[CBC] 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY...

Some open thinking by Matroo...


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Vikram KAUL
Date: May 19, 2006 9:00 PM
Subject: RE: [CBC] 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY...
To: CBCNET

Apologies, in advance, for a relatively long email

anand.>Yes, you could call it as one of the most memorable times of your life.

Come to think of it, there is hardly anyone I know who went to college
in India (and stayed in an on campus hostel, not a day-scholar, or
off-campus hosteler) and did not think as that period as one of the most
memorable of their life. I think it comes naturally. You are away from
home for the first time, you meet so many good friends for the first time,
and if you are lucky, get to not have compulsary attendance !! Man, I
wonder what would have happened if we had to attend 75% of the classes for
all 3.5 years.

I think the course structure in BITS offered some advantages to make it
more enjoyable for us. Who the hell wanted to make a friggin percentage.
All everyone wanted was a decent or semi-decent grade.

And the regular city-like distractions were not there. If our college
were in a decent city, I bet most evenings folks would have been missing
out in off campus. No curfews, no riots, no water shortages, no rolling
blackouts, no cineplexes, no 'happening-places', no pubs !! All that
augmented our friendships and whatever bonds we have amongst us now.

The only thing I wish is that all of us could have been on campus at the
same time in the 4th year. It would have been fun. Less courses, nothing
to do, and the last sem we would all be together.

anand.>Am sure everybody would have gained an immense experience that would
anand.>help us in facing and standing up to the life's ups and downs. Probably
anand.>we may not have realized then. I think, BITS also gave us some very good

Now, I will have to disagree here. Life's up and downs have nothing to do
with getting educated in a college. At least that is what I think. Having
an emotional response to a situation has nothing to do with whether you
studied at BITS or in a small relatively unknown college or had no college
education at all. Making 2 out of 15 in a EDIC test (I made that in the first
one) did not make me strong or weak. It just made me sad for some
time. Making an A in Linear Algebra after doing badly on two makeup tests
also did not make me weak or strong or better prepared in life. It just
made me happy for some time.

What helps me from my experience in BITS is a sense that I know good
people because I went to that particular college. I might have known other
good people if I went to some other school.. I know that I can tell Preeti
stories from our time in BITS and laugh with her. I can show her
photographs (the DOPY ones are getting discolored, and I need to scan them
BTW) and she knows quite a few names. I can remember the times at ANC, at
Khetri fort, cricket, elections, holi, c'not, sky, photocopying notes...
and I feel when I meet some of you and your families, I will be accepted
as family, as a brother, an uncle or even a distant relative... but as
someone who is part of your family !!!


anand.>quality when we look back and think of the commendable progress each one
anand.>of us made, brings a humble but proud smile on our faces ! On bonus, we

Progress is a relative term. A few of us did well after BITS, both
career wise and setting up a secure stable family. Some did OK and
others are still trying to get started. For sure, all of us have made
progress from where we were when we left school to come to BITS.

The one thing that is absolute is that all of us are trying to do decent
enough at our jobs (to either rise, or just to keep the job, if you look
at the entire spectrum), trying to take care of our families (young ones
as well as elders) and make sure all are healthy and happy. That in itself
is progress and should bring smiles to our faces !


anand.>gave made real good friends and a small world where you could share your
anand.>positives and frustrations ! I'm quite sure the BITS experience is
anand.>rewarding.

That we all agree. Well, at least I agree.
I am happy I left the counselling line at PEC Chandigarh after standing
in the line for hours, immediately took a bus from Chandigarh to Delhi,
and was barely able to catch the last night bus from ISBT to Pilani to
arrive early in the morning on 29th.

matroo