Ufffffffffffffff!!! What a week!!!- Part II

Due to the surprising lengthiness (maybe, the not-so-surprising lengthiness) of my previous post, I am forced to continue from where I left off.. ;)

Thursday!!
This was one day which I was looking forward to for a long long time!! Nov 10th dawned fresh and clear!! The fact that I had another assessment on that day was completely forgotten. All that I could think about was the award function that evening!! (I believe I had already bragged a lot about winning the second prize and stuff, so am not going into the details.. :P) I chose a new outfit for the day, one that reflected my moods that morn.. :):) I had called my parents over for the event. That evening was truly truly magical! My parents were happy, and so was I! I was happy taking them around the sprawling campus and my favorite haunt, my coll canteen.. ;) The pic we took that evening with my most favorite professor will remain etched in my memory forever!! :):)

Ha! now back to the mundane and boring life of assignments and assessments!! Friday was no different from this routine!! :(:( I was desperately looking forward to the saturday! Perhaps the only 'working' Saturday to which I've looked forward to.. ;)Reason- MY friend and I were taking our bestest friends out for lunch.. :):) This was supposed to be a treat on our behalf to them, for the success of our project!! ;);) And Saturday did arrive.. ;) With a lot of delay being created in the class for collecting the exam hall tickets, we were ravished by the time we placed our orders at the hotel!! Amidst deciding what to order, and reordering so as to try different dishes, lots of pics were taken.. :):)The lunch was a sumptuous affair.. with everyone eating to their heart's content..:) A satisfying grin was on everyone's face! Meaning behind it=the treat was a success!!! :):) That made me extremely happy!! Making your near and dear ones happy is perhaps the best way of being happy yourself!!! :):):)

So, that is how the last working day of my penultimate semester was spent.. I could not think of a more fitting way to have spent the day than with my best buddies!!

As for the entire week, I have just this to say- I am glad you are over!!! :P:P

And for the coming week, I'm gonna put up a brave face and say this- Exams, here I come!!!

Ufffffffffffffff!!! What a week!!!- Part I

Life they say has its fair share of ups and downs. None can disagree. But to have to experience it all in a matter of seven days!!! That is experiencing life in the super-fast mode!! And that is how the final week of my penultimate semester in college life was!! GOSH! Looking back, it makes me realize how little time we had to even breathe freely!! Am glad I'm done with it!

Beginning with Tuesday, (luckily, we had an off on Monday.. ;))the entire week was one helluva ride to the finish line! It saw us all multitasking- writing, drawing, reading, chatting, playing, and much much more.. ;)Tuesday seemed to be smirking at me when I finally woke up that day! I had an assignment to submit, a practical examination, and two assessments!!

As always, there was me thinking- 'cha! what happened to the three days of holidays??!!', 'I could've done this earlier!', 'I should've studied!!' But then, there was nothing left to do but hurry up with the first chore at hand- ASSIGNMENT!! Strangely, only when I sit down to write, everything seems to be missing! That morning, with the clock striking 7, I couldn't find my pen, or my pencil, or my scale!! I cursed myself for not keeping my things safe, and had to borrow stuff from my bro. The irritating part here is not losing ur pen or pencil, but to have to borrow it from an annoying younger bro, who doesn't fail to make the most of that moment by asking you to 'handle the pen with care'!!! x(. So finish I did! The assignment was good enough to be submitted. Just about enough.. :P The next 'debacle' of the day was my practical exam!! With the teacher suffering from MPD, I was left guessing which one of her personalities I'd have to encounter that day. Strangely, I didn't have to hold any conversation that day with her, and the practicals were way better than how I'd feared them to be.. ;) The lunch hour saw 6 ppl eating from 2 boxes, and 'studying' for the assessment that followed.. ;) Being a general subject, thankfully, the paper tested our creativity rather than our retaining capacity. With one assessment behind me, I opted to skip the next one.. :P Now that I'm done with the 'downs', this was the 'up' of tuesday.. We celebrated one of my friends' b'day at the OAT.. The b'day was an awesome affair with its usual share of chocolatey cakes, bright candles, colorful gifts, and memorable pics.. ;)

Compared to Tuesday, Wednesday can definitely be tagged as a 'normal' one.. ;) We had one practical exam on that day, and with the teacher being a sweet and soft-spoken person, we didn't have anyone breathing down our necks and were allowed to finish our task in a better manner than was expected!! :)

Thursday!!!
The most magical day ever!!!

P.S. The post has got too lengthy!! The remainder of my 'week' 'll be continued in the next post!! :P:P

No pain, No gain!! Indeed!!!

Phew!!! Guess this is the first time I am actually heaving a sign of relief in almost a year!! It all started almost a year back, with my friend and me coming across a circular inviting project proposals. Never did we know that to get your work recognized, you have to strive so much in life! The first task that was entrusted on our shoulders was getting past the first screening committee. The person who had to organize this was also the one who had handled the ever famous 'Communication Skills Lab' for us. That particular subject was one which everyone in my class was the least bothered. We never did what we were asked to.. ;) not because we underestimated the importance of communication skills, but because the teacher was such a personality!! Now this person, due to our lack of interest in her class, resorted to the beaten track of taking revenge!! She was not at all interested in organizing the review for us! And I decided to ask her about it. When I called her, and reminded her that she had to conduct the review for four teams from our class, her response was- "when you people are so uninterested in communication skills, how is it possible that you can come up with ideas innovative enough to be submitted as a project proposal? I refuse to conduct a review for you. You can go and complain to any higher authority you want". All of us were dumbstruck. To not make it to the next level is something different.. But not even being given the opportunity to present your idea is something else altogether!! But all of us persevered and managed in setting up the first review!! The review was a normal one, with questions being asked at a rate that is too fast for the human mind to process.. :P:P

When the results of the first review were out, my teammate and I were thrilled to make it to the next level. Along with us was another group of three.. :):) I was thankful that days of toiling to meet up people regarding the project didn't go in vain!!

If I were to think that the first review was a hurdle, I was proved to be wrong!! The days that followed were even more excruciating!!! Obtaining data was not an easy task. We had to roam offices not just in Chennai, but in Dharmapuri and Dindigul as well!!

Am not gonna brood any more..Cause, the entire project 'review-selection' process is now a thing of the past!! We had two more reviews in between, and my teammate and me made it to the final 28 out of 130+!!! And our review was on the 13th of Oct..! So happy were we after finishing our review that we wanted to scream at the top of our voices!! We never gave a single second's thought to the final results. Guess when you are least worried about something, the wheels of fortune turn in your direction!!! Our hard-work and perseverance of more than a year finally paid off!! The results were announced yesterday, and we won the SECOND PLACE!!!What more can one want??!!




All I want to say is this- to all those who stood behind us when we were down and hurt; upset and in tears- parents, mentors and friends alike- thanks for being there. Your support was paramount in making us reach such heights. Love you all!! <3<3

Time for some relaxation now!!!

Until the final year project at least!!

Peace, they say, is short lived!!! :P

Be a Rebel!!!!

Every once in a while, something spurs the youth of our country to start a revolution. I may not be justified in talking about a rebellion on the eve of Gandhiji's Birthday.. but then, it is never the wrong time to do the right thing!!!

One such rebellion was recently creating waves in Chennai.. the students of the 'brother' institution of my college have raised many heads to look upon them..(well, mentioning the name of that institution always generates awe, but this time, they were looked upon from a different perspective.. who thought engineering students could be such rebels??!!!) I do not know much about the reason behind that uprising.. I am here, just to predict that something much similar to that is gonna happen in my college, and particularly in my department!!!

Wherever we go, whichever staff we meet, "within the department" (I believe those who read it understand the meaning behind the "within the department"!!!), all they have for is appalling words of discouragement.. I do not remember being such indifferent to a teacher ever in my life!! Usually, there will be a couple of rebellious students in a class.. but when the entire class is rebellious, the fault lies elsewhere.. definitely not on the part of the student.. The only heartening thing about this attitude in us is that, it has brought the entire class closer.. every single person in the class is willing to set aside his/her differences and voice his opinion for the betterment of the entire department.. Of course, we, being in our final year, will not be able to enjoy the fruits of the probable struggle, but our juniors will definitely honour our attempt!! ;);)And in the event of us passing out and going our different ways, who knows, the juniors may even take up the struggle onto their shoulders!!!

Do Gandhian principles have value even today?? U may answer in the affirmative, citing the example of Anna Hazare.. but then, not everyone is born with that amount of patience!!!

Sound like a true revolutionary, ain't I?? KHALBALI!!!!!

The Next Step..!!!

Time has moved on fast.. and is proving to proceed even faster.. Seems like it was only yesterday that I was preparing for my placements, but it is actually more than a week!!! and now, I am an ASSOCIATE SOFTWARE ENGINEER, for ACCENTURE!!! Neither can I believe my own eyes when I type those words, nor can I when I tell them out loud to those who ask me!!!

27-08-2011..Went to face the interview with a lot of apprehensions!! and emerged out of it with even greater ones... I was busy devising ways to keep myself busy the next day- it being a Sunday, and I was rudely brought back to reality by a phone call asking me to be in college within the next 30 mins!!! None can escape reality for long!!! Thinking back, the entire process of getting to college in time seems like a blur to me.. and when I did, it was to meet faces which seemed to mirror my own!! anxiety was very much evident on every face I met. They say patience is a virtue.. I realized that day how very little of that virtue I possess!!! Though we were at the placement cell of our college by 12.30, we were made to wait... and wait... and wait!! It was well after 2 in the afternoon when the results were announced!! Not a soul moved from their places during that long long wait... And when the time finally came, it was dreadfully scary... names were called out... heads rose up in expectancy.. a few stayed high, a few drooped.. as more and more names were called out, there was a sense of trepidation in me.. I was reminiscent of the sorting ceremony in Harry Potter (pardon me for bringing Harry Potter into this too).. What if the my name was not called up for sorting?? What if I were called, only to be rejected by the Sorting Hat that I was called out by mistake!! All sorts of thoughts went through my mind.. My friends beside me went through the same emotions.. I remember how tight i was holding one of my friends' hands!!! All departments were called.. not a single mention was made of Geo Informatics... Fear was mounting within all of us.. Name after name was read... a few pages were turned... still- no sign of Geo Informatics... was no one selected?? where did we go wrong??!!! there was just no stopping the thought machine!!!

Finally!!! There... Geo Informatics!! First came the name of one of my close friends... and I rejoiced... but definitely not completely.. I am actually ashamed that I wasn't entirely rejoicing with her... but then, I am human!!! my name was yet to be called..!!! My grip on my friend's hands grew stronger... And then, her name was called!!! I was utterly scared... Felt vulnerable.. ( like how Harry felt when Ron was sorted into Gryffindor!!).. :(:( But next followed my name!!! was flabbergasted beyond words!!! I hugged my friend, who was still gripping my hand, both of us happy that we had made it!!! But, the wait was not yet over... a few more friends from my department were still awaiting their results.. so, with crossed fingers, and bated breath, we waited for a few more mins... and finally, the results were out.. we were perhaps the only department to go berserk over the results!! all of us started talking.. na shouting at the top of our voices!!! Almost all of us made it.. one close friend was on the wrong side of Lady luck that day, and had to go back disappointed..:(:(:( but one thing is certain... greater avenues await him... All the very best for that!!!

Here is me... moving on to the next step in the ladder of life.. What does it have in store for me?? Only time can tell....

Fitting Finale...

I intend to make this post as lengthy as possible.. the only kind of tribute I can pay to Harry Potter, and JKR..

Its been just a little over 2 hours since I walked out of Sathyam and handed over the 3D glasses, with tears in my eyes, after witnessing the end of an epic saga, which has been captivating readers, young and old alike, for more than a decade now.. Four years back, when the final book in the most successful franchise ever, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, came out, I was one of the first to have laid my hands on the book.. I had pre-booked for it a month back.. Now, I am reliving a kinda deja vu.. When I finished reading the epilogue of the book, I was met with a sense of loss. And with the final movie out, that sense is a bit more pronounced. I practically grew up with Harry Potter.

Though the first book made it to the shelves in 1997, I laid my hands on a copy of Philosopher's Stone, only in 2001, when I was eleven. And perhaps, that was indeed the right and best time to have read the book, cause Harry too was 11..;) And since then, there was just no looking back!!! I was real quick in completing the first four books in 2 years.. not much to boast about now, but it was something real great back then. At that time, to be entering your teens and having completed the first 4 books of Harry Potter was something to brag about.. and to this day, I am proud of it.. :):) And among the various memorable things of my first year as a teen was the anticipation I had for the fifth book of the series to release!! :P .. though the books in the middle came at different intervals, somehow, when book 7 hit the market, I was 17, so was Harry. People may laugh at me when I say this.. but I find a way of being able to connect easily with Harry and his friends.. (I don't mean the fantasy part, I mean the emotional part).. When I feel down, I pick up one of the seven books to read.. When I am ecstatic, I do the same.. Harry has become part of my life, whether I want it or not.

The movies which came at fairly regular intervals, were a treat to watch.. There used to be so much discussion on whether the director was justified in editing this part, deleting that, including this, etc etc.. The debate never stopped!! Some say the movies are better, others say the books have a touch of originality. Whether the movies or the books, the true winner is the entire series!!!

When you tell the outside world that you are a POTTER-MANIAC, you'll definitely make a few eyebrows shot up.. People stare at you to check if they heard you right... that, being in your final year of college, you still tell out that you read Harry Potter.. Well, to all those who mock the Potter fans out there, no matter whether I am 20, or 80, I will proclaim loudly to the world that I love Harry Potter, and that even now, I would give all my time just to sit and read the series all over again.

When I finished the 7th book for the first time, I was upset. Upset that I will not have another of the books to read.. But, I was consoled by the fact that I can atleast revisit the sense of acceptance and belonging through the movies. But, now that the final movie is out, I am completely lost. A void feeling runs through me. Maybe I am not the only feeling so.. But sure as hell, I will miss Harry, Hogwarts, Hagrid.. everyone!!! The final movie, HP-7-part 2, is definitely an awesome one.. I never had a single regret during the 2 hour span of the movie!! When the end credits rolled out at the theatre today, I refused to leave the hall.. my friends and myself were the last to exit, well after the credits were done...well after the enchanting and bewitching music died down... :(:(

According to me, there are two kinds of people in this world.. one that reads Harry Potter, and one that doesn't.. And I take it as a source of pride to say that I belong to the first category!!

Love you Harry Potter.. You'll live on forever!!!

SIVAKASI!!!!

This was one trip that was in the planning stage for more than a year!! Of course, better late, than never!!!

So it was that we planned to head for Sivakasi from Dindigul.. We were to go to Virudhunagar and then catch a bus to Sivakasi.. and the bus journeys were forgettable ones..;) We reached the place at around 7 in the eve.. and from the minute we arrived at one of our best friend's place, there was never a dull moment!!! We immediately felt at home at her place!! Here is a 'small' account on the fun we had..;)

Day 1:
Since we arrived only at 7 that eve, we stayed at home and did nothing but talk our heads off!! We were to sleep upstairs in a spacious room all by ourselves and once we settled, all that we did was to talk like we'd never talked before!!! If not for the fact that we had been travelling for most of the day, we'd not have slept as early as at 12 that night..;);)

Day 2:
As against the usual roosters cawing at dawn, it was peacocks that did the job in Sivakasi!! One can know it is 6am from their morning cries!!! The city is crowded with our national birds!!! But despite their wake up call, we never woke up a minute before 10!! A lazy breakfast, followed by a lazier bath, made our morning session. We then paid a visit to my friend's school. That evening, we paid a visit to the Bhadrakaali Amman temple over there. After the temple, we headed for having ice creams!!! We didn't sleep till 5 a.m. that day!!!

Day 3:
Having slept only at 5, we were even more lazy that day!!! That eve, we went to watch Avan- Ivan at BIG cinemas. The movie was a forgettable one... but we had a good time together, munching pop corns and drinking pepsi.. we were joined by my friend's sister and her mom.. it was a family outing.. :):) My friend's mom was shocked when we screamed our lungs out during Suriya's guest performance in the movie(the lone good part in the film!!!)

Day 4:
A quite sunday.. Much of the time went off exploring the streets of Sivakasi. My friends would be able to give a better description of the day..;) That night, we went to dine at BELL Hotel, a 3 star restaurant.. Our hosts made sure we were completely full!!! Another bite, and we would have burst!!! So full of food were we!! I had to sacrifice the jelly-ice cream combo cause of this.. :(:(

Day 5:
The day was reserved for eating Chaat!!! We headed for Malgudi Mittai.. I love the name of the place..:):) Over chaat, we discussed to get some souvenir from sivakasi. The brightest idea we could come up with was to get a kurta each..:):) Thats how we ended up getting the same design-same pattern kurta for the three of us from a store over there..:):):) The night went off playing cards..:):)

Day 6:
We were to return back home that night. Most of the day went off in packing our stuff.. The most memorable event that day was our train journey back to Chennai, when the 3 of us sat on the top berth, chatting, smsing mutual friends, pulling each others legs- even after the lights were off!!!;);)

Day 7:
We came to our respective homes!!!

Hope I did justice highlighting the important happenings of our stay at Sivakasi.. This post is dedicated to Subha, Shruthi, Aunty and Uncle.. Never did I think Sivakasi could be so much fun. I'll cherish the time I spent with you guys forever!!!