A week passed by and I still couldn’t figure out what was bothering me so much. Is it the end of my college years that irks me? Is it because am going to miss my college so much? Am I worried about my future? Am I weeping about losing out on friendships? Long hours of speculation were futile since there never was a conclusion to it. Conclusion has to come.. it just has to. In this long standing relationship with Atharva, I’ve invested four long years of my life. While we were in it, it went by but now looking in hindsight, it seems so long ago when I first entered the gates of this institution.

Came in as a young rebellious teenager not knowing what the Big Bad World looks like. The world is my garden and all the people in it are my friends. Maybe, it is a garden but in this place there are also wells, pits, mazes and jungles. You can be swallowed by any one of them. You never know. Yes. Everyone in this garden is your friend but then you never know when you turn your back and forget someone who was standing just behind. You walk the sideway thinking that at least you know where it leads but then it is so crowded that you can’t even see your own feet. Then you just wait for the thrust of the crowd to push you to the end of the road. Not knowing where you are but having blind faith in the movement of everybody.

Everybody wants to enjoy the serenity provided by the lush expanse. Every guy wants to pluck a rose to gift to his girl. Everyone wants to have water from the tap and wash their hands in the pool. Why not enjoy what you have? The hundreds of faces that smelled the rose stole its fragrance. The dozens of feet that walked on the green grass trampled its long blades. When these same people came back to the garden they complained that its not beautiful and pleasant anymore.

How will it be when you were the one who spoiled it in the first place? Not always will you have people to clean up after your mess. Your garden is only going to be as beautiful as you have tended it to be. Why treat your college any differently?

All these years in college I’ve heard people complaining about how bad this is or how this sucks or our college doesn’t do this or our college doesn’t provide this or that. Everyone has complaints and I admit that I have been one of those people. Honestly, how many of us has cared enough to do anything about it? If you feel you have the right to complain then you should also show that sense of responsibility to do something about it. You complain, if you belong and if you say that, it means you have certain duties attached too. You want to eat the cake and not pay for it – that’s how “chindi” we are.

It’s Atharva – Yes, I agree but is that an excuse for us to be laidback and hypocritical? Blaming the management is easy because we all love to abuse a villainous outfit but then what about our end? We say that we aren’t kids who need constant pushing and prodding and then cry when we aren’t spoon fed with resources. Attitude of the people make an institute a “brand”. Being mediocre is satisfying in an environment where nobody cares but when we step out of the confines of these walls to become a part of the Corporate World, you will realize that mediocrity is washed away like dirt on a daily basis. It is survival of the fittest, remember?

To all my juniors I have a message -

Don’t walk the same path as we did because it will lead you nowhere. Don’t waste away these years in college. Grab every opportunity you get. Attend workshops, practicals and lectures. Do your projects and presentations to improve your skills. Take part in RHYTHM and TECHITHON, not only to organize but participate as well.. Represent your college in inter-collegiate festivals. Be a member of IEEEand CSI. Try for college cricket, football, volleyball teams and if you really have it in you then open a club of your own. Don’t let anybody say that you can’t do it. Don’t be afraid if people laugh at you or don’t support your cause. It’s alright. Extra- curricular activities are just as important as academics. Live every moment you can because this is where you discover yourself.

You can poke fun at your professors and still respect them. The college does not owe you anything but yes, you owe a lot to this institution. Leave behind footprints that are worth following. You should be proud to say that you are an Atharvite. Don’t wait for others when you can do it yourself.