Those were the best days of my life!!!!

The four years of engineering…lots of memories, lots of people, many moments and a few very good friends. It’s been ten years now and life has changed its course a lot…but when I look back, the four years of engineering I had were the best days of my life!!!

Doing engineering in a college affiliated with the “University of Mumbai” but situated in New Bombay is some fun!!! Orientation in a non plastered red brick one storied building with new faces from all parts of Bombay, professors with thick “Marathwada” accent and the aridness of New Bombay (then) shocked me and my parents. The worst was yet to come…ragging. I could pass with some smile and little tricks but others had to really prove themselves!!! Nothing could have made me hate it more. But then came along the fresher’s party and it did change it all. Within a month, people had formed own sweet little groups of friends traveling together on the Andheri-Belapurs, sharing lunches together and writing…rather copying assignments sitting on railway stations of New Bombay. I flowed along just fine. The once irritating Marathwada English was no longer unbearable but a matter of small intraday humors. I still remember one of my professors saying “The class will resume at sharp 4.30 o’ clock”.

Between the clatter of scales and protractors, drafter with drawing boards, I didn’t realize when the first year went by. Then I discovered myself in a whole new world. A world of ATKTs. With the FE excitement subdued and the dark overshadows of ATKT looming over me, I saw just one ray of hope and light…it crashed onto me directly from Vidyalankar Classes :). All the more fun! Venkatesh, Jejurkar, Biju, Puja, name and another and another. All Gods and Allah of students trying to make them sail through. I still remember the nervous breakdown I used to have while standing in the queue for viva waiting to get grilled and also remember the hands sweating before I could get that one question paper in which you had no questions from JIGAR books. In between ofcourse were the inter and intra college festivals, sports and matches that kept me alive. Semester after semester and I didn’t realize when I was in my final year. Another big challenge was to find my own project! Everybody gets one…:)…it was just a matter of time (and contacts :)). It was then the time when I was about to leave this world of engineering and step out as a professional…just that I didn’t realize until the 8th semester dawned upon me and the send off party was arranged.

It was a very special time of my life. Me and my life were blossoming together. A new sense of achievement coupled with a new responsibility. Responsibility of making yourself happen. At the same time, right to take decisions while I understood my roles. This phase of one’s life, I think makes or breaks a person. I am glad I have made it. All this during those four years and the years themselves define who I am today. And though I kind of hated it somewhat when I was going through it, I now realize that it was not at all bad. I have enjoyed those years of my life and that the memories from then will be always treasured and cherished.