My Visit to College after 4 Years

February 20, 2008. The day, as usual started with a smile on the face. I've taken a couple of days off from my work and have been to my native place. Went there to attend one of my friends' marriage. Just can't believe that all of us (myself and my friends) have grown up so much that we're tying knots and entering into new relationships!!!
The marriage took place on 20th Feb and the function ended somewhere around 11:00 PM in the night. Four of my other friends have also come to attend the function. Have met them after 4 long years and discussed everything right from the ex-girlfriends, current girlfriends, corporate, IT Industry, retail industry, country's economic status, foreign affairs, India's stance on various issues, and what not? One of us came up with an idea that we'd visit our college and surprise the professors. The idea sounded great and everyone had readily agreed to it.
February 21, 2008. Have completed all my pending works and called one of my friends. we've decided to start to the college by 11:30 AM. As the college is 20 KM away from the city, we've first planned to reach there on bikes. But later, we felt that we'll have to replicate those days by traveling to the college in an RTC bus. Three of us had gathered at the stadium complex, from where buses are available for every 10 minutes going towards our college. Had taken a crowded bus and managed to get 2 seats. The third person sat in one of our laps (this is how we used to sit during our college days). We had slight problem in sitting like this because all of us have grown a bit heftier. There were a couple of students of our college sitting around us. We'd started discussing the happenings in the four years- good, bad and ugly. We were so excited in discussing these things that all the passengers in the bus started staring at us. Almost 10 Km away from the origin, we noticed our once-upon-a-time adda, still in it's shape- Naveena Dhaba.
We'd reached the college by 12:00 PM. First of all, we were astonished to see the look of the college. Where are the walls on which we used to sit and comment the girls passing by? Where is the small hut where an old lady used to sell cigarettes (have learnt that she's passed away a couple of years ago)? Where is the small roadside hotel where we used to eat idlys, dosas? Nothing is the same. Everything has changed (so have we).

As a first step, we wanted to pay tribute to the Examination cell, which had dared to pass us thru the 4 academic years within 4 calendar years (I feel this is the greatest achievement of my career and also would like to quote it in my resume). The engorged and scary room is still the same with papers and questions all around (whackkkk!!! I always hated them to the core).

Feeling it difficult to stand the nostalgia arising in us, we had a brief gyan from Mr. Rao and walked out of the place. Now it was the turn to refresh the mood by visiting a place where I'd spent almost 2 yrs of my college life, The Parapet Wall. Everything has changed a lot...but the wall is still supporting many more upcoming genius like us. I felt like putting aside my running career and spending 2 more years there...on that wall. That is the wall where we used to sit and rag the fellow class mates, juniors, seniors and nevertheless, Professors. Kudos to the rocking Vignanmech2000 batch for inventing the litmus tests- Hand Test, Red Test and The Show.

Now it was time to visit the mightiest department-Department of Mechanical Engineering. As I entered the corridor of the department from the lawns, something weird and unbelievable had caught my eye. My name on the walls of the department!!! Lo and behold, this time at least it's not for wrong reasons. Looking at that, involuntarily, a huge volume of air was puffed into my lungs and the chest raised by 4-5". Almost on the verge of blasting the lungs, I had to cut down further air supply by gaining back my senses.

We'd visited the staff room of the department, which houses the once-upon-a-time bright minds bitching around. All the staff, who knew us well were very much excited to see us after a long time. Professors flocked around us only to know that as a product of Vignan's Engineering College, we're very well settled in life.

And this time around, none of them were scolding us or complaining about us or cursing us. On a very serious note, those were the moments of pride for us. Those were the moments when a even rolling tear on the cheeks would feel proud of itself and the owner of the eyes that it has been coming out through. Thanks to myparents, Thanks to every second in those four years, Thanks to all my friends, Thanks to the Professors, Thanks to the Mechanical block in the canteen and Thanks to the memorable Parapet. Without any one of these, those four years would not have been so enjoyable. And a special Thanks to His Excellency Mr. D Mu Kru (Dasari Murali Krishna) and His Highness Mr. Nag S. Rachumallu ( Erstwhile Suman aka bakka) for accompanying me to this college trip and making me recollect those ever-cherishable moments.