It feels weird. What? That I'm missing LH 1, First Floor, Room no. I don't know what. I woke up this morning and said "Good Morning". For the last three weeks it's been "What's up?". I miss not eating out of a dabba, waiting for Tuesday so that I can fill my tummy with Kadi Chawal, singing in the hostel room, asking Jenny "not to think of...", listening to Junior's stories, pulling shorts down. I woke up at 10 this morning and I wasn't rushing to go anywhere. There isn't a movie being screened at 5 pm today. No Desi bar to visit, no Maggi at the tapri, no cake at Ambrosia, no late night chats with the Bong, no trips to her PG, no play to attend, no Sheryl to wait for, no cat to irritate.... *sigh* I definitely have the Bombay blues!

I loved the contact period this time. In terms of learning, the last three and a half weeks have left a solid impact on me. More than anything else, I can see how much I've grown up. I once read a story by Anton Chekhov. It was called The Bet. I remember the discussion that followed. While all my friends thought that being sentenced to death was far better than life imprisonment, I believed the latter was what I would pick. At least I would still be alive and could construct a new life at the end of my term; quite like the lawyer's. My stay on campus just proved that I knew what I was talking about back then.

When I left home for the contact period, I could hardly wait to get to Bombay. I was irritated with everything in my life. I was angry... with myself.. with the nonsense around me... every single thing. I met P in front of the gate and after all the excited jumps and hugs, we walked in. My drama wasn't allowed to enter. I didn't let it. Classes round the clock, presentations, assignments, meetings, documentaries, bonding... my mind was so occupied! I was learning new things, I was discovering how little I actually knew, I was getting to know different kinds of people.... The experience left me spellbound! The last six months I was caught up in such s*** that I had forgotten what it was like to be happy. I was stagnating and while I was dying to break free, I was too scared to let go.

Well, It wasn't an explosion. Over 24 days, it just happened! My life's been re-prioritized. I can't explain it all but I'm just kicked up about everything right now. I'm getting back to doing the things that I love! I like how I stay unaffected by the attention that comes my way, how it took one sentence like "I just don't care" for me to realise that neither do I and leave the place as a joyful person, how the course is changing the way I perceive the world, empowering me and is setting me for the big game... With all of that taken care of, I know nothing's impossible. The trivial things that had gained a lot of importance just don't matter anymore. I've rediscovered my passion to learn :)

To end this on a happy note, I have to thank my rather chivalrous nose twin for putting up with me on my last evening in that city. Your music, the overloaded salad plate, me tuning out during dessert and us laughing about that mad common friend of ours... It was Fun!

*hops, skips, jumps without a care in the world*