Showing posts with label unversity life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unversity life. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Life in Earthly Paradise---

Warning
*** Read it at your own risk, the Blog can get really boring!
*** Its just some life experiences and no high intentioned meanings, take away or gyans!
*** It’s a tribute to all those who have made my life beautiful while I know this blog is just not a substitute to feel grateful.
*** Thoughts don’t emerge in order, the flow of writing may not be logical.

There are some memories that cannot be described in words, some that are too trivial to waste words for, some that are too precious to be put to words and some that are so limitless that they cannot be bound by words.

Memoirs from College Days quiet seem to qualify for all these types. Just 3 hours in the College campus had all the memories gushing back with tremendous force. Hitting hard on life’s experiences in the past!
Memories which are invaluable to those which are worthless filled the space, while I enjoyed every bit of Kalayani ( Raga) as it evolved from the singer, so did the past ,once in glory!

As a student I dreaded going to college, the Graduation program. As a reader you might think that “I must be insane to have disliked College Days”, whatever you may want to think, this was a nightmarish phases for me not till I met the eight most beautiful souls. For all I am today I owe due credits to them for making that phase of my life sail smooth through the turbulent waters.

For some strange reason, I opted to pursue pure science (Don’t ask me why, for I don’t know the answer). The very first week in the course I realized the blunder which for no reason at that point could be undone.

The only familiarity at this point to me was the college itself from my stay in past years , its strong grey walls, the sturdy wooden benches while all faced the black board exclusive two benches faced the either sides towards the right or left depending on the class room alignment ( I am not too certain if this tradition of side benches still décor the class rooms in the college),the corridor -in which I had stood barely few months backs flipping through the pages of the text in a vain attempt towards the final preparations either for the lab test or board exams were the only familiar things except a few known faces of college staff.
While the entire janta proceeded either to covet the famous Engineering Degree or Doctors’ I stayed back with hardly any motivation to move on.
The moments only taught me the true meaning and feeling of failure despite clearing the board papers with fairly good grades!
The only solace was the good afternoon siesta which I could get after the classes closed at 12:30 pm.

While few known faces now were my final resort to kill the loneliness which lingered right from the day the course began. The once known faces are now a part life anchoring the bonds of friendship to what it truly means.
They were not from the same class as mine, nor were they from the same department, they were cradled in a completely different streams, came in from a different interest group with different career objective still something clearly bound us together and then started the journey for life time, the winds of north finally changed its direction, for the life became more vibrant, more lively. As they welcomed me to the nest which was built on sheer happiness, fun and love.

Time now seemed to move at a fast pace for me, as I now recall the good old days while each of us would stand by the other in a group, chit chat our heart, while we named every other person in the college be it seniors, juniors, classmates with none to spare from weirdest of names we named for our very own identification purpose from Intro to patch up , from Coffee pudi to Jeans from Sonu to kid namkarana (Naming Ceremony)became part and parcel of our group activity while each one would try to get as creative and logical with the name we could get.
This did not stop just to name others we went a little beyond to name our own would-be families it topped with Nana, nina, avana, ivana and so went on the list of our naming gimmicks.

Each class break would only mean dash to the nearest class just to catch up on the quick talks. The long breaks were always welcome while we shared the breakfast which the mothers would earnestly cook religiously every morning, while we ate the assortment of food from each dabba and shared jokes and each persons days must share tales, time would surpass the allotted hour while each of us dashed to be just in time for the attendance call in our respective class, or just in time before the Prof. came in and closed the door barring entry to the late comers.
Energy levels would be high over the Wall journals with creativity flowing from all the ignited minds in the making of “Minds Eye”.

Bunking class was another classic activity for us. As I managed to bunk the Physics or Math’s lecture with differentiation and integration sounding absolute gibberish to me, while I made it a point to attend Psychology or Journalism during those hours just to have some class room fun. These Prof’s had actually assumed that I belonged to their department and how baffled they were to realize one day I was actually from a totally alien department!

The girls would unanimously choose to bunk any hour if I had a free hour or I would bunk just to stay with them during their free hour.

Everyday routine of dashing to chitra’s house waking her up at 7:00 am and hurriedly carrying ourselves at super jet speed to cover distance of 1 km in record time of 7 mins just to be in time for the first hour class at 7:30 is something I wonder to this day, on the level of commitment we had, to get up at that earthly hour and rush to college religiously.

Our balcony sightings - excitements created post sighting the popular people in the quadrangle would just add on to fun while I raised both my hands in appreciation and the rest of them keenly followed the moments of the wanna bees.

The excitement in getting to know the true/actual name of people and how enthusiastic we would be to announce the actual name of the person in the quick talk breaks is something nostalgic. (I can still vividly remember how I was introduced to one of my fellow seniors whom the girls had named and the moment I got some news how eager I was to share that with the girls and the speed at which I had dashed out while a totally different surprise was in store as the girls gave in the name before even I could open my mouth)

Our walks to our very own adda which we named SL while we sat on the katte and spoke tales and shared stories around the world. Many of the life meaningful experiences seemed to evolve then- In short the Gyan sessions!

Our short walks to the Heritage before we all departed for the day, as we gobbled a samosa or managed to lay the hands to tempting brownies or least if the month end was round the corner all we could afford were the Bowring Kulfis and the chillness which it would be shared rest of the girls as each one of us called out “taste maddae!”.

As the girls spoke of Freud, or discussed Tempest and enlightened me on Child Psychology to Educational Psychology while sharing the concept of cognitive behaviors virtually prepared me to be their subject of study for practical exam.
Little tit bits I shared with them were only related to Astro physics and nothing beyond it for they felt no need to know how the earth revolved in orbit, their only statement was “As long as its in orbit we don’t have to worry, let it mind its job” would always fascinate me at the level of coolness each one had.

The way Chits and me would wake up every year-end with realization on the existence of an entity called library only get our NOC’s from the librarian to pay the our exam fee is something which still intrigues me at the level of indifference we carried for the entity all along our stay in college!

The way my senior friend would try hard to motivate me to study. He would insist I prove those dreadful theorems, he would sit there with a Math text coaching me on how to apply those dreadful theorems while teaching me the shortcuts to arrive at the solution and my playful nature to just gossip with all around while he solved all my problems, later with a realization on the worldly happenings encompassed with all irritation he would yell “You can look at guys later, you have your whole life for that! Now will you please concentrate here?” and me being me would combat the harsh statements and yell back saying I was not too keen to learn.
Apologizing and realizing my nature and reason for those spontaneous outbursts, he would try to motivate and cajole me saying I really had the potential in me but had no drive and If I did put in a little hard work I would go places in my career and alas all these motivation would finally fall on dead ears!

The time for record submission, the way I would stealthily approach my friend and ask if I could borrow his previous years records just for reference purpose and he realizing the underlying intention would give it to me after some good amount of persuation , with a familiar statement for the next two years being “ Don’t copy the values, you will not get the correct output in the exam if you copy them, just keep it as a reference only” with immediate reply being, I wish you had not submitted , I would have used the same copy and saved my self 2 hrs of laborious writing every week! Invariably both of us would crackle with the roars of laughter!

Memories are now flowing like a river of thoughts.
The way chits and Anu had pulled me out from Physics lab with a strange reason that I was a key member in the Psychology fest Transcend this incident left my prof with perplexed emotion on the role of a physics student in the psychology festival.

Our adventures in rain also have left with other fellow students with baffled looks, the MTR Ice cream in Cee-gees is what I still remember to this date. Competition between Anu and Chits on highest number of Ice cream which they could gulp in the rain is something which still lingers down the memory lane.

Our sudden outburst of excitement to watch some Hindi hip hop movies and our only resort being either the Abhinay Theater or Cauvery theater which played movies exclusively for the our college tailored timings @10:30 am and how we would sneak out of the college building and feel safe inside the movie hall while we commented and critiqued the movie in and out and later come back to adda just to sit on the katte and continue our tales.

The fast approaching exams only meant heaps and heaps of photocopies the girls had to make to prepare themselves for the exams, while I was saved this trouble of photocopying, I grappled with all the theorems in analytical geometry and tried to mug the Fourier theorem trying to relate how I could use all of them in the future and the very thought would send chill vibes to the spine on the complexity of usage of baseless theorems in my life!
I am very grateful and happy that I really haven’t used a single theorem for application in the last 8 yrs.

Memories like these can bring in a tear or two with a fragile smile. I fail to understand the frequency of thoughts connected to multiple variables like smiles, tears and goads of emotion. There seems to be multiple effects from just these passing thoughts …..
For all those who have managed to read till this line. “ With a bow Thank you very much, you really have high patience levels”
Special Thanks to all those people who have been a part of this life to have tailored these blissful moments in my life.
VSCAN-K - Jai Ho!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Experience With The University!

February started with a loud bang… As the hectic week started with PLP workshop, It gave me a break from the monotony of home office home and role reversed to Home –Resort –Home, as the mid week approached I started feeling sick of the food in the resort. As I yearned for amma’s curd rice and pickles , uppma, and rasam the week had already passed and I was back in the week-end den.

Cultural difference within the country cannot be more evident in this context then other. My friend being a Chinese, raised in North India with education from South qualifies herself to be epitome of cultural understanding.
As my friend called in and asked if I could accompany her for the University for Official Transcripts, I readily agreed to ease the language complexities which people face with the government bodies.
As we approached the university campus we were greeted by a guard who guided us to “The Stone Building” what they called. It read “Student Grievance Center”, the first thought that struck me on seeing the interiors of the office only reminded me the old movies which portrayed central jail in all glory. Coming back to senses and reminding my self I was in India’s Reputed University and not any central Jail was a reliving enough. As I scanned the place to check on the formalities and procedure I was lured to more confusing thoughts. Except a print copy pasted on a wooden separator ( which acted as a separating wall from one division to other) on the cost for various applications with hardly enough information was visible. To get a better understanding we approached the person with a grim face (it appeared to me as though I was taking the grievance). Thus began the conversation in the native language.
The jist of the entire conversation was I wanted to know more details on the process for filling an application for the official transcripts. While the representative just asked me to pay 180 RS per required transcripts in the Bank at the other corner of the road without sharing no further details in spite of using the probing technique in interviews!

As both me and my friend dashed just to be in time before the bank closed for transaction little did we realize we had to walk close to 1 km to reach the bank. As the February sun soared high up as the temperatures raised, my patience level dripped every step I took

The only conversation that filled the air between us was how backward we still are in the current era which dominates the software’s and applications. We were dazed that there is not a single web application format in the university website. Our conversations revolved on how bureaucratic we still are as a society.

As we reached the bank filled the formalities of manual transactions of which we have almost lost the ground on when the banks have opted for core banking and Internet and mobile banking is now the trend and style. We doodled a bit on the challan and submitted the copies while depositing the cash in the counter.
As we tracked our way back to the Stone Building, I was just wondering what more the day could have in store.
Then the Rep gave me a familiar smile this time, only that I had a curt smile to return back for having made me walk 2 kms in the treacherous sun!
As we submitted the challan we were asked to produce the photocopies of mark sheet with one set in a paper cover which we were advise to carry from some acquaintance . It was then our representative sparked out that one had to attach even the copy of degree certificate.

As I rushed to get the certificate photocopied checking with the students where the photocopy center was I was baffled to know that I had to go to some court complex for photocopies. As I walked past the vendors on the lane, selling groundnuts, mints and bananas, I was only wondering if I were in a University Campus or just another government organization. University without a Photo copy center was beyond me ability of imagination! As I conjectured the state and plight of the students around the area a sense of pity struck to those gullible.

I hurried my way past back to the Stone building just be in time before our officials took their long earned break for lunch. We worked our way together to put the copies in the covers and as my friend submitted the Challan copies and cover containing the most treasured mark sheets and Degree Certificate for the day, the good old representative shot back “ Where is the application form?” both of us were stunned for a moment with no words flowing and as our empty stomach made noise for resources to be supplied to all the back up energy were being utilized in running up and down the university lane! Rather quizzed by the question we exchanged perplexed stares at each other. Now this was the limit of my patience zone it had long crossed the negative line of control! With all temper I shot back “ Now what is this application about? Will you please let me know” Slowly but steadily the rep replied “you need to fill in an application and get it stamped and signed by your college authorities!” and beyond this not a word was said!
While I pondered over how else I could get the situation under control as the clock ticked close to 1:00 pm, I hastily took the application and helped my friend fill it, we dashed back to her college hoping that the Admin office would still be open. Thankfully for the security guards eye we still looked like young college girls, as we barged in to the Admin area we managed to get the application stamped and signed. We stopped on our way back for lunch discussions backtracked to all the events of the day.

We finally managed to submit the request for official transcripts for B.com while we have one more pending for the Master program which we target to complete early March.

There are far too many questions that hit my thoughts. We are supposed to the second largest country in terms of population and contribute to largest pool of IT and ITES operations. Infact Bangalore is called the silicon valley of India. I am perplexed at the rate at which our basic infrastructures and process are in place. In this experience of mine, the renowned university does not even have an option in there website where such basic transactions can be easily automated with little effort. We still run the grumpy grievance cells manned by people who assume the roles of gods’ moment they have a visitor, forgetting all basics of customer services approach. There is hardly any mention of various processes for such transactional operations for student in the website or any clear guidelines in the office;
We are on close standards for producing the best in class engineers with high talent output ratio, we talk a lot about core banking operations, still we stand in the long queues just to fill a challan. Do the agencies and institutions even realize that the coming generations are going to be highly tech savvy, those student which the university themselves has produced with high standard of education, to which they would cater to? When India is on high agenda for the next milestone to be crossed, add yet another feather to its culturally diverse hat. Our universities are still surviving in the era of last century of dark, dumpy grievance cells while the world itself has moved to another continuum of technology bound by the immensity of speed and time.
India no doubt is making its presence felt in this era of globalization but these ground realities do strike hard!