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Lost in Translation – Mini Episode 1

The ladies hostel unlike the men’s hostel had a curfew of 6.30 PM. All inmates had to check in within the stipulated time, meanwhile the security on duty usually acquired “Hodor”ic sensibilities, ensuring no transgressor got in without the matron almighty, descending to assess the situation and thereafter announcing her verdict (no one was ever turned away but not without some empty threats). There was the get in free card of course, provided that the inmate had already provided advance notice to the matron. Of course, as a fool proof mechanism, there was the roll call at 6.30 PM where all the inmates gathered in the common corridor to give attendance. Since there were close to 300 inmates, and roll call began with the hostel blocks in ascending order, pretty much everyone had an idea when they needed to be present to give attendance. It was common to have a few miss their roll call on any given day. They were either late to come down from their rooms, some may have broken curfew whil
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Of Acronyms, Pranks and Silliness

In our uneven and bumpy ride through college life, there have been several occasions that have tested our patience, our sanity, our levels of endurance, our sense of humor (or lack of one) and our ability to stay united for a cause big or trivial. There have also been instances where one among us has stood up to stage a spirited soliloquy of sorts, say perhaps to question the harmless yet annoying ribbing of a professor (this professor for some reason found humour in always ending her sentence with a rhetorical question that suffixed a particular classmate’s roll number, for eg, “ This seems an interesting way to design the kitchen, eh roll no 23!”, “You people look bored, eh roll no 23 ”, until one fine day he decided enough was enough and confronted her on her aforesaid unnecessary practice. She too a master of words, tried to charm her way out of it, however the lone warrior was determined not to give in. She finally receded realizing that to lock horns with a disgruntled arke

The Untouchables

Disclaimer: Just as there is an exception to every rule, all professors and all head of departments aren’t bad (tagline on the tee-shirt worn by the ex-professors club somewhere in Ananthapuri…) The Arkees college life is nothing short of the Sopranos drama series. If CET were a metropolis, one would have the Engineering students occupying the business districts and living uptown while the Arkees would be part of the immigrant neighbourhood, well of course of Italian origins. Truthfully, we students would be the poor immigrants while the mafia would be running the department (without the flair or the accent). Like a mafia run neighbourhood anywhere, the city has little say on what happens here. Our initiation into the Mafiosi was of course completed the day we signed up for this seat, instead of a blood oath, we pledged our sleep for the next five years, along with our self-respect in the face of acerbic remarks that may or may not have to do with ones performance in a s

Surviving Architecture for Dummies (or any other course that doesn't suit you)

If I hadn't been telling myself enough and more times, why I was so unfit to be in architecture, the lecturers sure made it clear on umpteen occasions. I naturally did not handle it well. I needed respite, I was not entirely brave to quit either. . I decided to dwell more upon the better things in college life like some wonderful people I had met, who till date remain my closest friends (touchwood), extra extra curricular activities (interpret as you will) and etc etc. So here are my tips for  Surviving Architecture  (or any other course that doesn't suit you ). ...the painfully long lectures that mean nothing to you, the constant boredom you experience at college where you seem like an unwanted guest... 1.Camouflaged Sleeping This is a highly evolved form of sleeping art which requires years of practice so its essential you put your heart into the art from Day 1. In order to be able to perform this, you need to have a switch on and off capability for sleeping, be able to s

Desi...i...i....gh...n .. not a good sign

Not many freshers know what really happens in a Design Class in the first year, probably a hardcore enthusiast might but most don't. Unlike popular misconceptions you really don't start to draw a plan in your first week in college. We just go prepared with the ammunition, yes the T-scale, the numerous pencils and other paraphernalia from the long list given to us on Day1. And whats the first thing you learn, to sharpen your pencil, yes you heard me right, sharpen your pencil but not with a sharpener but with a knife (not the kitchen knife, sorry we are not butchers here, not yet anyway, only just ten years from now when we get to butcher our clients). Ok so as I said, our sir, gathers us around and shows us how to sharpen a pencil using the knife. He's obviously an expert and it almost plays out like the scene from Rambo, where he sharpens a piece of wood into a knife. In seconds we have the perfectly sharpened pencil. The process of course is not an easy one to master.Yo

Chapter 6 - The Asinine Assignments

If an outsider were to try to distinguish a fresher from a senior, its pretty easy, for other than the typical awkwardness, in certain cases the unnecessary boldness, the fearful trepidation shown in their faltering steps, there are some other unique aspects that differentiate the everyday CETian from the newbie. One such unique aspect is the dark rings around his/her eyes from sleepless nights of penning assignments not just for themselves but for the oh so wonderful merciful SENIORS. The good thing however about Archi is that very few seniors risk giving their drawing assignments to the freshers (except to a select few who are masters of the craft.. like the few in my very class, remember Art Attack ....aa sweet redemption) for the results can often be catastrophic. Some birdie had already updated the seniors on my talent and so no drawing assignments came my way but that did not stop the barrage of written assignments. Now, there is no need to establish that outsourcing one's

Chapter 5- Of mistaken identities, aliases and much more...

A case of mistaken identity There is a reason why teenagers prefer not to have their parents talking to people they know, especially classmates, friends, other acquaintances (just about anyone we know). Parents tend to speak volumes about their progeny, as if the entire world is awaiting breathlessly to know about us, and they often end up reveal a bit too much information, even very less information is a lot. However, for once I must give credit where its due, my parents did not get into the boring trope of  "my daughter is like that, she loves this food, she was always good in her studies..." at the time of my enrollment into the hostel. However, I became the victim of a big misunderstanding or as they say a case of mistaken identity. The truth of all of this I would only learn later, after serious mocking by seniors, and exchange of heated words with some. Few days after I had joined the hostel, there was this constant reference of AC everytime I passed by. Initially I d