Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Adieu Annus Academici

Dear academic new year (new year starts late for academicians, just like everything else!),

Welcome back! You have always been special for me, since as far back in the past, as I can care to remember. Though our relationship has been tenuous in the past few years with me not doing anything special to celebrate your birthday like before -- buying new books, clothes... stuff,  you have been continued to remain an eagerly awaited friend. Being a graduate student, my life does not particularly conform to any academic calendar with the "commencement" and "finals" strictly controlled by the unpredictable nature of my research. Nonetheless the emails announcing welcome receptions for my past-forward versions on campus (I am not on 10 mailing lists for nothing!), or the repeated reminders from the irritated registrar to register for another term yet again, have kept me informed of your whereabouts. It seemed to me as if our relationship evolved with every "student" year of my life and we moved on from being friends to lovers to a matured couple. We grew out from going into raptures on meeting each other after year long gaps into exchanging quick warm hugs as we crossed each other.

In fact, when I opted for graduate school, I was privately happy for being with you for a few more years by extending my student life. So, it has rather come as a shock  to realize that I will cease to be a part of your circle after all this time. You are probably going to be the last one which I can celebrate yet again as a student as I would have moved on into professional life before you come back next year! So you are really extra special. I never thought about this moment of bidding adieu to you as I never really thought of it coming. But next year, when I brush my bag and overturn it to empty it of the bits and pieces of last year, re-arrange the pens and pencils in its pocket (I don't remember why and when I stopped using a pencil-box!), label new folders and sort my papers... it would be to shake hands and share a smile with you for the wonderful time we spent together.

Love,
Archana


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