It sucks moving away from a place where you have spent four good years of your life, with people who have become very-hard-to-find-reliable-friends, but at the same time it is inevitable. The last days at the college were not even close to expected. We all had the feeling the BTP presentations were chillax, easygoing and all those cool adjectives, and actually were for many. Unfortunately I landed up in the most screwing panel of the six. It was actually like preparing for a suicidal presentation for the entire last week. My presentation was on the second day, and after the first day tales of Panel 1, on day 2 it had become a “tourist spot”. There were guys coming to see students getting ripped apart as early as 9 in the morning, who would otherwise not wake up till 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I too had a close to terrible presentation and a good grade was never on the cards.
Some friends left soon after their presentations, Accenture and Infy had given very early joining dates this year.
Just after the presentation I had the last GD/ PI of the MBA season at Nasik. GD was cool, I dominated, and most unexpectedly I was the only person in formals. There were guys coming in chappals, sports shoes, jeans and folded sleeves and even the panellists didn’t impress. Anyways I am also gambling for the topmost college that too in outside state quota. My 99.84%ile is a bit too low for my expectations, but it’s worth a gamble. Other than the GD PI, the documents verification process was very sarkari. I had to travel twice to a Government polytechnic college in some village in the outskirts of the city in a rickety auto. I had to prove myself Indian... Damn! And they didn’t even consider the Driving License as a proof of nationality, but were considering some crappy school leaving certificates issued in Maharashtra.
The BTP result was declared when I was in Nasik, and was happy to get a C, given the fact my panel gave the worst grades and most Fs. Nobody gives a shit to this grade and even I don’t. Luck or bad luck was the only factor that decided the grades in the 24 credit BTP. Holy crap!! I wished that the last college days to be a happy ending for everyone, but it wasn’t for all. The system has given so much power to the professors that any misuse even unintentional is intractable. Any kind of authoritarian powers landing up with a person isn’t a good sign on this earth. A few students were at the suffering end, paying enormous price for not following the never-declared guidelines, but in an authoritarian system there is no fucking reconsideration. In such matters sarkari colleges must be a fair deal to the students for sure.
I reached college back the next morning and tried an AC Tatkal for home soon, but was few minutes late. I got Tatkal 2AC the next day and now I had only 5 more days at the college with many unfinished tasks to complete. I wanted to meet many people I had known in Ahmedabad, wanted to visit the Sabarmati ashram, Adalaj step well and lotsa places. But surely couldn’t do everything, leaving things to call me back to Ahmedabad some time. I met a marketing prof at MICA, with whom I had taken an elective, did some shopping at the CG Road, and had lunch at Crazy Noodles, and the last night hang out at CCD. Another incident worth writing happened in these five days. Getting back Sanket’s stolen cell phone was a relieving moment. Though it is a complete story to narrate, but in short it was using a combination of pressure and friendly diplomacy, making fake police calls, receiving fake calls from the police, and commitment to make the culprit confess and return the handset. After getting the handset and the SIM, it was time to swing the hands without a speed check. Moreover it was Sanket’s good luck, coz not many stolen cell phones end up with you again.
Last two days I was packing the stuff I had been dumping in my room for last four years and stocking movies and documentaries in the hard-disk, so that I have enough stuff not to get bored for at least a month. The weather was pleasant and cool breeze at nights was always welcome. Lying on the grass at 3 in night near the basketball court, in a cool breeze and a late night bakar session with friends in such an ambience was the greatest 8th sem discovery and surely way better than any research or invention happening in the BTPs. And the second last night was the last use of such a wonderful discovery... :-) I was finally left with all bags packed, 8 in all and few hours to leave...
I went to brijwasi for the poha for the last time, bid good-bye to the workers I knew there, and it was almost the time... :-( I got the call from the cab owner which I had booked the previous day and then the last moments.... Adieu, ciao, bye-bye, tata, sayonara, cya DA-IICT...And it seriously sucks leaving a wonderful place...Sanket came to drop me to the railway station...Thanks buddy... :-)
