I ran my hand into the cover frantically. Bull!Where is my offer letter? My mother frowned at my carelessness and the security guard showed signs of restlessness.
Day 1, 7 p.m. at Infosys gate
Shivers ran down my spine- fear or anticipation or just the weather, I couldn't find out.Ah!my offer letter,photo proof were identified and only I was allowed through the gate due to security measures. My sister was disappointed. I dragged the suitcase by the wheel.The sound echoed through the whole campus. “Okies!”, I looked at the suitcase “this is not working”. I ended up carrying it to the vehicle. I took a glance before I got into the vehicle and fell in love with the place in an instant. Inside the cab, I realized I was the only one in salwar and only one from south. In two minutes, we landed in front of the reception (which gave a 3 star effect) where I had to open all my bags for inspection and get keys to the room. I,being number crazy, looked at the building and room number first .”Good sign”. All our bags were again loaded into another vehicle and we were driven to our blocks.My room was in the ground floor.
Knock ! knock!.No reply. Knock knock!No reply.Little irritated and was about to knock again when I noticed the switch for bell.Argh!
As soon as the door opened, I gave the blank look that I was famous for. So did the person in the room. My roommate!!I have never stayed outside (excluding camps,friends place et al) and she was my first ever roomie. I said a hi,shook hands, placed my luggage and left the room in two minutes (probably shocked her).
I called up one of my best friends who has been there for several months.
"Come to FC 1",he said.
Here I am-a poor soul who has no sense of direction and he expects me to come to some place that sounded like a Morse code.
"What is that? More important, Where is that?"
He handed over the phone to his friend which proved to be of no effect too. So, I walked to the place asking directions in every ten steps.
Oh!!FC 1 meant food court one!!
The place was amazing and even more delighting was the menu. I have never seen so much variety in my life. While eating, besti tried to explain every building which I tried even harder to grasp.
After looking at my monotonous nod,he decided to show the place rather.
We first went to the GEC (global education centre) which beat White house hands down (not that I have seen the white house but you do get the point ,right?)
I gaped at the ceiling design. "id cardu............................%$^&&*%%&*&%?" (the words are censored because I didnt understand a word of what the security said.It was their native language). I realized I didnt have a ID card and tried in my best of tamil + hindi + english words to explain that I had checked in only then.The security was courteous enough to let me in.
I was gaping even at the classrooms and also made mental note of the last row hoping I would land there someday.I was introduced to some students who were very busy studying.It kind of scared me.
View of my building
We left to the respective rooms(again I did my ten step asking thing) and I got to know more of my roomie and also the room. My roomie was (and is ) very sweet and patient enough to put up with me.The room had excellent facilities which promised to make me more lazy.I partially unpacked and hit bed.
Day 2
After experimenting things at the bathroom(which was equally big like the room), I ran to meet my college mates the very next day.We went in search of something called the "Mutliplex". It took me fifteen minutes to realise what I was seeing-a theatre!! I think I had the most innovative and craziest opinion about the place.I found it delicious!!After submitting some documents and collecting coloured tags(some tried exchanging tag colours but when "ethical issues " were discussed,everyone returned them).The interiors reminded me of my favourite theatre here and I did a twenty minutes scanning of the crowd. It was colourful and diversified.If you consider yourself young and in the right mind,you would know what I mean. The induction programme was exciting because every time volunteers were called for,some twenty hands shot up. I ,typical observer (or thats what I call myself), just enjoyed listening and watching the whole thing.
It was during the lunch time that I discovered what harm an ID card could do. The card had tasted the sambar and rasam.Some formal checking and filling forms were done and we left for the day.
At dinner time, my besti suggested cycling back to the rooms. It was only after that did I realise the number of muscles I had in my legs.The whole place has slopes and cycling along these proved the most difficult part.My heart beat faster and I grasped for air every now and then (thanks to six months of sitting at home and lazing).
The DJ night
Day 4
The induction this day was awesome. Handled by two ladies, I enjoyed every bit of it. A large number of role plays and total entertainment.
In the evening we went to Laundromat (or simply Laundry) and waited for whole one and half hours for the clothes to get washed.
After this, we went roaming about the place and were still excited about everything.
The campus had every sport you could think of- basket ball,hockey, cricket,football, race track,volley ball, tennis, badminton, table tennis. You name it ,they have it.
Basket Ball
The Origami building with the race track
Day 5
We wrote some English test and the classes got over in few hours. I tried my hand at TT (was decent I guess). The whole of my college gang went to FC5 which was another architectural amazement and food was excellent too.
We had the weekend off and I returned home.
The things that I noticed during the week:
1) Being in the campus tames you. They dont compel rules on you but you tend to listen because of the peer group.
2) In the evening or free hours,you are allowed to try out any weird combination of dressing.Nobody bothers, nobody cares.
3) There are too many opportunities but no time.
4) The nights are the busiest time of the day (esp at GEC)
5) You eat a lot yet manage to lose weight ;)
6) The facilities make you even lazier than what you were at home
All in all, Mysore campus is one brilliant place with lot to learn and enjoy.
P.S.; My friends challenged me-if I say the same after two months of stay;there could be two possibilities. Either I got admissions for higher studies and have planned to leave in between the training or I am simply insane.
