I was on cloud nine while coming to college to start my first semester or what we call a freshman’s year. It wasn’t the first time I was overjoyed to go to a new place. It happened to me every time. Every time I changed school or institute I used to get excited about the new place. The same thing was materialising then.
I saw father; he was looking a bit relieved and a bit tensed; relieved for he got me admitted to engineering college and tensed for me whether I’d run from the college. Therefore he was convincing me throughout the journey.
“You’re a bright student and I’m sure you’ll perform well.”
“Well, thank you! But I don’t think, I am that bright” I responded rather coldly.
“Aah...Don’t worry about NDA, there’re various opportunity in armed forces after mechanical engineering” he sounded convincing.
And then he started motivating me. And by the end of the journey to Punjab, I was brainwashed.
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| First thing that will catch your eyes as you enter the Campus! |
Next day, we reached college. As I moved in, I started liking the college. The infrastructure was good and as a matter of fact it’s getting better now. For the first time I was seeing Surdars, I saw them in movies basically. And I thought most of them are driver; this was my prejudice. And after a long time, I was watching lots of girls at same time and same place. Imagine the mental state of a boy who has just moved from boys school, then to a school with very few sex-ratio, then to academy of Merchant Navy; no girls at all. And again to a place with lots of beautiful girls in a campus. I was flabbergasted.
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| Keep your eyes wide open, and you'll definitely find these sort of beauties... |
We reached to administrative building and I was exhausted. No wonder, I weighed 195 lbs at that time.
“I am dealing with some formalities, by the time you should go and keep your luggage in your hostel” my father said.
“Wait!! Let me have some rest for a while” I was exhausted.
“How could you be such a slothful? C’mon, get up, fetch some water and move” he kind of yelled at me. At times he used to behave like an army officer.
I took out the hostel seat confirmation receipt and moved towards hostel. I asked a senior passing by about the room.
D-623-C, my slip read this. I asked what it meant.
“It’s D-Block, Room No. 623 that’s 6th level and bed no. C” he responded.
I almost fainted after getting to know that my room lies on the top most floor, 6th level. Somehow I managed to reach there. I knocked the door, but there come no reply to that.
I banged the door, and it opened. I looked around the room. I found one water bottle of one litre capacity.
“Is this water good for drinking?” I asked panting.
A guy nodded his head. I drank it in one go. Then moved toward my bed and kept my luggage.
“This bed is been allotted to me and I believe you should move” I said in firm tone.
“Okay! We are here temporarily and tomorrow we’ll shift to our hostel, if you don’t mind” those guys were allotted a room that was not built yet (this was kind of funny part).
“I won’t mind unless I face any problem” I replied to them. I was jerk at that time.
Few hours later, my father visited my room after finishing all the formalities. He met with my room-partners and did a bit of chit-chatting.
In evening, he took leave and was about to go. I accompanied him to the main entrance gate of our campus. He was preaching me how to live in college and all that stuffs. Again and again, he said the same thing that
“DO NOT FIGHT WITH ANYONE AND DO NOT DO ANY SUCH THING THAT THE COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION THROW YOU OUT. ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND YOU ARE HERE TO STUDY AND MAKE YOUR CAREER. AND MOREOVER YOU’RE ON EDUCATION LOAN. YOU’RE NO MORE JUVENILE; GROW UP ACCORDING TO YOUR AGE. WHATEVER MISCHIEF YOU INTEND TO DO; HAVE THE COGNIZANCE OF THE POSSIBLE REPERCUSSION”.
I promised him I would not let him down this time. Although the first two lines were quite familiar, I used to hear them when I was in boarding but never paid any heed to them. But this time these lines were quite heavy. Intrinsically, I decided to follow them no matter what. I thought of not to assault anyone in this college, not to get into any sorts of fight with anyone. I’d change myself COMPLETELY.
We reached gate, and it was time to bid adieu to him. I was chocked, literally. Not a single word was coming out of me. This was not the first time. It was normal. Every time my parents used to leave me in boarding school, my throat used to get choked. I wanted to cry but I couldn’t. I wanted to be strong in front of my parents.
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| The similar feeling that prevailed at that moment. |
“Take care” that’s what I could say.
“You too, and remember my words” replied my father.
“Okay” I nodded. And I came back to my room.
Finally I was at a place full of girls or better say chicks. It seemed like I was in a fantasy world, but it was not. It was real and I could feel that.
.......to be continued
