The College Days

I remember the first day at college…walking down the long winding paved road which started at a large white gate and ended up in an open court yard surrounded by green grass trees and what seemed to be a grand ancient building. The campus extended over 20 acres and made me seem like even more of a spec in the world. I remember being called a ‘katan’ or jungle creature indicating that seniors ruled and first years were to be treated as almost non-existent though I was close to 5’6”. I was shown to the worst of the 5 hostels on campus and it had the most contradicting name…it was known as the ‘Garden Hostel’ although there was not one flower in sight!. The building looked like it had been in a recent flood, the paint was mouldy, it was so run down. Not exactly the most inviting atmosphere, but it came to be home. And I would soon learn what I already knew….It’s the people that make a place and not the other way around.

Women's Christian College, Chennai

If my life was a play, the mosquito’s on campus would have been strong supporting actors….They came in all shapes and sizes and soon I attached my own identities to them. There was the ‘Schumacher Mosquito’. He was loud and fast. I could almost imagine him wearing a little helmet, goggles and riding in a little sports car. As he approached your ear the humming would suddenly get louder then disappear. Then there was Air force Army Mosquito…one could recognise him by the angle and speed with which he hit…like a fighter jet on a nose dive! Then there was the drunken mosquito…they were hilarious after having their fill at the bar they had drunk so much that there flying was a wee bit on the tipsy side which made thm the easiest to get…’Smack!’ There was only one way to protect yourselves from them…a mosquito net.

I remember the first time I tried setting up the mosquito net around the bed. On first attempt I was able to trap more mosquitoes inside the net than out.. The second attempt was not much better... I sat on the bed and tugged the net around me…I had infiltrators and I looked like a crazy person clapping my hands together in attempts to trying to do away with them. On the third attempt I stood by the bed and madly dashed around the bed, quickly shoving the ends under the mattress…Yes, I had succeeded! Not one mosquito was inside the net…but there was only one problem…neither was I…sigh! The first night didn’t go so well! But now when I look back at this little experiences I laugh…Life sure has a little humour on its own.