Convocation
When a student belongs to an institution,she makes friends there, friends she knows will last forever, she falls in love, suffers a heart break, falls madly in love yet again. She loves her friends just as much as blood relations and learns a few lessons that none of the books teach. Through the years of being at the institution the student also studies and learns a few lessons that will help to graduate and seek a better life. A 'Convocation' not only confers up on the student the Degree but also defines the meaning of a few very important years of life. Life will never be the same as those years in college and every year after college only leads to realizing just how precious college was.
Today, was that day in my life. 'The Convocation'. A day so eagerly awaited. I had no idea what I was walking into when I walked in through the gates of the Alma mater. Dressed pretty after a year of no college, I thought the day would only bring relief. Major amount of relief. Being done with college and everything to do with it. Ah! I had waited for this moment for a year and here it was.
7.45 in the morning, with relief and peace in mind, I walked though the gates. Beautiful weather and a very large modern campus. Every bit of the red brick infrastructure greeted me with a familiar warmth. The unbearable teachers were actually a treat for the eyes. There was a smile and a 'congrats' from everyone. What was it that I had come here to hate? As the day passed, we were ushered to the ceremony. The President/Founder of the Institute conferred upon us the title of our bachelors. Then as custom, he continued to a closing ceremony speech. As I took my seat, to listen to the Founder's final words to the graduating batch,a realization struck. Moments later, his voice was a faint drone. I drifted to the last few memorable years. The years of my tete`-a-tete´ with college.
The degree now bestowed up on me, wasn't just a glazed piece of paper. Within its A-4 sized boundaries lay memories that will define my coming years. The times that taught me I should stand up for myself and all decisions I make are to be followed and cannot be influenced easy. The memories from fond times spent with 5 best friends on a balcony,whiling time as if that is all we had. The innumerable pranks best friend S and I played on our batch mates. Senseless laughter sessions in the middle of class hour. From being late to class to being thrown out from class. S and I shared it all. We were bench partners and today,I know,there aren't many who know me as well as her. We share similar tattoos, almost similar opinions on everything that matters. We have a comment for every passerby and we know exactly where to draw the line. S and I have never fought *touchwood*. I love her like a sister.
Among the 5 best friends, there are AB and N. AB, the shy little Disney princess. She's a darling,this one. The amalgamation of innocence and intrigue is very endearing. She's also a smart one, with ambitions and the 'go-get-it' attitude. Over the last year, AB and I have shared a stronger bond. We now connect better than we did back in college. Over a heart break, she let her walls come down and we picked up the pieces together from there on.
N, I call her my sugarplum. The bunny lover. She is peculiar. She is funny and has the capacity to shut you up within seconds. Not one to mess with,but she's adorable. N and I too,have found a bond after college. The only ones left in the city after college,we have sort of found a bond and I love her for it.
Then there is And. The very first girl friend in college. Over the years she was instrumental in many of my firsts. She has stood by me like a rock. She has loved the ones I loved and hated the ones I hated. She has felt my pain and my happiness and she's always truly happy for me. And to me is as good as a boyfriend. We fight, we make up. She's not within the boundaries of the nation anymore,however she is one person who gets an almost everyday update of my life.
P is a hindi movie in herself. She used to be our agony aunt in college. She had advice on everything related to heart and health.She would interact with our parents with such ease,you wouldn't doubt she was meeting them for the first time. She also tops the list for 'the most amount of drama in life'. P and I had sour moments but she is a friend nevertheless. We seek each other every now and then and bond like long lost friends whenever we meet. There is love,rarely expressed,but felt for sure.
It was only in college I realized how much we treasure our gal pals. They have been there and will continue to be there with their undying loyalty. I don't question their friendship,not even for a second. Each of us have our own separate lives in different cities,lives that we strive to live and make through without cribbing too much,but I can without a flicker of my eye give a guarantee on 'I'll have them when I need them'. My lil gang is the scrapbook of my life. They know it all and like the pages of a book,they absorb it to talk about it only at times when reminiscence knocks on our doors.
When I walked out of the gates of my institution this evening,proud of the degree in my hand,I had a lump in my throat and if it wasn't for how tired I was I would have welled up and let the tears flow. No matter how those years flew by,they were the golden years. The end of one chapter in life,is actually the beginning of the next chapter. Some characters you carry with you from the previous pages and add to the story of life newer characters to bring meaning and color to what is known as 'life' .
