Another comeback

And finally I am motivated enough to write some stuff here... and hopefully keep updating.

As you might have noticed the blog title has changed (after a long thought ~ 1.5min). For the new readers (if any(?!) thanks for visiting and please comment!), the blog was earlier An Engineering Student's Bla Bla.

Why the change? Well firstly and more importantly I am no longer an engineering student (not that I have switched careers or something its just that I am an engineer now) Secondly, change is good, it better be, because I have seen many changes over the past few months.

Now moving on to the new title. During my time away from blog posting, I was reading through my old posts and each one of them reminded me of the situations/scenes/memories of the four wonderful years I spent at NIT Calicut. It was then that I realized my blog was a better memoir than a picasa album, a bit of exaggeration here, but it was like rewinding the past four years and laugh, appreciate, sometimes hate while reading each post. It reminded me of the lame assignment that started this blog, the day India won the T20 world cup (and the amazing experience of watching a cricket game in a common room), the post on officials at passport office goofing up my name to the last post on farewell everything flashed (almost like Chuck flashes :P)

and thats why the title goes 'Life Revisited'.

To end, the important reasons for no blog posts in last 4 months - laziness, twitter.com/harshaddesai and moving to a new country (which ideally should motivate?)

One Last Time....

"When I started out four years ago it seemed as a never-ending journey and when I look back now it hardly seems four days ...." a very common statement/thought/feeling that all of us share while leaving college. Well, past one week with all the farewell ceremonies was full of such emotional dialogues....

Enjoying through the last month at NITC, I always wondered and kept a record of the activities I would be doing for the last time  .... here are few of those:

attending and bunking classes

paying the bills

writing long assignments

registration for the next semester(it was last time in the previous sem :) 

dancing as if you are drunk

issuing library books

the last visit to Mezban, Hyson and other such places 

and there are many more such teeny-weeny things I did for the last time ....

the EE batch 05-09 group photo .... one last time ....

To end this good bye post ... a few quotes which have been status messages on GTalk for a while now ......

college life ke hain bache huye kuch hasi pal... aiye waqt jara dheere dheere chal. doston se hokar juda ab rehna hain muskil.. aiye waqt jara dheere dheere chal. na jaane kab chalte chalte aa gaya sahil.. aiye waqt jara dheere dheere chal. ab jaane se kyun darta hu, jab mil gayi manjil aiye waqt jara dheere dheere chal. bas doston ke saath mein mil jaaye kuch aur pal yaadon ki in parchaiyon ko kar to lu haansil. aiye waqt jara dheere dheere chal.

A life which is to end Only when I am no more A life which transformed me In a fighter to the core A season of love and friendship For eternity which will last In my future to follow I will long to re-live this past Memories of this part of the Journey I'll carry all life long Memories of those precious moments Which made my life a beautiful song My eyes go teary Emotions fill my heart As my days left here are few Now it is time to bid Adieu !!!!

  

PS: Exams are not yet over. And as I said in a previous post exams nurture creative thoughts ... just another example of that ;) 

Earth Hour 2009

The Earth Hour was first observed at Sydney in 2007. After two years it received an immense response with more than 80 countries participating for the 60 minute lights-off campaign on 28th March, 2009 (2030-2130 hrs). It was good to know the huge enthusiasm shown by people from around the world. 

The message by this year's campaign was to Vote Earth so that the governments across the world would address global warming effectively at the Dec 2009 Copenhagen climate conference. It surely was a successful attempt in creating awareness among the mass public and millions voted for the earth.  

This link has a wonderful collection of the pics around the world. And ofcourse the official earth hour website 

Thanks to Ragam most of the rooms at our hostels were dark and we did contribute. However the extensive lignthing during the fest would have had a negative effect! 

 I had plans to observe a similar event in the 3rd year under the IEEE Students' Branch banner but the other activities kept me too busy. 

Sorry for a week's delay in posting :P

Ragam 09

This post is dedicated to Ragam 09. The Shankar Mahadevan pro show was the best live performance I have ever seen!!!  Great going organisers and volunteers

Here are some of the pics I clicked from my mobile .... 

The stage before the show

Shankar Mahadevan  rocking everyone!!! 

 Niraj and me enjoying the performance rite from the 1st row !!! 

Exams

I (and many others) have the feeling that our mind gets most creative just before exams. As an example I get most of my creative blogging ideas the moment I open a book to study for the exams. It's a different story that I don't pen (rather type) down these ideas on my blog.
Well, exams at NITC have been nothing short of a war. Yes its more of a last moment war but war is a war and must be fought. I will present here a sequence of events taking place just before an exam.

Time: week before exams. Scene: Class/ Hostel Room
Friend: Dude we have exams next week !
Me: Yeah buddy lets start studying. Well, may be we are too early. I'll watch a couple of movies so that I am refreshed for the grueling study hours. And by the way the latest episode of 24 (you can replace this with any of your favorite TV series) is out on LAN.
Friend: I think you are right. We'll start later

Time: 2 days before exams. Scene: Hostel
Me: Do you have any of the text books ?
Friend: No... but I got a photocopy of the teacher's notes
Me: Cool..... but I like to have a text book (the reason being I am interested more in the academically irrelevant stuff)
Friend: Some one in D hostel has
Me: OK. I'll probably get it tomorrow

Time: Day before the exam. Scene: My room. Attendance: At least 5 people at any given instant
Friend 1: Have you studied that topic? Guys are saying its the most important topic for this test. Please go through it and explain it later
Me: Really ... I thought that's not included in the syllabus. S*** have to study that. Ask some one else to study..... I am still at the first page
Friend 2: I am studying that part and I'll explain it to you. You go through this section.
Friend 3: Damn it!!! I can't understand a word of this book. I should not have bunked classes this time. I am gonna screw this test.
Me: Relax man we still have more than 12 hours for the exam. Let's go to MC (mini canteen) and have some coffee.

Time: Less than a hour before an exam. Scene: Hostel/ Examination Hall.
Me: This is the way it works.... are you getting???? Show me the last block diagram !!
Friend 1: Here it is ...
Friend 2: Come on guys only fifteen minutes left. We won't be allowed in the hall after 2
Me: Ya .. I'll get ready and join you guys... by the way where's the exam?? same room?
Friend 3: Not sure.... last time we had with 2nd years... this time we have with M. Techs probably the room is changed. Let's go early and check the notice board
Friend 4: Don't forget to take your calculator and i-card. Remember the last time rite? Many guys were sent back to get their i-cards !!!

Time: Few minutes after the exam. Scene: Outside Examination Hall
Friend 1: Hahahahahahahaha
Me: hahahhahahahhahahahaha ... what a paper!!! ????
Friend 2: I told you guys this paper is gonna screw our GPA ... haha
Friend 3: Chill guys ... its relative grading for this subject .. ... and looking at everyone's happy faces it seems we all are in the same boat

This is just a short description of how my friends and I tackle exams. They are quite a regular affair here at NITC - 2 mid term exams and an end semester. Along with studies, exam times are filled with teasing, leg-pulling, mocking and such other activities. Most of the hostel pranks and tricks are masterminded during these times.
I really enjoy these moments. These are one of my personal favorite times in college.
Starting thursday, I have to face the last of my mid term examinations at NITC.
Let's hope for the best .... and I'll probably watch a movie after this post just to refresh myself ;)

Too many tweets

Well, we all know the popularity of Twitter. I joined twitter a few months back but started tweeting regularly very recently. And this is the first time came across this  

Those of who haven't started tweeting just encouraging u guys to start :) 

Things I like

Without giving any reasons for my absenteeism, I am just gonna blog !!!
Things I like:
1. The feeling when I reach home after grueling semesters - Nothing can beat this
2. Watching excellent movies and TV series: although haven't watched many; will try to complete imdb top 250 while I have access to those(read while in college;)
3. Playing cricket: Haven't played much at NITC due to other extra curricular activities.
4. Reading interesting blogs/articles: Use bookmarking sites like delicious, digg, stumble upon etc.
5. Listening to music: Always loved this. When I was a kid, Dad used to play the radio and I enjoyed the exotic old Hindi songs. Have started listening to Rock pretty recently. I still enjoy listening to radio but now its the Winamp radio - Shoutcast and other free radio sites.
6. Traveling: Another of my favorite pass times. I love traveling alone with just a bag pack and a music player
and there are many other activities that I will definitely like. Probably all adventure sports will come under this ...