Pause. Rewind. Play.
I know this is early for anyone to write a farewell note but to be quite frank about the facts, now is the time that I found to be apt because later on I have this hectic agenda of doing absolutely nothing and that’s really tiresome. As the quote goes, Nothing is Impossible, you can see why I say it’s very tiresome. Anyway, without any further ado, here’s my tribute to the people who have made my Graduate years an Awesome one.
2011–2015
This will forever be etched in my memory. Starting from 2011, the moment I stepped through the gates of this stupid-ass University, till 2015, the moment I bid farewell to the people and place (And the food. Finally!!). I’m pretty sure the walls of this place will resonate the memories of mine as well as the other thousands who were here even long after we’re gone. And I’m also sure that in the coming years we’ll look back at these days to bring back the insanity in us. When insanity knocks, we can be certain that friends come to our mind. On top of my head to the bottom of this list, here’s my toast to those wonderful yet stupid jackasses who’ll bring back my insanity till eternity dies.
THE GANG!
This one goes out to the predominant hostellers with whom I spent most of the days when I’m not out doing crappy stuff. I do agree with the fact that some of you guys weren’t introduced to me from my initial days in the hostel but, nevertheless, you people gave me enough memories in the final years that I can cherish for a lifetime.
Rohan, I still remember the day I met you at Vamsi’s room asking for my card to buy some coins online. I thought you were crazy and that thought hasn’t changed much even now. You are always on the verge of pissing me off, then again, I ain’t much different either. You turn on the lights when I’m about sleep, I play songs that are more to your dislike; you sleep off locking the doors and won’t wake up till the entire floor is knocking the crap out of it, I lock you from outside assuming you won’t wake up only to come back running from the class to unlock the door; you play your games (CS) with the loudspeakers, I set my alarm with an irritating sound and won’t wake up to switch it off (Wow! We are pretty much alike there, but you beat me when it comes snoozing through loud noises). You writing my record for me, and me drawing your diagrams for you. By far, you are the laziest person I have ever seen. <FISTBUMPS>
KT, I don’t know when or how I met you exactly, but I can never forget our greeting gesture every time we crossed each other in Vinay Sadan. The moment we see each other, we flip our middle finger up in the air and walk around like we just don’t care. Shit. We don’t do that anymore, do we? And then we became roommates and what you went through with me as your roommate is pretty much what Rohan went through as well. For many, Rohan was their motivation to bunk classes, for me, however, you were (Though it was in my final year, it still doesn’t matter). You wake up early, get ready and then at 9 AM, you decide to bunk. Classic! Times were there when I and Rohan leave for the mess, you’ll be in a complete formal attire and when we return, we’ll find you tucked in with your quilt. Your reasons are fairly simple, you have a new episode to watch and you can’t wait till evening. To tell you in one phrase, TV Series Addict!
Abhijith, Vamsi, and Satish, you guys are either like a troublesome trio or the musketeers minus the cash and girl or the talent. You three maintain some sort of feel that only you know to carry. Vamsi, every time I walk into your room, you’ll either be hibernating or watching some videos on YouTube. You are one person who keeps giving us some sort of shocks sometime or the other in a way that you are very much familiar of, and your humor is beyond words to explain. Satish, well, you are an asshole. Period. Our greetings are pretty much swearing at each other from a distance, then talk some shit and swear again as we walk away. You are one guy who barely gives a shit about what others say. And thus, most of the time, you end up doing some weird crap that you are not very proud of (Like your “Relationship” with Sairam). But all that’s said and done, you’re the most sportive guy I have ever known. So, _|_. There you go. And finally, Abhi. You are one of those jackasses who will convince people to do shit. In a way, that ends up making that day awesome as hell. I still remember the “philosophical” talks we had near the water coolers while filling our bottles. And pulling Vamsi’s and Pruthvi’s leg every chance we get. Man, those were the days. And you three, I can never forget the adventure we had during the Hudhud cyclone. That was some wicked shit. With barely enough food, water or power, we managed to make it through the disaster making that one hell of an experience. I can never thank you enough for that. Then again, nanbaen da (Friend ra).
Ram Harsha, my first memory of you goes back to when I came running to your room (The gaming room) with Rohan’s phone. It was not until the third year through college did we hang out for real and you were, by popular demand, the Balupu guy to hang out with. The trip to Yarada and you getting an earful from your parents because of my pic. Sigh. Knocking on the door at 12 to know if we have any food (Even though you knew you literally emptied what we had a couple of hours earlier). And, of course, your epic Birthday Bashes. Yours are by far the most hurting birthday bumps I have ever received, and I have received a lot of thrashes on various occasions from various people. And yet you come around saying it wasn’t even close to your powerful shot. Dude! What the hell is wrong with you!? Then again, I sometimes end up asking for the thrashes because of various reasons you are aware of. On second thought, I should be asking myself that question given the fact that I’m well aware of the thrashes and yet irritate you just for the hell of it. I need help.
Pavan, Naishadh, Rahul, Nikhilkanth, and Karthik. Though there aren’t many major things we did that are on top of my mind, you guys were there whenever Ram Harsha or KT or Rohan wanted to pull my leg. Pavan, the trip to your hometown and, of course, your home was literally the longest trip I have ever been on my bike. And your constant concern about the sounds that your bike makes (though the sounds were the actual engine sounds), that sometimes cracks me up a bit. Naishadh, you come to our room to see and wake up Rohan almost every morning (And evening) and acting as if you were a Don of some sort. And I can never forget that day at the barbershop when the guy at the reception desk thought you were a schoolboy. It’s okay, man. You’ll grow some facial hair when you hit puberty. Rahul! The gang’s reputed “Hacker”. (NOTE TO OTHERS WHO ARE READING THIS: He is a hacker. He has hacked your computer at this very moment while you are busy reading this. TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY, GODDAMMIT!) But seriously though, I applaud you for all the mockery that was put through for various reasons and also for that “Swap Your Books” idea (see, I’m helping you promote your shit.). Your reason for allergies to Onions, because you haven’t eaten them, has kept me doubting your idiocy a bit too many times though. A word of advice BTW, lower your attitude a bit, it’ll go a long way. Karthik, the guy who loves his moped more than himself. He will lend it to you only to take the keys back from you even before you leave the room (A bit too much exaggeration I suppose). Your idiotic senses at times did baffle our brains. I remember this one time you actually had us when you said that you had sold your laptop online. And also the other time when you slept off like the sleeping giant and snoozed your way through all the knocks, kicks and numerous bangs on your door. People actually thought you killed yourself inside! And finally, Nikhilkanth, the guy with the knack for clarity. You say whatever that is you intend to say with utmost clarity without leaving out the littlest of things that barely matter. You walk into the room with the laziest walk I can ever imagine and then we start arguing about absolutely nothing. Well, those arguments over nothing are pretty much something now.
THE CLASS!
Four years, eight semesters. These people were the assholes and jackasses I had to deal with all these years but then again I’m an asshole myself. Cutting classes, last-minute assignments, sem-end exams, what not? These guys were there for everything. Although, I have to agree, not until my sophomore year was I introduced to these bunch of baboons.
Rohit, a guy who comes to the class just to read his novel collections and gets attendance for doing just that. I wasn’t introduced to you up until our 3rd semester but since then till now, I consider you as an addict to whatever related to Mobile phones and Laptops. From the shittiest rock-solid Lava phone in the second year (That’s how far I remember of you) to the latest HTC One M7, you kept upgrading yourself to the latest. Though only once have I visited your house, your mom’s food and your memory wall blew me away (That was the coolest thing I have ever seen anyone do. I just might copy that). The birthday bumps that I received on the road last year was unforgettable. These put aside, the one thing I relate you most with is that stupid ass morphed pic of mine you had edited and uploaded online that made me look like a jackass. As much as I hate to say this, that photo you edited, though I disliked it for obvious reasons, came in handy whenever I needed to make anyone smile a bit whenever they feel down. Thanks a lot! (With a little bit of sarcasm intended)
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Ravi Teja (CR), the guy behind me, and pretty much everyone else’s, attendance percentage, and internal marks. The only Leapling I know. You were that one guy who pisses me off the most on various occasions, mostly in keeping your phone close to private property and mine as a public phone booth. Dude, seriously?! Anyway, of all the things in my mind, I can never forget the time you got caught for copying during our MS paper in our 3rd semester and when the same shit repeated the next semester on the same day with the same professor and because of the same girl (though this time you weren’t copying for real) I really thought you were going to be barred that time. The rainy days when the entire class skipped college and spent it wandering on the shores of the beach. And getting an earful from PS Rao the following day. Well, that wasn’t limited to just one day. Too many to forget. That early morning bike ride to Bheemli; that friendship day celebration watching The Conjuring. Too many to put in words but you know all the shit we have been through (We ride together, we die together. Bad boys for life). In the end, I’m “for, ra”. (*Hysterical laughter*). And then comes Bhabbu. Yeah, well, you are a snake. For the many times, you drew diagrams for almost every record of mine and also that one time when you literally corrected a few records at the last minute. <thanks loads>. And that artistic drawing you drew of the gang (I have it somewhere in my room, I guess) was simply amazing to put in words.
Vipasya, a name that twisted the tongue of too many professors over the years. The tallest jackass I know who, ironically, never made it to the basketball team. The class’ daddy, the GRE boy who had a chance to get a kiss from a girl when he was in primary in America (Tough luck, Vipasya. And, you’re welcome. I just made you famous.), and at times the most annoying person you can think of. You were one of the people who’ll say that you know nothing even though we knew that you know shit, claim that you studied nothing even though we knew and at times even saw you walk out of the library with a note, and finally, you’ll argue that you’ll fail for sure even when we show you from the shit you wrote and the minimum marks they allot, you’ll end up above 7.5GPA! Speaking of which, you owe us a subway party for that bet BTW. You scored 8.78 that semester. I don’t think I remember the number of times I “stole” food, and many other shitty things for that matter, from your room and “got away” with (Mostly till the staircase. But Haha! I win!). And you put up with me through all the craziest shit I did that I’m very much proud of. I’m Awesome! (Take notes, sucker). The IIT Madras project and your 21st Birthday bash, I don’t think you can ever get another one like that. (To my escape pod!) All that’s said and done, it was undoubtedly four years of awesomeness!
Rohan (The Original), this guy is an Asshole. An authentic one. What follows him is a Shithead (Well, he is authentic too), I’ll get to him in a while. This guy is the only drummer I know and a singer with real talent shit. Though you weren’t in my class, technically, you were a part of almost every shitty idea I come up with. I remember the time when you and Roshan walked into the class with Srikar in the first year wearing the same colour-coded formal attire (Except for shoes), like a typical twin. It really took me some time to separate you both. Now you guys barely match each other’s attire. Whatever pranks you pulled or were dragged into, I’m pretty sure that Shithead was also with you for almost everything. That one time when you and he exchanged classes during our Computer period and he got caught in your class while you managed to make it through acting like him. Epic! Scaling the Rushikonda in front of our University was pretty much equivalent to climbing the Everest. And the path you both took us to scale it at first (*Falls flat on your feet*), it made the climb look ever more tedious and almost impossible to reach the top. But to the best of my knowledge, we were the first to climb it amongst the people I know. (*Fistbumps*).
Roshan (The Duplicate), well, as I said, this guy is a Shithead and he is quite an authentic one too. A guitarist and singer by passion, pretty much like Asshole, only duplicated hence Shithead. I don’t know what I learnt in class but whatever I learnt from you was the fact that your logic simply defied everything that forms the base of Science. Your impeccable idea of travelling to Chennai from Vizag in less than 6 hours. On the road. In a car. (*Jaw drops*) I must build a temple for you and destroy that just for this shit. How can I ever forget to mention about your relationships with mobile phones? They never go hand in hand (If we were to give you our phone, we might as well consider it lost and buy us a new one). And that picture of a Nicki Minaj wannabe who looked like me according to you, I shall take revenge for that. I can only imagine the number of times we sang songs sitting on the first bench of our TE class just because we were bored as hell. And the photographs that kept on proving our creative skills. And also the number of times the moped of yours that served as my quick transport to travel to the railway station or the bus depot. And, of course, the luck your moped has every time you came to hang out with us. Though most of our hangout plans were last minute, the insanity that followed stayed until the last minute. I can never forget the first time you lost your mobile on the football field and made me search the entire ground in the dark. You owe me big time for that. And also the times when I and Vipasya tricked you into telling us some of your deepest secrets which we sometimes use to blackmail the shit out of you. Epic shit, bruh! Then again, being there when needed the most made you and your brother one of the coolest twins I have ever known! BTW, the football match between I1 and I2, will it ever end or will it go to the point where you’ll bring everyone in your family and their neighbours and call them as your team members? Legit question. Public wants to know.
THE MOB!
This, I say, is because of the obvious reasons that you are all very much aware of. When I first met you, people, I met a group of seven nincompoops at IIT-KGP (Though I was already familiar with three people who were already on my team for a project we presented). Now, the “gang” consists of more or less 25 people! Trust me, it’s a mob. Not a gang. And from the looks of it, it’ll either dissipate in the future or grow furthermore. But either way, I’m comfortably lunatic to the ones here. Though at times you had to bear with all the tantrum that I throw ever so gracefully, I appreciate your presence through everything. Podu.
Harsha, this whole chapter of stupidity starts because of you. You were one of the few who came early to the hostel on day-one and thus we met in the corridor of our suites. Had anything changed in any manner, I would have escaped the ludicrous that the gang brings every time. Our project, AquaRanger for IIT-KGP, and the trip to reach there still runs fresh in my mind and will forever be one of the best trips I have ever been on. The number of times, my insanity drove you insane and the number of times the “gang” curse you for bringing me into their lives and making it miserable for them to bear, I can barely imagine. You taught me how to play tennis. Well, you tried to teach, I, on the other hand, was hitting the ball as if I was playing cricket. The trip to Divi’s beach. You were one of the few who drag me out of my comfort zone to do shit that I, before doing, would think that it would be lame and shit but in the end, I enjoy the day. Then again, had it been the other way round, it would still be an awesome day to laugh at later on. Like the times, you dragged me to those three fucked up Telugu movies consecutively. I had wished that I would rather have my eyeballs pulled out of my socket than to sit through that shit. For this, I shall take my revenge. And lastly, the one time I made my way to your house, thanks to Hudhud and my awesome brain. The mutton dish of your mom’s literally made me break the vegetarian fever I had going on. And the trip to your hometown can never be put into words. For all that and for every shit that we were to take credits for, thanks!
Avinash, when I met you I literally thought of the old me that I used to be. Not to sound all elderly and shit but you did look all serious and were so into science and Einstein and his theories. You are still not much different, only the fact that you’re now ain’t that serious and a lot more batshit crazy than you used to be. To be frank, I was quite intimidated by you at first, ‘cause, let’s face it, I’m no you. Then the insanity kicked in. But one thing that bothered me was that every time we hung out, your ears would always be busy with earphones on it. Dude, even I love music more than anything but seriously, be with the ones around you when you’re outside. Getting back, you were and still are, like, Harsha’s left hand. You were there for most of the shenanigans that we pulled. That shopping spree for Karthik’s birthday was the most epic shit. You thought I couldn’t ask for a condom with a straight face and wanted to see me buy one from a local store. Well, burn, bitch. Your reaction whenever you get no place to sit except next to me in a movie hall really makes my day every time. And your birthday gift. The basic craziness behind the idea and gameplay was Harsha’s and designing that with the whackiest words were mine. You are welcome. Well, like Vipasya, I don’t think even you’ll get another birthday celebration like that unless Harsha involves again.
Karthik, well, most of the people of our age wonder whether to make waves or not, but you, however, wonder about the ways to make your waves straight a lot. I don’t blame you for it, I feel you, bro. My first memory of you goes back to the time when you wished me on my birthday even before we actually met in the first year. And then our trip to Kailash Giri, the pictures we took. You even made a video with those pictures of the people I literally consider as the gang. Sigh. That was uber cool, man. I still go back to watch that at times. The times we spent at the canteen whose name got caught up as the “gang’s” name amongst your classmates were the good old days. And the time when you and Harsha fooled me into playing cricket at Steel Plant. Crashing at your place post Jillu’s sister’s reception. Though we hung out quite rarely because of our busy-ness, I made sure that I pull your leg or vice versa every time we did hang out. By far, you are the most dedicated cricket enthusiast that I have ever met. I don’t think I know anyone who’d play the game as good as you do. And I can never forget the time when you got so angry Harsha for the reason you know at CMR and you blew your top off. I really couldn’t hold my laughter while you were scolding him. I’m sorry, but maybe that’s me. And dude, when you go abroad, get me intros of all the broads there. Okay, sir? P.S. Say shit. Your opinions do count. A lot.
Tejaswini AKA GC, I was never a part of your class in any way but still, I ended up calling you GC. Hence, popular people. Harsha introduced you to me as one of the girls (Though you claim yourself to be one, I seriously doubt that for a fact) who were interested in the project in our freshmen year (The other nitwit of a girl is to follow). Wow! If it wasn’t for that one trip to IIT, I wouldn’t have met any of you people. <Pats myself>. What makes you stand out the most were your involuntary expressions. Keep it up! You, and pretty much everyone, claim that you are one of the finest classical dancers in the University but I literally have never seen you dance (Posing for a pic wearing a classical dance attire doesn’t count). However, I can never forget the times you pissed off Harsha in the first year by saying or doing something absolutely stupid and then I had to barge in to make things right. You owe me for all that. And that one time you made my heart stop when someone told me that you look like Nithya Menon. Really? <Pops a gun at my temple>. For some reason, that only you’ll know, you consider me as some sort of a motivator. As far as I know me, I say shit like this a lot and that gets me nowhere near girls. Speaking of which, get me intro!
Prathyusha, the other nitwit of a girl. You bore through all my stupid and absolutely absurd cheesy texts. Well, being a fake girlfriend has its ups and downs. I applaud you for that. But for a girl who consistently scored a GPA that categorized you amongst the toppers, you baffled my brains, and you still continue on doing that, many a time. As I say, you are a twenty-year-old with an eight-year-old’s brain (While your actual age might vary from time to time, I don’t think your brain’s age would. Call that staying young forever). Maybe your head got hit hard on something when you were a kid. You try to be all elderly and mature but in the end, you act like a school kid. Like that time, in Araku, when you tried to show us the place you were very much familiar with, you took GC by hand to guide her first but, instead, you both fell hard on the next step. And at IIT KGP when every one of us was busy discussing on what to do to make the boat work again, you were hitting a hammer on the floor. Not on the head of a nail or anything. Just plain old concrete floor (We even have that on video *Evil Laughter*). You were part of the team! All that said, I’m sure it’s safe to say that there won’t be another girl like you. I really mean it. You really are one of a kind. But if at all, by mistake, I run into someone like you, I’ll probably kill myself. One nitwit is enough to drive me insane. (I’m sure many will agree to this)
Surya, Uday, Jillu, and Praneeth. You guys were the ones with whom most of the plans are made and they were just awesome as fuck! Surya Bhai, I met you along with Avinash (Again, being all serious and shit) on our journey to IIT. Though your name was tagged with Bhai in the start, it soon became to what you are now popularly known as, The Fruit. It’s okay, man. You should’ve been careful while playing that game at IIT. Our trip to Divi’s beach and you going full-on crazy was really something. I’ll never forget that. Uday, I remember being introduced to you right after that trip and you were there sitting all calm and shit on the bench at Bheemas. Next to my brother, you are the only other Anime lover I know. I can never forget the way we used to greet each other on random occasions saying nothing but “Hey, you… yeah! You…” as if we were strangers of some sort. Memorable. Jillu, well, I wasn’t introduced to you until our junior year in college. But nevertheless, you were pretty much a cool dude to hang out with and I really appreciate you for not knocking me out for getting on your nerves too many times ‘cause, so far, the Harsha(s) I know is a fan of bashing the shit out of me. I’m glad you aren’t. But then again, I’m awesome. I still remember riding your bike at 115kmph on our way back from Bheemli and you were chasing me on Lakshman’s car to slow me down. *Laughs and runs away*. Praneeth, like Jillu, even you were introduced to me around that time. Now, you are a part of the gang that’s purely awesome (Mainly because of me. I’m a narcissistic asshole). You are welcome. I can never forget, and I still laugh every time I think about, that time when you were to give me Harsha’s luggage at the train station but instead of making it a smooth delivery, you made me run back and forth searching for you in the last minute. Had I missed that train, it would have been on both of you jackasses.
Royal, Mahathi, and Tejaswini AKA 60. You three were always in your own world of nothing. Pulling your legs were always fun. The leg touch game that went on all night at IIT was the best time as far as I could remember. Royal, I knew you from that fest and from that day till now, there weren’t much change in you in any way. I remember the epic ‘Attention and Stand at Ease’ pose you posed for a picture there. And that accident you met with because of, yours truly, GC near that blind school. Because of her, you are now afraid to go beyond 40–50 Kmph. *LMAO* Mahathi, I have said this before, I’ll say it again. You don’t have a stomach, you have a tank. Never have I seen anyone who’ll eat pretty much anything on the table. I can never forget the birthday bumps I received from you at IIT. You literally punched me! Well, revenge was taken on your birthday the following month but still. Tejaswini (60), I have one thing to say to you. Speak softly. For the love of my ears, please. You scream and shout so loud that at times I find the siren sound of an Ambulance more pleasant. (True Story) I remember the leg touch game at IIT where you chased me till I fell down and tore my favourite jeans. And the times you tried to kill Tamil. <facepalm> All that aside, you girls were the coolest ones I know to hang out with. Cheers!
These are the very few amongst an entire ocean of memories that we shared together in this awesome journey through our Engineering life. If a song could bring back a thousand memories, I can only imagine from the songs I have listened in this campus the number of memories that’ll hit me. So many awesome days in my mind with so many people I know. If I were to put in words, I’m sure to write a book or series which will forever be told. All of this is like a playlist on my phone. Time and again I would definitely Pause, Rewind and Playback every memory and cherish it with every chance I get. Thank you for making me what I am.
<Raises a glass>
To one hell of a ride at Gitam.
