Edited by: Devaki Divan
It’s the middle of March. It’s a Sunday morning. For a change, I am awake (well, partially) and working in RH2 commons with someone. I accidentally glance at her Whatsapp Web screen (no, I don’t lack digital sanskaar). I see a group named something along the lines of “college trip lessgo”, and that is when I realise that it’s officially the “planning college trips” season!
I faintly remember, it was under the white light of Néscafe that my friend and I took out the t-word from our vocabulary arsenal for the first time. As one shared with another, the YJHD dream of going on a cool trip with friends (and not finding a Bunny, cause your girl is over that era) seemed less distant this summer. The dream of gundo ke saath ladna, Bachchan ke gaane gaana aur bus ko rukwa kar Holi khelna??? I mean I also want to carry back yaadon ka ek bada sa suitcase…
Anyways, my friend and I travelled through north-south, and east-west of India mentally (instantly dismissed the central region, cause we both are from there) only to be unable to come up with a suitable place. We put the conversation to a halt for then, so as to return with better ideas later on. I tucked some hope in my pocket and went back to the RH.
The conversation, like a government office employee, went on a longer break than required. Then one fine day, under the yellow lighting of Library café, another friend mentions the genius idea of planning a trip (yes, 2022 me, we made more than one friend in college) in the shared company of others. The idea enjoyed everyone’s approval. Some quick searches on google and one meal of matar-paneer and roti later, we did not make much progress but I could sense the enthusiasm in another friend. I already started visualising making “the trip finally made it out of the group chat” reel. We all were motivated to continue the search.
Post-that, I remember the idea being bright up in the amphitheatre, outside the library second floor, while walking towards the mess. I even began laying the foundation for getting permission from my parents for the trip—they weren’t against it but not fully convinced (ofc due to my *amazing* sense of direction, time management skills and decisiveness). They were ready with their patent reply “dekhte hai”. I knew a concrete plan could convince them. Similarly, my friends will have to discuss this with their families.
So we need to figure out a decent place and the logistics only na?
Hahahaha, please welcome ‘schedules’ and their evil laughter!
Somebody has an internship abroad, followed by a summer sem; another is going to their sister’s place for the majority of the break, one is not available in the beginning, many don’t prefer going on a trip right before the Monsoon sem begins—ugh it just seems impossible! *types angrily* We tried, we really tried to accommodate everyone but…
After one point, it just became a sensitive topic for me. As days passed by, the amount of trip-related mentions lessened. Now, remember the friend with whom this discussion had begun? Yeah, he decided to give this idea a shot one last time. Some of our friends and I gathered in the comfortable setting of the Graduate Lounge (yeah,yeah we read the name correctly before entering in) with a packet of nachos and some poor jokes. He commenced the meeting like it was some corporate merger meeting. After the rest of us were done mocking that, he resumed. He suggested some hill stations and tentative dates. Our schedules matched even less with each other than the pyjamas and t-shirts I pair together at home and ruined the plan. We brushed our disheartened spirts to the other side of the table and moved on to playing “You Only Laugh Once”(I wish moving on from your next monthly crush becomes this easy).
Honestly, pal, I have reached the point where a solo trip can fix me. As if that’s happening this year, umm stay tuned?
To all my fellas who have had to go through a similar unsuccessful journey of planning a college trip, I feel your frustration. On this sad occasion of losing my YJHD dream yet again, I think Naina would say, “Jitna bhi try karo, life mein kuch na kuch toh chuttega hi. Toh jaha hai wahi ka maza lete hai.” (How much ever hard you try, you’ll always miss out on something in life. Let’s just enjoy the present moment.) Yes, Naina, this is my family’s mantra, I remember it by heart. The point is ki poori ki poori trip hi chutt gayi (ek baar phir se). Anyways, that’s life.