That One Fateful Day.

Walking towards the lift with a brownie bought from the bakery, looking like the 50th copy of Alia Bhatt wanting to impress that “someone” whom I haven’t even met yet; I started my rainy but beautiful day.

Little did I know that our college lift is equivalent to Mumbai local train compartments, the only difference being, you cannot carry eatables.

So that’s how my day began, with a lecture from our grumpy old lift man. I was obviously not allowed to enter our strangely strong lift. Of-course I thought my first lecture was Economics, but college had something else planned for me.

I was practically crawling when I entered my class, exhausted from the morning hum-drum.

Our teacher hadn’t come yet- I was saved from another possible embarrassing entry into class; with all the students glaring at me as I contort my face to a shy apology in front of a fuming professor.

Our class was a mini factory. I instantly started looking for someone I would know or at least know of. As I couldn’t find any familiar faces, I ran towards my forever favourite row, the corner one.

An angel, whom I would now like to call my best-friend, asked me if she could take the spot next to me. I think the feeling of being noticed by someone (other than your potential lover) is underrated.

So anyway, eager to join any club or committee in college to live the so called “college life” people always keep talking about, I asked her about it. She uttered the words

“Drama team”- my world changed at that very moment.

Since I was a late admission, some of the first-year students had already bonded with each other. But I still did go for a meeting; the turning point of my life. Being surrounded by potential artists eager to showcase their talent inspired my being, it awoke something in my soul that I never knew existed.

To be fair, it didn’t inspire me enough to showcase my talent as of then because there is a universal fact that trumps all- nervousness can take over your body and make it difficult to prove your potential.

On the bright side, I overcame my nerves eventually, I met new people, I interacted, and came to the realisation that college is not meant for academia only. Not for me at-least.

I remember at the beginning of the day when I was trying too hard, but not getting the reaction I was expecting; it perplexed me as I did everything that online guides about “how to stand out in a new college” told me to.

But at the end of that very fateful day, when I shed my “wannabe” skin and was actually comfortable; another strange angel whom I would like to call as my boyfriend now offered me a muffin. I entered the lift while talking to him, when the lift opened and the operator yelled “food not allowed, you get out now”. That cute little old liftman is definitely my favourite person in college now.

Did you know, sometimes just making puppy face does get you out of trouble? Any-way, I can say with all my heart and soul, that my first day of college was amazing, it taught me a lot.

Things just fall into place eventually, you don’t need to try so hard all the time to fit in, you’ll fit in where you belong without even realising it. That is the biggest lesson I give you guys, our newest FY’s. Hopefully, your first day would be as entertaining and happening as mine!