In Fond Memory Of Engineering Students

This is in fond memory of engineering students or more appropriately “The Engineering Cult”. I won’t generalize, but truthfully, there are only a few exceptions to this rule. They have a few common tendencies-

1) They think of themselves as superior to commerce students. They think that students like, well me, don't take science to find an easier way out or that they are dumb and don't understand the concepts or are afraid of hard work and things like that. Who are you kidding people? We commerce guys just have different aims.

2) However boastful they are of their intellect, when consulted for advice by juniors, they almost plead with them not to take up engineering as the struggle for it is crushing them. Remember the time you mocked us commerce students that engineering padne ka apna hi tashan hai? Booyaa!

3) Now a special tendency of IITians. These guys are fond of "the catch". For them nothing is straightforward. A simple question put to them like what is 2+2 s answered by a silence of consideration. "The answer can't be 4! There has to be some catch! I will figure it out, that will show them I’m the smartest!" Duh-uh.

About 1 lakh people qualify as engineers every year. Almost half of them have no idea how they landed there. They don't even like engineering! They just go into it thinking its cool. C’mon people, anything you LIKE can be cool. You are the one who has to be cool. You don’t need to burden yourself for attaining degrees you can show off, half heartedly.

Speaking for myself, I belong to a science background, and I love science. Watching my peers and answering their repeated cries of-“I thought you’re gonna take science!” or “ But your parents are doctors!” I was almost swayed to join “The Cult”. But picturing my future, I want to see myself as a writer, start my own magazine and probably a publishing house. Science would be of no help. Commerce is what I need and not a sign of my incompetence.

I’m not justifying my choice here, neither am I discouraging people from taking up engineering. All I want to convey is that- think of yourself in the future and then make your choice. It is these what make you who you are. Don’t be afraid of being mocked for them.

Bleed blue @ airport

Unfortunately or probably not so, I had to leave for a vacation the day of CWC 2011 finals. All way to the airport in the taxi I was straining hard to listen to the commentary on radio above all the noise, an alternative I wouldn’t ever try coz of the lame and irritating commentary we get on radios.

Rushing through the customs and skipping even a look at the Delhi duty free, I dragged my parents and my brother to the screen showing the India v/s Sri Lanka match. Cricket made everyone sitting there a single entity. No business class, no economy class, that time every single one of them was an Indian. And as everyone knows, cricket is religion in India.

People were pushing each other to get a better view of the screen. On every ball they cheered, every boundary they hooted, and every wicket they cursed, in unison. People sat on the floors, and what people, those wearing neat coats and tuxedos did that! Sophistication was long forgotten. The foreign passengers were gaping at the scene, bewildered by all the noise. To them I say-“Guys, cricket here is much more than your redskins game.”

People were late for the flight, and they didn’t care. People were even ready to miss their flights! All for a cricket match. Oh my mistake! It was THE cricket match! When people name’s were announced to board the flight, they simply said let the damned flight wait, I’ll come after the match and turned back to the screen.

And the moment we won? Ohho! You can’t compare it to anything else! One guy literally removed his shirt and threw it in the air! Others made a circle and started dancing. Some of them made a human train and started running around the airport, this included the shirtless guy.

Imagine! Just imagine the scene! Can anything be better than this? Cricket in India is a great uniting force. We all BLEED BLUE!

Cricket, hats off!

A friend of a friend

I have heard a million times that an enemy’s enemy is an ally. But yesterday, due to some situation, I needed consolation. And that was when I came across its contrary statement-

“A friend of a friend is not a friend.”

Pondering on this, I found out that this was true in ever way. Everyone has experienced this but few would be ready to admit. Look at the following two situations.

1. You have a really close friend. And he is the only one. But to him you are “just one of the good friends”. Won’t those others induce a feeling of jealousy within you? Of course you would try to suppress it, coz it ain’t right to feel that way. You feel it anyway.

2. Your best friend introduces you to some of his friends. Suppose you are a girl and one of his friends start hitting on you. You want to thrash him but redeem yourself on the grounds that he is a friend of your best friend.

Now, can a friend of friend be your friend? Ah! Not unless you got a real high tolerance level.

 For this article, my sincere thanks to Tapas bhai