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A trip down memory lane

     This might seem a little overdone, but somehow I can't seem to get tired thinking about my freshman year. After my freshman year, when I left for Mumbai from Poona, I could not help recollecting the memories that were associated with every place I laid my eyes on! Then be it the "Lake Town Society", which I never saw, the sweet Malai Kofta from "Jaipur Garden" that I just ate once, or the crowded "thaali"in "Chintamani"...my ultimate choice for a lazy Saturday night... I'd never thought, even after spending half of my childhood in Poona (and even being born there), the town could give me so many things to treasure...in my first year of engineering itself! These might seem a little weird, sometimes difficult to understand since you possibly haven't lived those moments, and even harder to "Like" since this note has NO RHYME! So here I start with those special memories...those unforgettable moments.

     1. Vibhas's b'day "bash": How many of us can say that we had almost 30 friends (no Hyperbole!) visit us at midnight on our birthday just to wish us? None of us can forget the 3 hour sing-n-dance session that we had that night! Whoo! Vibhas, you are one lucky guy!

     2.My "code-names" for mess food: It's sad how the quality of the mess food deteriorated day by day till the end of first year. Unknowingly, I assigned almost 10 "code-names" for the "stuff" that used to be served as "food" to us, and used them whenever my friends asked me what was there for breakfast. For example,

'Cement' meant 'Upma'

'Paperweight' indicated 'Idli' (they were that hard!)

'Frisbee' was 'thaalipeeth'

'S.G.D.B.'...the abbreviation for 'Same Gravy, Different Bhaji' (They had this flaming red coloured gravy everyday...just the stuff they added in it helped us know what it was...Rajmah, Chhole or their favourite-MIXED VEG!)

The sherbet they served us tasted no different from 'Benadryl cough syrup'!

     3.Rajas's "SSSSAAAAAP!": When friends meet, some hug each other, while some stick to "cool guy handshakes" (read...real cold guy handshake). Well, Rajas and I say "SSSAAAAP!" (our version of "Wassup?!") aloud when we meet...and oh! we don't forget to shape our arm like a snake when we do that!

     4.Siddharth's "wet" look: It was always an irritating scene when Siddharth used to wet all his hair and comb it tightly (if you know what I mean) just before going to mess for dinner. Dunno what his idea was, but that sure didn't impress the girls! NO OFFENCE, SIDDHARTH!

     5."Kal G.P. hai mera...Sona hai jaldi!": Waking up early for our General Proficiency lectures (I had Japanese as my GP subject) was no less than a Herculean task for most of us. This used to be a common line when any of us having "GP" the next day was asked if he would stay up the night doing "TP"! But sadly, those nights would turn out to be the nights we stayed up the most, no matter how much we tried to refrain from it!

     6."Which movie are you seeing?"; "(says movie name)"; "Isn't this the one in which (discloses climax)"; "Yaar suspense mat khol!": FE was the year I watched the most number of movies. Thanks to all the laptops that served as free movie screens for most of us. No sooner had one of us started watching a movie, than the others would join in and the room would turn into a "Micro Mini theatre"! WHAT FUN!

     7.Saturday nights!: There used to be no food in the mess on Saturday nights. This was the time that we took full advantage of! Wanowrie, MG Road, Gangadham (mostly for Cad-B and Meghdoot) were our hot-spots! The curfew was extended for one hour on Saturdays...and we used to happily come back at the said timings...well, most of the time!

     8."Tanuj! Maths padhaa!": Dunno why, but maths was the most dreaded subject in the Hostel. And somehow (I'm trying to be as modest as possible), my math was a titsy bit better than the others. But no offence guys, I had fun teaching you all! At least that made mine a known name!

     9."Hey, call from my home, NO ONE ABUSES, OK?!": No matter how many times we must have said this, someone or the other used to utter one swear word involuntarily, which used to be followed by a lot of "Shhh" 's and the person on the phone walking out of the room, sulking!

     10.Tanuj can drive!: As I come to think of it, I couldn't possibly have been able to drive even a moped had I not come to Poona. I was so accustomed to walking and cycling back home that it was really shameful for me not to be able to ride a moped. Forget ride, I hardly knew the names of any mopeds till VIT happened. Thank you friends, for bearing with my driving (it's just been 4 months since I learned, c'mon!)!!! Cheers!!

    11. END SEM MASTI!: The End Semester examination was supposed to be the most important one. But sadly, that was also the exam time when we thought of maximum time pass! Nothing mattered that time...not even the fact that we hadn't touched our books! And our "I'll study all night" plans would fail miserably when the MSEB cut the electricity. But yes, End Sem was totally enjoyable...really hilarious as well!

     So, I'm done here! I'm sure all of you will have lots more to add to this! This is what I got!
...and you thought I could only write LONG poems!

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