As every trimester at Krea draws to a close, I find myself standing with my suitcase, looking up at RH6. With the weight of my luggage pulling me to the ground, I wonder. What is it that makes me want to leave this place, only to want to return desperately? What is it that makes it so special? Could it be the 2 am deep conversations, perhaps? The dreamy sunsets, the perimeter walks, the Narsimhulu chai, laughing with your friends? While I’m lost in thought, the hyperactive *vicious* campus dog, Noor, runs past me. I take off my slippers, holding them in my left hand, and mumbling to myself, “Oh no, not this time! What a menace of a dog.” And then it hits me.
My love-hate relationship with this campus is much like what I feel for Noor. This love-hate dynamic, to some extent, mirrors the conflicting sentiments I experience toward the campus itself. When Noor is peacefully asleep, her presence brings out affection and admiration in me, much like the campus’s calm, picturesque aspects do. My most irrational fear, however, is Noor being awake and chasing me, symbolizing the challenges and hurdles I face on campus on a daily basis. While every student here goes through a wholly unique college experience, I think the overall journey one embarks on is pretty similar.
Summer is over, and you’re more than enthusiastic to be back on campus. You walk through the gates, promising yourself, “This year is going to be my year.” You look down to see an asleep Noor and smile, thinking it’s the lull before the storm, and walk off.
You’re excited to start new classes, make memories with your friends, for long late night walks that end in early morning HnC runs, and are looking forward to what the new year has in store for you. Before you know it, though, you’ve hit week 6; along with you, Noor is also beginning to get restless, and midterm week is no longer a distant worry. Embarking on a stroll across campus now involves more than just an academic hustle – it’s a “reach your destination while hiding your slippers from Noor and retaining your mental sanity” challenge. The next few weeks are a blur. It’s week 10 now, you’re so close to the finish line, and the sleepless nights of cramming are getting to you. The storm is here, and the yearning to go back home is more than ever.
And the loop continues.