Memories from the Golden years of my life (1)

Around 27th or 28th June, 2005

I was feeling cold. Not because of the weather. The weather was absolutely fine as far as feeling cold was concerned. It was mid June!! I was cold with the anxiety of what was to come. I was leaving for IIM Lucknow in about three hours. Away from home. For the first time.

It was difficult. Believe me it was very very difficult. I was like a grown up child. From getting a letter couriered to filling up my CAT forms I needed papa and mummy. I had never never traveled alone even to the railway station let alone travel outside station. And hence I had forced papa to come along with me and stay with me till I settled in. Dear parents as they are, did not object even once rather mummy was happy that her dear little child would not be lost. To be frank they all wanted to come, Dhiraj and mummy but again frankly I didn’t want all of them to come. After endless discussions I was able to convince them that they could always visit me once I was well settled. Maybe after first mid terms.

Anyways while papa and mummy packed for me I was busy calling up close friends : Shounak, Yuvraj, Devender, Neha, Priyanka, Varun and Navneet. Finally the moment came. Holding back tears I left home. Mummy and Dhiraj had come to see us off. Somehow every step seemed significant as if it was carrying me towards my destiny. But every step also seemed difficult. May be it was not what I wanted.

Few minutes left before the train would take me away. What to talk in such moments has always been a mystery. The four of us mostly remained quiet. May be it was just to hold back that lump in the throat that kept on forming again and again . At least I can say that about myself. They wished me best wishes and got down from train. Dhiraj and mummy. The train started moving. I said goodbye. I felt I was leaving something behind.

I was very apprehensive about going to Lucknow. Maybe because I hadn’t really heard much about the place. And of course whatever little I had heard wasn’t very positive. In fact I had even thought many times about not joining L and rather taking up the job which Infy had offered me. But you see after getting five calls and clearing none of my gds and interviews when you get a chance albeit in second list it isn’t really easy to let it go. Of course there is what you call peer and parental pressure. But frankly I wasn’t fully convinced.

Anyways now the train was moving. Delhi was being left behind. As I could see the train was full of people going to join L. Many of them had already met each other and were now chatting at the top of their voices as if they had known each other for ages.