Life that used to be

After many years of graduating from my under graduation College, today I remembered it for a good reason ( I hardly think about my college) .

After schooling, with great ambitions and greater excitement I joined this College in a small town which was the only College under any university in Kerala to offer a Fashion Degree.

Just about 18 and excited I packed my bags and dreams and shifted to my hostel in the college Campus. 

I was very friendly with the concept of a Convent school having completed schooling from an Anglo Indian school.

I had no idea what I was in for. College had this amazing campus, successful alumni's and  a respected name.

I used to commute from my hometown in an early morning train seated in my very own seat by the window in the Ladies Coupe. My father used to drop me off at the station carry my bag till the train and as a routine slip a small packet of steamy hot Idlis or Upma from the railway canteen.

After the second last station I had to cross two paddy fields to get up and walk through the crowded ladies compartment to get down at my destination. Across the railway tracks to a by lane auto richshaws waited in line for you to choose the one you wanted to board. This was every alternate Monday mornings.

Once you enter the campus you are not allowed to see the outside world for two full weeks which also means no shopping, no eating outs and strictly no interaction with the outside world.

This women's college campus was spread over acres and was segregated into various departments. Our department was perched up over an old building with labs and classroom from where you could see the whole campus.

Each room in the hostel had 5 students each. I vividly remember how the room ended as soon as it started.

One bed started where the other ended which means if you are a blessed 5 7',your leg would be placed right above your neighbor's head.

5 am is when the lights go on and the fan's go off. (the switched were never in rooms)

Study hour followed by early prayers, long queue for your shower and other morning activities all before breakfast.

Close to ten rooms in one floor which means about 50 students fought in line for 3 toilets and 3 bathrooms before all could dress up and rush to reach just in time for your morning classes.

The best part of hostel life was the amazing Kerala food .Authentic Catholic style to the occasional meat and fish which was served.

None of us were allowed to carry mobile phones like how it is now.

We never had phones or Laptops which was also because they did not want us to be in touch with the outside world.

We could contact out family from a phone booth which was also in the campus. There was along queue for the same and the one next in line would always ask you to rush because about 100 of us had about an hour to make these calls.

We had a dress code in college. Salwar kurtha and (no denims!) preferably loosely fitted with no side slits and deep cuts and a duppatta to cover your chest.

We had lovely chapels in the hostel and larger ones in the College. I used to sit there and dream big.

First year is when you just cannot understand and accept how such a small narrow world existed.

Second year when you realise that your cries are not heard you just start accepting it the way it is. Lastly in the final year you also to some start convincing yourself that this life is also acceptable.

From this background we used to think of clothing the world's best.

Well as I told you earlier I was invited as a guest for the new department inauguration and I was wondering how my world has changed since then... and how I would react if you put me back in my life which used to be 7 years ago.