My life at SRM, "Chennai"

The intriguing prospect of writing for SRM university and with articles written on Lindenwood University ( Priyadarshan), on BITS  (Aditya) and from Princeton (Akash) it looked like an herculean task from the outset. But things started to flow once I started to write this article.



My life at SRM, "Chennai"
By Prasanna Rao

The symbolic SRM statue!

Unlike my other contemporaries who underwent a rigorous IIT-JEE training for 2 years most of them landing in one of the best colleges in India and IIT ofcourse. During that time I was away for almost 1.5 year globe trotting completing my IM title requirements and came back in almost September end for the preparations of the “HSC”.  Nothing extraordinary and passed HSC. SRM came along with that.

Without any huff and buff I got into SRM one of the top ten engineering colleges in India (leaving aside IITs) because I am a chess player (Advantages of being a chess player and believe me there are many)

Oh yes its huge and this is 1/4th part of the campus!

              

I began my hostel life ( I have to give credit to chess that it was “ok” for me to be away from home as I was habituated to it) at Room NO 401 H- Block. Eager to embark on this exciting odyssey I started my first semester.

Celebrating aka "hostel style"

The most obsessive part of the SRM is the wonderful (to the mildest term I use it here) hostel life. Right from peeing in front of the warden’s room ( I hope none of the professors are reading these!) Bursting crackers and throwing a bucketful of water when someone is sleeping at 3am ( It happened to me too!) it was a journey to be remembered. (And yes baby we are only 6 months old in hostel life). The moment of anguish, desperation when someone does that to you but when you reflect back it puts a small smile across your face. And keeping all the things aside I learned to take care of myself and the most important thing never ask a HOSTELITE whether he is hungry? If you are staying in hostel YOU MUST BE HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

Keeping all the fun things aside, I learnt some new important lessons. TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN. You lose something you need to pay for it from your pocket-money (And believe me guys that hurts, hurts to the core)  There is no mom to look after you. Wake up on your own, wash your own clothes (Most importantly before someone comments that you stink), eat the messy food which you get in mess (GULP IT, DRINK IT, DO WHATEVER but EAT that bloody food). After 6 months I can say that hostel life has given me the freedom but equally it has made me more responsible. 

In the 6 months I would have attended college for 4 months, went back home for like almost 4 times (Another leisure you can afford if you are a chess player ON DUTY) played tournaments and still had one of the most awesomest moment of my life till now. And my ATM card usage agrees with that 
(A personal tip! Hide the money wherever it is possible in your wallet where your friends and seniors cant have a look :)

To be frank enough  I thought SRM  as a place swarming with nerds, oil-combed hair (Yes you can expect that in Chennai)  carrying books in one hand  sweating due to freaking 40 degrees (Here the weather goes from hot, hotter and hottest) and discussing  the evolution of the science and related stuff  in their linguistic tone which will normally frighten a “sadhu” human being like me. But I was glad to be surprised. The place is more dominated by the North Indians with almost 60% accounting for them. And with girls you know can only ask the SRM people how they are enjoying it ( I know it’s a international platform to speak on but come on guys you cant be straight if you are not thinking about the girls!). And my roommates are from Delhi and Assam. Speaking about diversity!

To sum it up of my "6 months stay" I explored new adventures, developed new skills and made some great(Ofcourse they are my friends). Personality being developed (I hope everyone here understands the sarcasm) after attending all the PD lectures :P I am sure more interesting things will pop up as time flies by. The TIME has come to change. To get out of your own comfy zones and a  take a step towards the big-daddy world.