My College Days - 02: Walking Towards The Hostel

I had a good night's sleep as I was exhausted from the journey of transition.When I was asleep, I felt I was at home. That's the beauty of sleeping, one can be anywhere he wants to be and can do anything he loves to do. Wish we could do the same while we are awake. Wish we could dream with our open eyes. But that's not how we prefer to do. Humans dream while sleeping and shrug it off when they wake up. With open eyes, humans see obstacles which don't let their dreams to fly.

It took me a moment to recall that my life has changed and I am in a hostel now. A place, meant to teach me lessons.

I was feeling hungry after the shower. Meanwhile Utpal came and we both had some snacks that I brought from home. We were hoping to see few more freshers today as classes were to start in two more days.

Utpal seemed to be a nice guy. He was modest. Perhaps he knew about his strengths. He was also a good listener, a quality that makes a person popular everywhere.

Do you smoke Ratul?

His question broke the murmuring of my thoughts.

No! No! No! I don't!

My reply was harsh and perhaps he could feel my disgust for it. I was yet to learn hiding my emotions. It was childish of me to react like I was asked for poison. It's time that I leave that child at home and act like a man. A man should hide emotions. A man should be able to love the last puff of a smoke that burns his lips, more than thousand kisses from the lady he loves.

To make the situation light, I said: I wish today some smoker will join us to accompany you. He smiled. He was trying to listen to something.

Did you hear that? I think someone is calling us?

We both focused.

Yes, someone is calling us. Let's Go, I said.

It was a senior. We both were already standing, we couldn't stand up more in his respect. He said that one more fresher had come with his parents and they wanted to meet us. We went there and had some sweets first. This new guy had super silky hair. Talked very friendly. His shirt had sharp ironed edges that stood up in ridges.

Hello, I am Nuraz. Good to see both of you.

Meanwhile the senior had asked permission to leave. Nuraz's parents were very pleased with the well behaved & loving seniors. Nuraz did his schooling from a "Sainik School". Hostel life was not new to him. He left his home when he was eleven. He already knew this world better than both of us. We talked and discovered that his father was a childhood friend of my father. That was a good consolation for me. We were feeling courageous in Nuraz's company. Soon, Nuraz's parents left him in hostel. He was not broken like we were. He was able to hide his emotions and I was very impressed. He talked about a plenty of things. Mostly about his boarding school. How they got beaten up by seniors? How they made sacrifices for others? How they celebrated Diwali in hostels? How they used to study? and so many things. Utpal & I were silent. Utpal was being modest and I didn't have any such stories to flaunt as I never had dared so much. Once, I & my friends at home were chased by a security guard for bursting crackers at someones place. But that was not even my idea and we all ran away. Nobody got hurt; nobody did sacrifices by taking the blame on themselves; nothing heroic had happened that day. So I kept listening.

Nuraz was well informed and confident. He had seen the outer World more closely. He was answering his own questions and we were not capable of questioning his answers.

How did you study for the Joint Exam?  He asked and then continued: I  actually never thought I'd get selected. I was just not prepared. When I got the exam paper, I then decided to formulate my own equations to solve those problems. I usually do this in the exams as I find it hard to memorize those formulas.

Utpal interrupted this time: But you have to memorize the basic ones at least, like "F = MA". Also, is it not time consuming to formulate an equation while writing exams? I mean, Newton took years to formulate them.

I had to smile to resist my laugh. Nuraz didn't expect that question from him. He seemed to be little upset.

Not really, if you understand the concepts then you can formulate them on your own. Stop the habit of mugging like parrots.

By now, I saw a popped vein on Nuraz's forehead. This guy is very angry, I thought. Utpal too might have noticed the popped vein and stopped continuing on the subject.

Just then, another person entered the room.

Hi Guys! I am Batuk. It's really hot in here. How are you managing dude?

Utpal & I stood up in respect. Nuraz also did so, reluctantly though. Standing up for the first time is difficult. In fact doing anything for the first time is difficult. It's all about the law of Inertia. Nuraz can formulate an equation for this, I thought.

Batuk laughed and said, I am your class mate dude! Please relax!

Nuraz's vein popped for the second time. I wondered, how could someone be so confident? Look at us, we stood up for him. Utpal laughed.

Batuk was full of energy and motivation. Like Nuraz, he had some wonderful stories to tell. We felt even more encouraged. Batuk told us that he was from the city. A place where smart people lived. However, later we got to know that he stayed there for last two years and he was also originally from a small town like ours. People who have stayed away from home, always have wonderful stories to tell, I thought.

Batuk took us outside and said he'll sponsor a good lunch. We were pleased by his generous gesture. After the heavy meal Utpal wanted to smoke. Batuk had a packet of 'Navy Cut'. Nuraz was a occasional smoker and he too joined them. I kept guarding them from the seniors who might consider this as disrespectful.

After sometime we went back to hostel. We four were very different from each other and yet we were so together. We felt like brothers and that feeling grew even stronger with every step we took forward, towards the hostel.

From distant we saw few seniors gathered at the hostel gate. As we moved towards them, my mind started speculating things that terrified my heart. My heart began to pound fast and my intellect became unconscious. So I was worried and got tired even before anything really happened. I felt like I was unable to move further. I stopped. Nuraz told me to be brave and keep walking. Utpal said, don't think too much and just count your steps. Batuk said, before you get hit I'll save you dude, just keep walking. They all told me to walk and assured that no evil can happen.

When will doesn't work, trust does!
I trusted them and stopped speculating things; I just focused on counting my steps.

I walked and we all walked towards the hostel..

to be continued...