First Day of College

Finally having finished another exam, my mind is now diverted once again to Harry Potter, Muggles, witches and wizards, after a tiring week of trying to remember words like “Myocardial Infarction” and “Electromagnetic potential”. I skimmed through my previous posts, which I hadn’t done in a long time, and found a nice suggestion, advising me to talk about my college life.

Ah, yes, I have so much to talk about college…I guess I’ll start today because I haven’t ever written about college in my previous posts. My college days are quick, happy and generally more comforting than school. But I won’t forget how it all started off, a little more than a year ago. It was after my tenth, I applied to nearly 4 colleges, out of which three let me down. I studied in Kumarans school till tenth, and my college welcomed me warmly, and I was happy I was returning to the Kumarans family once more, I secured a seat in Kumarans college…and initially, college did not feel like college at all.

The first day was something like a dream, I remember I was in a pink dress, with my hair neat and tied up and very confused at to how to find my classroom. My timid heart was welling with excitement, my face was red and alert, and there were butterflies in my stomach. But I found my classroom, and there were people…so many new faces, it would be difficult, I thought, to find a friend. I found my schoolmate, Shalini was in the same class, and it was with relief that I stuck to her, talking to her, the only familiar face, out of fifty-eight unknowns. But there was certainly that feeling that I had suddenly grown up, I was in college, somehow, I found the truth unconvincing.

Now, I look back…it’s been an year. Just a sweet small year, I can’t believe first PU got over so quickly. Now, I know everybody quite well, school friends have gently slipped away from my iron hand, and I have found some new friends. Do you people remember your first days of college? I would be like it if you could share your experiences with me.

Bound by an Unbroken Spell for 7 years

It’s that time of the year again! The Pottermania is raging everywhere, and I’ve caught the fever too…I know what the adults are thinking—Harry Potter is nothing special. The modern day kids should return to our ancient Indian lore. Sure, I’ve heard that before, and I have read ‘ancient’ tales of India too, but that shouldn’t prevent me from reading HP, it’s one of my very favorite books. The Harry Potter series have been a part of my life since the time when I was in 6th, when I read the first book and went totally crazy over anything to deal with Harry. Now, something of a saga—an era of Potter maniacs is coming to an end. JK Rowling has entered History books, broken records, and the world is queuing up for the last book. After we grow too old for Fantasy, I’m sure we’ll forget the spell Potter cast on us as children. I know all good things should come to an end, and it is time to bid adieu to the famous series.

It is just sad that I am missing out on much of the fun. I have to study for a test on Monday, so I can’t rush to Sapna Book House at 5:30 A.m. to get the last book on the first day…and I haven’t watched the recent movie either. I’ll catch on after my test…I’m planning on buying the book and watching the movie in August. Right now, I am busy studying and in between, trying to guess the fate of Harry Potter, which will be revealed to everyone who is waiting, all over the world on Saturday.

A Lost Friendship

When I was a kid, there were five of us—Me, Shruthi, Shravya, Monisha and Pooja. We were what you could call “inseparable friends”. We were into doing everything together—playing, fighting, sharing…teasing. I now look back and think how precious that friendship was. It is not that now we are all arch rivals, or that we hate each other now, but growing up has changed us. We are different. We now know our manners, and we know we need to be dignified in speech and expression. We are not anymore those sissies who shared with each other the stories of how scared we were of going to bathroom alone at night, how the howling winds scared us, or how we secretly cried when our mothers scolded us. Sometimes, I hope that we could all have remained the same way we were as kids—stubborn, happy, and absolute pranksters.

Well, we all live so close to each other, just around the same street corner. But now, all of us are as far away from each other as the earth and mars. I don’t know what is going on with the others. Life’s so busy that I can just manage to smile and drop a quick ‘Hi’ to my friend shruthi from the balcony. Shravya is now a deep thinker, and academically absorbed in her work, and it would be sinful on my part to interrupt her. Pooja has ‘cooler’ friends and Monisha is busy with AIEEE classes. What happened to the leisurely days of scrambling across stones, pulling each other’s hair and throwing paper rockets at passerby? What happened to those giggles, laughter and dreams that we shared with each other? Somethings make be feel bitter. I don’t know if it is just me, or my friends feel it too…I want that friendship to return. I want more leisurely summers to spend…I want the fun back in life. All of them are pretty young girls now, smart, totally dignified, but if I know them well, they are hiding in their shells. I think they too miss the fun…it’s not enjoyable to pretend to be ‘adultish’ anymore. Something as precious as friendship should not be lost. I have decided that something ought to be done. We shouldn’t meander away from each other like this. Perhaps, if I gather all of them, and if we visit the local park together, the visit will reveal something which I already know…that they too wish to have the friendship back….I am hopeful that the ‘inseparable friends’ shall become truly inseparable forever.

Belaku Shishu Vihara

Being in second PU naturally means getting up early for tuitions. That is one of the most difficult times of the day, trying to open my droopy eyes, and controlling the urge to snuggle up in bed and going back to sleep. Just at that horrible moment of semi-wakefulness, a soothing balm calms my mind. It’s the prayers the orphaned children are reciting—they live two houses away from me, and they amaze me sometimes. They are always awake by five, no matter the weather, reciting their mantras, while the entire colony sleeps. Belaku Shishu Vihara, where these children live, is a lovely home for destitute and orphaned children. Sometimes, visiting this place can invoke strange and uncontrollable emotions in me. I am scared for them. How will they create their own futures? Who will give them all those life-lessons? But, strangely, they are confident, warm and friendly kids as kids could be, and not to mention highly disciplined. When I sit in the balcony to study, a kid stares at me through their balcony, and a heart-melting smile as soft as a cloud stretches across her face…I smile back, it is not a careless reciprocation of an innocent greeting. It is not a happy smile either. There will be a mixture of emotions playing on my face—sympathy, sadness, concern and yes, a silent ‘hello’ which this kid immediately understands.

While some people might say these children are really underprivileged, I think I can look into their hearts. They lead a unique life—something different from what all of us have lead, something which cannot be fully understood by people like us. For them, life means enjoying one day at a time, and facing everything together. Life is about learning the things that matter, about understanding life-skills because they will definitely need it. While going to bed does not mean a good night kiss from a mother, it might mean a comforting touch of a friend’s hand, and suppressed giggles throughout the night. While they might not enjoy pillow fights with brothers and sisters, they still practice for the annual Belaku function with full enthusiasm. They realize that they are dependent on others for food and shelter, but they also realize they need not crib about it, for it is nothing to be ashamed of. They also have understood that they are different—they know that the future can be difficult and times can be trying, but they have learnt not to be afraid. All these kids are truly special. If you are a resident of Bangalore, you can drop in sometime, donate food or cloths and help these children. You can make a difference! Come to Belaku, and share some smiles!

Contact Belaku Shishu Vihara
5th Cross, NR colony (near Acharya Patha Shala college of Commerce)
Bangalore-560019

I saw Karnataka's state bird today!!

There I was, minding my own buisness today, I was sitting in the Balcony, trying to study that boring Interference of Light chapter from Physics, when this bird decided it would be smart on me and wandered around, right in front of my eyes, challenging my instincts. Only a birder will understand that sudden rush of excitement when he spots a new species. What can be more attractive than extremely pleasant weather and a species of bird that I hadn't seen ever before? Well, it happened. I abandoned my books again ( I needed to convince myself that I was pretty good at physics, having done quite well in the college test, so now was the time to relax), I rushed to the net, and started searching for the species. Well, I found it! It's the Indian ROller I saw today, a pretty little creature, a mixture of sea-blue wings and dull brown--a real treat to the eyes. Did you know something else? The Indian ROller is the Karntaka's State Bird!! Being a Kannadiga, I did'nt know that till today, until I searched the net. More than being ashamed, this has somehow excited me. I had never seen this bird before, and this is the first time I spotted it. I am pretty sure it is an Indain Roller ('almost sure' is called as a 'giss' in birding terms) I think our proud state bird has done something to me today, it has jolted my interest in Bird-watching once again. I had given up some time ago, as I was frustrated that there were not many birds left in Bangalore except the crows, jungle mynahs and tailorbirds, but I guess I need a litte more pateince. I need to fish out my old birding book now, and make a fabulous new entry. After all, spotting the KArntaka's state bird for the first time deserves some celebration!

A Change of Heart

Well, my tests are over, the world is beautiful, and I am back to being an active blogger! Ah yes...after a brief lapse when I thought of stopping blogging, I have realized a simple truth. I need a stimulant to make me read, (no, it's not caffine, that's too intoxicating!),and my blog is just the right medicine to boost my neurons to an active condition. If there is a thought clouding my brian, I write it down, or type it into my comp, and zap, it has dissapeared, and my mind then becomes fairly clear, and concentrating becomes easier. I would like to thank Mr. RK, whoever he is, his reply to my previous blog was very encouraging. Thanks for the advise, Mr.Ramachandran also. One of my greatest drawbacks is that I tend to buckle if too much of preasure is put on me. And I have a major exam-phobia, and exams make me mentally ill. I constantly try to push my limits, trying to study for eight hours in one go, etc etc, and that is when everything becomes mundane and quite boring. Constant studying confuses me, and thoughts get muddled up. I guess that's when I need my dose of medicine, and that's when I step into the blogosphere. Besides, I have convinced myself that I won't give up blogging for anything. It only takes five minutes of my time, and it never hurts to take a small break from studying, does it? Being in second year does not mean I need to give up things which I love doing. I can still stare out of the window of the city bus, enjoy the evening breeze, smell roses and relax on a college bench reading RK Narayan's My Days during lunch break...and blog too, cause I love doing it!!

Stray Thoughts

Since the early days, I have always been a writer. Maybe not a very good one, but I have wasted many pages scribbling gibberish in notebooks as a child, and I think I have improved a little, graduating to writing children’s stories. Surprisingly, a piece of paper and pen attracts me more than a TV. I can’t say why. But the thing is that I have always been writing, and it is something beyond a hobby, because recently, I discovered that I can’t live without it. When I was a little younger, my ambition was to become a journalist. All that changed on a memorable day when my English teacher, Mr. AK asked us to write a formal letter, and said that he would pick a student to read it in front of the whole class. I was picked, and later my letter was rated as a 4/10. That was the least anyone got, and from that day, my dream lay shattered.

Well, still, I continued to write, because of the fun of it, never taking writing too seriously. But this year is testing me. It is hard to give up something you love doing. I’m in the second year PU, the “tough” “life-changing” year…and sitting and writing essays is considered wasteful, almost sinful too. Today, we had an English Creative Writing competition in college, and I have a Major test on Saturday. The competition was easy and had just my kind of topics, but it was after college hours, and my hands were twitching to write…but there was also this guilt that I would not study for the test. It took me all my self-control to resist the temptation of participating, so I went straight home and started studying. But I guess the regret is haunting me now, and even concentrating is difficult. I have tried to give up writing because it wastes my time, but it is impossible. You see, because of my regret, I sneaked in 5 minutes from my study time to write this. And after writing, I am a little more satisfied. My regret is dissolving, little by little. Now, I can return to work with a smile. Goodbye!