Saturday, June 28, 2008

First year

It was 24th july 2007. After the crazy and painful ‘dakhile ki daud’ I finally managed to get into Jaypee Institute. First few days at college were pretty unhappy. So much discipline, uniform, rules and restrictions. It was like a prison. I heard that getting into college was like freeing a bird from its cage. But in Jaypee it was like putting a cloth on the cage. Time passed as it always has. Attending lectures, submitting tutorials and sitting for two hours in the suffocating labs had become my everyday routine. But yes, some part of me sure did enjoy the college. As I got acquainted with the way the college works, I knew that whining wouldn’t make a difference. Ok so if the college couldn’t give me fun, I will find fun on my own. Then it all started, bunking lectures and sitting in the cafĂ© for hours, getting my proxy put but still sitting outside the LT in the khopchas, mass bunking labs and going to great india place to check out the ‘worlds of wonder’. I had become the ultimate fun person. This college gave me loads of friends, true friends, who always have your back and with whom I had the greatest times.

I or rather we joined an innovative club called ‘confluence’ related to robotics. I joined in big hopes of making sexy and shiny machines which blows our minds just with its looks. But what we were introduced to was nothing close to any of this. Still not losing much hope we made our first robot and took it to USIT, Delhi. Didn’t win anything but it was the first time. With experience and guidance we improved quite a bit and made it to IIT-KGP. Won a second prize there. That was one hell of an experience, something I can never forget (hope to make it there this time too). Now we are mainly working on autonomous robots though haven’t given up on manual ones.

Okay I remember, with fun comes academics. Along with the fun, I had some regards for my studies too. Semester one went bad and with the thought to improve, semester two went worse. Ah.! I knew I didn’t study. At the end of the day all I can say is that it was the first year it hardly matters, but that was just to console myself. Enough already with the academics. Ok ok..!!

After the first semester came the long winter break. It was the first time in the holidays that I realized that my college sure was loads of fun. Long winter break went by quite slow but it sure made everyone realize that after all Jaypee aint that bad a place to study and have fun.

Then came JIVE, our college fest. It was among one of the many infamous terms used and ridiculed by our seniors. But still being our first, the first years put in a lot of sweat in its preparations. Our fest was a hit. It was the one thing that I loved about the college, our fest. O.! It was lovely. I don’t know why the seniors had such an impression – maybe this time ‘we’ were there (he he). Altogether I would say that the fest was really very nice. Everyone was dressed up according to the occasion, cameras clicking, dancing to the DJ and feasting. Nice times.

Semester two brought nothing but studies for me (from the teachers side, still none from mine). It was a long and boring semester. Still we managed to bunk loads of classes and sneak to shipra or spice. In the end we even managed to get short attendance. It all happened pretty slow, but once the exams were over it was a big relief (apart from thinking about the results ). Summer break started then and I just lazed around and cultivated my hobbies.

Now I am sitting in my room writing all these wonderful experiences of the first year of my life in college, realizing the importance of finding pleasure in the smallest of matters that happen around us. Alas, now I can say I am ready for level two of my journey. Come to think of it ‘Jaypee’ rocks. Am happy to be a JIITian.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

A Testimonial

What is a testimonial, it is an expression of esteem that is done or given. How hard could it be? I mean all you’ve got to do is express yourself. But hold on..!! Let me tell you this is not easy. Once I thought I would write a letter of appreciation to my mom for the lovely party that she gave me and my friends at home, but I was just stuck with the line, “thanks maa for the lovely lunch you prepared for us. We all loved it”. Is that it.!! That’s my expression, can I just express this much. Oh.! My.! God.! I am in loss of words I suppose. Such expressions that just emanate from the heart in the form of positive vibs are quite hard to put in words. For me a true testimonial is felt but cannot be expressed. I would rather say a testimonial is not an evidence of something but rather is a gesture made by one.

But still while writing a testimonial we all try our level best to make it look snazzy, impressive, short, sweet and make the person melt with the words. I have received testimonials that have melted me but I yet have to learn how to write a testimonial that could bring a tear of joy to someone.

Monday, June 2, 2008

About Me

There is this question that emerges quite frequently; “About me”. It is quite tough to answer this question in a short time frame, briefly yet precisely, casually yet making a firm impression of our being. When is the last time you asked this question to yourself?

Every individual that has been created is a unique being in him. The purpose of our existence is simple: we have to leave a footprint. Thus, you have to know who you are, what you are and what is in you that he does not possess.

I was a cute little fellow born in the beautiful city of Lucknow. I grew up there and was guided by Dadu. My every wrong step was righted; every dark path was lit for me. At 10 years of age I shifted to Delhi. The pangs of separation from my birth city, from my grandparents and from my childhood memories were hard to bear. But life goes on. New place new rules, new opportunities. I worked my way through life. There was success and lots of failures. Anyhow, I completed high school. Life brought me through many ups and downs, but I have no regrets. I am in college now. This is my life.

At 18 years of age, I no longer hesitate to answer the question, “Who am I“. Well who am I…. I am an average teenager trying to improve the answer to this question every time I think of it. Though officially I have been marked as an adult, I still find time to fulfill my childish needs. I am melted by music. I love to learn. I hear to listen and I speak to be listened. I believe in what I think. Rules are meant to be broken, so I never make rules, I never restrict myself. Whatever I do or speak is what defines me. This is me. But still as always, the definition of Aditya remains incomplete……