Sex And The City

That's what we called ourselves. Weirdly, only two of us being the faithful fans, me who lost interest within the first season (that too was a lot, I think it lasted because of Namrata's influence) and Ashwini who still has no clue about the show at all. Of course, a year ago, I would have cringed to be referred to as that, just as much as I cringed about taking selfies and clicking photographs wherever we go, but I guess I have come to love them after all. Because it wasn't about references. It was about the people I had come to love. It was just a way of identifying ourselves and never the identity by itself. The feeling of knowing I belonged somewhere. We came from different places, struggling to find our place here, honestly not knowing how to go about life and waiting for the day we could get rid of this place. The four of us being brought together, was light at the end of a dark tunnel. For each of us. In one way or the other, this group made us believe that life as we knew it in Hyderabad (dead), had ended. This city didn't suck anymore. And it's because of them.

There is something about having girlfriends. The last time I had them, they were just about the only friends I had ever had in my life. They're the ones you need, the only ones to whom you can show your vulnerable side, the side that you judge yourself about, the one where you want to cry, not because you're a stupid girl but because, to be strong to everyone else, you need to be able to tell someone it's not easy. Those to whom when you tell how you felt when someone hurt you, they go “I know!” and you know they know it; and for once you are thankful you aren’t screaming your lungs out or giving up on trying to explain it. Where hugs came whenever it was needed, without even the mention of needing one. Where hugs were demanded too and they came the same way. If I could only explain how big a deal that is.

I'm not the kind who commands attention, forget asking for it. You won't find me making subtle (or not-so-subtle as so many I wish would realize) gestures to something I want someone to ask me about. I keep waiting until I am disappointed, as usual. But these girls, they filled me with love and over-the-top attention, jumping to my rescue the moment there was even a hint of disappointment about anything. There was this one time, where we made a sudden plan to go to 10D and I wasn’t wearing quite the appropriate clothes for the place. Usually, I would act as though it doesn’t matter but in my own head, feel bad about not looking as good as the ones around me. But these girls, Oh God, put me before themselves, gave me a dress to wear, put make-up on me (needless to say, something that I know freakishly too less about) and made me look just so good. The thing is, it isn’t even about dressing up. It is the fact that ‘they’ make you want to feel so good about yourself. I think for the first time ever in my life, and I mean it, I realized I no longer have an inferiority complex about myself, about the way I look. And I owe a lot of it to these girls. Honestly, I still have my days ( most of them really :P) where I’m wearing my loosest possible Beatles T-shirt, earphones plugged in and walking around like a duck in my worn out blue Nike chappals ( those that Eshita absolutely detests and has been waiting for the moment to throw away :P), but I’m sure when I say I have come a long way and I’m a lot more Preetish* about it, they agree. :)

Of course, all of our night-outs, the breakfasts after, those times when things were said without having to think twice, all those confessions, interventions, the most embarrassing stories and to laugh at them within ourselves( yes, yes, you can give up on raising your hand now!). The compliments I get from my girls does more than its worth of share, who the hell needs a boyfriend for that! And that we manage to paint a very very boring town red, I believe, is an achievement in itself.

This was such a lovely place, and such an awesome lunch :)

They never let me feel left out ever. I never had to try to fit in. There was never the dearth of love. They made me feel important even though it probably wasn't my time to feel so. This Thursday was amazing in more ways than one. It had the one thing that all four of us love, karaoke. There was just so much happiness. And I knew in that moment, when Namrao entered and we were all hugging and being all excited, singing those songs; that they would always be there for me, despite all my weirdness, those with whom I can be free, to take care of me when I'm down, to assure me that life would always get better and to never give up on me irrespective of what happens.

Few things come to my mind when I think about them. Ashwini's face with her crinkled up nose when she is so happy when her favourite song turns up. Eshita, with all of her innocence and sweetness and yet all that threatening you never knew she had in her, and yet all that caring you would die for. And of course Namrata, it doesn't matter that you are stinky and sleepy, you have to put that liner and lipstick on when she hands it to you, no questions asked.

Today, Ashwini left Hyderabad to follow her dreams; and there was a void that was suddenly created. The three of us were looking so awkwardly at each other, feeling the same thing. But we had always known this moment was coming. Where each of us would leave to follow our respective paths and dreams. That we spent so much time together and made it worth all that while, is what matters. Be it dancing (or should I say twerking :P) to Scream and Shout, discussing GRE words, fake Christmas, dressed up lunches or even making a failed outing into an awesome party at home with disco lights using the flash of a phone, we have done it all. For me, it has been one of the most special inexplicable bonds ever. I love you girls just so much. I can already see us in the future, meeting over lunch, obviously dressed well( do you believe I just said that?! :D) and talking about our husbands, kids, work and life that would be then. Until then, SATC shall be remembered fondly, and to which I dedicate this song in memory of all our 10D visits.

*Preetish - Defined as the level of excitement that only Preeti Ramaraj has ever been capable of displaying, irrespective of whatever it may be. Did I get it right? :)

The art of letter writing

If you're someone who knows me decently well, you would know how much I appreciate words. How I would any day love a card with something written more than any other gift in the world. How I have every right to use the above title . :P

There is something absolutely wonderful about these words. Words that tell you how much you mean to someone. Words that tell you how much someone loves you. Words that try to bring back the old memories though the only way to is to relive the past. Words that try to mend a broken heart. Words that take your breath away. Words that surprise you to no extent. Words that try to compensate for your absence. Words that try to compensate for everything that you could not/may not have thought of. Words that will stay forever with you, in your heart, in your living memory.

I love letters. Especially the handwritten ones. They've got that old-school feeling, you know. That moment when your heart stops when you receive that letter. That moment when you start reading it not knowing where it is going. That spotting a smudged word on the paper cause by the tear of the person who wrote it. That change in the handwriting when it's something different that's written. That feeling of reaching the end after going through a whirl of emotions,incidents, memories. That moment when you see the person's face once you have read the letter. Or the next time you meet them. Something has changed. Both of you know it. But you probably won't speak of it. It's that unspoken agreement.

When I left the people who I love so much to start anew here (hmph! *stupid hyderabad* ) I wrote most of them one. I am not trying to boast here. But there are sooooo many who think writing a letter is for only those who have some sort of literary skills to show off. Not even close. It's about what you feel. That makes up for most of it. The moment your feelings jump out on the paper, the words by themselves arrange themselves into beautiful sentences,maybe a few, maybe so many more. Also, it actually takes guts to write what you feel on a paper. It isn't like saying them, one day you said it, next day its gone. It stays, forever. And probably that's why letters are that worthwhile as well. So that words that were once said and probably are forgotten can be remembered again.

I still remember one of my school classmates writing a letter to her dad who was in rehab for alcohol addiction. He apparently was a well read man unlike her mother and she would often ask for help to frame her sentences but she knew exactly what she wanted to say. And although I am someone who just can never bear grammatical errors, this girl's feelings and intent took me over and God, that probably made me realize how important letters can mean to people more than anything.

I find love letters oh-so-romantic. If I ever got one from someone I loved, I would probably jump through the roof, yeah, those pink teddy bears aren't really that endearing as those feelings that have transformed into that ink on that paper. If and when I ever have a boyfriend, I'm sure as hell gonna be flooding him with letters, each one different from the other and yet flowing with feeling. One of my friends showed me these wonderful set of love letters by Lemony Snicket, ohh I fell for those at that very moment(if only *sigh*)(if you wanna know what i meant http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/328189-i-will-love-you-as-a-thief-loves-a-gallery)  I am someone who is completely vulnerable when it comes to writing, I can't not write what I truly feel.

And trust me. The idea of a letter can just never go wrong. If you wanna say something and you write it to them, you can't exactly be interrupted while saying it right? Also, there can be no one who doesn't feel all gooey inside after reading an emotional letter. It changes perspective like crazy. Or maybe strengthens some of them. Try it once. It would be nice to hear a few stories about letter exchanging, Perfect thing for a mushy heart. :P 

Missing Mumbai

*This is the article I wrote for Insignia 2011*

It is coincidental that this time the theme of this magazine is Mumbai. Exactly at the juncture where I'm in the perfect mood to reminisce about the place that has been my home and that shall always be my home; when I am about to say goodbye to this place to start the next leg of my journey.

Of course, the word journey has to bring local trains to my head. Rightly called the lifeline of this place, despite all the unwanted body massages you invariably are treated to during rush hours, the adventure of getting into a Virar local to get down at Andheri is something only we can boast of. There is something about the Mumbai trains that only Mumbaikars can perceive, make sense of, interpret and understand. Invariably, it is one form of transport 'in Mumbai' that will never disappoint you. The emphasis is meant to be, the local trains in Hyderabad are weird, they come once in 15 minutes, you find men in the ladies compartment and they don’t have cool abbreviations for stations! How most of us spend half our lives travelling in a train and how it just becomes a part of your life! Try asking any Mumbaikar if they can imagine a life without trains, the answer is going to be a resounding no.

I have travelled a major part of my life by bus as well. Travelling by bus is amazing I tell you, especially if it is a long distance ride. If you have earphones, there is nothing that can stop that bus ride from becoming heaven*. *Not applicable if you are standing squished between sweaty people in the middle of the bus or if you get a seat with either a really fat aunty next to you, or worse, with a screaming kid in her hands* Nevertheless, I will still miss the good ol’ BEST bus more than (rather not!) the ill willing rickshaw walas who wish to earn as much as an average engineer would after 4 years of struggle and think it is their birth right to refuse anyone a ride.

If there is yet another thing I really am going to miss it’s the coastlines. They are some of the best places to hang around without having so much as a second thought, be it Juhu beach or Bandstand or Carter Road or Marine Drive. Why, in the so called vacation that we had, my friend even sat on the beach and sketched the scenery for her portfolio while we were lolling around. After living in a place where I could walk to a beach, to be surrounded by land on all sides doesn’t feel too good. And it’s always been a dream to sit on Marine Drive at 12 in the night, something I’m not too sure I’ll be allowed to do over here, yet.

Roadside chaat, from a time when I wasn’t allowed to go near it to a time where I eat whenever I get a chance, this is one favourite I won’t have access to once I leave this place. The sukha puri at the end of Pani puri, how much ever you know inside of your heart that that cold paani is the result of some piece of ice dragged through the dusty road, it doesn’t stop you from saying “Ek aur pani puri, bhaiyya!” Same thing about the golas too, it’s the joy of eating something that is not ideal and something so accessible that makes it all the more tempting.
 

And how can I forget?! The monsoons! The ones where the fresh fragrance of wet mud is the unmistakable awaited first sign. That feeling of relief that they have finally arrived. The ones where none of my umbrellas remained unbroken for more than half a monsoon; or maybe less. The ones which inspired me to write so many of the prose/poetry that I can boast of today. The rains I loved to get wet in whilst singing not bothering about the onlookers. I agree this is a romantic view ignoring the various other hindrances particular to the monsoon season but then if I’m leaving this place, I’m going to miss the good parts of everything, right?

One thing common to all of what I’ve mentioned is the familiarity about them. The warm fuzzy feeling when you think about them. Knowing people around me, the idiosyncrasies of the weather, knowing the way to places in the city instinctively, walking on roads that have been treaded on so often, memories of the best times of my life that come rushing to me while I travel, so many things that I may or may not have realized in my life over here that I shall miss when I’m not here any longer. It is something you are never going to be fully satisfied with but make the most of it as long as you’re here. Signing off with a thought that I shall be filled with in the time to come.

“I recognize none of what I see,

 blank walls and bright cars all around me,

where is the warmth I once knew,

 the smile that would be born by just the mention.

 Those days will never come back again,

nostalgic I will be, but with equal amount of pain

 and joy in remembering the place I once knew,

the place I will always know as home.”

mera kauwa mulayam

"If i dont write abt this, i dunno if i shud even write..talk abt the biggest stroke of luck u get..the so non tech person i am, the most unimpressive cv,i tht i cant even think of a chance..forget think, it was definitely a no..i was as not bothered abt this as i am abt the cat exam.."

These were the exact words I typed into my phone in order to make it a blog post when it finally sunk in that I did in fact get an internship at Microsoft.(To be exact, I was walking towards the bus stop with a big smile on my face :D also forgive the sms language but I just didn't feel like changing it in the post.) Things that everyone know, its a dream for anyone who is somewhere close to programming to get into Microsoft. There are other equivalent software companies , yes, but somehow Microsoft always generates this awe filled response, the whole unbelievable aspect about it. But yes, it did happen. I still think getting to the interview part was luck, pure luck and the unending wishes of all my well wishers.

Now that I am here, its already been a week. Sometimes, if I think about how busy it was, it seems to have gone really fast. But then, when I think I have 7 weeks left, it seems way too small a time. I have always wondered about myself about the fact that I adjust to a new place real soon, without having so much as a thought about the people I have left behind. But that has always been proved for a period lesser than 15 days or so. I always thought it was sad that I don't miss people. I really didn't like the fact that you get used to life, something that I emphasized in my last post.

But yeah, I do miss people. When I speak to my friends online or on the phone, I feel that sadness at the back of my mind that I won't see them for 7 weeks. And the point is it is only 7 weeks. But that is actually something I'm happy about. I thought that when I go do an M.S. I might forget the people here, my friends here and all their importance in my life will be lost in oblivion. But its not so. So fine.


Plus, none of us are used to an environment like this. At least, not me. Where you are held responsible for the work you are allotted, albeit not critical but work nonetheless. The point where you have to prove to your own self,  prove to your seniors that you are worthy of this internship, not that it really matters to them but it always matters to you to make an impression. Its been a week and I am anxious if my hardworking mentality will transform into actuality, into observable results. Right now, I can only hope.

So yay, a new place did manage to make me write. A poem on the way too(surprising what a wasted sunday can do to you :P ), hopefully, I compensate for the dryness of the blog in the past few months. Till then, toodles.. Have a happy vacation, y'all! :D :)

In retrospect

Maybe it is too early for me to write something like this. It is the perfect topic to write on once I leave college when I'm teary eyed and all with fond memories. But then this seems to be the most happening year of engineering, I mean literally. This is the year in which the legendary IEEE committee was, those who knocked us off our feet with their awesomeness, panache and the first time we would have ever thought we respect our seniors. It used to be a proud thing for us in 1st year to boast that I know a 3rd year person or even better, they know you.

And to think, now the first years would look at me that way. I'm definitely not an epitome of respect the way my 3rd year seniors were, but I guess it kind of makes you feel matured when you see them. When you are in 2nd year, it still doesn't dawn upon you that you are seniors with your focus being on ragging and freshers' and volunteers and Oh my God, things which seem alien to me now. FEs in spite of being just 2 years younger than me seem like kids.


And the blog, I don't really know what to say. In my first year, I remember being amazed by Pratap's blog, so amazed that someone could write about things so deep, that someone could even write so much. I had thought this blog would just be a description of events in my college, fun things that happen in life but its much closer to my heart right now and for the last recent posts, its been about me. I never thought it would become so thoughtful but I guess its all a phase. Although one thing that never seems to change is the length of my posts :P. A big thank you to all those who brave through the lengths of my posts and make an effort to comment about it. My dream finally coming true. :D

Also, in 3rd year, suddenly I seem to be talking to a lot of my seniors. Yes, I always did but it never came so easily to me,without the sense of thinking "they aren't in my class or year". Probably the thought of them leaving in a span of a year makes me feel I must make the best of the time they spend here.
Or maybe, 3rd year is when you learn what life is, its where you realize who you are, its when you decide who you want to transform yourself into and what path you will be taking and by the end of it, the definition of YOU is done. I'm not saying its the end of evolution, its the end of change but more or less, you know what you want to be at least in the current decade.

I keep seeing the SEs and wondering ok, this is who I was last year and when they speak to me, I feel like some old saint who has experienced life; speaking. The things that seemed so horrible and bad then seem so trivial now. And when they tell you what they feel, what they are going through, you only feel like smiling and saying, don't worry, this will pass but you have to face much more next year. My seniors tell me when I'm sad
 that this shall definitely pass and life is much better a year ahead. I sure believe them and probably this is why I speak more to them, we connect better when it comes to third year.

And photographs! We definitely underestimate them. There is a story behind EVERY one of those photos in your album. You are lost in that world when you see those. Probably at some point of time, you might feel a bit low that those days don't exist anymore. But then its all part of growing up. You may have something else altogether now that you appreciate.

And those are what I call friends. Didn't we have friends all this while, you may say. Of course we did. But to realize what they really mean to you, who they really are and to wonder if they even exist, I guess you need 2 years to know their worth. I do now, I suddenly feel blessed and loved, I suddenly realize that I have found the people who will accept me as I am. The like minded people I had spoken about in a long forgotten post. Just that they are much more than that now. They are the reason I exist.

If you have finished wiping your eyes(:P), another thing that I realized. You must be yourself, follow your heart. I have done that for 2 years. I have had the best as well as learning times in these 2 years. After that, when you hear some people, who you never expect to, say something honest about you, say they feel you are a nice person to know, say they trust you, accept what you say because YOU say it, promise to be there for you when you need someone and they are, it is the most heartening thing, the reason why you feel you should not change for the wordly ways. It is not that you have to act old just because you are 20. I guess I can keep those idealistic views, the optimistic way out to everything as that is what defines me.

If that kind of makes me vulnerable to the world, it really doesn't matter. If the world is not what I expect or want it to be, it doesn't matter. If I make a mistake unknowingly or I feel lost, it is fine. I have found my place. I have found my people. I have found love. I have found happiness. And that is the sign of the rising of hope again in my life. In retrospect, life is just beautiful. :)

What is the right way to live?

Rumours..Lies..they all have various ways of being interpreted..and various ways of originating.


Some of them are really harmless, stemming out of a doubt which occurs due to some events which happen pretty often. Like speculating if 2 people are committed. You keep seeing them together everywhere.You keep discussing with people till everyone in the college knows including them. They just have to accept or deny and it dies down. This has no consequences whatsoever, considering its an age where people are bound to be in a relationship.

But the others. The malicious ones. The ones that are meant to hurt. The ones that are meant to make someone feel bad. They are spread by people who bear malice towards something, someone. Those aren't white lies in the least,no sir. Those are dark ones, meant to be said. Its all because its relative. Instead of increasing what's good for them, they'd rather decrease what's good for the others. Finally, the comparison is what matters right??

This is done so subtlely that the affected don't realize it too soon. Or at times, subtlety is not called for. The result is what matters. Like my friend Srinath says, there is no good or bad, there is only point of view. I agree. That's why terrorists exist. What's good for them is bad for the world. But in my opinion , there is a little catch to this statement. What's good for the majority of the population is GOOD. But then its not always the majority that's right, is it?

Refine it even more. What is considered good in the deepest of the hearts of the majority of the people is GOOD. But is there any way of knowing it?? It is impossible. We ourselves don't know what we want and what we don't. How can we expect the world to know?

So what is it that we can do in such a situation? Listen to our hearts. Not block our conscience. According to me, most of the crimes that are committed are because people don't want to listen to what their conscience tells them. What it constatntly pricks them with. Even the "God will punish you" fear doesn't stop them anymore.

I am currently in a position where I can be a jingoist.( Light thought, learnt the new word from Shraddha, although it has a negative connotation) I should be lowering the position of people around me to raise mine. But I won't. I shouldn't . People say I will not survive in this big bad world if I don't adapt. ADAPT, they say. Be practical, they say. PRACTICALITY is going against your heart, is it? Now I agree with my friend Nisha. Practicality sucks, at least the way the world means it. Like point of view, even practicality has different meanings. For me, it is to be selfless. Do for others, do for yourself as long as you don't hurt the others. I think that is what God is testing me about. Whether I can do it. I guess too many people in my state. Another friend's status message read "I know God won't give me things that I can't handle. I just wish that God didn't trust me so much." I have to work hard, really hard to do things against what the majority of the people seem to feel. Go with my heart, do what my conscience asks me to do. Maybe I'm taking certain things too seriously. Maybe I should be doing this. Maybe not. I don't even know why I am writing this, or why I am posting this.


I was talking to a friend yesterday. he said he had become a God fearing person recently. He doesn't think in worldly terms anymore.I feel the same nowadays. Marks have become insignificant. It is the thought behind learning that matters. Winning has become insignificant. It is the effort that matters. A relationship has become insignificant. Its the love that matters. What you say has become insignificant. What you do is what matters.

People are deceptive, people are hypocrites, yet people are the reason anyone survives as long as we find the right ones to live with, the right ones to love. Rather, just love them, forget right or wrong.


Praising someone in front of them or when they aren't around is never wrong. Rather I suggest, you do it as soon as possible. We are hungry for love. Hungry for people for whom we matter. Its always better than saying something derogatory. You're never gonna be questioned about praising.

You may think this is all ideal. Of course it is. Just because one person thinks this way doesn't mean the whole world does. Or the whole world will. But think. Its the best way to live.

It is like a mistake committed unknowingly. The moment one feels it is a mistake and repents when it was done unknowingly, the person is forgiven, no strings attached. But if a mistake is committed knowingly, in order to hurt, any amount of repentance later makes no difference. Your point of view may have changed in all those years. But what's done is done right?

Well, writing this down makes me mind clearer. Makes me feel, I will succeed. I'll have no reason to repent later in life. I think its gonna be a long year ahead. But I have hope. I have friends, friends who will vouch for me, who will stop me from taking the wrong path, friends for whom me changing makes a big difference.

I just hope and wish I am remembered for every good thing that someone has felt about me and nothing bad. i think I can just hope.

Simplicity Of Friendship

                                                 The title itself may revoke different opinions. Some may feel it is paradoxical. Some may agree half-heartedly. But let me tell you, the title is absolutely true in every case possible.

                                                   Consider your school friends..the really close ones. Most of you would have known them first when you were about three. How much time did it take you to become friends? You would have sat next to each other and possibly played ringa ringa roses and that was it. Your secrets and stuff much later. But then, now you're the best of friends, you still make time to call this person and there is nothing this friend doesn't know about you. That is the first glimpse of friendship that a person gets.

Now when we have to travel far and wide by train, the person you meet everyday on the same compartment becomes your friend. The person who resides in the same building as yours becomes your friend. Why, even people who come on a trip with you become your best friends. Still aren't convinced? Like a friend Sumiran said in one of his blog posts, people when put in the same situation tend to become friends. When you join classes for some subject and you know no one in your batch, you already have a topic to talk about in your hands. You invariably start talking with your neighbour. If you are the shy kind, someone who won't start a conversation, your neighbour will start it for sure.

So, when it is so simple, why do we make it so complicated? The golden rule to have a good friend is be one yourself. And it isn't difficult. Just call them when they are sick, give them a true heart felt compliment, make them smile when they are sad, do those small things you would love people to do for you. And if you think its an effort, believe me you get back those smiles or those sweet words or just the assurance they are there for you, you need nothing more during the whole day. And guess what? They'll do so much more back for you. It is a very obvious fact that friendship is symbiotic, both parties depend on each other. Then why not do your part first?  :).


Birthdays are the best time when your faith is restored that your friends are the most wonderful people after all. Really just when I thought that people have lost all emotions in the rat race, my friends went and did so much, I really believe that's what friends are for. To give you that sense of belonging, remove that sense of insecurity, to make you feel so loved and special, who says you need to be in a relationship to experience all this!


We keep hearing that there are no Sorry's or thank you's in a friendship. Ever wondered why? Cuz you would never do anything to hurt your friend that would make you have to say sorry and when they do something for you which gives you so much happiness , you surely aren't gonna let it go with just a thank you. You would do something really big for their special day .

Another peculiar thing about friendship. Your friends may not be the babes and the dudes of the class but still the moment you look at them and they smile, they are the most adorable people you know. Really, think of one friend you think who doesn't look good...you won't be able to come up with a name. It's such a relief when I realized this,considering (errr...hoping) the same is applicable vice-versa too :P.

The best part about friendship is it brings a smile to your face so easily. Just think about the food you had or a small joke you shared, you'll be smiling on the road with people thinking you are weird. Just see some photograph and you're lost in that happy world already.

You don't search for a person who will not disclose your secrets but for a friend knows certain emotions of yours cannot be understood by others and keep it to themselves. You don't search for a person who has contacts but for friends who knows your potential and will themselves suggest someone who can help you without you saying a word. You don't search for someone who will help you out with assignments and stuff but for friends who will do everything in their means to help you out anyway.Finally, you don't search for someone who will sit next to you in recess so that you aren't alone but for friends who want to sit next to you because they wish to.

The point is we put so many conditions and restrictions on our own selves before "supposedly" selecting a friend. You stop that and you will see a whole new world in front of you. You will find such lovable people you just never realized before. You will find people who you love sooo much and they love you likewise. Friendship is so pure , it depends on nothing but emotions. We are the ones who attach looks, money and every other materialistic attribute to it.

So , its time we go back to our 3 yr old mind set just for this. You will realize, friendship is indeed magical yet simple...

Birthday time!!!

                     It's that time of the year again where the month itself is so special to me. Yes, My birthday is arriving!!! To think of it, there is nothing in a birthday. You are just getting a year older and how narcissistic is it to celebrate your own presence in the world!

But then, birthdays tend to become so much more than that and so wonderful too. For a first, its a day where one person less is sad about the different worries in life most probably. Its a day you smile just because its a day surely not unique, but really special to you. The thought of the birthday is enough to make your day. Your sister waking you up at 12 and wishing you is a memorable thing in itself.

Birthdays in my home have always been very simple. No grand party after I was 3. A reason to buy new clothes. A reason to choose between a chocolate truffle and Black Forest cake. Those calls from your grandparents filled with blessings. Those calls from your cousins which let you talk to them after a very long time.
School was just another day with friends who remember wishing you and no distributing of chocolates cuz its so childish. But I still used to be so happy. No frills, no gifts, just a day which seemed special just because you felt so.


Then in college, I realized the joy of giving a treat. For those of you with raised eyebrows, the treat was shared. (:P) But still, it was my first best birthday of my life with wonderful friends. The treat was a simple one at the very humble Bhavan's canteen, but still as always are the first ones, it is memorable.

Also, came the joy of receiving a gift. Really, the gift is nothing in comparison to the emotion on  the friends' faces when you see the gift and say you love it. The best part is they are so happy to give it( at least they look like it) and also that everyone around you is also so happy in spite of it being only your birthday. Especially when they have planned surprises too. Being one of the people who is at the forefront in planning other birthdays, it is so exciting to plan stuff and wait to see the glee in the birthday boy/girl's eyes on having had so much to look forward to. Every time you see the card or the gifts you were gifted, you can't help but smile at how wonderful a day it was and how lucky you are to have such wonderful friends. Last time, even in my supposed "thank you" speech to my friends, I said they themselves are the best gifts I could have asked for and I couldn't have meant it more.

Even the call at 12 which is usually a conference which extends for hours is a wonderful memory in itself. So much laughter, so much happiness at times. It is really a good thing to celebrate birthdays just for the sake of that momentary happiness.

So, what do I realize while waiting for the birthday while will define my last year of being an teenager? It's one day of the year you can really call yours and not only  get all the attention( which is very rare in general in my case) and you think you are really popular and everyone loves you ( :P) but also enjoy the presence of friends whose presence itself makes you feel loved (in reality :P) and make it the one day where you thought "My life is the best anyone could have asked for." Cheers to life!

Those memorable days!!

Here we go again...its that time of the year when we are supposed to be preparing for our exams....and me finishing my long time post.....Although it started with lots of energetic thoughts of studying for my practicals, opening the EDC book to see what I never seem to understand and lots of ideal stuff,let me tell you ,I haven't done anything even close to that..just slept and slept and slept..So much that i could be compared to The greatest sleeper Kumbhkaran(or maybe even Sumiran :P).


So,I thought let me brush up my literary skills and walk down the memory lane..not too far..just enough to reach January 9th,the night when we were boarding the train for Amritsar.But then the story of how all 13 of us were ready to go for the IV is in itself a great story.So I guess I'll walk a little more to reach November when we were asked to pay the money for the IV.We were enticed and tempted with the adventurous things our seniors did like river-rafting...and we were told we would go sand boarding this time(Oh my gosh!!!)So well,actually most of us in our group were usurped into the joy and excitement of going somewhere for 9 days,with our wonderful friends and no parents(yippee!!!)But then,2 or 3 people in the group had problems like no permission,too dangerous and by the end of it ,only 5 of us were ready to go out of a 12 person group.So then we decided if the group doesn't go,we don't go(Loyalty to our group).But then the news somehow reached our wonderful wonderful seniors(By the way, I mean the adjective,if it weren't for them,I wouldn't be writing this) and a senior from T.E ,Divya(her name deserves to be mentioned here :)) called up one of my friends and asked her to convince as many as possible and the obedient juniors that we are(wonder what our seniors must be thinking.....)my friend called up everyone and actually very surprisingly,everyone agreed!!!!!God,to think 12 hours before that we were sad that we couldn't enjoy those 9 days of bliss.



So,the next day we went to pay our fees for the IV and I am really sure no one remembered that IV stands for Industrial visit.We were just so happy about the train travel itself,you can imagine the rest.So now,I jump back to 9th January 2009(a really unforgettable day).All of us were so happy on seeing each other at the station.Although discussion about the luggage and clothes and food had continued without even stopping during our exams(you would understand if you have read my post Nights during P.L + exams).Once we were into our compartment,all our parents were standing at the window continuously telling us(or should I call it nagging..nah..sweet sounding advice of parents who love their kids) to take care of ourselves(duh),enjoy really well(as if we don't know that) and eat properly(actually we were gonna hog) and other numerous stuff.And at last,the train started moving and accelerating just like our happiness at the thought of the forthcoming 9 days.


And if you have read my previous post(if you haven't ,you would love to read that one before this),as I said our seniors dropped in in our compartment to tell we have to present a play and that they did it too and it has to be great and all that.And the next day morning ,after we dragged ourselves to take a bath in the cold weather of amritsar,(brrr!!!), we had our breakfast and all of us were in the boys' room discussing the dialogues of our play.We had decided who are gonna be the seniors we would imitate and their actual names wont be used.One of our EXTC seniors Taha had come to our compartment the previous night and spoken and even thought one of the guys was oversmart and kept him in his place(lolz).So we changed his name to Aha in the play and I must say,no one ever called him by any other name ever again.All of us who were in the play observed the seniors we were gonna imitate ,their dressing sense,their way of walking and talking and all that.The senior Divya who I was gonna imitate had a sore throat and was practically croaking; and guess what,I had a sore throat too and was croaking.The fellow who was impersonating Taha actually wore the scarf the same way that he did and I got to wear my friend's spectacles cuz Divya wore them too.Another fellow wore a monkey cap just like the senoir anna he was impersonating.Then came D time.It was 11p.m and freezing cold,maybe even more cuz we were nervous.But once the play started ,we had to control our laughter seeing our peers play the part cuz we had to go on stage next.And we actually had to pause in between the dialogues cuz the audience was laughing so much.And although I know I'm repeating myself,seeing a senior fall off the chair laughing at your play is a great thing.Everyone in the auditorium was bowing zulu style and clapping for our play once it was over.They actually were shouting"Once More". And the ice was broken.Every senior who saw us asked "How did you do it?"and that"The part was played perfectly". More so,when you see a junior being you,saying exactly what you would say ,on stage,is a proud moment for anyone.And although I try to be modest,none of the other FE classes got a standing ovation like we did and so we stood out amidst all.Needless to say,we went to our room only to watch the video twice and rejoice at our success.


But ,the happiness was shortlived, atleast for the boys(;)).

The next night,most of us were watching Mr. Bean in the boys' room(that had become like a lounge for all of us)and by 12,3 or 4 of the boys had gone off to sleep.just as we girls were getting ready to go to our rooms and the boys to sleep,2 or 3 of our seniors,one after the other came to ask whether we were gonna be there only.When we asked the reason,they said ,it was someone's birthday and she was distributing cake(hmmm...yummy)Who knew,this was a trick ,when we opened the door ,the whole group of seniors jsut rushed into the room,sat on the beds and started waking up the boys who had gone off to sleep.All the girls were shooed out of the room as the boys looked at us with a scared and flabbergasted face.And all that the girls knew was the seniors left the room only at 1.30AM.The next day,we were trying with different ways and means to find out what actually happened cuz we realized the boys had had fun the end of it all.But the boys refused to open their mouths only dropping hints(uff).But then the cat was out of the bag and we dint have to wait for more than a day.Cuz our senior Adhitya(fondly called as anna) came to our compartment to have a chat.The smart girls that we are(collars raised!!) mentioned that we didn't know anything about what happened.And then he spoke words of wisdom(for us ;))which I am not allowed to disclose else this will be the last post of my life(and I mean it).But all I can say is we were practically rolling our eyes and on the floor with laughter and the boys became great friends after the incident and we had something we could tease them with(yippee!!!).


Our trip also had adventure and I mean it.We had to board a train for jodhpur from a very small station called Makhu, and the weird part was we were forced to stand with our luggage on the train tracks next to the ones where our train was gonna come.And the main plot.......................the train would wait only for 2 minutes on the station.200 students,400 pieces of luggage,all in 2 minutes on the train.Our senior coordinator told us that the girls would get into the sleeper compartment and the boys would load the luggage on the train and then get into it(Just think of the boys's faces when he said this).SO all of us kept our luggage together and dreaded about what would happen if we didn't get into the train or any of our luggage was not loaded.When the train came,all the girls got into the train compartment in a frenzy manner.But damn!!!We got in to the general compartment instead of the sleeper one.All of us got down the train and got into the sleeper compartment.In the mean while,all the guys were working together loading the luggage(I really dont know how they did it) into one of the compartments.Luckily,all this was done in just 5 minutes and the train started for its destination,with all its intended passengers aboard.But once this happened,we had to go to our respective compartments,take our own luggage and settle down.By the time we actually settled down,the adrenaline rush was so high.But to think of it,that was a really cool adventure...something I can talk about for years.


Once we reached Jodhpur,we got on a bus for Jaisalmer and had a great new experience of living in tents with a built in bathroom as well(sweet!)but none of us could take a bath in the 2 days that we were there because there was absolutely no hot water,forget hot...no water.So we had to survive; actually let other people survive by using only deodorants and God,although I enjoyed the tents,no bath is something I can never bear again.But the next day when we got on a bus to go to Jodhpur,I can say with confidence that everyone was heaving a sigh of relief; albeit with their nostrils blocked(hehe).


And another memory which is etched into my mind is the last night on our way back to mumbai. About 7-8 of us were awake and we actually got to know each other, what we were before getting into SP, a part of us that our friends didn't know. And I must say, it made hell of a difference. Obviously having spent all the time of 9 days together, we had started realizing how lucky we were to be bestowed with such wonderful friends. I didn't feel even for a moment that 9 days weren't enough because I had rejoiced every day, savoured every second and loved every moment. I was always awake when most of us were thus not missing small conversations here and there. I felt a sense of belonging which remains till now amongst my dear old friends. Its always great reminiscing during hardship filled times( I mean submissions,practicals..will these never end :P). Hope you got a well deserved break from the torture common to all of us and enjoyed too.Cheers to a great IV in the forthcoming year!

Interesting Month Of February

Well,I know this post is pretty delayed considering the gap.....but then being an engineering student,there are certain compromises we make(do we?? ;) ),so I guess you might just read it now.



If you have read my previous posts, you might feel the title is pretty weird.....When I have portrayed that life itself in engineering is so interesting, what's so special about this month????????




The fact is lots of things have happened this month.It was quite eventful;especially for me and in general for most of us.First of all came my birthday. Birthdays in itself are very much expected but this year, it was different for me. I had new friends and this birthday is inevitable one of my best ones.They are truly wonderful and our group had been following a tradition for the last few birthdays.The birthday boy or girl would get one funny gift viz. non-expensive gift [:) ] but it is something which is unique about them and invariably funny too.For eg. One friend loves potatoes so we gave him almost 6-7 potatoes one after the other......And to think about it ,we really tickle people's funny bones.


For eg. When we had gone for the IV in January, on the second day of the train journey,our seniors dropped in our compartment to inform us that we had to enact a play for their entertainment the next night itself......Well,we weren't really serious about it cuz we had just finished our first ever sems and wanted to chill out devoid of our parents.But then next day,we realized we gotta do something.So , we decided we would do a spoof on the most watched reality show Roadies....and a friend came up with the wonderful idea of spoofing our seniors.So,all 13 brains got together(there were 13 of us in the IV) and wrote a really funny play..I say that because after every line discussed for the play,we were practically rolling on the floor with laughter..but during the final rehearsal,none of us found it funny cuz we had laughed way too much before :). But when we did present the play in front of all seniors consisting of SEs,TEs and BEs,the response we got cannot be expressed in words.You could hear only laughter all around from the first dialogue itself!!!!!!!!Can you believe one of them actually fell off a chair laughing...The best part was at the end of it ,all the seniors gave us a standing ovation and started bowing..can it get any better!!!



Well coming back to February,then came the autonomous robotics workshop..Robotics is something I have always been interested in but I didn't think of going for this workshop.Two guys from my class were going for sure,however they needed two more else they had to pay double of what they would have.I was their first bait because they knew I was interested vaguely and ultimately I was made to agree,they convinced another friend too ending up having one complete group from FE(Comps) as compared to 5 teams each from FE electronics and EXTC.We were ashamed but we could do nothing.So we went for the two day workshop,made our own line follower aka thinking robot(well,almost). We were really excited about having made the robot when the seniors informed us of the competition that would be held next week for fastest robot which involved a cash prize too(hmmm).But the unfortunate point was the competition was on the next sunday and all the other members were busy on exactly that day due to their own individual reasons.Result...We couldn't prepare for it and thus no participation.I was almost on the verge of desperation because one of them already wasn't in mumbai and the other 2 backed out just before the D-Day.



So,I had to anyway go to college that day at 1 feeling sad that the competition was over at 9.But to my greatest surprise,it wasn't over yet so we could still participate. So I called up the guy who had the robot and begged him to come to college when he had to leave for a marriage in about 3-4 hrs.So,well we programmed the robot pretty fast(written mostly by him)according to the track.Our seniors had a record time of 31 seconds by using 4 sensors as against the 2 we were using.And can you believe what our time was.........................26 seconds.We were really spellbound and when the robot was ready for final run,it took 25 seconds and we won.We immediately called the remaining two and told them the happy news.We could practically see them jumping with joy when we heard their escalating voices.That really was a great day for us and obviously a landmark as we carved a niche for ourselves when none of the other juniors condescended to come and by winning over our seniors.



Well,we were really proud of this and roaming around proud of this when suddenly a bomb fell which converted our happiness to fear.Our first sem results!!!!All of us couldn't wait to see how we had fared but still We had a mortal fear in our minds.Ultimately all of us actually scored really good marks most of us crossing 75%(which is great in engineering if u don't know)and the topper was expected and he was the topper of the class but that doesn't matter in college ,does it???



Well,after all the fun we had,we were stable enough in our studies and proved that we can actually manage fun and studies together thus satisfying ourselves and our parents alike.And to think of it,I have finished my sem II exams now and enjoying my first engineering vacation.I'll update you with more of our fun filled days in some more time.Till then,Enjoy!!

Nights during P.L+Exams

When you decide that you want to get the B.E degree 4 years after you become an adult(politically), Nights are rarely what they are meant for,Sleeping.





If you ask any engineering student what time they usually hit the bed,they would say "hmmm.....usually 2 ,sometimes 3 and when we go crazy about some subject then 4 or 5 is normal";and mind you these timings are in a.m.The night before the exam they break all records by "not sleeping even a minute".Well,I want to remind you that we are the people who always wanna have fun.When we stay up all night,I can assure you atleast 3 hours of the night goes in talking ,oh I'm sorry ;"Asking doubts".One of the excerpts of the late night talk are as follows


Lets call the two people A and B,reason being there are so many names,I dont wanna be partial





A:Haaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii(That's our "group's" typical way of saying hi)


B: Haaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiii,bol kya hua?


A:arre yaar,meri band baj rahi hai,kumbhojkar hai hath mein?


B:haan,kaunsa page?


A:haan vector differentiation dekh,page 12.45,usmein example 12


B:Haan,The scalar function is given by............


A:Arre,ismein kya doubt tha?


B:3x^()2) +2xy...kya?


A:arre nahi yaar,yeh sum mark kiya tha yaad nahi aa raha kya doubt tha(laughter from both sides),anyway tera kitna padhke hua?


B:(laughter),you are asking me?arre kuch nahi hua hai


A:Arre,you know what everytime I get bored I can't help thinking of the IV.


B:I know yaar,9 days we are gonna do nothing but enjoy,anyway how many bags will we be needing?


A:I was planning 2 bags,I think that should be enough


B:Its gonna be damn cold


A:arre btw,mujhe doubt yaad aa gaya


B:haan kya hai?


A:arre,why is curl of r bar 0?that is, why is do by (pronounced as doe) do x of z zero?


B:(pause)


B:its obvious na?


A:how dumb!(that's my typical saying)



B:arre ruk ek minute kisika call aa raha hai



C:hello?



B:hello?



A:Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii





C:Arre kuch padhai nahi ho ho raha hai!!!!!!!!!



and it goes on for possibly another hour or so.Mind you ,this kind of talk is only on the night before the d-day ,THE EXAM .



Or else.the phone and the nights are meant only for timepass.When the exams aren't on the next day,you would find night time prowlers like us on the social networking sites like orkut and facebook as though we have nothing to do in life but to post comments on our own photos,to keep on sending scraps which no one is able to make out,introducing new and newer forums in the community(one special one for late night too) and after all this if we still have time,chat with more than 5 people on yahoo messenger.When life can be so interesting without including studies(except for passing),since our whole bright day is spent in the insides of a boring classroom,where sleep beckons us from time to time,we get time to spend our wonderful time with the computer only in the night.So,we are anyway constantly in touch with our mates,no matter when,where and how.



Anyway,coming back to the topic,basically ,there is a specific reason why you find students like us studying in the night.Let me clear all the wrong thoughts in your mind which rushed into it when you read the above line.

1.It's not because we have so much portion to study that we don't have time to finish in the day.



2.Nope, We are not studious nerdy geeks who want to prove to the world that we can get 90% and above in engineering(lol).

3.Our parents surely don't tell us to prove to them that we study cuz....do u remember,we already did that in 10th and 12th

The fact is the whole day goes in just whiling away the time with the book in our hands and mind somewhere else altogether,that the divine intervention occurs only when the sun sets.In simple words,we realize that we havent studied anything only when there is no time left for it.But then,we are really grateful to the mumbai university that we get minimum 4 holidays for each exam.Luckily,we were saved everytime before our exam as we could complete our portion



Well,at the end of this all,I would like to make it clear that we aren't so bad students actually.When we become serious about our studies,we generate an interest in the subject and study like no one else has ever done.All of us are eagerly(I think I used the wrong word)waiting for our results.We are just hoping we manage to scrape through our exams the way we did through the nights.As you guys learn that our nights are as eventful as our days,I hope you still have the interest to read my following posts :) .Have a nice day!!!

Timepass in lectures

We have our PL going on and all I can remember is the fun we have in college.Well,first of all,P.L means preparatory leave,a short form every engineering student loves to hear cuz thats about the only time we think of studying.

But to tell the truth,I am kind of feeling incomplete without going to college for almost a stretch of a month!!!!!!!!!!!!The fact is it is still our 1st semester,we have just got used to and I dont wanna forget.................we have started enjoying college.Dont be mistaken,we do nothing related to studies,but the way we enjoy in class ,well quite a lot of guys can learn from us.Our favourite place in the class is the last bench.(no prizes for guessing this)And our favourite thing to do in the most boring lecture is to sleep hidden by our tall friends sitting right in front of us to serve the purpose.

But the divine rest for our brain is most of the times not achieved as we feel we have better things to do.Since it is our first semester,we are making friends,new ones too(this is the old story cuz now all of us are FRIENDS,real good ones actually)so ,we talk.Chit chatting.............not gossiping just getting to know everyone.

Our another favourite pass time is to play the wonderful stupid games which we used to play when we were in school,For eg. X and O,the dot game,bingo etc.Sometimes when the teacher gets too suspicious due to our constant discussion(obviously about the game)we manage making the caricatures of our fellow friends and sometimes our guruji themselves.And to do all this right under the eyes of our ever talking teachers,I think its a huge achievement.


We spend almost half of our day in college.So obviously when we get home,we aren't gonna write the huge never ending journals we are supposed to submit,reason being "we are too tired ,you know".So,the next best place is college and next best time is a lecture.The most common words out of our mouths in the lecture is "Do you have A4 size sheets?" The fact is our journals consist of these white A4 size papers which first of all we gotta keep neatly(is that humanly possible?),carefully(that never happens) and in order.We get bored trying to understand the greek and latin like sounding huge world of Physics and mechanics that we decidedly try doing something worthwhile;write our journals.



The thing that you'll always find us doing is laugh.You may think this makes no sense but seriously we laugh at practically nothing at all.Once in a lecture ,we heard dogs barking,that set us all of us into splits.God knows why we had to laugh at that but at that point of time,it was so funny,I can't explain how much.Sometimes,someone just starts laughing and it ends up in everyone laughing.I know this particular paragraph makes no sense to most but I think it makes sense to other engineering students who enjoy at the time of fun and study at the time of P.L which is exactly what I'm trying to do.

So while I try to survive the hurdle to reach the next semester,hope you enjoyed laughing with me. :)