Hello, Reader.
With a full stomach of cheese and
barbeque chicken, I sit at my laptop, here at my hostel in one of the best
cities in India. And I wonder.
- I wonder how you have taken my last post on this blog.
- I wonder what you make of my long absence.
- I wonder if I am going to produce something which you would cherish and take lessons from.
- I wonder if you think bothering to read this post would be a waste of time as neither am I a regular poster nor do I post really mind-blowing stuff.
- And I wonder if this effort would be as exactly pointless as you might think.
Pushing aside all that wonder, I propose a fresh start here.
And as a Reader who matches my wonders above, I hope you’d appreciate the same.
Hello again, Reader.
My
first thing to do would be apologizing for the looooooooong absence. Two words –Campus
Placements. There. That’s my explanation. It’s been a long semester and I am
glad I got through reasonably well. And remembering my last post on this blog,
I’m so very ‘I-told-you-so’ to say that it’s exactly how I’ve written about –
Growing up. It’s maddening and calm; it’s happiness and sorrow; it’s weird and
normal. It’s all those things and more. I remember vowing to set off fireworks
at my castle of greatness. And I am right on the path to that perfect meadow
where I’m going to build my castle. So that’s going well! :)
So,
coming to what I was going to write about today. This post is about changing environments
and new lives. I have moved to the Metro of all Metros in India – Bangalore City,
and I’d directly relate to the theme.
Fresh
out of college, or the time in the last semester when you work on your project
away from college, every person has a different perspective of the world. Speaking
as a girl from Tamilnadu, I’ve had a long list of perspectives narrated to me.
Some would want it to seem exactly as they had lived through school and college,
with Daddy’s pocket to put their cash in and Maa’s thoughts on their plans.
Some would want to embrace their 18+ state and go clubbing all night, hooking
up with random strangers. Some others might want the middle ground. They want
to create an identity for themselves in the minds and hearts of the
already-adults around them, erasing the ‘he/she-is-so-and-so’s-son/daughter’
image. They want to explore new places, see their old places in different
light, and meet new people, reach a new level of relationship with the people
they know. These people are the most interesting ones I observe.
The
first category goes with the image of the Indian Kid dated 1900-present. These
kids work hard or do not work hard. But, they sure do believe in their comfort
zone. You couldn’t call them boring or conventional; they might go running to
their Maa to complain. And you couldn’t think that their perspective is quite
an interesting thing to contemplate; you might lose yourself in the process.
They settle into their zones and rely on others to decide their own opinions. I’m
not judging them. They have their right to choose what they want, or rather,
their right to chose someone who chooses what they want.
The
second category I do judge pretty badly. I think they waste their time and
others’ as well, simultaneously. They delight those guys who own bars and clubs
and what-not. That’s the only good thing that comes out of them. I do believe
in having a good time once in a while, yes I do. But, partying just for
partying’s sake is as pointless as it can get.
Moving
on to the category that enthrals me the most – the middle ground waale! They
are the coolest and the most clueless people on Earth. They want to do all
those things listed above but they are not sure of the how, when and what of
their plans. You’d see them on the tourist spots of the city they move to, with
Google Maps open on their phone. They’d have a little backpack and a city-wide
bus pass. Some might be alone and some with a friend or two, never more than two.
You might see them struggling with change on the Metro Station or hesitatingly asking
for directions in painstakingly slow Hindi or English, because they don’t know
if the person talking to them knows it too. They might go around gaping
open-mouthed at all those glass-and-steel structures which they haven’t seen so
up close before, or watching their feet and shuffling along, burning with
curiosity, but not knowing whether it was OK to gawk. They might think the
people they meet at their new work place are completely nice to them but, still
feel awkward about starting a conversation on their own. Unsure of social norms
of adults, and on the path of relieving themselves from teenage social norms,
they wonder what to do when they are invited to lunch by a colleague. Or like
me, write about all the confusion for the unknown Reader such as yourself.
If you
are in the same state as these fresh out of college people, I’m sure you’d
roughly fall into one of these categories.
Folks from the first category are congratulated for their
decision to stay comforted and loved. But, I strongly advise you to think about
who you are and add the things your heart loves to do to a list. Stay too
comfortable and you might miss a few opinions that you might have otherwise had.
Think and make out your list; and tell your parents what you want. And I
believe that your trust upon your parents must be the strongest, seeing as you
have decided to let them rule. As they are the people who love you most and
they have the responsibility of your trust, I know that they will want you to do
the things you love and you will love the fact that you’ve obtained their
blessings/permission.
People from category two have two words from me. Get sober.
That’s all I want.
The middle guys need more attention than the rest. These
days of cluelessness will dissolve soon and then, you will fall in love. Head
over heels in love. With your new place and your new acquaintances and your new
freedom. You just have to file away all those little details you pick up in the
folds of your mind. Whenever you’re unsure or feel awkward, just ponder on the
knowledge you’ve picked up and do what your heart wants you to do. Be yourself
and keep yourself alive. Be true to your identity and let it shine upon those
who meet you and the rest will figure out for itself. Who you are matters the
most to those people who’ve known you for years. They’d still recognize you and
treat you the same even if you’ve changed. Keep up with the friends you know
and the family who loves you. You can see that your new world has taken you
under its wings and that that has been the most glorious change made in the
world till date. Happy days are coming!
If you
are not these people, I’d still like you to know that such people do exist. And
you come across them at all walks of your already-established life. As a new co-worker,
as a stranger on a train, and as a customer at your shop. These people might be
a source of entertainment to you, with their behaviour and awkwardness. But,
they are just some clueless kids like the past you when you first started out.
They might not be in the same category as you had been. Either way, what I’m
asking of you is just a few simple things. Be a little patient and do not judge
them. They are kids who don’t know what they are themselves. In a little time,
you’ll know them as adults whom you can recognize and respect. All I’m asking
for is a little patience.
Lots of love,
PPD
PS – the categories are not meant to be offensive to anyone.
PPS – please do forgive this defunct blogger who writes two
posts a year.
PPPS - rather long one, I'm afraid.
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