A Universe in a City

“Everyone should study in a University, at least once.”

I remember someone telling me this, I don’t remember who or when, though.

A University is different from a college. At college, you hang out with people from the same social class, with similar interests, common pursuits, and most importantly, dads who can cough up the same amount of money.

A University is a different ball game altogether.

When I joined the University, I remember looking at the lush green trees, the rocks, lakes, and forests, and being awe struck.

Quite frankly, I was a bit of a prick.

MassComm is a pretty generic course. You need some awareness about things, and an ability to read and speak well – both of which were never a problem with me. Add to that the fact that most of the guys in my batch were younger to me, and I’d done quite a few jobs and thought I knew the ways of the world.

I was under the impression that the sun shone out of my ass.

But the University has this way of holding you up by the neck and thrashing you face-down on the floor.

The first thing that sets a University apart is the maturity of the people. At college, we are all pricks. At University, you want to get into a woman’s mind, not into her pants.

The freedom of discovery – of your interests, your passion, your kind of music, is an exhilarating experience.

Going by how hollow and shallow I was, all the people I’d dismissed as crude, taught me my most important lessons. I thought of myself as a ‘liberal’. It’s funny how distorted the word’s usage is. I would blatantly dismiss religion, caste, and class as immaturity. But isn’t the meaning of liberal someone who is accommodating of others’ views?

My stay here slowly exposed me to different people, different ideologies, and different mindsets.

When I look back, I don’t know what I’m going to miss the most about the place.

Is it the crazy drunk parties on the banks of lakes, or the seminars? The film screenings, or sharing joints with strangers? Or Sukoon – those three nights of madness where the campus is home to everyone from singers, poets to camels and giant wheels? Or receiving anonymous messages from people who liked my radio show?

I think what I’ll miss the most about the place is the discussions. The liberating experience of talking to people about the world, the country, cricket, philosophy. Feeling like I belong to a school of thought, a part of a revolution. The feeling that there is a general sense of direction I’m heading in.

As I walk around the campus, its exactly two years now. The campus is green and lush. I’m not a student anymore, but I don’t feel like an outsider.

You can take the guy out of the University, but you can’t take the University out of the guy.

And today, I can’t agree more.

Everyone should study in A University. At least once.