future and then feel all nostalgic and shit. The following may not be in exact chronological order.
So I'll start from the top, or , the beginning.
First Year.
I remember the days of counselling and admission at NITC so vividly, that I recall feeling struck by the brand new marble and the size of the "New Lecture Complex", which I eventually learn t was what the building was called. Being an insecure newbie I retired to a corner plugged into earphones while a lot of people were already giving a head start to their college life making new acquaintances and what not. Made first impressions of certain profs. some of them wrong, most of them right, in a bad way.
Fast forwarding to my hostel debut. Washing clothes daily, till I found that people do actually wait weeks before washing, even in places with no water shortage. Waking up at 4 in the morn to study as a reflex from my 12th standard routine. Thomas would be the only other guy awake at the time. Poocha's description of porno stories and fake encounters which he would regret relating to me throughout his college life :) .
Subjecting myself to psychological torture by Nirmal and gang (God was I naive and stupid). Regular second floor fun activities in Feroz and Srirajs room. Attacking Leons with a Mini Drafter ( which he lovingly recalls as my "Vajrayudham"). Govindans christening as Sree Homoswamy Kundanadikal and his alleged attempts to stay good to his name, tho he maintains his innocence still. Tryin to learn card games under the tutelage of Manu, Lijo chandy and Rejo one day.
Shaving my beard and mush cos the seniors were reportedly picking on juniors with the aforementioned. Turned out that Lijo and Ashwin P R engineered the whole thing. Getting hold of a porno mag and checking contents with the innocent Pothan for the first time.
Discovering the joy of celebrating holi. In the hostel. Drenching unsuspecting individuals with bucketloads of water. Eventually the drenched became the majority and we started hunting down the hapless minority, slammin on locked doors till the yielded. Vaulting water through the ventilator grill to punish the stubbornly entrenched. Receiving retaliatory fire in the form of "Week old northie underwear soaked" water at point blank range, through a suddenly open door. Seekin out the water shy "soto" who was absconding in Bipin's room, dragging him out into the hallway and splashing him in a literal cleansing ceremony. Throwing out water through the second floor verandah grill to the expectant crowd below. Being at the receiving end of an instant waterfall from the former.
Damu's ragging session and how I sobbed like a girl. Embarassing!! 'Debutante', the 1st year interbranch cultural fest. Trying my hand at bringing out the mech rag mag - the first time I trie d to 'organise' joint effort. Ramu's exhortative speeches which were very effective then.
First year Ragam, our college cultural festival. Hiding in my room during the day reading engineering mechanics of solids to escape ragging and prevent seniors from using me as a pack animal for hauling chairs and what not, to and from event venues. Leaving my room at night to watch all important shows like Fashion show ( :D), Group Dance etc. Staring in wonder at 'Karadi' and 'Jas' while trying to figure out how they managed to doze off in 6 feet away from huge thousand something watt( you get the idea!) speakers, when the fashion show was going on (we were right near the ramp).
My ragging session on the train from Kozhikode to Kollam. How I got scared good when there was no cause to be. Making air dosas on the station platform. Being made to say, or rather shout quite a few embarassing things in earshot of the nearby junta(the horror!).
Being mocked as a padipist by my friends in 1st Sem. The fools!. Never again would they find cause for that in college... Sigh!...
Being forced to shell out obscene amounts of money for cards - christmas, valentine, etc and practising all the new mallu and hindi swear words I had learnt, in my mind, while desperately forcing a smile.
Exchanging pleasantries (hindi swear words) with my northie roomies - was a real bonding experience and I'm not being sarcastic.
Being subjected to endless hours of boring speeches by seniors during election season. First trips to the Oasis shake shop in Kattangal. Being introduced to concoctions like ABC -Apple Banana Chocolate, BBC - Butter Banana Chocolate, MC - Mango chocolate , AC , BC, CC -Chikku Chocolate etc... which all turned out to be excellent, to my great surprise.
First year A hostel mess. The one. The only. Chappatis that were so hard they were actually brittle. Baturas which were so tough, they could have been used for tension tests in the Civil Lab.
Getting my first taste of the degradation to come in the second sem sessionals, starting with the basic electrical paper.
Meeting Abid for the first time. Staying ahead of him in a quiz for the space of two rounds. Quite an achievement considering the fact that this guy has come on university challenge(BBC), won umpteen quizzes and come third on IMS all india quiz. He used to make 50 k plus a year based on quiz cash prizes alone and now he is slogging in IIM A. In case you are wondering me and rahul jayan lost- 2nd place, but I am proud! I also recall me and Abid talking about a certain person, both of us oblivious to the fact that the person was the same -was quite funny on afterthought.
Seeing suresh for the first time during study sessions. Future roomie and Fifa gamer for life :) .
Being thrilled at getting through in the Mock Placements conducted by IPF in "Tata motors". I finally ended up being actually placed in the real Tata motors for placements- a very pleasant coincidence. Being accosted with mixed comments on my Lime Yellow and Flourescent green beach shirt- got that a lot during college.
I'll end the first year before it gets too stale.
Second Year.
Second Year was a year that seemed full of possibilities. I didn't anticipate the complications that it would infuse into my hitherto simple happy existence. I got into two clubs. Lotta work running around, taking up work obligingly where I had no business to do so. Fucking up my studies. Distractions. Some memories.
Room 112 on the first floor. How us roomies had a lot of fun. Poocha would make horny orgasm noises just for the heck of it. Such unruly behavior peaked at around exam week. Once he raised such a din that the sweeper lady came to peek and check if something sleazy was going on in our room.
All the fights that Poocha and Abhilash would get into; abhilash being the cause by having an uncanny knack of getting on everyones nerves, by doing the most mundane of activities- humming, drumming on the table. Constant quarreling,Flying fevicol bottles and soiled bed sheets were followed by reconciliation and joint bedsheet washing.
My being amazed at how Poocha would sleep an hour right before the exam, while we were at our peak studying, and coming out tops. Suresh's ability to be a master a subject in a short time is another wonder that I doubt that I will ever witness hence.
The great game of Age of Empires: The Conqueror's Expansion! Words fail to herald the wonderfulness of this game. I remembered being introduced to it in S3, bringing a copy back home to master the basics. I remember the late nights when 8 ppl in teams of 4 would pit the civilisations of the world against each other. I remember the ever interested audience eager to give strategic advice, wishing to be involved in the game in some way. My efforts at securing a comp in Aju and PP's room before some other idiot would occupy. My wasting of time that I didnt have between AOE and Getting Permissions for Clu activities.
My experience with the Dearest K.N. Dutta who I had to encounter for a few times for club permissions. His need to rag junior club execs was legendary and my experiences were no exception. His words -
1)" What?! You want to name your entertainment quiz "the good, the bad, the ugly"? Why?! Why dont u name it the good!!!" (Btw "the good, the bad, the ugly" is an iconic movie)
2)" U want to have a girls only quiz?!!! This is discrimination! I cant have u conducting this sort of thing here!"
Turned out that he was just a sad old man who once had a rapport with students and was thrilled to get us to talk to. It was just his sarcasm that we couldn't get used to.
The Christmas tree incident. Geo cutting off a branch off the Deodar. Power for the lights came from our room. And so when the guy who planted the thing saw it in front of our hostel, he wanted answers. He was trying to get it from the hostel steward when I passed by. On seeing the only student around he asked who was responsible. I said I didn't no and then he said he thought he might get answers from the occupants of the room which powered the lights. I managed a quick nod and retired from the scene post haste to the second floor. I remember missing the trical lab that day on account of this. I had cut the class before, to complete my lab record- fat lot that accomplished! Anyway there was an enquiry into the incident later and we were all let off with a warning.
My feeling of awe at Saarang, the Cultural Fest of IIT Madras. A great trip with lots to see.
My first "Crossroads", the quizfest conducted by "Enquire". Trying to make high standard questions, falling short for umpteen questions before I got a winner. Losing VR's key to his room; seeing him the next morning, the morning of the event, wondering why he was yelling -" I havn't even brushed my teeth, dammit" at the top of his lungs.
My second "Ragam", working a lot this time as a program committe exec, felt nice to do some important work.
Second Year
To be continued....
