ACJ Nostalgia

Tearing up numerous articles of mine, which I wrote as a student at the Asian College of Journalism, was what it took for me to unleash all the emotions that were embroiling within. With the convocation being wrapped up on the 3rd of May, I kept wishing that I had the liberty to come back to ACJ everytime I wanted; I hoped I did not have to leave the hostel and the room I called 'mine' and never had to surrender the cupboard and room keys.

As I sat shredding my work, my mind kept playing tricks with me. Somewhere deep down it assured my heart that there was nothing I would be bothered about, yet at the same time, it pained to see my work (no longer useful stuff), which were inked during my days at the college, lying in the dustbin. Every single article brought back flashes of the days and nights I sat in my class or at the 'laptop corner' in my room where I let my thoughts take the form of a 'journalistic piece'. It reminded me of the times I cursed myself for leaving things to complete at the last minute and on a few occasions when I was proud of what I wrote.
ACJ certainly taught me to think, behave and write like a journalist but more importantly, it taught me to learn about the nuances of life. It brought out the best and the worst of me, under trying times; it taught me to be more patient yet stand up for something I strongly believed in. I learnt that every person who was nice to me did not necessarily have to be my friend nor someone who was mean to me, my enemy. At ACJ, I saw what I like to call, 'the trailer of my coming life'.
Though serious thoughts occupied the minds of all the ACJites, yet students never let go off any opportunity when they were expected to have fun. With majority of the students staying in the accommodation provided by the college; away from home, it gave us a sense of independence, responsibility and unity. We complained about the canteen food in unison and made maggi our staple mid-night diet. We cribbed about the heat and the humid climate prevalent in this south Indian city but never lost an opportunity to let our senses be intoxicated every time we visited a beach.
There is a lot we will miss because of our absence at ACJ; no more mid-night maggi sessions; no more screaming for "anna(s) and akka(s); no more complaining about the canteen food; no more longing to run back home; no more barging into your neighbours rooms at any inappropriate time; no more friends from different nations and their stories; no more screaming your lungs out along with your batch-mates every time India played a cricket match; no more gossiping because you just felt like it; no more "I'm still a student, let me enjoy my college days."; no more "important and necessary lessons" taught to you by your roommates; no more washing clothes late in the night; no more making faces at the warden; no more telling the security guard, "anna I won't sign the late-register as it is just a little after 10pm. Please anna."; no more "f*** off" and other similar sounding words which were used in every alternate sentence by many students; no more "MC or BC or Teri... etc.", just because someone felt/saw a need for it ;) ; no more, "why do we have electives so early in the morning"; and the list goes on.
It is certainly not a predicament but I fail to comprehend and give a clear explanation of what I exactly miss of ACJ. I do not know but what I know is, the realisation that I can never go back there as a student, has left a void which I doubt can ever be replaced by anything. I may feel less enthusiastic about all of this over the coming days but it can never ever be replaced by anything or anyone.
ACJ has helped me learn and experience a lot and it will not be long before implement those important lessons in my life.
CHEERS TO THE AWESOME10 MONTHS I SPENT AT THIS PLACE I ONCE CALLED HOME.