D Backbenchers

Its been almost 2 weeks since 3rd sem results are out, but still my department has not yet fully recovered. My results, much more than my expectations!! Seriously, this time every exam was a mess. I was under such a bad phase of life during the exam days that I had stopped expecting anything out of myself. But yeah sum incidents in life make my belief in God go stronger. I scored 80% this time. Cheese!!

Am not writing this to boast about my marks, rather I have a thought in my head which is disturbing me for the past two weeks. I was in bus going back home when I got to know my results thru sms. Next day morning when I was passing my million dollar smile to my classmates, it hurted me to receive back tears. I could find many gloomy faces, disappointment and sadness dropping from eyelids, people giving lectures on positive thinking, encouraging each other to face the world boldly and to move forward, people promising themselves that they will do well next time. Ayushi and Savita were busy consoling and saying "sab theek ho jayega". I couldn't do that. I stood alone in a corner, watching the whole scenario and crying softly.

I don't understand how can I go to sumone with 50% aggregate and say "sab theek ho jayega", when I just cant c and understand "sab theek kese hoga?". I don't understand how can I ask a person to smile when they have scored so low. I don't understand how can I celebrate my good marks when my near-n-dear once are sad. I tried to stay away from all these discussions. When such sensitive topics starts, I always prefer isolation. I don't like and just cant see anyone crying. It makes me feel very low. I forgot all about my happiness and got very disturbed.

That day in lab when I was working with my circuit, Mung came. He was working sitting next to me when he congratulated me for my results. When I asked him, he said his aggregate is 30%. I froze for a second. He didn't notice and continued his talk. He said "When I was doing my graduation, I was the topper in my university. That time when my brother used to score less, I used to tell him to study. But now I realize, sumtimes one doesn't score well even if he studies". I put my circuit down and looked at him. He stopped his work, looked at me and said "Shru... when u become a professor and u c that a student has not scored well, don't think he is not studying". tap... tap... tap... there my precious tears which I was holding on since morning finally started falling. Mung tried to stop me and he felt bad thinking he has hurt me. But that's not true. 'He' didn't hurt me, its sumthing else that has actually hurt me. And I still have not figured out what it is.

Next day for the morning 10 o'clk lecture, I was a little late so missed out on the first bench. Though I could have managed a seat in the front rows, I took this as a chance to go and sit in the last bench. Incidentally, Mung came and sat next to me and said "Probably its the first time in this sem that u r sitting in the last bench". My mental dialogue "Its the first time in my whole life that am sitting in the last bench"! I noticed many things sitting from there. Firstly, its very difficult to concentrate on the lecture when ur neighbor is busy pressing the keypad of mobile phone constantly or eating lunch or discussing the blue eye-shadow with blue jeans! I tried my best to concentrate on the 'green-board' but I noticed that when u don't c the writings on the board so clearly from the last seat, a certain level of frustration develops which doesn't let a person enjoy the lectures. Sitting in the first bench, I used to get lost during lectures and it used to feel like sir is taking a private tuition for me. But when u r on the last bench and u c 200 heads in front of u, all shaking and doing all the possible acts, one sure gets distracted.

After the lecture got over, I shared my observations with my friends (d frontbenchers) I got to hear arguments like "y don't those ppl interact with us", "we never deny for notes", "y don't they ask sir to write boldly if they cant c", etc. etc. "Those ppl" here refers to the backbenchers. I noticed that a 'class' is broadly divided into two groups, the frontbenchers and the backbenchers. I realized its very easy for the frontbenchers to ask doubts coz they see only 'sir' in front of them while for the backbenchers, they see 'sir' after crossing 200 heads and that makes their life tougher.

Yeah but one thing I don't understand yet, y do people sit in the backbench when they want to score like the frontbenchers!

Memorable wedding.

It was an usual lunch break in college last year when we came to know from Namrata that she is gonna get married next year. ‘Next Year’ sounded so far that time… even a month ago, we were having fun teasing her with the count down of days… didn’t really realize that this smart looking easy-going girl is actually gonna get ‘Married!!’

She being the first in the group to be entering the new life, was handling things really maturely and calmly. We, being kid at heart were jumping around her like little tad-poles. The day she showed her "would be's" pic in the lab, half the group went flattttttttt !! Every corner of the lab was murmuring, "How lucky". n there were giggles n laughs all over the place. That was a day ! She has taken a leave for almost 2 weeks from the college and when it was the day for us to see her off, we all hugged her one by one and wished her luck.

Her marriage was yday and we were all invited for the occasion but since the venue wasn't so easily accessible by all and since not everybody got the permission to attend the wedding at night, we decided to attend the morning ceremony. We were instructed by her to 'reach' her house by 11. Since it was a group of 9 girls all scattered across Delhi, we decided to meet at the metro station near her place sharp at '11'. Me and Ayu, the ever punctual reached 10 min before time. Neha and Sonum joined us within 15 min and they were coming directly from the college after attending a 'lecture'. Studious people, yeah!! Megha and Savita joined in shortly and then started the make up and touch up session (in front of the metro exit gate!!!!). Yes d act did invite many unwanted and unacknowledged stares but then we were all too busy and excited to bother for such things. Eyeliner, lipstick, gloss, comb... all passing on from one hand to other and all taking extra efforts to make sure that everyone looked good ! Our touch-up session ended when Smita, Bharti and Shalini finally joined us and we all set to move to the 'brides house'

Megha

Bharti Smita

Ayushi Savita Shalini Sonam Neha

On reaching her house, we got a very warm welcome from her and her family. Her little cousin was allotted the duty to stand at the door and say “namaste”… the cute little girl had a tough time blushing sheepishly and receiving the crowd of crazy giggling girls!! Namrata looked happy and as calm as ever with those lovely mehron-golden beaded ‘kalereen’ hanging from her hand.We all got a welcome hug from her and then shifted to her room to chit chat with her. Thanks to the time we spent out-side the metro station, we had missed the ceremony she had invited us for! But never-the-less, we knew we had much more to do there than attend ceremony.

We were giggling around, eating bread-pakoda and discussing all the possible topics that was coming to our head when we heard the 'dhol' noise and Shalini announced that she knows how to play the 'dhol'. Bravo! what more can we want. We moved out of the brides room taking her along with us, sat in a circle and Shalini started playing the Dhol. Megha after a little pressure and pleading done by us, agreed to sing. That was some fun. We made a circle around the bride and there was dancing and singing and dhol and ofcourse lots of comments and giggling. It was sure sure Fun !! And one could hear "mazaa aa gaya" every second minute from some one or the other. After we all got tired and sat down, the family members continued with their rituals and went out for a ceremony called 'ghardoli'.

We preferred to stay back with our friend and asked her about how it 'feels' to get married. There was sum kinda mixed emotions in her eyes. She was happy for sure, for the new life... she was excited but yeah was nervous too. But we switched over the topic realizing the fact that we are there to lighten up the atmosphere and not to make it heavier! It was a little funny when she enquired how the final year project is shaping up and how many classes she has missed. But with Auyshi around, she needn't really worry about the missing class notes! When her relatives came back, we all got ready to leave when her parents made us wait for lunch. Namrata got busy with her other rituals and we started planning to watch 'my name is khan' next week. Soon the lunch was served and we went for it in sub-groups (sharing plates) so that we don't make much of a mess there. After the yummy food, it was time for us to leave after giving her our heart-felt wishes!!

Every moment spent was enjoyable and cherishable. It was the first time I had attended a 'friend' wedding. As compared to cousin's or family friend's or neighbor's wedding, a friend's wedding is sure much more enjoyable. This day will stay as a very happy memory of our college life in all our hearts. When we all parted off from the metro station, we exchanged the invitations for our own wedding... ofcourse invitations have been sent out without the slightest clue of whats in store for us in our future... but if things really go as planned, it would actually be so much Fun!