Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Work vs College Life

Well it's been a reaaaaaaaaaallllllly long time since I've blogged... Not that I didn't wanna, but just that nothing significant happened for me to blog plus I'm real lazy... It's not that something's happened now but I'm hoping that while I ramble on for a while, writing aimlessly, hopefully something will strike me and I can write about that.... No luck yet though... He he he...

It's strange how life changed after we started working and to be honest, I'm loving it... Ok OK.... Not a McDonald's advertisement here... Not just because I don't have exams any more (oh wow.. that is awesome) but I love the independence it represents. Financial independence is one aspect. We need to spend sensibly alright, but it's a wonderful feeling to spend the money you have earned.. be it on yourself or on gifts for people. For example the other day I met a bunch of my dear friends from college for lunch and movie. And unlike times when we were in college, this time we went to a classy kinda expensive restaurant... It's not the amount that mattered, but the change in everyone's attitude that was worth noticing. Another thing is the independence to decide for yourself. We are given some work but how to do it optimally is upto us. We can break our heads on the same and figure things out on our own and it's exhilerating once you succeed.

But the changes don't stop here... Discussions tend to get kinda boring as people start discussing animatedly about how much income tax they shell out and what investments would help when it comes to tax benefits. Cmon ppl.. get a life!!!

I gotta admit though that our conversations are far more mature, as we discuss work environments, technologies we are working on, and so on. But when it comes to talking about hunks n babes, well not much has changed since college days. The teasing part is still the same.

But I certainly cannot say that I don't miss college life. I miss sitting aimlessly in the canteen, with a chai and vada-pav in hand, talking about everything and nothing at all, sharing happy and sad moments. In your workplace you usually have neither the time nor the inclination to make thick friends, the kind that you make in college. It's not that we don't have fun in office with friends, just that at times you feel a void... as though something is missing but you can't quite pinpoint it to anything in particular.

Here I'll add a li'l forward I had received a few days back. Kinda apt...


Yeh degree bhi lelo ye naukari bhi lelo
Bhale Chheen lo mujhse USA ka Visa
magar mujhko lauta do college ka canteen
vo chaay ka pani vo teekha samosaa
college ki sabse purani nishaanee
vo chaayvaalaa jise saare kehte the... jaani
vo jaani ke hathon ki 'cutting' chaay meethee
vo chupkese journal mein bheji hui chitthi
vo padhte hi chiththi uska bhadakna
vo chehre ki laali vo aankhon ka gussaa...


kadi dhoop mein apne ghar se nikalnaa
vo project ki Khatir shahar bhar bhataknaa
vo lecture mein doston ki proxy lagaanaa
vo sir ko chidhanaa ,vo aeroplane udaanaa
vo submission ki raton ko jagnaa jagaanaa
vo orals ki kahani vo practical ka kissaa....


bimaari ka detention ke time bahanaa
vo doosron ke assignments ko apnaa banaanaa
vo seminar ke din paironka chhatpatanaa
vo workshop mein din raat pasinaa bahanaa
vo exam ke din ka bechain maahaul
par vo maa ka vishvas - Teachar ka Bharosaa...


college ki wo lambisi raatein
vo doston se canteen me pyaari si baatein
vo gathering ke din ka ladnaa Jhagadnaa
vo ladkiyon ka yuhin hamesha akadnaa
bhulaaye nahin bhool sakta hai koi
vo college, vo basen, vo shararatein vo javani...
vo kagaz ki kashti vo barish ka pani...



Ok now I've started humming the song "Purani Jeans" as well. Don't worry folks, won't paste the lyrics of that here as well... In that case thoda aur pakau ho jayega...

It's a well known saying that "The grass is always greener on the other side".... but I won't say that applies to me. I loved college while I was in college, and I love my workplace while I'm here. Yes, I do miss college, but won't state that college life is better. Each has its own perks.... Actually now that I think about it, when it comes to comparing college life and work, I'll use my friend Sumedh's phrase "Same Difference"... Yes this phrase sounds incredibly absurd but it embodies a lot. Some things are different, the environment is different, things you are doing may be different... but you are still you and nothing can change that. It's all in the mind... If you want you can jolly well maintain things such that your workplace is as much fun as your college canteen. You just need to find that equivalence and then everything falls into place.

I have no idea whether whatever crap I've written here makes any sense at all... But if you remember, in the beginning itself I had clearly stated I had nothing in particular to write about here... Just thought of letting the Blogging world know that "I exist"... Oh well, before people start thinking of changing that fact I'll bid "Adieu!" n ppl pray that the next time I come back, I have something concrete to write about n not bore you guys to death again... Till then Cheerio!!!

5 comments:

Subin said...

well written and timely written. i always wanted someone to draw a comparison between college life and work life.it was nice reading.

wordmonkey said...

well enjoy your independence -
as for the tax cuts - one of the three constants of life, and maybe not the most painful :)

Anonymous said...

wow u have written so nice.you just show my future in front of me.i have recruited in IBM and going to join in aug/sep. 2006.
Ankur Mittal

Unknown said...

a nice blog showcasing the diversity of college life versus the office life, which i m myself also getting entertained with..:)
I stumbled upon this blog by chance, but i do stumble upon many others, what really took the notice was the "ye degree bhi le lo......."

keep it up!!

Anonymous said...

My daughter is also Rupsha and she wanted a search on her name...she is 8 years old and quite thrilled seeing this blog of yours. Keep the blog on....