HI again!

I know I know I have no excuse for not having updated my blog for nearly a month. But there is such so much going on in NTU and work and studies. My exams start next wednesday and I only started studying this week cos I have been so busy with presentations and project work. Ok ok I know all this is jus an excuse and you arnt gonna buy it. Its not like I was purposely ignoring you, I had a lot to say and I would often come very close to writing a post but everytime I started I wasnt sure where to or what to say, and suddenly something else would happen and I would jus go away.

Anyways, since I have started crapping..I mean bloggin now..might as well continue. The past two months have been so nostalgic. Being around NTU, certainly has brought back many many fond memories. Everywhere I go, I see unfamiliar faces, then suddenly I can picture my batch mates sittin there, laughing and joking, the crazy things we used to say and do, be it outside LT 1 in first year or LT2A in fourth year or LT 19/LT 20. I walk past NIE and I remember the night walks we used to take, I can still see the shadows walking there, my past, those happy days. I just smile to myself, let out a sigh and jus walk by, wondering if those days will ever come back.

Ya ya I know I have been coming to NTU since last year, so wats the big deal now. Last year I would come in a cab, run to class and after class run to take 179 or the van and leave. I didnt spend so much time in NTU apart from that. Now I spend all my time here, and I do what I loved doing in NTU the most, walking around campus. I always loved it when I used to live in hostel. Anytime of the day, going for a walk in NTU was always refreshing and pleasant and helped my clear my head. Well, I have been doing that a lot also.

I wanted to write about two very special memories I have been thinking of a lot lately.

Year 2000:1st year Diwali

I remember it was between exams and hence nearly everyone was on campus. I had jus reached my room in Hall 9 and my mom had sent sweets with me, so I called a few batch mates who used to live close by to come over and take some. Then I called Packan and NMK, who used to live in Hall 7 that time which is on the other side of campus from where I stayed. Packan very excitedly told me "Preeti, come to Hall 7 fast. Juddi has made kheer; NMK and me bought Gulab Jamuns."

I remember walking all the way there, feeling a little awkward because I wasnt sure who all would be there. I knew very few of my batchmates at that time and mostly limited to the those who were in Computer Engineering. When I reached there, there were only guys. I freaked out a little bit, having never been around a lot of guys. But it was so lively and there was so much excitement in the air and everyone was so happy, I couldnt help but jus become comfortable. There were lots of sweets and even more sparklers. Everyone was running around with sparklers. Before that, for the past 7-8 years in Singapore, Diwali had been a very small and closed affair at home, within the family and few friends. That was the first time after years that I enjoyed myself so much on Diwali.I cant explain how I felt, but it was a feeling of absolute elation, where you just enjoy urself for the sake of it, without any worries in the world.


Year 2001:2nd year Diwali

A few days back I found some photos of this day. Everyone was happily playing with sparklers and enjoying themselves. Well, this event has its own tale. That year, only my batch was stuck behind during the holidays because we had a 5 week project which was part of our coursework.While everyone went home for Diwali, my entire batch was cribbing about having to spend it in this place, far away from home and family. So I asked my parents if I could invite some batchmates home. Close to 30-40 people came and it was such a party at my house. I cant describe how it was...total masti and I found photos of people falling on top of each other in that one poor sofa in my house (which is no longer there). Then after that we came to campus, hall 8 and lit sparklers.

Sigh..thinking back to those days, looking back at that time, I realised how much I miss all that, how much I want to go back in time and relive those moments all over again.