Parting is such sweet sorrow

My bags were packed, the room was cleaned out, and I sat amidst the few signs of my stay at that room at the top of K block, or K Top as we love to call our hostel wing. 

The three weeks I spent at home before the convocation week evoked mixed feelings in me throughout. The first two days seemed interminable... I missed campus, the night-outs, my friends, the independence: all compounded, of course by the fact that I had to stay at home nursing my still recovering foot while my friends were on a holiday trip. However, the most pronounced of my emotions was joyous anticipation of the trip back to campus. 

The three days in early April were amongst the best three days I ever spent at IIMB. Long walks around campus, taking in the decorations, re-appreciating the beauty of the pergola style walls, the picturesque open air theatre (OAT), the view from K-Top, yes, even the mess food was enjoyable!

On the first of April, I spent time walking around campus and sitting through the Inaugural ceremony at the OAT. It brought back memories of the first week at campus when we fachhas were made to sit at the OAT dais while the PGP2's "developed our personalities" ;)  After the Inaugural ceremony, I headed to the MDC for dinner with the Tam gang. After that there was a General Body Meeting (reminded me once more of first week, when SAC, Place and Acad GBM's were a matter of routine and dread!) where we were given our Alumni identity cards. 

The next day was D-day... the day started with the convocation rehearsal, with fully written instructions that we all poked fun at :) Come evening, we were robed in black and green, all set to be "awarded our degree and charged to be worthy of our award in thought, word and deed".  As the PGP Chairperson called out 250 names in one long roll calling session, the Chairman of the Board, Mukesh Ambani, kept his broad smile throughout, mouthing 250 congratulations as each one of us walked up the dais to receive the grey folder containing the degree certificate and grade sheet. After photo sessions and dinner, it was time for the last L^2! Time to get trigger- happy, to walk around to Athicas for chocolate and to head to Mess top with a bunch of friends, watch the stars and listen in to the music drifting upwards from the most happening party place in the city! And then, a night-out (by my standards) and breakfast at mess, sporting IIMB Alumni t-shirts! It's already the third day of April. Time to say goodbye to some friends who are leaving, and also time to finish my packing. Last dinner at mess... with some stayers-on for company and ice creams at Amul... and giving a rousing welcome to the freshly printed yearbooks to  round off the day. 

The next day, it was time to leave. The mess was closed for the summer, and the campus wore a deserted look... I felt a knot in my stomach as I thought about leaving... and I found my way to the OAT... the place where it all started and where it all came to a nice summation.  I sat in repose,eyes closed,  letting thoughts run freely through my mind. They flowed easily... first day, the PDP sessions, the Aarambh practice sessions, making new friends, the first week of classes, joining FII, my first tests, the sheer challenge and novelty of the first term, the PPTs of Term 2, the summer placements, my new GCR friends, Elections, a mixed term 3, replete with highs and lows, Term 4, the term of colds and coughs, and bigger challenges, Term 5 and the competitions, the run-up to Vista and all the excitement and fun surrounding it, and a Singapore trip to round off an awesome term, Term 6 and my first camping out experience, the play for the Alumni reunion, fights with friends, and my injury... back to campus - to a new hostel wing, to new friends, to new learning. The relaxed days of the last term, getting to know who really cared about me, rebonding with friends...  Two years of learning... not just any kind of management... the biggest lesson was in managing myself. 

I wonder if that paragraph makes sense... but it was all crystal clear to me as images moved in set patterns as if a movie reel was unwinding in my mind in one continuous fluid motion.

I opened my eyes ... I had to say not good bye, but au revoir... until we meet again. 

With parting, I have made my peace

For it's parting that unlocks memories

Sans parting I would've known not what I would miss

Parting teaches what I knew not in your folds, in bliss

This sorrow in parting makes you sweeter...

Sweetness in your grey stone walls

Sweetness in  towering lecture halls

Sweetness in friendships that last

Sweetness in all of the days past...

This parting is but sweet sorrow

Au revoir... we shall meet some morrow