LIFE IN UNIVERSITY PART 1: FRESHMEN YEAR

When you enroll yourself in university, your mind jots down some expectations, makes up some dreams, cooks up some fantasies that are all one touch away from being shattered like a glass. But you’re an innocent soul and you believe in all the fairy tales they told you when they said “JUST THESE TWO YEARS”, and sang you the praises of university life to sleep. Unless you have older siblings and you have already witnessed the tragedy, you are very much likely to receive a big fat reality slap.

Don’t feel too moved by their little gestures of putting the WELCOME FRESHERS signs, and never fall for all the lies they tell you in orientation and do not be touched by the big words of how much they care for you and how valuable you are to them and how guaranteed your future is. Every time you feel excited, Satan laughs at you.

And the seniors, why do you think they like ragging you? When you bear so much torture you turn into a sucker for pain, and that my friend, is the first clue you need to take. The game has just begun. They might have told you they are throwing you in the pool but they never said there is a shark waiting, just hit the bottom.

The first few weeks, they take you slow, and the only fear that surrounds you is those seniors on hunt for fresh prey. Other than that, everything goes okay. But as soon as the spirit of the seniors fades away, the teachers get into action. And all of a sudden, you’re lost. Stranded on an alienated desert, with absolutely no idea of what the hell is going on. The semester system, the grading, the quizzes, the assignments, everything starts to get out of control. Your system hasn’t adapted to theirs and the result is utter confusion. And somewhere in there come the Mids. And boy, aren’t those a thing?

When you are done with the Mids, you start to breathe in the air of the university and slowly start to acknowledge your fate, and you think okay, so that’s how you’ll deal with things and while you’re busy making that plan, you feel a big thump and damn, your titanic just hit the iceberg. And there come crashing the mighty final projects, all at the same time, all so tough and y’all be drowning. And there is no Jack who’d sacrifice himself for you, just all selfish people who’d throw you to crocodiles if they have to, and the Roses that will let you drown.

And while you’re lost in that, trying to find the way out, they keep throwing all the course at you and before you can take a deep breath and sort out, finals knock at your door. And there, there, the semester’s over.