It’s been more than 4 months that I joined IISc... I still remember the 1st day. I had come in with my mother. The first time I stepped into the campus as a student, the feeling was a bit different. It felt gr8. The campus seemed to be so different; not that I was coming to the campus for the first time; I had been here in Winter last year.. had come here for the interviews.. had known all the places so well. The roads in front of the library, the main building, Nesara - the campus restaurant seemed so familiar yet so different.. different because now I was going to be associated with all these.. I would be a part (though a tiny speck) of the history of this 100 yr old institute.. this was going to be my home, my work, my temple and my altar for the next few years of my life..
Research always fascinated me.. loved civil engineering.. I loved structures.. but at the same time had never thought that I will end up doing research in one of the finest research institutes of the country. I always had a thought that management was my cup.. that’s what I wanted to do.. had thought of enjoying and freaking out wid frnds for a few years by joining up any of the 4 companies I was selected in during the campus recruitment drives.. but again it’s like, man proposes and god disposes.. So while joining IISc , I was in a great dilemma.. but then thought of giving it a chance.. I never disliked research..infact in some corner of my heart that was also a thing that I craved to do.. so thus began my journey at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
The initial days the hostel formalities and all were a bit of a mess with the mismanagement from the hostel office.. but then on the other side in the civil dept the professors were so caring and helpful that all the trouble of the previous week seemed to be so trivial.. the love and affection one gets from day 1 was simply awesome.. I still remember.. I was in a state of dilemma, whether or not is it the place for me.. while completing the formalities I just went near Prof. Nanjunda rao saying that I’m unable to decide.. should I join or shouldn’t I?? The way he explained was so simple and clear.. I thought of staying back and seeing.. then I met my advisors.. Prof J M Chandra Kishen & Prof. Ananth Ramaswamy. I think they were the best professors I could think of having as advisors.. so caring so loving and affectionate.. down then I think that was the only motivating factor I had.. at least I would love the professors with whom I would work..
Then with the classes.. time seemed to fly past.. mid terms.. and results.. and again mid terms.. and then the finals.. just completed the last paper today and thought to pen down some thoughts.. I somehow liked certain subjects.. while certain papers seemed so boring.. but still one has to complete all the credit requirements.. but I learnt one of the biggest lessons of life.. reading is easy but it takes lots of effort to study.. one needs to spend some time to study.. exams were not that easy.. not because the questions were tough.. rather they were the easiest papers one could really think of having.. it was difficult because one did not spend the amount time and thoughts over the topics.. one more thing I learnt.. we learn from each and every moment in our life.. be it while we r awake or half asleep.. the monotony in one of the classes was so killing that I could not help and stay awake.. all that I learnt in that class were so basic and so fundamental that I have nothing but regards for the professor who had put down all the facts so concisely and precisely before us.. now I regret that I spent most of the time in the class sleeping.. though I expect some pathetic grades in that subject I can say that I learnt a lot both in terms of course and the attitude one should have while going for a class..
I think this is more than enough of the thoughts deep within..Now let me tell about a few of my new friends and some fun I had here.. The worst thing I noticed here was that ppl expect u to be ‘buddhas’ here.. fun and merriment seemed to be their sworn enemies.. u r supposed to study.. either go to lab else sleep in ur room.. u r not supposed to hang out with frnds.. but habits never change.. I had some really good friends and found out enough time to go out of the campus and hang out at forum or garuda.. move abt the streets at commercial brigade or mg.. I got some really sweet wing mates.. anusmita, sangeeta, bharati, ramya and some very good friends in the dept like shalu. Lepakshi, somayya, anil. And some gr8 seniors like fathima didi, sonalisha didi, hemalatha mam, payal, abhishek bhaiya, amit sir, paramita di..
The fun I had with anusmita and sangeeta.. the diwali celebrations and the shopping sprees.. it’s lovely..Every time I go out with anusmita and sangeeta the shopping never ends till the shops close :P With shalu it always used to be a eating joint that we r out for.. be it kfc or mc donalds or 8th cross malleswaram, each time we went out we brought one thing for sure.. food and chocolates .. I think after being with them for a while iisc doesn’t seem to be that bad a place..I simply cannot resist the opportunity to tease shalu for some of her typical antiques and anusmita for her oriya.. her accent.. it’s so lovely.. and I love the way sangeeta talks.. all of a sudden outburst of words.. the fresher’s party was nice and the Kerala trip with structures lab mates was fun too.. came to know a lot of seniors, enjoyed the antaksharies in the bus, digvijay’s singing, the boat ride.. the card games, the photo shoots and guruji aka biswanath and his pose, one of which was wearing gogs at evening even inside the bus :P, little shambhavi.. it seemed ppl at IISc are not that boring after all :DSo hoping for some more fun and some disastrous results of the sem exams I take leave till the next blog post on my experience of being a part of the organising team of WINTER (Winter IISc National Training for Entry to Research) of which I was a participant last year..
