A Month At Dorm..

(Made on 31st Dec)

It is that time of the year again, when you are just lying in your bed, fully covered by blankets and surrounded by peanuts. You try to be productive but No! Staying in bed and watching the recent episodes of HIMYM is better. (Which I missed before)

Happy New Year everyone.

This month was the longest month for almost all of 1st year, specially for the hostilities. And I've decided to write about this roller-coaster ride I had here. It was fun and full of surprises and experiences.

First Day: 

Finding the hostel was the toughest job. But I was lucky as I had already visited that place. Actually, I came on Sunday with all my bags packed but they didn't allow me to stay as the allotment process was to be be done the very next day. Sad Life.

First Day at hostel was really hectic as there were a lot of forms to be filled and made. I spent the whole day from one bank to the other, asking for directions and filling out the forms. Actually these all things were to done at the admission day but I was too lazy to check.  And when everything was done, the allotment process began.

 

But It wasn't over yet. He spent hours finding the other two, And when the job was done, they were called for allotment. But still he didn't get the room because one document was missing. Yes that person was me. And this is how the day was passed.

But my friends were so generous and I stayed in their room for that night, in those broom waalay hostels.

These rooms are the biggest and the widest ones. In ki chat kaafi oper hoti ha and feels like you are sitting in a very giant cell. But that area of the hostel is beautiful. I have never seen anything like that before. Wonderful architecture 

A view of Broom Hostels from just in front of the common room

Left:Reddish corridors of broom hall, Right: Broom Halls

So first night was really weird. Felt like I was in a strange place. *The Scientist. - Coldplay* playing in the background* And I was literally lying there like Chris Martin. But I had nothing to stare but that roof of the room which was not visible though. Every now and then, there were sounds of vehicles passing through. Home-sicked faces of other friends, though some of them managed to conceal it behind an average smile. Many of them were enthusiastic about the new tomorrow and their sadness was minimized. Those who weren't sad at all had fear of ragging. So almost everyone had something going on in his mind and it sure wasn't something jolly. Opening up to each at very first day wasn't much encouraged so an awkward silence prevailed. 

Acha, ab itna b sad scene nhi tha.

Somehow the night was over and we passed it. Without being ragged? Umm, I will come to that.

But the morning is always full of surprises. You wake up and you are like, Where am I? What is this place? I guess it is something about the human brain which makes you think that as you weren't used to it.

 Or you feel like Alice in Wonderland. Don't you girls?

 

And it was over. That weird sensation was over soon after passing a night there. Next day I got the allotment in new hostel. Yeahhh !!!! *Deep sigh* Throwing all of bags and stuff there was really a sensation 

after 2 din ki khajar khawari. 

wasn't studying Guyton kasam sa

 To be honest, I was expecting much worse. Like poor allotment procedures, overcrowding in room, bad food and stuff. But all of my anticipations proved to be wrong. The allotment system was great, at least in boys hostel as we are 3 students in one room but the condition in other hostels is really worse. So we were lucky.

Mess:

Mess ka khaana is good. It is okay. Not that bad. Timings are pretty sharp. The only thing bad about it is the repeated menu. Chicken and rice waloon sa tou koi contract kia hua ha jesaaay.

You may be served with biryani at the very first day but don't get fooled. You will have to eat them like everyday. But whatsoever, it is a lot better than what I expected and it feels like home a bit, though it is not. As the uncles there are too generous to serve you almost each and everything and you don't have to get up to take something. One of them will always remain there till you are done with the food. That's really something. Those uncles deserve some award.

Canteen:

Oh, there is a canteen in hostel also. And it is right below my room. So whatever weird punjabi songs they play, I have to listen to them too. The 'doodh pati' here is awesome. Like pretty good. Yahan pa har wakt ronak laghi rehti ha.

And there is a Masjid, a common room and reading rooms too.

That everyday journey to university from the hostel:

This journey felt good in the start. Getting to know the way, following seniors when you had no idea which way you should be going. No matter what time it is, you will always find students going through that way.  Gradually, I came to have a grip on the way. Don't you just feel like a gentleman when people stop you on the way and ask you for directions: "Bhai wo bachoon wala ward kidar ha." You feel like a boss, think real hard and answer: "Uncle mein hood yahan par nea hoon, mujhe nahi patah." 

Main cheez to yeh road ha

 

 Every hostelite has to cross this manhoos road, unless your aba ji has brought you a car. There are cars coming from every direction and I had no idea when to move. In the morning, this 'chook' is silent. But daytime mein it is really active.

Is sarak ko cross kerna bohoot maharat ka kaam ha. - Asad Bhai.

Yahan par aik bridge hona chahiay.

Or maybe..

The Miley Cyrus Version. Yeah, It is  FAIL. I know!

 Getting used to things

A foggy morning at Macleod Road

Our first week was all about orientation so we didn't study a word. This was quite beneficial for us as we got time to be settled in hostel and visit around to know places. Thought it looked tough in the start, But everything gradually became better or it is becoming better. There are people here from every province and even from other parts of Pakistan like Quetta and Northern Areas. Getting to know each other is really a fun part. We are getting used to these walls, the grounds, mess ki biryani, canteen ki doodh patti and that light red sky of Anarkali. The best thing about hostel is that it is just like a community. There are people everywhere. Seniors are always there to help you whenever you need them. You feel bored? No problem. Saath Layyah waalon ka darwaza knock kerlo, on ka sar khao. (P.s They don't reply to my door knocking now). Or sometimes, when you are the host, yourself.   Yaa neechay canteen mein chalaay jao. Or maybe common room and watch people play table tennis and silently ridicule them as you sit there like a forever alone. You will find solution to everything here. Tbh, in a period of one month I got really attached to this place.  Ragging   Yes, They do look like Snape at first. I do hear seniors saying that, 'isdafa ragging itni nahi hui,' I guess the friendly ones don't rage you. They will help you whatsoever and they consider ragging as an unnecessary mean to interact with juniors. You cannot survive ragging at hostel. The only thing you can do is don't come to hostel at first few weeks or stay at some senior's place. Or stay in your room with doors locked. If you don't want to be ragged just don't come to hostel. That is the finest escape. Even ragging has types. Some are really extreme kind of and they are worth escaping from. I seriously hate those kind of ragging. They should be discouraged. But whatsoever, kuch ragging are really fun.  And It is the best way to know your seniors.   These are the conclusions I have came up with once you are at their 'raham-o-karam' beacuse you cannot escape at that moment. Even if you can, you won't do it. Trust me! 1. Don't be impudent when you are being ragged. 2. Do what they say. let terrible things happen to you. 3. Don't do what they say, let terribbbllleee things happen to you. 4. Do wait for that *haymitch approves* sign.      You are done.  Yahan ragging hostel mein shoro hoti ha aur 'Butt Karahi' par hatam hoti ha. *If you what I mean* In the end, everything will be fine.Those who ragged you, remain your friends and will always be there to guide you. And Back Home..... We all were just getting used to the dorms, when vacations were announced. *sigh* We all wanted that.  But It wasn't for long. It wasn't.....