What good has happened to me this month? A few good dinners…a few heart warming calls…some deadlines getting postponed at work (for which I was not the reason...!)…and yes my convocation trip.
All of us had waited for this day since last 5 years for sure and people like me had waited for this day since the time I had seen others dressed in black robes receiving degree on television. The importance of convocation increased exponentially during the last days of college. This would also be our first reunion. Two great occasions on a single day!!
While the train was speeding towards Ranchi, the only words which were coming to my mind were “Ghar aa ja pardesi tera desh bulaye le”. It was like returning to homeland after spending so much time in Chennai. Finally reached there and then started the ‘re-living of college days’.
Eating out in ranchi, bargaining with the rickshaw-walas for church complex and auto-walas for BIT…walk along the OC road...samosa at Sharma…running from one corner of institute to other for various forms…long queues for registration…embarrassing bashes from profs for no reasons during the 5 hour registration process…cursing the institute for charging so much for the convo…walking through the woods at night for dinner (this was something which we were doing for the first time…!!! and it was amazing…)…morning walk…and so many more things…
And then it was time when we were dressed up in over-sized black robes with green piped “lapels”!! It was truly the moment of my life time dressed in highly esteemed black robes, walking with my proud parents to the OAT (where the convocation was held). Due to time constraints we were just allowed to stand at the podium with the degree for not more than 2-3 secs but I was predetermined to pose for a good photo while receiving the degree. I still haven’t seen that photo but friends say that my determination has not gone in vain and that the life time moment has been captured beautifully..!!
And finally time had come for rejoicing with the hard earned degrees in our hands.
But our faces were not lit up that brightly. We had in our minds that this also means the end of the best days of life. I had not felt this sad even on the last day of my college as I had the hope of coming back and meeting everyone in convocation. Now there was no such hope. But then all good things also come to an end and this was no exception.
However, the memories will remain fresh deep in our hearts till our last days. These memories are bright enough to light up even our gloomiest days. And the only thing which made 4 years of college and this convocation the best days of my life are my friends. All of you have a very special place in my life and my heart and hope I will be close enough not to miss any of you ever.
