The Incredible

Here, 'THE END' is about the only devil that is cause of nightmare of all students round the globe, the same evil spirit that keeps innocent minds awake at night and the one responsible for the countless quarrels between parents and their own wards. It is STUDY, the abbreviated form of Stupid Tasks Undertaken During Youth.

This is a noble attempt on my part to make the readers aware of the harsh truth that this world won't let us bid farewell to studies. We have to live with it till our last breath. I still remember the consoling words of my mom when I was just 2 years away from completion of my school days. She said, " You just have two more years to study, if you study these days hard, then you need not worry in the later part. So, it is up to you to choose if you are willing to labor for the rest of your life and enjoy these 2 years or do the reverse." These words brought me dreams of my future where enjoyment was the soul criteria of living. So, I decided to be tough during the last years of my schooling and I succeeded. It seemed as if I had now wings developed out and am ready to fly now. This feeling was soon curbed out with my first step in college. This student was very happy by now being called as a collegian, but he never knew that this sensation was soon going to disappear. Studies are now going to over-capture his life again. After the first day of my college, I returned home and sat with my mom to share the new experiences. We had a good time. The closing sentence of our meeting was something which seemed familiar. I could feel as if I had already heard these things before and my memory took me to 8^Th standard of my school, the divine sentence of my mom and her philosophy on life, hard-work and studies. It was the first time I felt that this is a never ending story but my conscience forced me to rely on her words again. I was again pushed to the dark world where I had very little time for myself. I cursed the whole universe for it.

Time passed on and I found myself steeping into one of the most reputed engineering college of India. I always longed to experience the study period of engineering life. I was told that this period is the best time in a students' study career. This episode is all about merry-making, doing both, different things and things differently. In short, I had heard a lot about engineers and the way they live in technical colleges. I was truly longing to taste this and I knew that the time has arrived. But, there was a question in my mind which always attracted my attention and kept on haunting me. Do I still have to study? An obvious answer was 'Yes' but I wasn't ready to accept it. I always wanted to pave my way in a track that wouldn't ever meet studies. First year of my technical career passed on by carrying out the orders of our 'Sir' and 'Mam' (Seniors). It seemed as if first year students are here to serve their seniors. The worst parts of first year were the free advice of the mighty Professors. The lectures were even more boring. We had to keep hearing them, didn't matter whether we were in a position to listen. We used to note down everything but knowing nothing. The hunger of enjoying was rising up with each passing day but luck wasn't ours. One day, we were informed about the Fresher's party that was just a week ahead. Our happiness knew no bounds. Fresher Party meant that we are now free from the clutches of our seniors i.e. End of ragging period. At the same time, we also knew that the week ahead of us is going to be the most dangerous. However, we endured all torture thinking of the days that were welcoming us. The social gathering was over with notes of appreciation from seniors and some apology because of the torture that we had to face in the past few months. We had just started to enjoy. But this pleasure period soon ended when we were noticed about the meeting with question papers. It was test time and the present answer to all those exam questions was a blank answer sheet. So, time was running out and we were busy fixing up our appointments with the new bulky books, materials, etc. I said to myself, 'Congrats, Study period again'. I came to know this won't ever leave me alone. The first semester ended and the time had come for the various cultural functions, technical fests. Culture of our college made us ready to portray ourselves as laborers rather than as engineering students of first year. We did spend our time doing all sort of manual labor. All functions ended up on a good note. All appreciations were for our seniors and our valuable works were overlooked reminding me of the British Raj. It was now time for Studies again as our second semester was nearing by. The next academic year brought us a few pleasures because we were now advocated as Sir and Madams. Our orders were carried out and were quite happy. We had a craze to do different things, plans were many but none of them were ever materialized. The reason was that we still had two batches leading us. It will not be wrong if I mention that we had tasted only 10 per cent of what we used to hear. The same old things repeated itself in this year, with the only difference that we were now looked up as seniors from the newly joined batch. Some misunderstandings turned into fights, sometimes gang-war even. I came to know about student power in the second year when I found myself involved in a strike against college management. The strike had many demands like reforming the college canteen, allowing for a movie-club, reducing the Pre-Placement fees, etc. This excitement ended up at the police-station. College management had knocked the doors of police and they in turned took 25 students to their work-place. Later, we were left free with a warning. This was not all; our management had fined us with 10,000 bucks and took an undertaking from us where we promised not to be involved in any more strikes. I knew that strike was an integral part of an engineering study period but I never knew that students pay such a heavy price for it. I was witnessing the other part of the coin. In spite of all these, one thing that was always with me was my studies. The fourth semester got completed and I entered the third year of my engineering life. This year brought us lot of fun. Friends were the only thing we used to care about. We toured various places along with friends. The talk of the year was: "Single or Committed, If single then what is the search for? If committed, then to whom?". We had a lot to talk and many to accomplish. Sometimes, I turned out to be a mediator patching up the misunderstanding between couples and sometimes a guy in search of a perfect match. Now, I am at the verge of my completion of third year. We still have different plans to execute when we step into the next year, where we will be given the authority to take decisions. Hope, our life will take a U-turn from next year onwards. Talking of now, we are engaged in chalking out plans for the next year technical fest, cultural function, the college magazine and other innovative ideas. Bunking classes are on a rise. I am now in our college reading room (Bunking classes of the day) and wanted to give a form to my emotions that really wants to fly far away from the study world. Is it ever possible? Will I find myself in that world of no study? For that, I have to lead life hoping for the best. The precious word of my mom on 'hard-work now, peace later' keeps ringing every time. But by now, I have already understood that Study is a never ending story………………(to be continued)