If you are walking on the yellow brick road, tread off it. There are wonderful things out there, things that no one has seen before. Take a step aside, cast your own trail or trace an existing one. If you can throw aside the thought of the emerald city, then there is nothing more peaceful than a walk in woods. As long as you keep walking.

On my way to Roorkee for the first time, there were a plethora of feelings inside my mind. Excitement obviously, some trepidation, and quite a few expectations. The tedious registration process did squeeze out most of the excitement and by the time I was done, I couldn’t wait to get a big (and deserving) nap. My room, while spartan, was thankfully single, quite a big thing for an introvert like me.

The orientation ceremony that followed was seven days long (like seriously!). It provided some insight on the history of my new college and a peek into its current culture. And to be honest, I was amazed. There was so much you can do, so much to explore. It seemed like there was a community for just about everything. I also used that time to explore the campus that while not as big as some other IITs, it was quite peaceful (most of the time) and easy on the eyes.

And then the classes began and along them a schedule to keep up with, which actually is not that hard but one should not underestimate the laziness of college students. At first, I tried to get to know a lot of people since I believed that it was the people that made the place. I expected to meet amazingly intellectual people (it was IIT after all). I was disappointed. Which led me to closing myself back in my shell and abuse the hell out of the terrific LAN that R-land provides.

Soon it was the time for group recruitments and I saw the campus buzzing with activity for the first time. I attended all the introductory lectures that I could. Though sadly, when the day of recruitments came I had to go home for Eid. After a lot of calls, messages and rushing, I was still able to give the interview for two groups that I really wanted in on: Geek Gazette and Kshitij.

While I was sad that I couldn’t apply for other groups at that time, these two became an integral part of my campus life. When I had scouted the groups, I knew I had to get into GG. It being the haven for geeks and enthusiasts like me. And I was not disappointed, if anything the edit meets broke past all my expectations. To see people talking so passionately and debating with each other irrespective of their year, it was downright amazing. In Kshitij, I found people who were literary enthusiasts like me and loved writing ( even fanfiction!!). It was also here that I discovered my love for writing poems and romanticism. Following this was my introduction to the amazing party culture here.

It seemed like I had judged people too soon (you are all going to do that). In hindsight, it seems obvious that in thousands of students there are bound to some that are compatible with an aspect of you, if not you as a whole.

And then came the evil known as MTEs or mid term exams. The campus fell silent, which made late night walks really enjoyable. And soon ghissus were being identified in every group. Anyone who wished for a branch change just about disappeared, though I for one did not had any such delusions being quite satisfied with my current branch.

October brought some much needed relief and campus activity with Thomso, our annual cultural fest. Along it came a much needed balance to the pathetic sex ratio that in turn sent the hormones of a lot of students into overdrive. Most of them ignorant to the fact that getting into a relationship for the sake of being in a relationship was a terrible idea. Then again they didn’t get into a relationship so it doesn’t matter I guess. The three days of Thomso were littered by a multitude of events and really fun pro nites (if you have the right company). And I even turned up to be a co-coordinator of an event.

Let us not forget the Chapos, treats by seniors, that were a godsend against the terrible mess food. I never let up any chance to get a chapo, though I stopped counting after 36 ( and that wasn’t even two months in). They also served as a great means to interact with seniors.

November brought in the reminder of the approaching endterms and everyone threw themselves into preparation, well mostly. Everyone was running around, completing assignments and arranging photocopies of notes. Somehow, the endterms did pass though most of it is a blur.

Before going home for the winter holidays, I managed to get a trip with some friends to Jim Corbett (my first trip) and it was amazing. With it came the realization of Roorkee’s great location, just at the foot of Himalayas and close to a lot of hill stations. With the promise of more such trips in the future, I went home quite satisfied.

Knowing that technical groups would be recruiting soon in the second semester, I tried to do some web development in the holidays but my chronic procrastination won over and I ended up watching a lot of movies and anime.

The beginning of the second semester was marked by cold winters that, while everyone else was complaining about, I just simply loved. The crisp fresh air, the fog, the warm baths and the comfort of my bed. I loved all of it. Despite the winters, I still bathed at least twice a day like I always do which led to my wingmates looking at me like I was some sort of alien. Most people just don’t understand the pleasure of a warm bath in winters. And the rains that followed, Oh the rains! Walking around the campus, drenched to the bone while the steps in front of main building turn into a waterfall. Ah the rains!

I hate the summers though, they are too humid and sticky.

Recruitments for technical groups began soon into the second sem, though a few cultural groups also recruited again this time. Since I had not done much to develop my technical skills, I did not apply to many of them since I wasn’t sure about what I wanted, and unsurprisingly wasn’t selected in the few in which I applied solely for the reason that everyone was applying. Still I got selected into the Fine Arts society which I had been aiming for from the start.

Recruitments were immediately followed by annual trips that groups undertake, GG this year went to Manali and the Solang valley which proved to be enormous fun and also provided for an opportunity to interact with seniors which I was thankful for.

All this fun was soon stomped upon by the raging MTEs which once again left more than a few students in pieces. Though we were nothing if not perseverant and were aided in our recovery by a multitude of successive events like Cognizance, Sangram, Inter-Bhawan competitions and Srishti.

Cognizance offered numerous workshops with amazingly fun events, some lectures from leaders of their respective fields and even held the annual fine arts exhibition this year, instead of Srishti. The pro-nites were, of course, unforgettable and helped form a lot of remarkable memories.

Our annual sports fest Sangram, while an amazing opportunity, just wasn’t meant for someone like me, who worked out just enough to keep his belly in.

As the endterms closed in so did the time when we would say goodbye to the final year and we try to make it as remarkable as possible. The farewell parties are something worth looking forward too. We assign characters to our seniors from some memorable movie, series, anime or whatever fits. The juniors have to work a lot too, making props and farewell gifts and on the day of farewell even help the seniors to look their part. Everyday a few familiar faces would be seen in funky and hilariously fitting garbs. Farewell parties are always fun and, by the end, sentimental. It is not usual to see even some juniors bawling their eyes out. It leaves us all wishing that we had some more time together but, alas, all good things must end.

We get so busy in these farewells that most of us don’t take notice of the storm until it’s over our heads. The endterms of second semester were significantly harder than their predecessors but still we survive, though barely. The storms passes but then it hits you. A year has passed, a lot of beloved seniors would be leaving, the spartan buildings are now decorated homes and some strangers have nearly turned into family.

The path surely is a bumpy one, it has its ups and downs and it is upto you to make the most out of it. Develop skills, garner experiences, learn from your seniors, hoard friendships and seek what you want. One year passes too fast, it may seem like nothing but when you sit and think, you’ll be astonished at the change in yourself. You make your choices and your choices make you. All we can hope is to learn and make better choices and be a better version of ourselves in the years to come. But however I may end up, I will never wish to not have walked down this path.