As the absolute last and final day of college draws inexorably closer, it seems everyone is feeling this bittersweet sensation of an era drawing to an end. A senior had once told me I would do well only to make business contacts in medical college and that I won't have made any real friends by the end of it. I just wish he'd stuck around to see how wrong he was.
We're all loving each other a little bit more than we ever have done in the last five and a half years. I guess we've all got our 'graduation goggles' on and the campus suddenly feels like a wistfully beautiful place to hang around with all the people you wish you had just a little more time to get to know better.
I've spent the last few weeks having this same conversation over and over and over with different people, "I wish I'd known you like this in second year. We'd have been better friends." or "Why didn't we hang out more? You're awesome!"
I was talking to T. about this last night and he was rather philosophical about it. He said we were like logs of wood carried downstream by the river-current, to draw close and then drift apart, buffeted by the force of the water. He said this was a metaphor the Geeta offered up about the transient nature of all relationships in life.
Wherever he managed to glean a Geeta to read through I may never know, but he did have a point. Such was life.
I told him I had this dreadfully forlorn sense of something important slipping away from me, a sense I'd never had in school or junior college. Back then, we'd all stay close by. Of course, we'd bump into each other we thought. But not this time. People will go off to different cities in different states or even different countries on different continents.
This was a real parting of ways. We are all done growing up now. Real life starts here on. There will always be a twinge of sadness for friends lost and friendships not mended. Even that idea of a real what-if for that one person who got away.
But it doesn't matter. We've got our lives stretching out in front of us still. And maybe the future has some real pleasant surprises in store for us.
And for what it's worth, there are always new friends to be made and old friends to be rediscovered.
Speaking of new friends, Astha of the charming letter in the previous post has just passed along a lovely blog-award which I am very grateful indeed to receive. Her post here has already led me to discover more blogs and through them, peek into more lives and perhaps make some new friends.
For that, I owe her great thanks. And from me, here's to all that could have been, all that was and most importantly, all that will be! :)
12 comments:
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh! Another great post! :D
Congrats for finishing college. It's not a very good feeling parting with friends, but it's crossing a big milestone, right?
A new chapter opens up! :)
Even I'd like to say now "WHY didn't I follow your blog earlier? You're awesome!" :P
But anyway, better late than never!
Happy college ending and happy blogging! :)
yeh tumhari meri baatein :) . what an absolutely nostalgia arousing song, will you agree, TUIB ?
I dread being there.
But then of course, such are life's priorities.
I love the song, though. :)
Astha, thank you! :) I wish I'd run into you in the blogosphere earlier, too. And I'm so thoroughly glad for my blog. I've made new friends through it that I've actually gone on to meet and befriend in real life, too. :) And yes, it is kind of great to finally get out of college but for us, who are going to pursue post-graduation it is kinda just going into a more specialised version of college, just in a different place. :D Studies for a med student never ever come to an end!
Anon, yes, I agree completely! :) Precisely why it is the title of this post. ;)
Meher, yup, I love it, too. And yes, yes, such is life indeed. All good things come to an end.
Happy senioritis! :) As someone who is way past college *groan*, let me tell you that these will always be the best years of your life! There are other good things in store for you, but I guess nostalgia has its own charm! :)
Good luck!
Puneet, I am really starting to think the same thing. That maybe the best years of my life are truly behind me now. That maybe I won't ever be this carefree or this joyful ever again. But I hope I still have some life-highlights to look forward to. :) Thanks!
Another nostalgia to hold on for life :)
Hola...ah! this pos t of urs connects so much to me at the moment...As m few more months to finish my post grad. the lines i loved the most were :
"But it doesn't matter. We've got our lives stretching out in front of us still. And maybe the future has some real pleasant surprises in store for us.
And for what it's worth, there are always new friends to be made and old friends to be rediscovered."
beautiful words, and the feelings they evoke, so close. I can go on and on the way I feel, but ur words say it all...
glad that i read this one:)and congo on finishing ur MBBS!:)keeping the hope alive is difficult, but holding on to it pays...
Sakshi, oh yes! :)
Aakriti, a big welcome to my blog! Thank you so much for your comment. And I'm sort of holding onto the hope of having a long time to go before I finish post-grad! :) On to your blog now. :)
A trip really down the memory lane for me too. :)
But I don't believe taht it's the best part of a life getting over. I guess life's what you make of it. There will be other kinds of highs and the good friendships will never start rolling in unless you put an end to it.
bought back happy memmories..
i was the last guy to leave after the final mbbs exams.. n it was 5 days after my last exam, 3 days after the last exam of the last batch..
and while my mind was in turmoil, about banalities and finalities and a phase gettin over..
my friends from odd batch n junior batch were wonderin whats freakin me out.. lol
and it happened again at the time of internship completion.. :D .. when i spent 6 evenings on a trot celebrating on and with a different friend and a different spirit each time :D
Wooooooow...:) so well written..:):)
i like it..:)
totallt bittersweet sensation..:)
i would love to c u visit my blog..:)
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