Game. Set. Match.

It's over. It's finally over. Four years of engineering can never go by quickly enough, and even after it was over, it took a bit of time to sink in. These four years have changed me, so much so that it is impossible to recognize the 18 year-old smart-ass who strolled into engineering four years ago, thinking that he was going to conquer the world. During these four years, I lost and then regained my faith in myself and everything around me, and it has been one hell of a ride. There was a time when my books seemed to have 'HazMat' plastered all over them..!! Professors were enemies, and results were hell. Fortunately, everything worked out, and I'm much better off as a result.

  Couldn't resist :-P

It is the smaller things that remind me everyday that I am a computer engineer.

When I go to gym (yes I do go to gym), I choose locker number 255.
I spend some time each day reading stuff about technology and now I actually understand what I read! Google is my new best friend...I'm really sounding like an engineer, aren't I??

But, I'm being unfair. The last four years have also been the most challenging and enjoyable of my life thus far. I've learnt a lot about myself, about people, and life in general. I've learnt that my family really believe in me, and that I should listen to them more. I've made some brilliant friends, most of whom will hopefully be my friends for life. We've had some great times, and I'll miss all of it - travelling together...going on trips together...the endless laughter, the occasional fights....and the never-ending support through times good and bad.

The people who made the last four years memorable...apologies to those still missing

However, as much as this post seems to be about the end of a wonderful part of my life, it is also about the beginning of a new one. Looking back is great. It's necessary too. But looking ahead is even more important. And I'll admit...I'm a bit afraid. Stepping out into the real world is not easy, and it's going to take me right out of my comfort zone. Out go the shorts, chappals and funky t-shirts. In come the full-sleeved shirts(i'm feeling hot already), the pants, and the formal shoes. Yep, teenager no more.

But change cannot be avoided. Our lives will change, I will change, we all will change. This blog will change. From now on it will be more personal, and I hope you will enjoy it as much. I have realized that I am not writing an opinion column in a newspaper and I should get more personal. Of course, those who know me well know that my opinion on anything and everything comes for free, and that will not change!

So, as I step cautiously into a new phase of my life, I would like to say Thank You to everybody who made the last four years an enjoyable experience - my family, friends, and even a few strangers.

Here's to change, and a new beginning.

It's time.

The Final Semester

1st Semester : Yess!! I'm going to be a computer engineer. In four years' time, my life WILL. BE. SORTED.!! (Oh..You poor deluded soul!!)

2nd Semester : Okay, so the course-ware is ancient and I have to learn chemistry even though I'm in computers. So what? I'm sure it'l be better next semester.... (See the signs buddy...see the signs...)

3rd Semester : How the hell am I supposed to LEARN computer programs?? I thought I was supposed to CREATE them!!! (Ahhh...Now the fog is clearing!)

4th Semester : WHAT THE F*** HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?!!! (and voilà, we have.... 20/20 vision!)

5th Semester : F*** this... F*** that... F*** everything and everyone!! (somebody needs valium..!)

6th Semester : I will not give up. I will not back down. You can take my mind but you can't take my spirit. I will be there at the end. After all, The best way out is always through - Robert Frost. (the philosopher is born...)

7th Semester : One day in heaven, the Lord decided He would visit the earth and take a stroll. Walking down the road, He encountered a man who was crying. The Lord asked the man, "Why are you crying, my son?" The man said that he was blind and had never seen a sunset. The Lord touched the man who could then see and was happy.
As the Lord walked further, He met another man crying and asked, "Why are you crying, my son?" The man was born a cripple and was never able to walk. The Lord touched him and he could walk and he was happy.
Farther down the road, the Lord met another man who was crying and asked, "Why are you crying, my son?" The man said, "Lord, I am an engineer.", and the Lord sat down and cried with him.
(....and so is the comedian...and the photographer, the writer, the artist, the singer and the occasional terrorist!).

The Final Semester : ??

Yes, yes, I've stuck my boot into the system. And left it there. In my defence, I'm not entirely wrong. With a syllabus that dates back to the 15th century, and a governing body whose stance on freedom of expression is only a kilobyte(!) more liberal than that of the Chinese Government, I have a right to be upset. There is so much disillusionment and mood-swinging during the four years(four if you're lucky), it's almost menopausal!! So much form-filling, running from pillar to post without good reason, and catering to the whims and fancies of office workers whose lunch timings seem to be endless!

We have to learn computer programs(and a lot of other material), reproduce them during the exams like a xerox machine would, and then justify to prospective employers why we haven't really grasped anything in the four years. Perceive, puke, perceive, puke! Of course, there is the other option(which I took) - understand what you study, and score less - which usually results in there being no need to justify anything to prospective employers...because there aren't any! There is the fact that I didn't work hard, so a lot of the blame lies with me.

Personally, I have changed a lot during engineering - everybody has. The sense of humour is gone - no joke can be cracked without some technical term involved, especially double-meaning jokes using the words 'windows' and 'ram'.

But there are positives. I have made plenty of great friends. I have become more resilient. The movie '3 Idiots' is based on my life! And I have learnt to play a good game of carrom. There's always a silver lining!

So....we come to the end of a very long post....
The Final Semester : My life is NOWHERE. NEAR. SORTED. But I will be an engineer soon. Which means I can do anything, anywhere and I'll probably fit in somehow! I CAME, I SAW, and I WILL CONQUER...
(Ladies and gentlemen, please stand up and salute the indomitable spirit of the engineer.....)