School Days

Already 20 days have gone by in the last month of 2008 and so also my last winter vacation.These 20 days have been a mixed bag for me.The things i had n`t planned came true..of course, my planned thoughts never go in the manner that i want.Every vacation, i think about something or the other to do before they begin but destiny takes its own course.This time also,its been the same.

One must be wondering why i thought of writing about my school days.Its because, they have been an integral part of my life as, i hope,also yours.Many of you will agree that those were the days when we were quite naive.Knowing nothing about the happenings that surround us today-politics,bombings,terrorism,criticism etc, we were in a world of our own.A world that is difficult to find today.A world that in my thinking, no longer exists. That world has been replaced by a world that is cruel,selfish,self-centered...always trying to pull you down.Sometimes, it feels as if we are here to do things that are decided by someone else.

12 years of schooling has been one of the pillars on which we stand today.It forms the basis that we today are.I had been in the same school right from my Nursery till i completed my 10th.So, the advantage of being in the same school has been the fact that most of my teachers knew me being one of the small boys and of course, good in studies (Khud ki tarif karna acha nahin lagta :P).

Well,even if i try to remember those days, they just do not come up.Only my mum tells me and i listen and try to recall but all in vain.Making friends with everyone, i sometimes wonder if that was a dream.Not that i do not make friends now, but there seems to be some sort of invisible glass that comes up between people now a days.Being in the same school for so many years, we had to change our location 3 times as there was no fixed building and because of this change, my section changed and as well, my friends. The friends with whom i had been friends with for 3-4 years got into some other section and my acquaintance with him/her faded. This was one of the things that i still regret and hoped that it didn't take place.

Losing contact with friends is the worst thing that can happen and at that time, internet was in its nascent stage.Internet has been one of the best things that has happened and thanks to social networking sites, we can know about our old friends.But still, an invisible glass remains and we cannot relate each other.It feels nice that your friends remember you after so many years.And sometimes, it so happens that someone remembers you and you don't or vice-versa and that leads to an awkward situation-a situation that i have been part of many a time.

The image at the top is of my Class 3.This is only photograph that i could find and one of my prized possessions.I remember each ones name but i have contacts with few.

There are many things to write (crushes, teachers etc ) and one blog is not enough and also,i feel exhausted writing such a long thing at 1 in the night. So, the next blog will come up in a short time...till then ASTA LA VISTA,BABY!!!!

The Soingggg Syndrome!!!!

1 month of winter holidayss!!!! If u tell this to any student irrespective of school or college, he/she will think that someone is selling him/her a dream.A dream that he will cherishhh forever.Away from the books,copies,home tasks,scoldings of teachers, chutkara from attendance and classes and much much more...

But i have been fortunate enough to realise this for the last 4 years of my enginnering life...as i write this blog, this will be my last winter vacation as after that i and my friends will enter a life where getting a chutti will be a rarity (leaving those in the PSU`s-no grudge my frenz).

The main thing about a holiday is that we get to leave all those tension in the back of our minds and only get to do what we like.Chilling and hanging out with one`s close friends (Boyfriends or Girlfriends-whatever u like), going out with your near and dear ones etc etc. And if u have a broadband net connection (just as i have), then u r in a gold mine. Downloading your favourite movies, music and much more, you would think or ask or plead that this should be given in your hostel rooms...even if one has internet facility in his/her room, they are so slow that even a tortoise could go 1km and come back before the page has opened up (by the way we have a decent net connectivity in our hostels :P).

But the main activity in our case is "The Soingg Syndrome". You may have got the idea from the title that its all about sleep, sleep and only sleep. I could have written the sleep syndrome but the "ing" thing is something that i have picked up from one of my frenz whose only work is to sleep(Read between the lines-he he he) and that adds a little bit spice to it.

So, after a week of arriving here, i was thinking what should i do for the rest 20 days that i have left before i again have to face those lectures, assignments and of course the cold out there..The best thing and also the worst thing about winter is winter itself i.e. the cold. And the cold wants you to sleep like a polar bear:: in hibernation till the summer comes and that is xactly what is happening to me..waking up till 2-3 in the night chatting away with my friends and then going into hibernation mode till i am forced to wake up at 11 in the noon by the scoldings of my mum and sis...i am not complaining but this would be the daily routine of almost all of my frenz out there..

But wait there`s more..the soiinngg syndrome doesnt end there..its a syndrome,yaar!! and for me it comes again just as i finish my lunch..more 2-3 hours of sleep and i wake up in the evening trying to analyse what has happened in the day..what have i missed??

So, the syndrome will last till the winter gets over and nothing in this world can cure this...its something that happens to everyone even though he/she may not like this and i, am one of the lucky guys who has got an overdose!!!!!

study tour

It was a nice chilly friday afternoon and our batch was ready to go on a local study tour to a nearby Diesel Locomotive Shed where the train diesel engines come for maintainance purpose...our institute bus was ready and we reached the bus about half an hour early...

Basking in the warm sun,we waited for our tour guide to come who infact was a assistant professor of our department..we waited and waited but he was no where to be seen..We were happy that our lab got cancelled bcoz of the tour (Lab was that of maity sir and everyone of mechanical dept including those passed out will tell u abt him!!!! :D).....the bus was to leave at 2pm and at 230 he came and started scolding us as we were late...he wanted that the bus should have picked him up from his house which we didnt knew...so after all these events finally we were ready to go....

and it was a nice trip to the shed....blah blah blah...and the rest is history...the point is there are some teachers who understand what the students want as they were also students at some point of time...but there are others who simply have forgotten their roots and think themselves as some kind of a hero...as if we are slaves??

sry the goa story will come after some time as there are many things to write....till then...chill!!!!

Khandadhar

Those of you who have read my first blog must be wondering why i decided to write something that was absolutely horrific.Well, the reason is that i badly wanted to share this with all.. :D

Leave that topic.This one is about our branch picnic to a place named Khandadhar (Khanda means Sword & Dhar means waterfall)...It was an experience that was quite opposite to the incident mentioned in my previous blog-simply majestic,Mother nature at its grandest self,water gushing down from a height of around 200-300 metres, greenery surrounding the chilly winter day, the sound of wind gushing through the leaves of trees....It was simply out of this world (the fotos say it all!!!)..and to our surprise, medical students of a nearby Medical College also were having picnic at the same spot.

The trip to that place was equally enjoyable.We had to go through some really kachha roads and it took us around 3 hours to reach there.The waterfall was visible from quite some distance.It looked like a white sword and i suppose the name comes from this-Khandadhar.

The water was icy cold and my frenz decided to jump into it..At first, i decided to restrain but after some time even i couldnt help myself from joining them in the icy cold water...and i tell you, the sensation in my legs and hands just went away...i felt completely numb...

We all felt great and mighty relieved by getting away from the hectic and busy time table that we had..kudos to biswa(one of my close friend) who organised the whole trip...

It was gr8 fun..and i hope this bond of friendship remains with us forever...stay tuned!!!bcoz next time, its a trip to the land of sun sand and beaches-Goa!!!

first days of engg. at NIT Rourkela

One must be wondering, why a guy like me who is in his Pre-final year of engg. at NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY,ROURKELA would write such a topic that most juniors would want to forget......the freshman years and of course the dreaded ragging period...

After being selected for NIT, i had to come for the admission process and this was the first time that i was traveling alone to rourkela. I was equally lucky that i had my best friend studying there (i dropped out for a year) and equally unlucky as i was travelling with him and i came to know my seniors right in the bus itself...so, that was both advantageous and disadvantageous.....advantageous in the sense that i got to know about my seniors and disadvantageous that i became the bakra.....

Then comes the interesting part....As our bus was about to leave Cuttack(thats the place where i stay), it ran over a man...and he died on the spot....problem was that i was given the slot of admission the next day and if i didnt reached there, my admission would have been cancelled...

some of my seniors stayed back but it was a do or die situation for me...so i had to take another bus. i was lucky enough that i managed to get a bus but there was another problem..it did not have any seats.The only seat that was available was that behind the drivers seat and i had to take it as there was no other choice...
so i took the chance and i was shivering the whole night by the wind that was coming into the cabin.i hadnt slept the whole night and was literally praying to reach rourkela as soon as possible.
minutes ticked by and similarly hours and there were goosebumps in my stomach.i also couldnt fone home as didnt have a mobile at that time...

At last i reached rourkela at 630 in the morning and heaved a sigh of relief to see my relative standing at the bus stand to receive me...
So,it was a hell of an experience which i didnt expect to come so soon even before joining rourkela.Guess, u have to expect the unexpected!!!
Stay tuned in to receive some more!!!