KE - Through a Minion's Eyes

Maryam Ayub

3rd Year

       In KE there it is commonly thought that there are two groups of Kemcolians . One are the prof.  toppers and distinction holders (commonly known as theetas) and the other are the society people.  About a hundred students which run and own the social aspects of Kemcolian life. Both groups consider themselves the face of KE. But between these two Groups in an ocean of obscurity are the majority of students who fall in neither category. These are the people who have participated in atleast a couple of events over the years and are inactive members of atleast one society.

       And this is the group of people  of whom I am a proud member. Although I had participated in a couple of events over the course of two years, in third year my friend and I suddenly had an epiphany that we should join a society. So we went to the interviews , were selected (is there anyone you actually know who has ever returned from interviews without a post? Thought so!) and were proud members with actual posts which we later came to know didn't mean anything. But we tried. By God we tried. We tried to do everything we were asked but as fate would have it we remained unknown and mostly unseen members (Although I am pretty sure we attended all meetings). How unseen you may ask ? Well we weren't invited to the society high tea. Yes that's pretty down in the food chain. (Also makes me think we should have probably done something more than making one chart each ;) )

      The point I am trying to convey here is that yes there is a sort of monopoly in KE but these aren't some evil dictators. These are our class fellows and most of them are actually nice people. Everyone can count about twenty people of each year without which not a single society can work. Or even survive. And I am pretty sure that most of us admire their work (most of the time) which allows slackers like us to come and go as we please. But at the same time we are afraid to enter the societies . To enter the events . To write something for the magazine or blogs even if we can feel our IQ being lowered by some awful piece of writing (yes this current piece can be included) . So I say  let's stop being scared .    

          You want to run in the race go stand on the starting line (Seriously in KE that's all you have to do) . You want to get published , write and send the piece.  Bought a new dslr and want to take pics or just try to look cool , go get a KAPS batch. Just attended the inter-class debates (which I have heard  were way better than the inter-collegiate ) go and get yourself registered.You want to participate in quiz , go ( and no a couple of years humiliation does not lower your self esteem too much in my personal experience) . Want to make a movie , get a camera and start shooting. (Seriously my friends made a couple in first year and though I had the good fortune of not watching them it looked pretty easy.) and if the last film festival is any indication it's unlikely that your worst possible movie will even come close to the catastrophes shown on inter-collegiate day . So whether you are a first year feeling like you have wasted the crucial early months of the year while others rose to prominence or a final year hoping for your first and last hurrah go for it.      

   

         Because even though I'll never be the president or any of the thousand secretaries (Or lady-secretaries in my case. Seriously somebody should petition to change the title. Just think if somebody called Benazir Bhutto Lady Prime Minister! ) I'll go to the said society again next year , maybe even try  a new one. Because even putting aside a couple of prizes I have won God knows how,  it was one of the most interesting aspects of my last year. So before you regret not doing enough or any extra-curricular on your last day (No. USMLE mentoring program doesn't count) do something . Anything, as long as at the end of the day you can go home laughing. On winning, or even on the epic embarrassment on forgetting the speech on the podium. Just go for it, trust me . You will not regret it.