A Yemmay Yepisode

The Beeyay trilogy was all about getting back at people who assumed I must've done a BA because:

a) Beeyay I - I failed miserably in my bored exams, which would, in essence, mean I failed miserably in Life.

b) Beeyay II - I am a girl. It doesn't matter what I do anyway.

c) Beeyay III- I want to become famous, so I can go around giving interviews about having risen above the sheep and chosen 'the road not taken'. (Okay, so *maybe* I can hope for this one to actually come true.)

Anyway, I spent three years of my life running away from any social situation that reeked of subliminal career inquisitions. And then I cleared the Yemmay program. To a mere ignorant, a Yemmay is just another degree. But to me, it is a key to gain entry into a socially approved educational level. Simply put, a Yemmay comes somewhat *close* to that much revered BeeYee or YemBeeBeeYess. Because a Beeyay was, of course, just something we all did to pass time. This is the *real* degree.

A Yemmay makes me all sound post-graduate-y and the gives me the infinite license to unleash my psychoanalytical powers on the poor unsuspecting relative-aunties who had made the mistake of asking me if I could "Read Minds". (Actually, it's a trick I've followed for quite a while now. I give them this intense intellectual look and they actually do get flustered thinking I'm overanalyzing them...when in fact, I'm wondering what's for dinner. At their place.)

A Yemmay qualifies me to talk about issues of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, and not be considered as part of that age-bracket. Gone are the days of 'What would you know? You are just a child'.

A Yemmay is a Yemmay. Just that. A Master. And not just of Disaster (as I like to call myself. I mean, on one single day, I managed to collide into three wheelchairs and startle the living daylights of the people in them, just because I was concentrating on the cobble-stoned paths of Germany.) Being called a Master of something is one hell of an ego-massage. (And I don't mean pets.)

To me, the Yemmay opened a whole new world (and I say this with the *exact* sentiment Alladin used while cavorting on a magic carpet with Jasmine.) I re-discovered the city I considered myself an eternal part of, when I was seven. I made a group of friends who are as inseparable as the fingers of a Glove. I interned in the country's best hospital and met some of the most interesting people ever. I learnt to live independently and work towards something I actually believed in, and not something I had to do because others *approved*.

So Yemmay I am. In Clinical Psychology, no less. And when I started writing this post, it started off as an 'Open Letter to all aunties and uncles who think a Beeyay is worthless and a Yemmay is worthless-and-a-half' (Because Open letters are, apparently, the key to getting a lot of hits on your blog.) But halfway through, I ended up realizing how much the Yemmay means to me, and I don't want to deride it by defending it so vehemently anymore.

My Yemmay has effectively placed the proverbial speed breaker* on all comments and retorts about my choice of education now.

Although, I kind of wish it could make me look a little older and wiser. While attending an interview at this huge hospital recently, the lady managing the appointments looked at me (and I was carrying my marks cards and sporting a rather unnecessarily wide smile. Which was obviously odd, given that I was in a psychiatric ward.) and called the psychiatrist to tell her, 'Doctor. Patient for the 3.30 appointment has arrived.'

And I had gone to a Child Psychiatrist. Sigh.

* For all the non-kannada-non-tamil speaking people: A Yemmay not just an accented MA. It is actually, a buffalo. Hence the proverbial speed-breaker. If you want an actual demonstration of the fact, I suggest you drive down any residential road in Bangalore. They'll be there to greet you.

A Metaflashback.

Is a flashback within a flashback known as metaflashback? Oh well, even if it isn't, I don't really care, it just sounds nice for a title! 

2008 did not go by as a flash. There are so many things I've done this year that it is impossible to remember them all. However, if I shut my eyes for a second, then the technicolour vision I get that defines my 2008 includes all this: 

My twentieth birthday. After all that cribbing, my turn to turn twenty arrived. I must say, that the day was really special thanks to everyone who took that effort to make it this way. A big big hug goes out to those two best friends I have who gave me those twenty gifts (Guys, I've eaten some, but those inedible gifts are etched forever in my room and memory). 

The Internship. Hey, don't blame me for bringing it up every ten seconds of this year since April. I've  learnt Foosball, table tennis, archery, wall climbing and golf. I've cycled in the rain, danced on rooftops at midnight, wandered in the streets of Hyderabad, sampled (actually more than just sampled)  food from all over the world (such as bouillabaisse - although I don't get why people are so crazy over it). And yes, worked as well! It was like pages from paradise. I wont get into it anymore but leave it at that- a splendid memory of the year that was. 

Photography!! I don't mean pictures that I may have put up on social networking sites. Because I take AGES in putting those up. I mean my photography class. I discovered the underbelly of Bangalore and noticed the livelihood of so many people we just don't bother with. At the risk of sounding painfully cliched and pun-ny, I have to say, 'My eyes were opened' with photography class. Two months of waking up ridiculously early (even for morning larks like me) and exploring the city in new bus routes was an intriguing experience. 

Movies!!!! I've seen the most number of movies this year than any other year. And I've liked them ALL! The pre-movie thrill was much more fun though. Whether it was giggling throughout a movie just because of ONE outfit (Sex and the City),  racing down Bellary road just to reach the theatre on time (for Dostana) , or watching a movie with the entire class, I've fallen in love with countless protagonists and hummed scores of tunes this year. Very filmy. 

Friends- I made lots of them this year. Some who live in other cities, but still maintain close enough ties. Some who are with me all day long, and yet never tire me (or get tired by me, I think), some who are game for doing anything anytime. I've made new ones, stayed with the old ones, rediscovered some and learnt lessons from some. They've all added colour, drama and emotion to all my experiences this year. I hope they continue to do so, every year. 

FOOD! This includes everything. From that entire Google office (I swear, sometimes, I compare the place to Willy Wonka's factory- except here, you get much more than just candy) to that list we've all made for things and places to eat in before graduating. We're completing the list and adding more every week. I think it's begun to show on me too. Oh dear! 

College!! Is it just me or does everyone like college as much as I do? It's funny, but I get this thrill of waking up and entering college to begin a brand new day with delightful (OK, not everyone is that delightful) people. There hasn't been a day when I've not laughed till I've cried. And I hope there never will be. 2009 is going to begin with very very mushy posts about how terrible I'll feel while graduating! :-( 

Uno!! Uno is more than just a game for us. What started off as a train game while going to hyderabad, turned into a BIG DEAL. We've had super-uno championships. We've been threatened by the railway police that we'll be procesuted (apparently) for gambling! Maybe the world is ignorant of the game. It's one brilliant invention. Especially for those slow slow slow English classes on Thursday afternoons. 

Urgh. There is so much more to think about, to ink about. Sometimes, I wish my thoughts could just get typed by themselves to save time. However, I still need to do stuff that will determine my fate for the first week of 2009. So I'm off with just this one small (not so small also) post about the year that finishes in 9 hours from now. A remarkable year, that will be penned down as one of my best till date. My resolution for 2009? To make it even more remarkable than 2008! 

Beeyay III – Back in Action!

Beeyay I and Beeyay II were about my interactions with outside people. This one is slightly hatke. This is a conversation I overheard within the fuzzy depths of my mind.

Remember those cartoons where there is an angel and a devil side of you that argues with each other? The sanctimonious Holy white cartoon and the evil and cunning Black cartoon? Turns out, these things don’t always happen only in reel life. They have decided to appear in my mind as well. In a way, it helps me make decisions in a more relative manner, taking both sides into account. (Generally, very blah decisions like must I bunk college today or watch Parent Trap again) However, this conversation was certainly not expected by me. Or the ‘me(s)’

Black-cartoon-of-myself: So you finally sent that mail huh?

White-cartoon-of-myself: Um, yes. It was the only right decision to do, you know. If you don’t want the job, then you must politely reject it early so that the chance may be given to someone else.

B: Whatever. You could’ve retained the offer till you got into some decent post grad college thingy right? I mean, a job is anyway much much more fun! You’ll get to, like, earn and stuff…and party with all those earnings and stuff.

W: *wary but patient look* but I want to study further, not earn and ahem…party… right now.

B: Bah! You crib about studying for a measly internal test and you want to study for like, sooooo many more years?

W: What’s wrong with that? I like what I want to do and if I get in a good place, I’ll not miss rejecting ‘the dream job’. And besides, what’s the point in studying when you don’t crib a tad? *winks*

B: Umm….duh! You interned there…you had the time of your life. You said yourself that given the chance, you’d want to rewind and live it a hundred times over. And now you don’t want to go back there? I mean, it’s going to be like a lifetime of that internship period…you don’t want all that? You’ll probably only meet clinically depressed or suicidal people all your life now onwards, instead of those happy happy guys!

W: Um...at least my life will be more fulfilling. And I will live on my terms…not get carried away by the euphoria of an internship. Besides, it’s the best I can think of in my line of study.

B: You want to know what’s best? This job is best, that’s what is best. Who in this insanely competitive world will hire a mere Beeyay for a job later anyway? Now that you have the world’s best employer wanting to hire you, you turn your back to it and say “No thanks, I’m better off in mental hospitals fulfilling my life?” Face it whitey, you want style, action and fun in your life. And you will certainly not get all that by cramming up books for the next what, 4 years? You’ll just graduate from a Beeyay to maybe a Yemesee (MSc) and Oh! If you’re lucky maybe even a PhD! A doctorate in boringsville, that’s what this is.

W: …………….. *no answer really, it’s one that I’m seeking as well.*

I guess at some level, I want to be the White-cartoon-of-myself. But there is that black cartoon in me that I've recently encountered. Is this a fight between being pragmatic and romantic (in the idealist, rose glasses sort of way)? Or is it a reflection of two opinions with the same goal in mind-success and self-fulfillment?

All this while, I’ve ridiculed the society, parents (of other people) and the world in general. I didn’t realize that I had a Beeyay bug inside me as well.

Ten years down the line, I might want to revisit this post to see who won the argument after all….the white or the black cartoon. And whoever it was that won, I hope not at the cost of my ambitions.

So, you’re doing a Beeyay? – Part 2.

It’s back by popular demand. By the people around me who refuse­ to acknowledge the existence of grey matter in a college girl who’s doing a Beeyay.
After that disastrous encounter at a family function, this one occurred at the local market. I was trying very hard to convince my mum that we had bought enough vegetables to last this century when someone waved enthusiastically from the other side of the road. It turned out to be an old friend of my mum’s who was also battling with her weary looking son about the quantity of vegetables being bought. She walked up to us and blissfully ignored the chaos around, speaking as if we were all lounging in some café.
I’ll jump right to the point and only describe the part of conversation involving me and my (sigh) lack of insight while choosing a career.

Aunty: So, you must be in your final year now na?
Me: Yeah I’ll be entering final year this June.
Aunty: What plans do you have for the future then?
Me: Oh, well, I’m considering some options in Psyc…..
(Cutting me off abruptly)
A: Actually, I wanted to ask you something.
M: Yes aunty, what happened?
A: My son no? He also wants to do this Psychology and Journalism and all that.
M: Oh really? I’d love to tell him all about the subjects and syllabus.
A: Yaaa…but you know? I told him to do some correspondence course in Journalism after Engineering or something. He cant do Beeyay and all….this is not a time for playing games with career you know?
M: umm... I guess not. But studying Psych and Journalism is not really ‘playing games’ aunty. We have a challenging syllabus and project reports, exams and stuff.
A: Yaa all that is fine and all. But who will give him job and all? I mean, it’s a Beeyay no?Nowadays, only engineering is lucrative.
M: Well, actually, Journalism is a thriving field as well. And so is industrial Psychology. In fact, we’ve been told that in the next couple of years, they will be very lucrative.
A: Aiyo. It’s okay for you and all. You’re a girl. You don’t need to worry about money and all. What will people say if my son ends up with only a Beeyay? How can he earn as much as the engineering people? He can’t take up these things just because he likes to interpret dreams and all.

I choose to end the conversation here because that’s what my mum also tactfully did, by intervening. She had seen fire alarms go off within me and decided I was better off searching for good mangoes instead of fighting a losing battle with the lady.

It struck me then. Perhaps if I was a boy, I wouldn’t have found it easy convincing people around me to let me choose what I want to do. It’s a sad thing that girls are still not taken seriously unless they choose a ‘Manly’ field like Business or Engineering. Beeyays are just an extra line on a CV that will not go very far from college. Not everyone is like that though. I’m sure many parents don’t blend in gender with careers, but if they do, then who benefits really? It’s a bittersweet thing- the thought that perhaps since I’m a girl, I’m allowed to follow my ambitions and aspirations and choose any career I want. Maybe there is at least one male peer out there, who really wanted to be a Scholar of English Literature but is studying Computer Engineering instead…..

Study Leave = Leave Study

Study leave is a concept I understood after getting into college. Although the college grants 2 weeks very benevolently in order to get you to study, personally, I think there is an underlying message: study leave is actually meant for one to leave studying. I mean, I can’t think of anyone who would spend every waking hour of those two weeks cramming up notes. But the holidays..I mean…study leave, opens up a plethora of possibilities to understand and contemplate one’s life.

Some of the most fruitful things I’ve been doing this past week include:

i. Teaching my toddler neighbour how to give me a high five. He did give me a high five eventually, after he wet his diaper and my arms that were carrying him.

ii. Reading, re-reading and re-re-reading all my personal diaries since the 8th std. In effect, I managed to re-live my orthodontic trauma. Really, I have to burn those pages in my diary that describe every millisecond of my orthodontic treatment.

iii. Finally cleaning out a mysterious shelf in my desk. But I ended up spending all my time in poring over some frayed pages of the 6th std Social Studies project that eventually, I ended up putting all the junk back inside and rushed off to lunch.

iv. Conscientiously reading my 750 page Psychology textbook. But drifted off to another 750 page book. Harry Potter.

v. Arranging all my pens and pencils in the order of colours found in a rainbow.

vi. Reading Bridget Jones’ Diary and heaving a huge sigh of relief that my life isn’t as messed up as hers.

vii. Watching re-runs of Roadies on MTV. Heaving another sigh of relief that my life isn’t as messed up as theirs either.

viii. Finally sitting myself down in front of my books, forcing them open and reading one chapter….before drifting off to fantasies that included re-runs of Jodhaa Akbar and free pizzas.

Hmm….I wonder if I can classify any of these under the typical characteristics of early adults (a definite question for my exams next week).

The Sem gone by

We bid our fond farewells to Semester 4 on Thursday. As I looked back to catch a quick recap of my life at college so far, everything passed by me like a technicolour blur. It is only when I begin a new semester sans the things I leave behind, will I realize how important they were in my life. Nevertheless, this is my attempt at capturing small moments that may not repeat themselves in the forthcoming year. (Mushy post coming up.)

Mrs.V - It’s hard to believe that we’ll have to tolerate a full year without her. Sure, we cribbed during all the report-writing classes and the project presentations. But we’ve had our fun moments in class. We’ve discussed everything- from Kareena Kapoor’s diet to life during the Emergency. We sometimes forgot she was our teacher. We’ve counted her ‘uuuh’s and laughed at her windshield wiper gestures. I’ll miss those Monday morning quizzes that we never studied for. Those brownies that we were always promised, but finally got on her last day. And now, when she’s off to a different continent, I can almost imagine her trying to tame a class as wild as ours all over again!

Dr.R - Film App. is the first phrase that pops in when I think of him. Thanks to him, I got to watch Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese and Iranian movies. With coffee breaks. Whether it is studying realism through art and films, or even something as mundane as editing symbols, his classes were different. I guess we’ll see him around once a while, but even then I’ll miss those classes where we were allowed to play Dumb Charades instead of studying!

Sanskrit – I leave behind a subject that I’ve studied for almost 8 years now. I don’t exactly miss the subject, but the teacher at college was actually quite nice. She began to grow on us only when we were in our last month of the semester. I’ll miss those classes where we would pretend to read but actually play Bingo. The nicknames we gave almost every other student in class. The imitation of her accent and her funny signature in our test papers.

There are lots of things that are anchored with Semester 4. But I just realized they are more fun to keep in the memory. My writing would never do justice to many more events that shaped this semester. And as I move on to the next sem, I hope that we get to meet people as special and interesting as the ones we bid farewell to.

Cul-ah '08

This is my second Cul-ah at college….and I can safely say that this was miles better than the last one. Agreed, our college now looks like Pompeii after Vesuvius erupted, the Union managed to pull off a fest that was spectacular….all the renovation ruins were nicely camouflaged in the theme Mardi Gras, the Spanish Carnival.

Some of the highlights of Cul-ah ‘08

1. The Bingo stall, which was hosted by a man wearing a pink shirt, a hand bag and shiny white shoes that were at least 2 feet long and pointy at the end. I’m not kidding, I almost got caught into playing one of the Bingo games because I was ogling at his shoes!
2. 
   The Pastry shop, which none of us could pass by without drooling. But none of us were willing to spend 70 bucks for a chocolate mousse either!
   
3. Speaking of chocolate, we did spend 15 bucks on a sinful Chocolate Honey cake drizzled with fudge sauce….aah…the best 15 bucks I’ve spent!
   
4. The Nescafe stall. If we happened to be wearing the official Cul-ah volunteer badge, we were given free cold coffees. I flicked a badge from my friend, but the Coffee wasn’t worth it.
   
5. The main stage events. All of them. We managed to get the worst places to see the events from. Every second was a taunt on how short I really am.
   
6. Indian Music, one college actually played Om Jai Jagdish with an electric guitar and drums! Amazing!
   
7. The dazed looks on fellow college girls. I was told that this dazed look was brought about by the countless number of guys suddenly invading our college.
   
8. Most of the girls had suddenly decided to dress up like Christmas trees or somewhat similar.
   
9. The boys were no less. Agreed that the sun was a little too bright. But that doesn’t justify the sunglasses being worn in the Basement for some Graphic Designing event!
   
10. Listening to snatches of conversation here and there…..we heard some stuff like:
    “Oh wow!! That sweater boy is just soooooo cute!!!”
    “Hey! That cotton candy you are eating totally matches your earrings!”
    
11. Watching the banana-eating competition. Urgh….one guy managed to eat 17 bananas in 2 minutes. Needless to say, we couldn’t find him when his name was announced as the winner!
    
12. The Big Fight. As a volunteer, I got to rule the microphone, even if it was for making mundane announcements. People looked at us volunteers as if we had discovered some rare element!
    
13. The dances! Both onstage as well as offstage. While the contemporary dance was un-comprehensive onstage, one group of boys danced to the same tunes with all porki steps offstage. In the end, no one bothered looking at the on stage event!
    
14. The cacophony of music blaring from all sides. While on one stage there was Rihanna's Umbrella being played, from another place came ‘Raa raa (remixed version!)’ and from some auditorium upstairs came a Carnatic music raga. Everything melted into one another and the results were actually pretty upbeat as well as melodius!
    
15. The bright splash of colors and music everywhere….not to forget the loud voices of everyone and the constant announcements being made…..everything was such a chaos….a rather elegant chaos, if I may say so!
    
    You know, I’ve always seen movies where college fests are shown. I thought these movies overrated the fests. But Cul-ah lived up to every one of my star-studded fest expectations!
    

This Magical Month

Walking home in the mild drizzle
Getting slightly wet, and yet staying quite dry
Singing songs and smiling at everyone around
Watching the trees applaud in the wind
Listening to ghost stories in the dark
amongst friends, sharing a huge quilt
shrieking at the smallest sounds
Running across the campus in the rain
to get that cup of steaming hot elaichi chai
Sneaking rose cookies into psychology class
crunching and eating them stealthily
Looking very interested in the seminars
and yet living in the far-far away world of dreams
eating in the terrace gardens of quaint resteraunts
dancing to goofy hindi item songs
getting all the steps wrong
singing completely out of tune
and yet having the time of my life
passing little notes from secret santa
waiting for letters to be passed to me
writing poems for friends on birthdays
watching their faces light up with joy
giggling at someone's sneeze
pulling monkey faces at one another
singing christmas carols during breaktime
tapping out rhythms with pencils and pens
shivering in the gusts of wind
and yet visiting the terrace at every given chance
eating steaming hot maggi clumsily
and then drinking a freezing chocolate milkshake
waving out to others from across the corridors
colour co-ordinating sweaters and socks
sprinting out of the last class of the day
splashing everyone with puddles around
flying amongst the clouds in the sky
with the feet firmly on the ground


I think I'm drunk on the drizzle of December.

Oh! So you’re doing a Beeyay?

Yesterday, I attended a family function. It was one of those rare occasions when I resurfaced from my pre-historic cave to peep out in the civilized world. Naturally, all my relatives (mostly the ones who qualify for senior citizen concessions) flocked over me and started off with the ‘Aiyo! She’s become soooo tall. And soo thin. The last time I saw you, you were this tiny’ (and they showed how tiny I apparently was by moving their hands a foot apart.)

Most of this is probably like a deja vu for others like me. If politeness didn’t come in my way, I’d have probably retorted by saying: ‘I am not tall. I’m only 5 feet 2 inches and I can barely reach the top latch of my bedroom door. I’ve become thin? well….ahem….thanks! and I thank the dear lord I have grown since the last time you saw me. I don’t imagine you would be very pleased if I were to defy the laws of growth and evolution and remain a foot long 19 year old anyway.”

See? That’s what always goes on in my mind everytime I have to face the same dialogues thrown at me. But offlate I’ve been receiving other kinds of remarks. The most repetitive ones being comments on the choice of my career. I’m doing a BA. Also known as Bachelor of Arts. Also known as a Beeyay by my relatives.

Beeyay is a new career option. It is different from a BA. A beeyay is a low-down career option you would be glad to consider if your report cards contained only Yeff or Dee. In other words, if you averaged a 41% in your bored exams. BA, however, is only understood by people who average over 85% and yet choose an arts subject out of a passion and interest for it.

But the Beeyay has gained so much popularity over generations, that I wont even begin to defend a BA. Instead, I shall go on to describe what exactly happened in that family function.

I was beginning to resemble a giraffe by straining my neck towards the dining room when I was attacked by a couple of aunties. They all kept smiling politely and made the same remarks I’ve mentioned above. Then one of them asked me:
Aunt no.1: So child, what are you doing now?
Me: I’m in my second year degree aunty.
Aunt no.2: Oh……you are doing yengineering or Yembeebeeyes? (MBBS)
Me: Umm….actually, I’m doing Psychology and Journalism.
Aunty no.1: eh? Psychology? Why child? You want to read our minds or something?
Aunty no.2: No no. she wants to become like Barkha Dutt.
Aunty no.1: Haha!! Yes yes. Very good. So you are doing BSc in Psychology and Journalism?
Me: No. I’m doing a BA.

(What followed later was a portrait of shocked expressions. Almost as if I had confessed to a murder or I had injected their children with poisoned darts.)

Perhaps even poisoned darts or murder doesn’t do the justice to that expression they had when they heard me utter the two alphabets: BA.

This is how Beeyay is still treated in most places. On one hand, people come up to me and say that I’m doing something very brave by getting out of the rat race. My friends sometimes envy me and think I go gallivanting to mental hospitals for case studies. I don’t agree with either. I am not out of any rat race. I’m in a different rat race altogether. One that runs on a different track. But parallel to engineering or medical. And as much as I would love gallivanting to mental hospitals, I don’t. because I also study theory, statistics, practicals and write exams with the same amount of tension as anybody else. So why must I be ashamed of my Beeyay anyway?
The next time around if someone does ask me what I’m doing, I’m probably going to raise my nose a tad higher (in a rather futile attempt to look condescending) and reply proudly, “I’m doing a Beeyay. So, what?”

A United Venture

The year was 1996. The air was thick with excited whispers coming from all around. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as we saw the words “The Lion King” appearing on the huge screen. We all gave a whoop of joy and settled down in our seats to watch what was to be one of my most memorable movie experiences.

Fast forward 11 years…

The year is 2007. The air is still thick with excited high pitched noises. And this time we see the words “Chak De India” appearing on the huge screen. I can feel the same childish enthusiasm creeping into me as I settle down to watch a movie that has broken my Lion King record.

So you raise your eyebrows and think that surely, there can’t be any similarity between Chak De and Lion King. Well, that’s true. There isn’t any similarity between the movies. The only thing that’s similar is the fact that I saw both movies with my entire class. And I think that’s what made these two movies stand way apart from the others that I have watched.

After weeks of mundane routines and classes, my Class-Rep came up with the idea of doing something together. As a full class. Still reeling over with notes from the previous IC {Indian constitution} class, one of the girls screamed out, “United we stand, divided we fall!” Ha! United, my foot, I thought. Some of the girls barely even know the names of their fellow classmates. Why on earth would they want to do ‘stuff’ with strangers? And that too, watch a movie? I mean, think about it. A movie is most often screened in a dark theatre for over 2 hours. What is so “united” about seeing it together anyway? The only united factor I could think of is that we would all stare at the screen….united. But that didn’t shake the determination of my class-rep. She even resorted to threats about denying proxy to girls who gave this movie a miss. So which movie were we supposed to go to anyway, I asked her. She gave me this benevolent smile as though God was enlightening his Chosen One and said to me, “Chak De India”. Humph. Perfect. Just what I’d want to see with my entire class. A senti movie about hockey players who run around the oh-so-handsome Shahrukh.

So imagine if the team had lost its World Cup final and were returning home all disgruntled. That was the exact expression I had on my face as I was busy racking my memory about the last thing we decided to do as a class. A trip to Wonderla. Wonder Bah! Humbug. Only 18 of us ended up going. That’s how “united” we generally are. But, there’s always a time for a new beginning, the optimist part of me [which I had so far, successfully shunted away] popped up and said.

So The Day dawned. Not so bright. There was a chance of rain [Oh Please! Oh Please!]
Like all good students [who are scared to death about shortage of lousy attendance], we attended our first two hours of lecture. And then we embarked upon the expedition to reach our place of destination. By foot. Not on those fancy spaceships with all the sound effects. We reached the theatre all sweaty and panting. We were not to worry about our appearance anyway as we examined the crowd around us. In fact, it was the other way round. The ‘crowd’ was examining us. Oh, I forgot to add three things. 1) The fact that we were watching this movie in a seedy theatre close to college.
2) We had only got the ‘First class’ [also known as Gandhi Class, apparently] seats as balcony and mini balcony seats were not doled out to a crowd of 40…
3) Yes. 40. So our class finally decided to do something united after all!!

As we sank into our….not so ‘sinkable’ seats, we could distinctly smell rats somewhere. That distracted my mind till one dirty porki rascal [our new jargon for these rowdy Romeos] screamed “Hi Babies!!” okay. I’m going to end with the description right there and move on…..

The movie started….and I got back into the same days of The Lion King. Only, this time, we could howl, scream and laugh without nervously looking back at our teacher. So howl, scream and laugh, we did. All the bitter feelings about our scattered class forgotten, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. And what better movie to watch with a huge crowd than one that has a nail-biting hockey final match to finish with? We laughed as a class, ‘awwwed’ at the cute scenes as a class, stood up during the national anthem as a class and even cheered for the same players as a class. We couldn’t get more united than that.

The movie finished…but we were still high on the excitement of the whole event. As we got out, one of the ‘more’ energetic of us yelled out loudly “Three cheers for 2nd PyEJ” and every one started cheering loudly. Urgh. This is the end of my already non-existent social life, I cringed. But when I looked around, I saw everyone in the theatres giving us looks. Not looks of impish disapproval or rolling of eyes. But looks of envy. Looks that clearly read, “Che, I wish I was in that class”. I then realized how cool my class actually was….is, actually. Okay. It was something I always knew but never wanted to admit lest I add fuel to the fire of the enthusiastic girls. I can only hope that we continue this tradition and do more stuff together. Hey, we’ve already come up with a new agenda. Our next destination? To watch the International Film Festival of India in Goa……united!