Am I in college again?

It has certainly been a long long time since I posted a blog entry. As it happens to most of us, adulting often gets in the way. As much as people may quote quotes that it is about "making time and not having it", the truth of the matter is that life was never meant to be that black and white. It was always about the grey.

However, when one is lucky, i.e. when things are not grey, and there is some semblance of monotones, that is when one can hope to find and make the time to... well... write!

Or so I tell myself that.

My last post was back in December 2018. A LOT has happened since then. Apart from being almost two years older, having completed another 365 Days of Happiness photos escapade, begun living through this new world order of a pandemic and getting fatter along the way, I have finally quit my drudgerous job and started out an exciting new professional adventure with my very own Independent Practice! (Excuse my Hallmark-esque description)

It is this new chapter in my life which has prompted me to key in some thoughts, in an almost confessional journalistic manner, just because now, as most of you have guessed, I have "the time" to do so.

Starting an independent practice was something that I had always wanted to do. I think perhaps, it has been a dream since the very first day that my brother and I sat down with his fancy scientific calculator to figure out how much money I would end up making if I chose to take up law instead of architecture (which at the time was my career of choice), whilst visualising me as the female counterpart to Bobby Brown (ref. The Practice).

It was this dream that convinced me to drop out of the Science Stream, much to the dismay of my teachers, in Class 11, 1 month before the First Semester Exams, and switch over, not to the Commerce stream (argh, which I hate), but to the Humanities Stream. Now, being an 80s child, growing up in the 90s, one would instantly appreciate the gravity of that move! It was the story of the session. The School frantically called my parents to confirm this decision of mine, and asked me in not so subtle words if I was under any "pressure". It was unfathomable for them, that an above average student, who had secured enough marks to be accepted in the Science Stream, would now "choose" to take Humanities, the black sheep of subjects.

Once everyone got over that fake drama, and after spending two glorious final years in School, I stood at the precipice of starting college. Since I was clear with my dream to take up law, as expected, I applied for Law Schools in the UK, and also took competitive exams for Law Schools in India, whilst also applying for Political Science and English at the University of Delhi. As fate would have it, for the lack of a sufficient scholarship, UK was out of the picture, and since I did not get through my top 2 choices for law schools in India, and perhaps in a more heart-driven move, I chose my mother's Alma Mater: The Lady Shri Ram College for Women, spending the next 3 eye opening and mind blowing years studying Political Science.

Finally, at the next precipice, the do or die moment to take up law, I sat for the 3 year LLB Program entrance exam at the University of Delhi, and thankfully made it through with ease, ready to take the first step towards my dream, which had been concocted at the age of 15. In hindsight, I often wonder what if I had not cleared the Delhi Univ. Entrance Exam; how else would I have taken up law. I had not applied to any other college. Quite the "Gung-ho" move, I'd say. (Read Gung-ho as stupid). But all is well that ends well, right!

Moving along... Even though it seems like it, this post was never meant to be a biographical narrative. Allow me to get to the point, it is coming, soon, I promise.

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While at LSR, life was always 賑やか (nigiyaka). In other words, there was always something to do, with plenty of things going on across the campus, be it academic or otherwise. College life suited me. I was playing sports (tennis) regularly, was actively taking part in social development activities, continuing with vocal music as a part of the Western Music Choir (though a small and more limited role), whilst absorbing the amazing curriculum of Political Theory through the ages. And if it looked like my plate was full, it was at this time I decided to jump into a new passion, i.e. learning the Japanese Language.

With this new adventure, I dove into the world of Japan and stayed underwater as long as I could hold my breath, letting every bit of this fascinating culture be absorbed through the millions of pores in my body. As a part of this process, I begun watching a ton of Japanese Dramas, Anime series and Japanese Movies. I also embraced J-Pop and J-Rock music. Despite the plethora of activities in college, I always found the time for binging new content everyday, often sacrificing my oh so precious sleep.

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Law School, however, was slightly different. It was more laid back. Post LSR, the next three years of my life offered up time on a platter. And how did I make use of this abundance of time? It was by continuing my binging of series after series and movie after movie, but without sacrificing any sleep.

Growing up, my mother was very particular about ensuring that my brother and I never fall into the habit of afternoon naps. We were always occupied with some activity or another, including with no TV restrictions. This wonderful trait of no afternoon naps soon went out the window as Law School began.

Making my way up to North Campus for an 8:30 a.m. class (which often got cancelled) earned me afternoon nap rights, is what I thought. And so life was a wonderful routine of messed up sleep cycles, and binge watching my favourite shows, with the occasional bursts of study, much to the dismay of my recently retired father, who could only shake his head with disapproval. 

To sum it up, 6 years of college life were amazing!

Which brings me to my current state of being. Independent Practice, and that too in a pandemic ridden, work from home, virtual courts and virtual meetings world, so far, has been a new yet nostalgic experience.

I am back to binging series after series and movie after movie, trying my hand at another language, already completed two short-term certificate courses, with occasional bursts of work. My sleep cycle is once again messed up in the most wonderful way, with plenty of afternoon naps, along with the return of my retired father's disapproving nods. This is coupled with the fact that my brother and I are back to discussing more of Star Wars, Video Games, Manchester United matches, and other online streaming content on Netflix and the lot.

Granted, I do not go out as much as I used to. But the similarities with the state of being circa 2004-2010 are undeniable. The new normal almost feels like the old normal in my perspective. Which begs me to ask the question: Am I in college again?

In an obvious attempt at not answering that rhetorical question, for now, I am just going to continue enjoying this new phase in the best way I can. 10 years of work has earned me this break, which is what I tell myself every morning. Here is to hoping that my Independent Practice actually turns out to be better than the dream of the 15 year old me!

Have a great day folks and cheers to finding the positives of 2020. May the odds ever be in our favour!

nish ^_^