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JC: Junior College


J of #AtoZChallenge 

When I was in school my idea of college was heavily influenced by movies especially Ishq Vishk (which was far more realistic than Dil Chahta Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and even Remix!)

I remember my two years of Junior College in bits and pieces. It was almost like walking into a colourful, youth movie set. There were all sorts of teenagers wearing cool outfits, some wearing no-brainer normal outfits, some trying to be fashionable and some just being themselves. I think the idea of 'not wearing a uniform' was itself daunting. I couldn't believe I had to make an effort of thinking what should I wear every day to college. And feel as if I was going to be judged every day! I would secretly feel like Gabriella from High School Musical and would wonder if people would randomly start jumping and dancing all around! 

My college was a huge quadrangular building with dark, cool corridors, breezy second and third floors, an air-conditioned auditorium, a secret floor with forbidden access (where we would often trespass and copy the missed out notes), a Hogwarts' like library mostly with reference books and study cubicles, and an ever-busy, ever-full, lip-smacking vadapav smelling canteen! It had a ground in the middle of the college; where students would perch up on the sides of the balcony and watch the students' matches. There were some nooks and corners in the college where young/recently hooked couples would sit and have hard-to-eavesdrop conversations. 

Now when I look back, the two years seem funny as well as thrilling to me! All of a sudden hundreds of options opened up. It's like no one was watching you, ready to punish you or question you. People my age were (without any restrictions) dating, falling in love, were bunking lectures and chilling in canteen while you knew your class was in progress, eating what they liked and when they liked, hanging out with random people. Some were smoking openly, even secretly boozing, playing sports and joining different clubs (theatre, history, psychology, sports etc). It was just like  movies! 

More importantly we were exploring new subjects and just observing different people from different places under the same roof! We were a group of friends comprising of four girls and two boys. It's funny how we all came together. There were hardly any common interests and the streams were different. We hung out a lot; went to movies, ate out, bunked classes, explored the new malls. And just when all this felt like a movie, to make my Junior College days more 'happening', the movie Rang De Basanti, released. I wasn't the only one who would imagine RDB's songs in the background when we hung out! In the end only four of us stuck together and I find it relieving that we four are still friends and meet whenever the four are in town. Funny, that all of us are married now and chose different paths in our careers! 

(Bottom l-r: Adwait, Savina, Me, Keval. Top picture is when we were in SYJC.) 

The most hyped and fun days, the whole college looked forward to, were those 'Dress Days'- Pink and Blue Day,  White Day, Rose Day, Chocolate Day, Saree and Tie Day. Some people thought it was too lame to be followed but I had followed the Pink and Blue Day to the T and didn't bother to be go dressed in a saree (that would have been too much for me). Frankly nobody cared to give anyone roses and chocolates (because that would mean spending extra money). Yes, the popular and likeable girls received roses and chocolates, but I think the guys were either too shy or too cool to follow a lame trend! And the girls didn't bother to reverse the trend and 'give' a rose to anyone! 

Another EVENT of everyone's college lives was the College Fest. My college hosted Dimensions! It was considered to be amongst the most happening college festivals in the central suburbs of Mumbai. It was by far the coolest college event I had ever witnessed in my life as a sixteen year old! The entire centre ground was filled with bobbling, excited, wide-eyed heads! My friends and I didn't want to get lost in the sticky-sweaty sea. So we chose a better spot; right on the second floor of the college building and enjoyed the stage shows. 

The only time we made our way through this sea of students was the Band Event. It was also my first time that I attended a 'Rock Show.' The College bands were really talented! People could actually play the guitars, drums and sing! While I didn't understand the head-banging and the 'moshpit', I had a blast laughing at the bumping-jacks and tried some head-banging myself. Ofcourse it was painful the other day! But worth a try! 

My entire FYJC and a part of SYJC went in hanging out and having fun. The only subjects I have the memory of studying with keen interest were French and Psychology. I hardly have any memory of studying other subjects. I remember the classrooms and few random batchmates though.  I have little memory of the Professors (four to five max)! I took French lessons from my trusted and most favourite Teacher Ms. D'Souza (my school-time English tuition teacher). And just because of her I could dare to bunk French at college! 

A few months before the most dreaded and extremely important '12th std/ HSC exam' I went underground. I lost touch with the college, with batchmates, even with a few friends. We didn't meet, hardly spoke to each other. Savina and I would just talk at night, trying to keep each other awake, so that we could study. My Mum had seen enough of me galavanting. She made sure I studied my eyes out! Ofcourse I am thankful to her for studying with me. But it was also the first board exam that I was studying for, that had subjects which I liked! In the end, I outdid and surprised myself by scoring quite a great score (for me)! I was happy and moved on from my college. I knew none of my friends and I were going back to the same college. And henceforth would be making a specific choice that would help me guide me in my career. Little did I know what the next three years had in store for me. They were definitely not about bookish studying :) 

Though Junior College lasted for two years and though I hardly remember what I studied, I truly cherish the memories of making friends, the funny memories I had with them, some random people I met, few movies and songs that were released and for which I had bunked college! 
JC gave me my first taste of living a young, carefree life without any expectations and responsibilities. It gave me the space to spread my wings as I was preparing to fly :) 

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