[Reader-list] B - Grade Engineering College Culture / Sixth Posting / Nalin N. Mathur

[Nalin Mathur]

B - Grade Engineering College Culture / Sixth Posting / Nalin N. Mathur

I had planned to make trhis posting a visual one. But was unable to load the
same over the relevent medium. Hence, the post below speaks on a couple of
topics over which I had begun some work. During the course of discussion
with fellow batchmates and people at work I observed that one thing that is
absolutely similar during ones engineering days are movies. Also, there is
one moment or instant that one expireences, which defines ones engineering
days. The post below describes the same.

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Random Thoughts

I am sure it seems somewhat amusing to have a whole write up about the
effect that movies have had on the cultural aspect of my college days. For
anyone living in times like these, movies certainly play a significant role
in shaping one's cultural outlook. I strongly believe in the maxim that
movies reflect the society and vice versa. Hence, to state the obvious
brings in no value add or insight to this project. However, when the thin
line between one's cultural inhabitations and outlook and one's identity as
a whole, begins to fade, movies, I would say, carve out a new dimension. For
me and my college friends, there is an uncanny relation between the way our
eventful days at college and the movies released every Friday. What we saw,
we did. There were instances, when we engrossed in a particular scene,
simply exclaimed – Hey that is us!

I had just left school when I saw American Pie. Unabashed and voyeuristic,
the fable of those high school friends initiated my romance with the college
life. I knew something was missing, when unlike the majestic prom, I found
myself purchasing tickets for Appu Ghar after my school farewell. The actual
disappointment came in college. Girls were as scarce as genuine all-rounders
in our cricket team. Highly inspired by the movie, my gang made a pact too.
It was not fetch a girl friend each. We knew our strengths, hence decided
not to let any of our batch mate have one. We tried our best to spoil the
show where ever possible. Our cause gained momentum and a few more joined
the endeavor. It was only after a solid bashing by the seniors we lost
steam. We never went to 'the next step'.

Apart from movies, there have been instances whose incidental timings were
in sync with some important junctures. It all began with the day when I,
tucked in the back seat of my uncle's car, sped through the highway to visit
my college for the first time. We were traveling to do get me admitted. My
parents were discussing the tuition fee, while I blessed the beautiful sunny
day; supremely confident of myself having got through a college whose
standing was somewhat above my grasp for science, I was dead sure that
nothing could go wrong today. Upon reaching my college, among the first
things I saw was the coverage of airplanes crashing through the World Trade
Center. The date was 9/11/2001. The Gods were showing me the signs and a
gullible that I am, sank them in. The ominous day set the tone for my time
ahead at the college.