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Picture this- 16 years old- young, naive, quiet, adorned in baggy clothes and a pair of shell frame glasses- that was me...

Anyway I did not realize that my room in Meera Bhawan was going to be my own little corner in this wide world when I got the BITS, Pilani application form from a friend who did not want it anymore (shall we say my mom and I were at the right place at the right time).

The day my mom dropped me off- I was literally in tears- no don't go ma, I said to her. She smiled and the smile meant "you are going to be just fine dear". I will not deny it but I was homesick for a good part of the 1st year- it was difficult what with all those hormones, new surroundings, new faces from all over the country. I will take the song "Mahan Gandhiye mahan" to my grave (this was how I was ragged- you have to sing "mahan gandhiye mahan" and dance to it as well, freshie)

Here is  a link for anyone who cares.

But it all soon began to change and I began to love every moment of it so much so that those long summers at home were quite boring and I wanted to get back to Pilani as soon as I possibly could. I especially could not wait to get in the train with my friends and sing "Mustafa, mustafa" as we would near Delhi station. The bus/ sumo rides from Delhi was also immensely fun despite a large number of eyes staring straight at a bunch of crazy teenage girls.

Macchi, sing  mustafa mustafa once for me will you? :)

We ate together, laughed together. cried together, danced together (especially after fun movie nights- remember this one time when 24 of us went to watch "Yes Boss") slept together, gossiped together, passed judgement on some, fought with a few (especially when we had to chose our wings/ hostel blocks as seniors). Friendships were made and sealed for life. Crushes, well some of them, went on to become something while others remained just what they were, a crush.

I was the thatha who rode a paal karan cycle (a.k.a I was the grandfather who rode a tall milkman bicycle).

Date nights at C'not, deliberately avoiding Shiv-G (wondering about the poor couple who chose to hang out at Shiv-G in the dark), quite evenings at the Mandir.

I liked mess food (there I said it!)- most of it anyway but there was also Annapurna's onion masala dosa and Blue Moon milk shakes. I liked chatting up those mess bhaiyas and pappuji at sky (all those "pappu account mein dal thena"/ pappu, charge it to my account).

I am not the social type but BITS brought out some of the social in me...thanks to my roommates (1st year in an expansive room with Priya and 2nd year with Goms who would set her alarms in totally random places) and other lovely friends.

A few of them helped me through my toughest times (and I hope they know that I am there for them)

Is that enough psenti for you guys- now go on...go do something useful!

Take care.

(Image source: careers 360)