Frenzied studying and wayward distractions

whenen you read this blog, you might pause to think that this is yet another agonising adolescent. Let me tell you something, I'm no more (gulp) an adolescent. My teenage years, though not so long ago were the most fun years of my short yet very eventful life. Heck, I was every teacher's nightmare in school, and have toned down to be a respectable nerd in the years since. I'm about as temperamental as a sleeping dragon about to be poked in the eye. Venting out pent up anger on unfortunate passersby is a very regrettable trait, that I have honed up to a level where it can be recognised as an art. I can make a person believe that whatever happened is entirely their fault even if whatever happened took place before they were born (Ok thats exaggeration, another trait of mine.) My frequent escapades into the parallel universe has left me with a glazed expression, and I distinctly don't see the point of laughing at my economics teacher's jokes ( I don't see how that was relevant but I had to write it down).

So, the exam timetables are out and I don't even have all the notes and whatever notes that I do have, I don't remember it being taken in class. All I can think of, is this book that I read lately, "The colour purple", an excellent read, I do not recommend it to the over emotional and the weak hearted. The sheer agony of what is written in that book can leave you drained for the next couple of weeks. While I read the book, my wiser and infinitely more admirable classmates got their notes and had it organised. When I got around to it, the syllabi and the quantity left me reeling. I ran helter skelter all around college, grabbed the nearest nerd ( yes, I did mention that I am a nerd, but these girls are the ones with the "nerdier than thou" expressions and the proof to back it up) and issued death threats until she gave me all her notes. "Gangway!! To the nearest xerox shop". To my utter dismay, there was Q of girls there, long enough to beat the great wall of China. After what seemed like a million years, I get all my notes. But who can study with so many distractions, don't tell my mum, she'll rip my heart right out. "Focus, focus." I have to keep telling myself that everyday. Everyone keeps calling me to tell me how much they've completed and I have not yet begun.

With the exams looming dangerously up ahead on the horizon, I can do nothing but cram. And when the bridge is reached , upset a bag of trash over the troll underneath and march confidently across it. Sigh. Some days you are the pigeon, some days the statue.

To Ooty and the whining, trekking and the bliss that followed.

A trip to Ooty with friends was a dream come true in many ways, Nazia's home town, a chance to meet the tribals (yes, I am a nerd) and my all time favourite dream of riding a horse all on the same tour. I was too excited to do any studying for my internals prior to the trip and started packing almost a week before the trip. I was more hyper than usual....hyper to the point of being annoying. My friends got a glazed expression every time I mentioned Ooty. I even read up on the tribals we were to meet.

DAY 1

We reached Ooty via the Bandipur tiger reserve. Words aren't enough to describe the beauty that is Bandipur. Our accommodations were arranged at Don Bosco Community College. Well it looks neat from the outside, because it was on top of a hill and when the mist spread we felt as though we were floating on a cloud. Jimmy instantly took a liking for me (Jimmy is the St. Bernard) and chased me all over the place like the sheep that he usually chases and knocked the wind out of me on several occasions, he was the size of a young cow! The Dorm alloted to us (with all due respect to our teachers) was hideous. It wasn't a dorm, it was a run down old auditorium, with paint chipping in places. We were given mattresses and asked to make ourselves feel at home. Bah! The Irony. I don't even want to talk about the toilets. Apoorva declared that she wasn't getting out of her clothes till she was safely back in Bangalore. I was at a loss for words, so I ate instead, to cover up the awkward silence and the bewildered looks. We survived on Thepla, pickles and kakra at the dorm.....and several cartons of milk.

So much for the Five star accommodations. We trooped off to meet the tribals (it was study tour, did I not mention that?). We were to meet members of the Irula tribes, some of whom were brought from Sri Lanka to work in British plantations. We trekked for miles before reaching the main settlement. Since they spoke Tamil, Anuja's broken Tamil came in handy (the fraud Tamilian). It was clearcthat the man we interviewed found her Tamil funny and was doing his best not to laugh. The more courageous of the lot (which includes me) trekked another 5 miles uphill to get to the original settlement. The view took my breath away ( for the record I was already out of breath having trekked so long).

The most enjoyable moment that day was when the gang was heading back to the dorm after hunting for stores selling Toda shawls and Eucalyptus (pronounced Youclipeetus; courtesy Anuja), we stood on the path leading to the dorm over looking the valley of Kottagiri. It was 7. 30 in the night, pitch dark. We could see pin prick like lights from far away houses in the valley and the gospel music from a nearby church. It was the most peaceful moment of my life. I felt calm ( which is very very rare in my case). There were pillow fights, blanket thefts, near strangulation and photo shoots in the dorm that night. I distinctly heard a muffled voice trying to scream"Bitch central".

DAY 2
We left for Ooty from Kottagiri at 8 in the morning after the catholic students attended mass and afterI got pinned down by Jimmy. I'm sure I left a depression on the side of the hill where Jimmy used me for a trampoline. First stop was the Tea museum. It was bone bitingly cold. All of us huddled inside the museum/ factory for the yummiest cup of hot tea and learned the history and art of tea making. I was more interested in the tea they served rather than its history mind you. I bought several packets of truffles, went to Ooty view point and trooped off to the bus. We went to the boat house next. All of us rushed towards the chocolate outlets. Nobody gave a second look towards the boats. it was drizzling for Pete's sake. Along came Farooq Uncle (Nazia's uncle) and his sons to our rescue. The gang settled in his car (cramped but quaint) for a ride through Ooty. We were the only ones luck enough to see most of Ooty within an hour. We bought more chocolates and marshmallows, Nuja got her Toda shawl and I got my souvenirs. I cribbed, a lot more than usual because everyone were hinting that I might not get to ride a horse because of the lackof time. I threw a tantrum (It was my way or the highway). We made it just in time to see everyone boarding the bus (smirks from the gang)........ I begged and pleaded with my mentor to let me ride horse just once. She gave me 5 minutes (" 5 minutes, chop chop"), I rushed over to the nearest horse and blurted to its smug owner that I wanted a ride. I got to ride the prettiest white horse its mane glistening in the cold sunlight. Apoorva threw me looks of pure venom, because I got the best looking horse (tsk tsk, such vanity). I felt like a princess (friends suggested "the evil witch Queen" title).
We cribbed about our accommodations, threw up during the journey, got back to dorm very well past the deadline at night, did things that an innocent reader shouldn't read about, made life hell for the teachers who accompanied us. But ultimately it was the most fun trip we ever went on. Teachers groan when we mention the dates for the next trip, but heck WE ARE GOING!!

That streak of madness

Well can you blame me for being born with a defective gene that makes me mad and sane at alternative intervals?? I love being mad, though those around me don't.


I give off an impression of being a snob(which fyi i am not). Friends say that at first the air of repulsion around me is pretty unbearable. Hell!! that aint no air of repulsion thats my huge ego!!

I got my wonderfully big ego quashed down by my best buddies and the guys in my school............I cant blame ........what do they know ....them the lesser mortals. I strut around like I own the place and i get the most humiliating comments from my guy friends.........thanks a lot boys!!!! You cant live with them or without them ???
Oh yea that strut of mine has earned me a lot of nicknames which I wouldnt want to mention here in case someone picks it up.
The best part of studying in a girls college is that you get keep up with the latest trends. Fashion begins and ends at Mount carmel girls college. I'm thinking that it must be one of the most bitchiest college in the planet!!!! The one other thing that i've noticed is that people here are a lot more judgemental than any other place i've been to. I had sworn to myself that I would'nt let these people get even a whiff of how nuts I exactly am...... but I'm not being able to contain myself any longer and my friends there have started noticing the weird things that I do. Actually when I stop to brood over this i realise that I have toned down a lot. With my mom and sis far away I have no one else to vent my anger at. If i did anything of that sort at my uncles' place my cousin would most probably shove a book down my throat. I'm not taking any risks I love my voice just as it is.

I love our little jaunts outside of college its like being back home, when I had alot more freedom...thats 'coz i knew the city and it was a lot smaller. The worst part was the day after my B'day when birthday bumps came showering fom all directions and here I was thinking happily that I was safe inside an all girls college..... You have no idea what girls get upto when left alone(heaven forbid). Girls college is fun but coed is a lot more fun......people I've noticed are a lot less judgemental. I wouldnt dare consider even for a moment that MCC is lenient, it is much worse than a school when it comes to adhering to college rules (whew!!). The best part of MCC is the afternoons that we get off....... we usually pig out at the nearby eateries until our pockets are considerably empty.