Staggered Launch

We reached the ISB gates early morning on the 15th with lushness of the green grass standing in sharp contrast to the summer expectations of aridity. These healthy sprouts must suckle litres from their sprinkler moms, but while we're in the land of haves let's have the best.

 

The process of registration was quite streamlined and well organised. Approach the Admissions during the allotted timeslot, get a token number, and do a quick round of each department on token call. Hmm... and what messed it up? Pro-active students, having a wholesome appetite to devour student life on campus from the word go, conveniently forgetting their timeslots, lined up early at the the Admissions desk, attended to by pardoning alumni, who gave in at the drop of an alum hat. Result... the traditional Indian chaos seen elsewhere, remember our teachers shouting 'Is this a fish market or what, you loafers?' entering a particularly unruly class. The committees, though, did a good job and though the token system never got implemented, the queues were not jumped and we generally got by quite nicely. On the sunny side, we got to meet many more faces than we would have if the process was followed to the tee.

 

Networking's on, a sort different from Cisco's. The more people you know the more you know people is all fine, but in a sea of 432 bobbing heads with faces, some smiling, some smug, some wannabe-cool-smirking, how do you single out the ones which you WANT to remember? I'll just leave it to myself. Although having mice-like memory, I have managed to remember a few good people in the first couple days. A game that's on for non-starters amongst us to secure a 'fair' acquaintance. Name, origins, background, whereabouts and section. Ask these 5 questions to a new interesting face, quickly memorise the name and forget the rest. Meet again, call out name and the 4 other questions guarantee you a 25 sec talk time plus a minute of apology for forgetfulness. Attempt a triple encore and you may be booted out squarely, however.

 

Presentations, Alum gyan and section games are going to take all of this week, and while we are getting oriented, someone within me is shouting 'boy, this place is all about loud extroversion. where's your fire?' I will go find my old engineering flintstones but someday I'll write something about 'Are loners losers?' and I am sure of which side of the fence to be.