WELCOME, DEAR ROOMMATE!!

2007 August

Hostel Allottment’s done with… and I was careless enough to waste the chance. I was so nearly there. But in the end, I remain a parasite at C-4, officially belonging to Sarath and Mama.  4 others were also guests in different rooms.

2008 August

Allottment’s come again, and this time, there are no compromises. Myself, Manji, Unni and Ammavan got allotted. Finally. There were initial discussions on roommates. Everyone knew that Ammavan and myself wanted each other as roommate, but then, there was a possible ego-clash between Unni and Manji. ‘They won’t get along well’, was the general opinion. Finally, it was Manji and me, occupying C-21, on the first floor and Ammavan and Unni at C-7, opposite Sarath’s C-4.

That leaves just one guest at the hostel (from our class). Enter our hero – JERIN JACOB.

Jerin’s always been with Kedar, and they’ve been literally together always. And when Bimal moved into C-26 in 2007, and chose Kadi as his roommate, it was expected that Jerin will accompany Kadi into the room. Bimal wouldn’t mind. Not s long as Jerin was subject to Bimal’s verbal jousting!!!

Come August 2008, and Bimal moves into C-9, with Poo. What a pair!! One sleeps at odd times and is generally considered a nocturnal animal. The other is immune to sleep…. and if at all he sleeps, his lap is his pillow. Made for each other. Anyways, this left Kadi and Jerin in C-26, without an official roommate for Kadi, until allottment got over. And most newcomers to the hostel didn’t want to occupy a room with someone they didn’t know personally, unless there was no way out. Jerin was confident that the day wouldn’t come.

The day did come though. Our batchmate Vijesh from EC, brought him. His cousin. Donno his name. Short, shy, soft-spoken, with an air of innocence all about him. Ah, he’s just into college, I thought. Will change for certain.

The roommate had come, a new bed, previously thought to be inhabited by blood-thirsty MOOTAAS, was brought into the room, and the kid finally settled. Jerin’s dominance in the room continued. And he made certain that he was in no way, a disturbance to the kid. Oh yes, the kid never complained about anything, bu Jerin wanted his assurance. Jerin must have probably, behaved in a manner that made the boy feel that Jerin was one of the better guyz in his class. Better than Kadi, definitely. Jerin knew that the boy liked him. What happened next, was surprising. Atleast to me and my colleagues.

Jerin has this habit of talking over the phone to anonymous girls (anonymous to me), late in the night. This guy walked into the room, saw Jerin talking over the phone. He gave an instant smile and said “SORRY CHETTA”, tip-toed into the room without turning the lights on, opened his bag to get a book or so, and left without making a noise.

True, the guy must’ve this so-called respect for the seniors, that too he’s just stepped into the college. Thats what we deduced. But what happened a couple of days later revealed otherwise. While in the room with Jerin, he made a request to Jerin. “CHETTA, I WANT TO BE LIKE YOU”!!!

Appearances are truly deceptive. Jerin laughed at the kid and his ignorance. The kid continued ” Teach me how to talk to girls, how to mingle with them, how to deal them with tact and elan. I like the way you speak to girls, and I know u can tell me the secret to maintain a healthy relationship with them”. Jerin had no words. He didn’t expect the kid to say something like that to him. He finally disclosed what the kid thought was the ultimate truth. “YOU’LL GET USED TO IT, DA… ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE GALS START LAUGHING AT YOUR JOKES AND SPENDING TIME WITH YOU….”. The guy seems convinced. Jerin has brainwashed our little master.

Jerin, Kadi and the kid are still roommates. And the kid is obviously seeing Jerin like he sees his best friends. Talk freely, share secrets, Jerin’s no longer a stranger. The kid’ll definitely learn a lot more with Jerin being there every now and then. Some really valuable lessons. And there’s bound to be some interesting situations awaiting Jerin in the next few months. He’s finally a teacher. And he’s got a bright, inquisitive student. Unlike him. Letz hope the kid gets his wishes satisfied… although he wouldn’t wanna be like Jerin in all aspects.

ADIEU FROM THE GAME…. ALIVE IN OUR HEARTS!!

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds – Albert Einstein

So thats it. The day’s finally come. Its been speculated for the last couple of years, but its certain now. The announcement’s been made. Dada’s finally hanging up his boots.

Now, has that come as a surprise?  Ganguly’s future has been in doubt for quite some time now, and he probably made it to the squad on sheer experience (and not merit, is what they say). Especially when you’re touring, experience does count. Thats whats probably prompted the selectors to consider him too.

THATS WHAT THE CRITICS WOULD SAY.

But then, there are statistics, which are more or less, true indications of performance. Ganguly averages 45.78 in Tests, ever since he made his comeback a couple of years ago after he was unceremoniously dropped. That figure is greater than the corresponding figure for any other member of the Fab Five. And despite decent performances, he’s always been under scrutiny. In fact, former selector Kiran More happened to remark that Ganguly wouldn’t be considered for selection even if he displayed a good effort in domestic matches, such as the Duleep and Ranji Trophies. Nothing could’ve been more out-right and crystal-clear. For reasons that are as puzzling as the Bermuda Triangle.

It was probably under the expert advice of Dravid, then captain, to draft Ganguly into the side. Dravid is too good a soul, to have ignored Dada’s ability and commitment.

Exclusion from the ODIs though, was never in doubt. True, he’d made a splendid comeback prior to the World Cup, with 7 fifties in 10 matches against the Windies and the Lankans, which prompted his selection for the World Cup squad. (No prizes for guessing who top-scored there, or who returned after ducks against Lanka and Bangladesh). But then, Dada’s fielding has always been under the scanner. More often than not, its been the reason which cost his place in the side. Also, the advent of the 20-20 has changed the nature of the 50-over game. Fielding skills today, are of supreme importance. But, primarily, like it or not, Ganguly’s past his prime. He’s been a supreme batsman in the past, but he’s come of age. Plus, there are several youngsters breathing down his neck. Gambhir, Rohit, Badri, Virat are all talented batsmen and it is expected that he would quit himself rather than be sacked. He’d acknowledge that. He knows his time is up.

Ganguly’s goodbye to Test cricket wouldn’t leave a void, in any case. Not even after the Fab Five are exhausted with. Yuvi, Rohit and several other capable youngsters. Add to it, an able captain in Dhoni, who’s perhaps, the shrewdest captain in International Cricket today. It wont be hard to replace Ganguly. But its definitely marked the end of an era. India’s most successful, proactive, outspoken captain and vastly successful batsman and bowler will bid farewell after the Australian series. The era is over, but the memories will live on. You’re a true legend, Dada….. and you’ll live in our hearts forever. We’ll miss you………

Onam’s come again…. and as usual, I am not in Kerala. Not amidst the festive mood. On the contrary, I am enjoying life here in Chennai. Not exactly freakin’ out, but doing what I like to do…. TV, Net, Games, Sleep….. and not a soul to tell me otherwise. Heh!! Now thats life.

I’m 21 in 2 months…. and all my 20 Onams have been outside Kerala. 14 in Alain, 6 in Chennai, to be precise. Maybe thats why even today the enormity of the occasion still fails to strike me. I know its significance in the minds of most Malayalis, but frankly, its just another festival to me. Not something for which I need to be celebrating as if some Malayali has just won an Olympic Gold. Well, thats not gonna happen before my grandchildren are born. No offence to Anju George!!

Anyways, coming back to the Onam issue, whats so great about King Mahabali being stamped onto the earth’s roots?/ He rather be cursing his subjects who just kept watching while he was trampled onto the soil. Instead, he tours Kerala this very day to ensure that all’s well. We assume all’s well. Well, ultimately he has to return the same day. No delays, guyz. Everything better be ok. Those look-alikes of the great King walks around all morning, in his supposed kingdom, raising his hand for everyone to see. Looks more to me like a Congress representative on his rounds than someone showering his blessings upon us.

The best part of Onam, though, is that it is customary to give gifts to each other in your large family. And the exciting part is that I dont need to give. Only take what you get. Thats good, actually. Mom and Dad will take care of what to get for Grandpa, Grandma and the others. I dont need to give a damn about that. Just accept the gifts, whatever they be. Shirt-pieces, usually. You ought to be happy, but at times, I get some absolutely horrible designs that you wish you were given money instead. And I guess its finally struck my relatives. This time its money which has poured in and not the gifts. I’ll get whatever I prefer, than be contented with what I am handed. Better!!

There’s another dimension to Onam since the last 3-4 years. Onam celebrations in GEC. They’ve been wonderful…. not just the holiday scenario, but the celebrations as such… they have been amusing indeed. This time, it was extra-wonderful. I assisted Kedar in designing the POOKALAM… which came out really well at the end. Kudos to our dear Kadi. And obviously, the photo swayamvaram was there this time around to. Every classmate(girl), who came that day to the celebration, was awarded a free photo with me. Well, most girls had the chance. And for all those who couldn’t make it, I’m still ready. I look good any day……

Yeah, so after the celebrations, I travelled to Chennai that evening with 35 rupees in my wallet. Surprising, but true (More of that later). It was in the bus that I received Jisha’s message.. “THANKS GUYZ FOR MAKING THE CELEBRATION A SUCCESS”. Was expected, I thought. These ladies, are quite sensitive. Especially, since this is our Final Year. But then, later, Ajmal send me a super message. Something with more emotion. “ITS LAST ONAM AT COLLEGE…. MISS THESE DAYS… MISS YOU… BLAH BLAH BLAH!!” Well done, Ajju… you conquered my heart. A really good message, that one. Yeah, its true, Onam celebration is something I am going to miss when I leave college. Its been great…. the fun, the thrills, the occasion has been great overall. And its only this day when you get to see those chicks in your department all together. Clad in sarees. And most of them have hardly tried wearing sarees earlier. Still better…..

Anyways, life has to move on. Just hope that I’ll be able to meet these guyz again, be it for Onam or not. And re-live these moments. Lemme not get senti. Wherever u r my friend, in traditional Asianet style…. ORAAYIRAM ONAASHAMSAKAL!!!

P.S: SPAR comes to the department only once the whole year… for the ONAM celebration. I am going to miss him too….

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life.  ~Isadora James

I know I’m a really lucky guy. I have everything which millions of families in my own country wouldn’t even dare to dream of.  My wishes and fantasies have more often than not, been fulfilled and my parents have tried their best to cater to each and every need of mine, with appropriate concern. And God has constantly been with me. He has showered his blessings on me and has been with me in those rarest of circumstances where I may have felt the going tough. And I thank Him daily. I am forever, indebted to Him. I know that I am fortunate enough to be living the way I am living. And that if some code of His had gone slightly wrong, I would probably have been born as a cockroach in some African gutter!!!

But there’s one thing I constantly yearn for. Something which I have been wanting ever since my childhood. Something which I know is pointless sulking about. A sister. It may sound stupid, but there have been times when I’ve considered myself the unluckiest guy on the planet as I was not blessed with a sister. How do people actually make it through life without a sister?/  Now I know that every idiot on Earth doesn’t have a sister; nor do they consider it a loss. Perhaps its those small incidents I’ve encountered in my childhood, that’ve shaped my character. I remember once we’d this UAE Social Studies Monthly Test. Back in class 3 or 4. We were asked to write a few words on our family. Those days, we used to have readymade answers. In fact, the questions to be asked were fairly obvious before hand. Anyways, I scribbled down the answer I’d learnt by-heart and proceeded to the next question. The test was over in half an hour or so.

The following week, the Sir returned our Answer Papers. Forgot to mention something…. I was a very popular guy in the school. Atleast among the staff. My Dad’s been in Al-ain for the past 30 years and he’s got contacts with most Indian families there, not to mention Malayalees. Consequently, I was no stranger. Rather, I was really well-known (for the wrong reasons though…. more of that later!!). So this Sir under question, distributed our Papers. I got a perfect 10(Those days, anything short of 100% would demand inquiry into why I wasn’t paying attention to studies). Its only after I reached home and showed Mom the marks that I went through my answers (And his remarks, if any).

I noticed that he had circled this answer where I’d mentioned that “My family consists of My father, mother, brother and my sister. Now that was the readymade answer. This Sir, who knew my background, circled the word “sister” and put a question mark beside, as if indicating to me “Who the fuck are u talking about??!!” Now, I’ve been in that situation plenty of times, but for the first time ever, her absence struck my heart. I began weeping. Desperately. I felt lost, lonely. And maybe, for a fraction of a second, felt that life was unfair. Now guyz, get this clear….. I wasn’t missing a sibling. I have a great person in my brother and I have openly admitted that he is my icon, my role model. And there are several aspects of life, where I try to emulate him, and know I cannot. He’s simply special. But then, I dont know whats so special about sisters that makes me love them from the bottom of my heart. Its possibly because I dont have one.

That was probably the beginning. Ever since, I have had a special affection for sisters. Or for anybody, who would want to term me their ‘brother’(Though at times, it really hurts). I really savour that bond. It really does help having a sister. A so-called sister, atleast. I have realised that they can mean so much to you apart from being just a namesake sister. More so, in my case, as I am the youngest among 8 cousins. A true, loving friend, listener, counsellor, sharer of delights…..she can be so many things at the same time. Amazing!!

This post is dedicated to all my she-cousins, plus all those loving ‘sisters’, who have sprinkled colour and fragrance into my life. Rakshabandhan was over a week back. Dear sisters, I may not receive any hand-bands from anyone of you, but I would like to mention with all my heart, that you are a real gem. I really do treasure you, and all the love and armth you’ve spread in my life. Thanks a million……

She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities.  She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway.  She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark.  She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink.  Some days, she’s the reason you wish you were an only child.  ~Barbara Alpert

RUNNING THE LAST LAP …… AMIDST MEMORIES AND TEARS…..

August 03 was Friendship Day. Big Deal. Every nincompoop in town’s got a day he celebrates, in remembrance of someone/something he/she may/may not be happy about. FOOLS DAY ….. Wonder whats so great about celebrating your stupidity….. VALENTINES’ DAY…. Oh well… Lovers are a different, lost lot…. They tend to remain happy, even when their minds are constantly clouded with doubts, tension, fear and what not. Lovers are after all, fools in a different sense…..

But then, friends are a more realistic, sensible group. A team which holds more bondage, strength and promise. As I embark upon my Final Year B.Tech., I’ve realised their importance in the shaping of my future. Friends certainly, have become pivotal in my life. Every decision I take, whether crucial or not, is largely influenced by my friends’ opinions.  As is the case with most of my classmates, I’ve a peer-group, comprising some of my closest companions. Everytime I go home, I miss their company. And each time I return, I display a smiling face. I am happy in their company. Rarely have I felt uncomfortable in their presence. There have been times I have gone berserk and screamed at them, but then, I believe its only a testimony to the deep friendship that exists between us. I’ve donned many roles – advisor, consultant, mediator….. and am still an integral part of the big bond.

And as I run the last lap, I look back at those days. I’ll miss them once college’s over. Those wonderful moments we’ve shared, those beautiful Hostel Days, the boring lectures we’ve attended together, the Mess-food, the weekly BK’s, H n C’s, the gossips, the laughter, the smiles, the tears, the late-night chatter…… they’ll all haunt me. I will wanna return; go back to those days; re-live my college life. After college, the distance’ll obviously arise; its the era of Orkut, Facebook, Mail…. but the intimacy we enjoy now will be lost forever. And reunions occur once in a blue moon. I hate to mention it, but its true that I will not be meeting most of my friends, unless we happen to work in the same organisation or be placed in the same city. Otherwise, the chances are bleak, Cant blame anyone actually…. workloads, occasions, vacations, projects…. there’re always reasons, rather excuses.

I sincerely hope we people can meet, share our experiences and rekindle today’s magical moments. I am grateful to all those companions, who’ve made my life really amazing. Every single person’s been a part of it, and my heart goes out to each and everyone of them. Its true that Airtel has increased its message-rate on account of Freindship Day, but then its not my excuse. I am optimistic, that the best message I can send my friends, is a sincere, heart-felt confession that I WILL MISS THEM. Personally, a message like this, would matter more to me than a full-inbox. And I’m sure that each of my friends savours their bond with me. I do too. And I really do miss them. Wherever u are, my dear friend, BELATED HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY……

THE LONGEST WAIT OF MY LIFE

No da…. I amn’t talking of our Semester results, which take an eternity to be published once the exams are done with….. This is something much, much longer….. Personally!!

I’ve been brought up in Al-ain…  and I’ve been fortunate enough to be alongside my parents and my brother throughput my schooling there. (Now, that might sound surprising, but trust me…. u might’ve heard about that onlu in books and moivies, but I personally know people who have sent their kids to boarding at a young age!!). Anyways, life was good. Dad, Mom, Bro….. Boy, I couldn’t ask for anything more….. I knew I was blessed. I’d a nearly perfect life. And nothing could change that. Even after destiny brought me to Chennai and separated me from my Dad, I wasn’t crestfallen. Maybe because, I was in a new world…. new people, new environment, new ways of living….. India was an altogether different experience for me. And I was loving it. 2 years later, I was in Thrissur, in college. It was worse this time….. no Mom, no Bro. But, hostel life was beckoning….. And I was excited. Plus, Palakkad, Chennai were all just around the corner, so I wasn’t really homesick. There was already a sense of deja-vu. I was enjoying my newly-acquired freedom, and there was never any genuine reason for worry. Till that wretched day came along……

2 years had passed…. I was into my Fifth Sem… this was sometime around November last year, I think. Bro called me from Chennai. Like he usually does. Mom wasn’t home then. Gone to school, I guess. We chitchatted as usual…. about everything under the sky. Towards the end of the phone call, he told me something I would not have expected to hear…… Something which made my heart skip a beat…… Something which made tears well up in my eyes…….. Something which made time stand still……. My mom was leaving for Dubai…… INDEFINITELY!!!!

It was not something that I had heard from someone even as a joke….. Nothing like that had ever crossed my mind earlier……. I was going to be in a situation I was totally unaccustomed to……. And absolutely unimaginable. My dad had been alone back in AL-AIN, and I knew how much relief that’d have meant to him. And to my Mom as well. She occasionally tells me and Bro, that she’d be better off being with Dad. True. But, I never expected this decision. Maybe, my dad would quit his job in another year or so, I thought. And he’d be back. I never expected Mom to go back……..

Though, like I mentioned, there was the initial worry and tears, I was never really perturbed about Mom going back. Its been 2 weeks now since Mom left. I dont know whether it was coming or whether it was just a coincidence of sorts.  I’m usually fit, cheerful, bubbly, but I had a bout of fever  and headache the day Mom left Chennai. I was ill for a couple of days, after which, I returned to Thrissur.

Its been a fortnight now since Mom’s left. I dont know whether its just her absence, or the fact that I have been in Chennai for the last 2 weeks (which’s a looooooong time), I’m feeling extremely homesick. Not just missing home. I’m longing to be with my family. As if they’ve been away for years. And I’ve been having absolutely horrible, terrifying thoughts and dreams. Absolutely horrifying ones. And they’re occurring so frequently. I was at Palakkad with grandparents for a couple of days.  Normally, the place is boring and I usually wish I could go back soon to college. This time, it was Heaven. The feeling can’t be described. Everything seemed more wonderful. I was rejoicing. But thats all short-lived. Just like those Oases I’ve seen in the middle of the large, booming deserts….

I cannot wait for December to arrive. Only then does a possibility of meeting Mom arise. Again, thats gonna depend on whether Bro’s free or not…. though he’s expected to be free. There’s a bigger problem. CALICUT UNIVERSITY!!!!! Absolutely unpredictable, I am certain of them causing a headache for me in January. That will mean, our stay in Dubai will be short. Which’ll be really bad. Better not having gone, considering the money and stuff……

Anyways, thats my situation now. INCONSOLABLE. I’ve embarked on the longest wait of my life. And trust me, its not moving. I cant see December coming….. and how I’m going to spend the next 6-7 months is anybody’s guess!

A DREAM COME TRUE

I’m a simple, humble guy. I dont aim for the stars. Even if I do (under the most improbable circumstances), I dont expect those dreamz to come true. Thatz why they are called “DREAMZ” in the first place!!!

One such dream was the full-fledged functioning of a campus radio in our college. Not exactly beyond my imagination, but yet another wild dream. Actually, that night I’d watched the malayalam-dubbed movie “HAPPY DAYS“, wherein they show a campus radio functioning, in a couple of scenes. I discussed the idea with UNNI – the guy who seems to have a solution for anything…… and nothing seems impossible for him. As expected, he remarked “PIECE OF CAKE!!”. Now, I can accept that this radio thing is not a VERY VERY BIG DEAL… but definitely not a cakewalk for even someone of Unni’s technical calibre and excellence. Even if he had unprecedented support from one of the most responsible guyz GEC has ever known….. None other but ME!!!!! He said that it was actually possible…. the only hitch would possibly be that they’d have to obtain legal permission for the FM. Broadcasting was easy stuff. I scoffed at him…. I was certain it’d take tremendous amount of time.. plus even if completed, it wouldn’t be functionally perfect…. I was confident of that……

A couple of days later, Unni came to me saying that the technical work for the “radio broadcasting” thing would be over soon, and that I needed to chart some programs for the Campus Radio, so that we could launch it during the ‘OPEN HOUSE‘ (the technical exhibition this year, in our college), which was to be held within a week. ‘ ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT‘ was my first reaction. One, because it had come unexpectedly. And secondly, but most importantly, I didn’t trust him to get everything done by then. I knew him well enough. He takes most things lightly… and I was pretty confident he’d have ignored a couple of aspects. Anyways, I didn’t want to be caught for time wastage. I immediately began jotting down important points and other related stuff…. Interesting. I thought. I hoped it’d all work out somehow.

And it did. Unni, Bimal, Deepak and Anil finished off all the technical work and Shabna Chechi joined me , for test transmission. We also got some juniors from various departments, to work alongside us. By the end of the day, we’d an enthusiastic group of 10-15 guyz n galz… and we couldn’t wait to start broadcasting…..

We prepared charts and posters that night, opened an Orkut community , plus a Gmail account. By the final day of the Open House, the radio gained huge popularity and we broadcasted a variety of programs. We even launched a Phone-In program, and frankly, there were copious amounts of fun and enjoyment all along.

So, back to what I started with……. The Campus Radio concept was just a dream….. and its more or less, come true. I can swear nothing this exciting has happened to me before. This is definitely, a big milestone in the history of GEC. And that its come in the 50th Year, in connection with the Golden Jubilee celebrations, makes it even more eye-catching. I’m happy with the entire bunch of volunteers; there’re a number of imaginative guys and girls in our group. Plus, Unni and co. have done a beautiful job, in covering the technical side. We initially had a few hiccups, but then, I believe it was expected. But overall, I extend him my whole-hearted appreciation and thankfulness. I’m happy the ‘dream’ has materialised, and that I’ve been able to be a part of it…

We’ve also received plenty of support and co-operation from the listeners as well. They’ve contributed with their calls, declarations, SMS-es and stuff…… and thats exactly what we expect from them. The Campus Radio, will undoubtedly, be a hit. My happiness does not know bounds.

There’s just 1 problem. We’d given the contact number on the 40+ charts and posters as 9995213648 ( In case u r unaware, thatz my no.) I felt that since most people knew my number (atleast those from my batch), it’d be easy for them to send in their dedications and SMS-es (even if they had to do it personally). I realised I was wrong. I got a call from one of my batchmates from Mechanical Engineering, and genuinely asked me…… “HELLO…. RADIO ALLE?/”!!!

TIME FOR SOME REST AND PEACE

Finally…. the trauma is all over. My S5 exams are over (forget the Labs which’re not expected to get underway before June), and I am back at Chennai, busy blogging, Orkutting, Facebooking….. not to forget playing games on the system plus watching the TV. Life’s finally back to normal….

Now this was one of those series of exams where, despite knowing that the University Exams were all important and that they were definitely not going to be a cakewalk, I was not willing to push myself to the limit. I slept late daily, but there weren’t any night-outs or short naps (like the 5-minute nap the night before the MBD exam). And it wasn’t that I had been slogging day and night so that I could sleep soundly. On the contrary, there was little effort on my part indicative of a struggle for a full-pass…..

It all began with my favourite subject for the summer – SOFTWARE ENGINEERING. Frankly, I was never troubled by SE. I had a natural affinity towards the subject. I had learnt most topics well during the study hols and was on course, for a big score in SE. On the previous night, Unni (who was the bigger “puli” amongst us), Jerrypoo (who spends half his life in front of his laptop), Ajmal (the ever-carefree, cool dude with a shrewd mind), Bimzee (the co-sponsor of Copyhouse photostats, with a passion for learning) and myself ( calling me a genius would be an understatement) began our round of studies with a view of finishing all 4 modules that night. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!! The exam went great. Except for Poo, who claims he’ll fail. He’s even recorded a statement in my cell. But am sure he’ll pass…. Check out my posts for more details on that…..

Anyways, SE was considered the easiest subject of the lot. Atleast for me. Next to come, DDC. Not exactly troubling, but could pose problems. Especially since I wasn’t thorough with the topics. Sreeraj (the guy with the “Harley”, who is a puli himself, but doesn’t want to wear the “padipist” tag, so humbly remains parallel to books) helps us out everyday except on the eve of the exam… coz he goes home then. We persuade him to stay. He responds by saying ” I have to go home, coz I have to return tomorrow morning early to MH….. if I stay here, I will not be able to return as I am not going at all…”. Howz that for a chali!!!…..

DDC went ok. For everyone. OS up next. I hate that subject. Particularly, since Bimzee’s photostat copy was not all that clear… and I hadn’t learnt the topics earlier. Altogether, OS would have proved to be a disaster had I not started studying early. I didn’t study…… The D-block guyz (former Devikripites) wanted to test their newly-mastered Tekken skills against us. And being ready for a challenge anyday, with most of us being able to boast of good skills and moves, we accepted the challenge with glee. We beat them easily. Apart from Hariharan and Nagappan, nobody else cud provide a serious challenge (my Jin would have pounded them effortlessly any day). They left soon after the battle. What they left behind was a craze for playing the game. That whole day, we did not study a word. Usually we owe it to carroms. That night it was Tekken.

And as usual, we slogged the last night. Unni taught us the whole of OS…… almost. But frankly, I was never confident. I always felt that I would not be able to write the answers well enough even if the questions came from topics which I was supposed to have mastered. The exam went ok. Not as bad as I had expected. Should pass. Though, in hindsight, I could have done better.

Next up, NAOT. Another of my favourite subjects in this semester. I’ve always loved Math. And I’d learnt almost 3 modules earlier. Nothing to worry. Piece of cake. And everything went as per plan. Particularly since we started learning early. And many guyz came forward asking me to teach them. Heh!!! The paper was simple. I have so many expectations….

PP next. Supposedly simple…. I was planning to learn TC with Unni, the day NAOT got over… But as expected, all our plans went up in smoke…. We plan to study late night… and that never happens…

Ultimately, after almost 2 days of wastage, we decided to begin with PP. We worked hard. And the effort paid off. Simple paper. The last module caused a few hiccups but considering that most of the other questions were simple, and that the last module bore some resemblance to certain topics in OS, the paper went fine.

With one to go, we were all making plans already. Nidhil came up with the CSE Premier Cricket League, featuring the Day-Scholars Team against the Hostelites. Some talked of going on tours, some for movies, others for the Pooram Exhibition….. the exam seriousness had all vanished. Particularly since the next one up was arguably, the most difficult subject in our course… THEORY OF COMPUTATION!!!

I dread that name…. a mere thought of it sends shivers down my spine…. the night after PP, the 5-6 of us were supposed to sit down and tackle 2 modules…. and yet again, we failed in our plans. Unni, Sree, Ajmal, Noufy, Ammavan, myself and Maram rode to Kabab Point and had a sumptuous meal. And slept soundly that night. All coz of Unni’s assurance that he would teach us TC within a day…. I believed him….

The night before TC, we had made it a point to stay night-out. Everyone wanted to pass. And all of us believed we could. And we made Unni restrict his late-night calls. But not one among us was actually worried abt TC. We were taking it easy.. we were not worried about a TC arrear… as if it was expected and that there was no point studying. In the middle of the workout, Sivakumar remarked that the exam would probably be like our TC series exams….. almost 45 students would fail.

That statement will remain etched in my mind until the results come out…. Rarely has been a theory paper been as tough to me as TC…. but in the end I appeared happier than I was at the end of SE or PP…. Coz everyone found it difficult… Only a handful have told me that they hope to pass…. It may sound absurd, but considering the effort the guyz at the hostel have put in, it does not appear surprising…..

All in all, I am happy. I believe I’ve put in a considerably good effort. In spite of my focus having shifted to Carrom and NFS, quite frequently. Apart from Tekken. I owe a lot to all those guyz who stayed late night in an effort to study together with me. I hope sincerely that each one of us gets a good result. Sarath, Fasil, Abhilash and C.K. have all put in commendable efforts and its no surprise if they exceed expectations. Deepak and Tutu will have silently covered the portions and must have soundly slept before each exam. In the midst of all that, there are role models visiting C-4 frequently and remarking “DAIVAME, PADIKKUNNU!!”… the ” ONNUM PADIKKAN THUDANGAATHA” Ammavan and his spy the “FEVICOL” Noufy…. I am certain that they will emerge heroes when the results are out. Jerin, Kadi and Manuel are probably taking it lightly…. but having known both Manu and Faradi for so long, I’d expect a full-pass from each…. Though Jerin may have to ride his luck with the seating arrangement…. But at the end of it all, my bet is on Sreeraj. That guy is not just loitering around at MH, but slogging at home on the eve of the exam…. plus he’s got brains as well (Unni, I dont mean to offend u). In my opinion, he’ll come out as Boys’ topper…. I dont mind that… Not as long as he doesn’t behave like Figgy….. who wouldn’t have studied a word for the exam, if you are approaching him with a doubt. Personally, I cannot wait for the TC result…. A pass is a huge bonus…. And I cant wait to see Jerin’s marks in TC…. He should definitely pass TC as he got hold of one of Noufal’s answer sheet…. Who knows, he might emerge topper…. Poor Noufy’s hand-writing will go against him…..

FROM AJITH TO FULLU!!

AJITH MENON. I envy my name. I believe my surname brings about a feeling of being high-class and important among others… and also instills a sense of confidence, pride and self-belief in me. My name used to be my identity among my friends circle earlier. Not any more…..

There’s this classmate and close friend of mine(I dont wish to reveal his name, but anyone from GEC must surely have seen a 4-wheel BLAZE??) He’s holds the sole reputation of being the biggest idiot of our class….Not that he’s stupid….But he’s got the knack of cracking the most sympathetic jokes you would have ever heard…. and he’s popularised it to the extent that it’s become a trend among the Computer Science students….

Most of us are prone to speaking in the slang of our friends(using the same terms)…. I was no different. When I joined college, I was so obsessed with the word ‘BULLSHIT’ that one could count literally 25-30 occurrences of that word in a 5-minute phone call…. I used the word quite frequently that it came to be associated with me… I earned the nickname ‘BULL’….

Forgot to mention something… The above-mentioned nimcompoop, with the Blaze, has this habit of replacing the letter B(or P), with the letter F(Dont know why he is so obsessed with the letter F). With constant usage, when he finally got bored of the name BULL, he reassigned my name to a more pleasing FULL. And with his influence, the evolution of FULLER did not have to wait long. My friends began identifying me as FULLER. And it later grew into what most people call me today – FULLU. There are others who call me FLU as well…

For the moment all thats immaterial. I dont care what people call me unless its not totally irritating. Like this classmate of mine from Kodakara who calls me(in his traditional Thrissur slang) – “DA FULLE”!! I dont give a damn today. Am just hoping that people dont ultimately forget my actual name while blindly continuing to accept me as Mr. Full.

JUSTIFYING MY NICKNAME!!

And my folks kept telling me B.Tech would be a cakewalk. My brother was of the opinion that Science students had to slog only during their 11th and 12th Grades… and that B.Tech was any idiot’s cup of tea. I was wrong. Not that the course kept me glued to books and isolated me from any sort of entertainment…. it just did not yield the expected results. I still remember staring at a huge statistical board in my department. It contained the toppers list for B.Tech… the highest mark listed being 82%. Frankly, I scoffed at that. I knew 82% would be tough to beat…but I felt that mark was definitely within my reach. Especially since I was fresh from good ranks in Entrance Exams plus the 12th Boards…..

Only after my First Year results came out did I realise that B.Tech was not akin to CBSE. Not the least with CALICUT UNIVERSITY. I scored a paltry 67%… which was one of the better marks… But I was shocked. Being used to scores of 80+ in most exams during schooling, this was definitely hard to swallow. 82% wasn’t easy after all….

Despite that setback… and the 3 arrears I encountered by the end of my Third Semester, I continued to take it easy. No longer was 82% my target…. The recruiting companies demanded atleast 60 or 65% cutoff…. and I was desperate to get that…. But every now and then, I wish I could go back to those old days where there was never room for tension or worry. True I was under my mom’s surveillance, and that I knew hostel life wouldn’t be the same as being at home, I never expected to struggle in achieving a score which I would have got in any exam at school even if I slept the whole of the previous day. I knew the University was partly to blame… but when I saw the others stacking up huge totals in the exams, I couldn’t help worrying….

But thats me…. I perform better under pressure(says me!!). I am working hard and trying to recreate my school days… and am confident my that my hard work will pay off…. Life’s indeed come a FULL CIRCLE…. I’ve witnessed and gone through the bad phases… and hopefully they have gone once and for all…. For once, I hope to live to the reputation of my nickname….

O.K. Thats it for now…. Ma friends have come…. Time for a round of carroms and smoke….. and I hope thats not ironical!!!!