The Youthfest Chronicles #2 – The Hullabaloo

It’s been about two weeks and a half that the invite for the youthfest reached our college. Since then it has been just noise and chaos in the institute, mixed with lots of excitement and tons of enthusiasm. All the professors and students alike have no time to eat or even rest, now that the youthfest is just three days away. Sometimes, things get so hectic that it feels as if our college was hosting the event. I dare not think what would be the case in that eventuality.

The college is participating in more than half of the events in the competition and that alone has sent hearts racing to give good performances and grab a number of prizes. Practice times running till late in the evenings, tired students sleeping in lectures, computers working overtime on music editing, logistics department running around for costumes and orders being placed for tea and snacks on the hour… This is the Youthfest.

This is the first time that the college is participating in so many events and so it becomes a matter of even greater importance that we perform well in our biggest youthfest participation of all time. Last time around we won in only one event and so it is highly imperative that we improve the performance of this college. Since this is a post-graduate institute, there are many previous rival contestants under one roof, many of whom will be most likely competing against their own Alma maters. It remains to be seen how they perform in that respect.

Since we have students from various fields and backgrounds, the youthfest has become a bonding catalyst where everyone, from whichever field they are, have a definite role to play in the triumph of the institute in this prestigious competition. It gladdens everyone’s hearts to see how one event can bring such camaraderie and healthy competition not only in one college but across all the educational institutes’ participation at this stage.

More on this story as it develops…

Oh Uncle!

I recently celebrated by 21^st birthday. I was happy, I was feeling responsible, I was feeling like a real man. But then the kid happened. And my happiness was ruined.

Alright, so I might have been ranting a bit over there but let me explain.

I just turned 21 this May and on the blog post I published that day, I ranted about a lot of things which I’m not going to repeat here (To save you the horror). Basically, I was feeling young & wild & free, along with a bit of responsibility on my shoulders, but not any older than that.

Now, a few months down the line, I've come back to another city to continue my education and staying as a paying guest with a wonderful family who treat me quite well, considering my disgusting, out-of-sync lifestyle and blatant disregard for hours that are meant for sleeping. This place is a flat system with four buildings and as expected, accommodates a multitude of kids (who I feel, all go to the same school...). These kids usually play around in the evenings around the block and keep hitting cars and bikes like drunken Gujaratis in Diu.

I’m not usually in the vicinity at these times but I managed to befriend a few while helping them with their oversized bicycles one day. So the day before yesterday, as I was walking back home, a toddler of about 7 or 8 came up to me and asked absolutely innocently, “Uncle, why didn't you come for my birthday party?”

I looked at the little guy funnily for a whole minute and then chuckled in amusement at my own befuddlement. I had had a whole host of feelings in that one long minute. I had been shocked, then horrified, then bewildered, then intrigued and finally… amused. Of course, the kid was eight, what did I expect. Alright, maybe I expected a bhaiya (elder brother), but not UNCLE!

I didn't know what to say to that. In all the plethora of emotions I was running through, I actually forgot to answer his original question. I went, “Wwwhat? Huh?”

So he kindly repeated his query for me, “Uncle, why didn't you come for my birthday party?”

I replied, “I’m so sorry, I was very busy.” But in my head, I was going, NOoooooooooo! Not Uncle!

Satisfied with my answer, he turned and went back to his mates as I walked in a daze to the elevator and pressed 5.

Haiku #5 – Despair

Image Courtesy: Google Images

Far off lights I see,

But just darkness here prevails;

Too close for comfort.

The Youthfest Chronicles #1 – The Notice

It’s that time of the year again when a multitude of college from all over the country get together to participate in what is possibly the biggest student competition in the country – The Youthfest. And this is also my excuse for not being regular to post on the blog recently.

The Youthfest is a series of competitive events much like the Olympics, but on a national and student level. Colleges from a majority of Universities send in their entries to participate in events based on art, theatre, literature, dance and music.

To participate at the national level stage though, the participants get screened about three times at different intermediate levels. Here are the levels:

Inter-College level

Inter-Zonal level

Zonal level

National level.

The first level events are hosted by a college in a city, the second level in another college wherefrom the university selects their team. The third level is hosted by a university in a university from any of the four zones of the country and the fourth level is hosted by any one of the eminent universities of the nation where the best competitors from each zone gear up for national glory.

My college received an invitation to this year’s Youthfest a week back, but the anticipation for the same was high long before that. The preparations in many colleges begin in July, though the first level competitions begin only in September. This is not only to gain the upper-hand over local competition but also a matter of pride for those institutes who advocate the all-round development of their students.

Rehearsals and practices have begun in almost all disciplines and we hope that this we can do well for our new institute. Last year this college won Gold in only one event, but this time, with the entrants in many fields, we are sure of defending our previous title as well as achieving even more of the same.