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bls31
December 22nd, 2009, 01:18 PM
All of us have experienced ,the feeling of uncertainty, that of a bit of vacuum , having finished the student phase in life and ready to step in the Job market. It would be nice to know how others fared.

My lat day in Apr 1953, when things were so different than today, was as under, though I was fortunate enough that I had qualified for training at IMA Dehradun , but the merit list was still to be out and the call letter yet to be received.

BLS31



My Last Day


At


The University



APRIL 1953






It was the usual April day but for me it was the most usual. And the real significance of it dawned much later in its full realisation.
It was my last day at the University, but right at the moment I was too busy to think seriously about it. I still had to sit for my last paper still to write for three continuous long at the same time short hours. But there was still some time to go_ the last swift glance through the notes, the last turning over the pages of the book revising and remembering in the mind all that I had crammed.
I was pretty tired with continuous hard work and late nights, the tension and tight nerves though all this was not so apparent, I hadn’t slept the night before, may be the eyes may have closed for a half hour but I had to revise it all, but I was too busy to feel it all. Ayodhya came down to call me. I was tying my shoe laces, I had on the same suite of clothes that I had worn throughout the last four days, I was unshaved, but there was no time for such luxury,
We walked down towards the hall -for the last time - there were many like us taking the same path. Some nervous, some confident some still with their notes, books and papers. Some discussing possible questions others talks nonsense. Some were moving alone others in-groups.

At last the paper was before me_ for the next three hours I was out of this world. I came out of the hall a few minutes earlier than the finishing time and completing my educational career. There were many people out side, my lips and tongue were dry, and I took two glasses of water- some relief. I talked a few words with Narendra (a friend. Now deceased). But now I started to feel how tired I was .

Vijeylakshami (a bit of a friend: an undefined relationship; for more read Chapter on Lucknow in my book ‘A Soldiers Journey with Two Wives’ ) came out of the hall I went her to say goodbye and enquire about papers and it was now that I realised as to how tired and worn I was, I could not even talk properly my mouth was once again getting dry, we talked some trivial. Then I went back to the hostel to fetch for her some notes and Practical Note book.
We once again talked some trivial. I wonder if it was control on her part or it was really like that, probably I shall never know.
I did not sleep in day Bhoop (My friend, now deceased) gave me a show of Anarkali. I was absent mined through out the show, deep in my own thoughts. Sorry in a way_ with no apparent cause- with a feeling of having lost _without having lost any thing. I could not enjoy.

We came back. I took out my bed in the veranda,. But I lay awake far in the night; I could not sleep_ I was leaving Lucknow now and with it so many sweet memories how could I. I don’t know how late I slept. The next day I left for uncharted waters.

dahiyarules
December 22nd, 2009, 02:43 PM
Its amazing that you still remember the last day at University.

Even though I graduated from University as recently as 2007, I never bothered to remember much of my last day at School. I will still try to reminisce whatever little I remember from my last day at School.

I took a 15-credit coarse-load during Spring 2007. For whatever stupid reason I had delayed taking the most difficult course for Business Students, Analysis of Financial Statements; till my last semester at School. Most students preferred to take that course early on, just in case they had to repeat it.

I parked my motorcycle at took the stairs to the second floor office of Dr. Selleck. He was my professor of Analysis of Financial Statements. As I walked down the hallway to his office, I was thinking how my mother would feel if I flunked the course and failed to graduate the week after. She had come to Tallahassee, FL, just to see me graduate and help me pack my stuff for the big move to California.

I did not have to knock Dr. Selleck's office. The former Air Force fighter pilot had retired and had been brought back to work more times than he cared to remember. While most professors preferred the privacy of their offices, Dr. Selleck preferred otherwise. His door would always be open. The fact that others preferred to give the strict academic his privacy by refraining to visit him in his office even if the world was about to come to an end, is a different story

Dr. Selleck had his half-rim glasses perched firmly on his nose and gave me the "what the **** do you want" look. Till that moment I never realized that I could stammer. The wind inside me was replaced by vaccum. How could I tell the Professor that I needed a couple of extra days to prepare for the exam. I was running low on time. I did not have enough time to prepare for all the five exams I was supposed to take the next week.

Finally, I gathered the requisite courage and told him that I had damaged my notes in the rain; the other day on my way back home, and that I needed more time to prepare for the exam. I told him I was graduating the next weekend and could not afford to flunk the course. I was all set to attend Graduate School in Fall.

Dr. Selleck's response was concise but hard-hitting. He said: "are you telling me that your dog ate your homework." With that both of us were done. I realized that any further attempt at pursuading the guy who I heard was interred in the infamous Hanoi Hilton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoi_Hilton) along with thousands of other American POWs duing the Vietnam War, would be useless.

It was thursday, and I had studied hard for that exam over the past few days. Dr. Selleck's exam was the last of all my exams during that semester. As he handed out the exams, he gave me a comforting look. I guess he figured out that I was serious about passing his course.

Everything was up in the air after the exam. I had no frigign' idea if I would pass or fail. After the exam, my friends Hadi, Jonathan and Cuen went to this Irish Pub-Restaurant. All four of us were graduating in a couple of weeks. Nothing could cheer me up. For me it was an apocalyptic moment. I thought I would fail the course and hence fail to graduate on Saturday. I finally gave in to the celebratory atmosphere in the Pub. Pretty much everyone in the Pub was glad that the exams were over. Everyone either had their faces either dipped in Beer pitchers or bloodshoot after hours of binge drinking. I stayed sober because I still had one more Graveyard Shift left to work at my job. As the music grew louder, I loosened up a little bit and decided to bother about Dr. Selleck's course later on.

My friends and I had been ritually going out after the final exams, every semester for the past few years. I realized that this was the last time were getting together after surviving a week on No-Doz and and Protein Bars. Later on I dropped off the others and drove back home.

Saturday was Graduation day.My mother and I were picked up by Hadi. To this point I did not know if I had passed or failed Dr. Selleck's course. My name had to be on the Graduation roster, If had passed his course. The girl checking in the soon-to-be Graduates called my name. For once I felt relieved. I had passed Dr. Selleck's course.

After the Graduation my mother, Hadi, his Parents and I went to Cold Stones creamery. I ordered the largest size ice-cream they had and then doubled my order. As I pigged out, I realized it was all over. The bright spring sun was thawing out my ice-cream as I looked at the University Campus skyline with a dazed look on my face. I was lost in thought. Across the street was the Papa John's Pizza place where I got a free Pizza for filling up a credit card application during my first week of School. That was five years ago. That day I had no clue, five years from then I would be sitting across the street outside the Ice Cream place, enjoying my ice-cream, celebrating my Graduation. More than the Graduation, I was just glad that I did not have to take Dr. Selleck's course again.

The following week I packed my worldly belongings in a U-Haul, hugged my friend and roomate Lance and drove off to California. The past five years of my life had been no less than a crazy Roller-Coater ride.

In August, I started Graduate School in California. On my first day of Graduate School, I did not remember anything from what I learned on my last day of College.

prashantacmet
December 22nd, 2009, 10:23 PM
Excellent sumit!!........Bls sir wrote good.. but u were better......

bls31
December 23rd, 2009, 09:20 AM
Though I still remember my last day at THE UNIVERSITY, the last day was written by me as an ex student in the year 1953, I found it by chance in my diary of student days.

I hope and wish for more contributions on the thread . BLS31

annch
December 23rd, 2009, 09:36 AM
Lakshman Sir, Sumit......whoa!!!!! Thanks for sharing your experience.

When I graduated, it was with a sense of relief and was so happy to see a few dollars still left in my bank account.:)

rajkphogat
December 23rd, 2009, 10:09 AM
I did not remember my last day in college but after my last paper of final year I bow my head to Hanumaan ji & said " Hey bhagwan aaj lag bhot sahara laya Eebke aur pass kara dey fer kadey tanne padai khatar dukhi na karu".

bls31
December 23rd, 2009, 10:36 AM
The thread is unwinding nicely, I only hope it does not get tangled as happens oftentimes BLS31

ritu
December 23rd, 2009, 04:54 PM
किसी भी चीज़ से अलग होने में मुझे उत्तना दुःख नहीं हुआ जितना उस दिन हुआ.पेपर खतम होने का सुकून भी था पर दोस्तों और डिपार्टमेंट और कुरुक्षेत्र से अलग होने का भी था.एक एक जगह इन्सान और चीज़ को इस तरह से जी भर के देखा शायद कभी दोबारा देखने को न मिलले.सबसे अज़ीज़ थी हॉस्टल में दुसरे डिपार्टमेंट की भी फ्रेंड्स,मेस वाली आंटी जी जीवन भय्या(हॉस्टल की सब लडकियो के मार्केट से सामन लाने काम कर देते थे )मने उन्हें अपनी साइकिल दे दी आते हुए .आज भी उनका वो ख़ुशी भरा चेहरा याद है.मनन बहुत ज्यादा दुखी था उस दिन.इतना दुःख तो मुझे अपनी शादी की बिदाई पर भी नहीं हुआ था.

cooljat
December 23rd, 2009, 10:12 PM
.

Great write ups Brig Uncle n' Dahiya Bhai. Sheer nostalgia ! Reminds me of my college days. Thou I hardly attended the classes. :p

Also reminds me of a famous song that fits prefect here - 'Purani Jeans aur Guitar' : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGhQg3Vz-Fw


Thank you both of you. :)


Cheers
Jit

anilsangwan
December 23rd, 2009, 10:48 PM
Great write ups "Dearest" Brig Uncle n' Sumit Dahiya ji.... also Ritu ji! Sheer nostalgia !!!

deepshi
December 24th, 2009, 08:02 AM
Heck! :( I dont even remember..moved on..
neither school nor college