On my professional visits to BITS Pilani – Dubai, with whom we are working on a few projects, memories rushed back to me of college days. Ah, nostalgia is my favorite subject. The carefree days of college, when everything in world was dreamy and aspirational. The anxiety of making a career was as intense as finding love. When every movie mattered, and first day first show was a priority in life. When music was life. When walls of the room adorned posters of idols, quotes and poetry. There was never a day with a plan, yet everyday was abuzz. When all I wanted was an old fiat car which I could refurbish to look cool, whose back glass would read ‘Dirty Harry’, don’t know why I wanted that sticker though. Blame it on the pop culture. But memories rushed back of my biking days. It was a rite of passage to have a bike. What’s youth without a bike? The ultimate symbol of freedom, defiance and catching up with the pace of life.
Being there at the campus, all I realized was, how much time we had when in college. It was about just being in the moment, exploring adulthood. The corridors were abuzz with loud chatter, laughter marked by wild abandon, and talks that never had any end. The newfound voice that was accompanied by philosophies, ideologies and dreamy notions. A culture of nonconformity was conditioned in these years. When you know you could change the world, it’s not a big deal after all. But you had many other plans. Art is thriving inside your heart. You are appreciating the finer nuances of theatre. The world is opening up, but days are speeding by. By 3rd year, you realize you’ve got a lot to see, discover and achieve. You know the true sense of time now. And you start creating memories, you start collecting memories. In the form of old forgotten pictures, journals and memorabilia. There are trips planned, music shows participated, every café in the to-do-list checked.
The time to arrive is now passing by. And you have grand plans after college. Not just professional but vocational too. And all seems maturing within a matter of time. The urgency is accentuated by anxiety. The gradual process of starting a life on own terms is exciting enough but the realization that it would be painstakingly slow also makes you seek alternative career options. To reach the dizzying heights of success at the soonest. To achieve what you’ve dreamt in a jiffy. So much to achieve…
And then life takes over! You either make life work for you, or you succumb to its pace.
