Thursday, September 20, 2007

Back to PEC !

It seems like yesterday when I stood on the same building, waiting, expecting...the longest wait that lasted only for a few minutes when finally my name was announced by my placement officer on behalf of Vanenburg Business IT Solutions. I went to the same college again, this time to stand on the other side of the dais, for the same company (now called Cordys). I am feeling nostalgic for my college days now and the only cure for this is a trip down my memory lane.
My fruitful, funny, adventurous and energetic 7 years in Cordys melted right in front of me when I visited PEC (Pondicherry Engineering College), as one of the panel members for the recruitment drive.

As I gave a short speech to share my experiences with Cordys, I was no more an “industry guy sharing my experiences to students”, I almost became the student myself, the old days passing my mind, days which were truly wonderful though they did not seem the same at that time...

The hall at admin block where we conducted the exam brought back fond memories in which I saw myself sweating, bent-headed, doing engineering drawing, the same hall which I now supervised the exams we conducted - believe me, I felt horns sprouting from my head making me feel that the world is round.

That’s the beauty of looking back – it turns the ordinary into memorable, the mundane into magical...

I visited the computer lab that I so stealthily visited during the brief stint of my college life. Remember there is a reason to be in college...the next 30 to 40 years of your life will shape up on the basis of how your spend your time in college.

The final day of our campus visit from which we picked 4 students into Cordys family is memorable in many ways. This is when I visited the classrooms and professors from my Department of Civil Engineering. Oh, its nice to feel the classrooms occupied by me, the sounds of slamming books and dropping bags, the thrills of bunking classes, the fun of movie-going, the joys and embarrassments of facing the person you were talking about, when the same person come standing behind you, everything came rushing to me.

These were the classrooms we sat, letting our minds wander, thinking about canteen or someone ‘special’...

I was never the brilliant student of my department; I sat the 2nd row merely because of my height...but even after these 7 years of my neglecting to visit the college, my Professors still remembered me...!

I promised a sure visit sometime in November again for a quality time spending with my gurus who are still an inspiration to many of us including me...

I looked back just once when I started to leave from campus and smiled to myself. It doesn’t matter so much that I never trekked Himalayas, never scored a single run for the country, never even got married till now.

9 comments:

Krishnan said...

These days, the recruitment team sits next to my place in office..and many freshers in their final year keep coming for interviews and collecting recruitment letters and all.. seeing the tension and anxiety on their faces, I am reminded of the day when I attended my first interview.....

saying that I was shit scared then would be an understatement , but, thinking about it does break a smile on my face :-)

tujesalam said...

Malarum ninaivugal. Good one man. I cherised the moments for some time after reading ur post.

Suresh said...

wow, that must have been an experience. what did you find different from the time we went to college? how have things changed at PEC?

Nagaraj said...

hi suresh, changes are there in the entrance, in the beginning. the OAT and other cultural activities are in the new building close to Ad block. Chemical engg. is a new block now, probably you would have seen. other than that, some rooms (like tnpcell) are changed. as you go upwards, things remain same :-)

Anonymous said...

Hey Nagu,

This was awesome! I discovered 2 things while reading this...1) I miss my college more than I thought! 2) You, my friend, are a damn good writer! I def have an alternative career waiting for you...!

-Ashish

Anonymous said...

Hai nagu mama, really feeling great to see your presence in our college as a selector. My happiness is no bounds that my friends has being in such a position in his company. Good keep it up

Prabakaran

Anonymous said...

Hi Nagaraj...
Really wonderful to read a great writer's golden reminiscence...
To be frank even i'm missing my college..CET College Of Engg Trivandrum...Thanks for sharing ur experience :)

- Aruna

Unknown said...

Naga, I haven't finished reading all of it because I'm in a hurry, yet, as I browse through your article, my dear, what a good writer you are! Gosh, I'm so proud of you...;-) Keep it up...I still hope to see you, my friend...

Anonymous said...

It is amazing for me to be here, reading your beautiful words and feel just like i'm quietly sitting in your heart and see what is in your heart and touch it, like that you are sitting close to me, talking the story to me in a tender voice... making me want to hold your hands tightly and look into your eyes for long...

from princess