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In this edition of As We Leave, Mahaarajan J a Y22 student from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, takes us through his four years at IIT Kanpur, kind of like a timeline with detours. He recalls the friendships, clubs, those academic milestones, and the travels that really shaped his college life. Starting with finding a home in DebSoc and Vox, and then wandering around different destinations across India, he talks about a journey that was powered by spontaneity and a lot of happiness, also by simply making the most of every opportunity that appeared.

Disclaimer:- The views presented below are the author’s own and are not in any manner representative of the views of Vox Populi as a body or IIT Kanpur in general. This is an informal account of the author’s experiences at IIT-K.

Hi, well I am Mahaarajan which would be pretty obvious from the title. So this AWL here is gonna be a bit fun and a really frank insight into my 4 years of college and maybe u can draw parallels or take inspiration from it. If anything I would like you to be happier and continue on with a smile on your face. Like all AWLs this shall be a memoir of my college journey, an ode to this absolutely magical 4 (3.5 years) of my life. So, sit back, relax, and come on board on this journey with me. This is my AWL piece  and I have put down my thoughts as it is, apologies if this does not read well 🙂

So when I arrived on campus I did not expect much, It was a Chennai boy in “North India” for crying out loud. I did not know anyone but that changed quickly when I met my first and still one of my best friends Dinesh, and suddenly things did not feel as daunting 🙂 We then had our wing bakchodi, harlem shake was OP man. We were happy that time. Also did anchoring in Freshers night, wearing a suit and being on that oat in front of the whole batch was surreal. I got into squash and met Viral with whom I have had some legendary matches.

Just like that in the wink of an eye with ded saara padhai and parties 1st year got over and I got a feel of what college life is like. I learned to be happy all the time (I still am) and do a lot of crazy stuff like super long cycle rides on 0 sleep, skywalk cycling at night and so on. This became my life philosophy, work hard and enjoy harder. 

Being an SG was a peak experience, getting to experience this orientation from behind the scenes was so so fun. And the bakchodi with other SGs was also lovely. If you are reading this and thinking of whether to fill that form or not, fill krle mere bhai kaafi maza aata hai. I was a DebSoc secy, this has been one club that has stuck with me till the end, has the best and craziest people, made good memories with many of my best friends there like Zehaan, The V and Pranav 🙂 , It was more of a family than a club. 

I had been an  AssEd at Vox too where I worked on many interesting articles with my mates like the Language barriers one with Sruthi or the construction workers one with Pranav or the PhD article with Utkarsh. Vox gave me an opportunity to explore my passion for writing and is partly the reason I am writing this AWL today, I am thankful to Vox for giving me the cutest seniors in the form of Utkarsh, Gauravi, Mutasim, Vrinda and Mohika. ELS was also fun and during my time we were almost the same group of people everywhere 🙂 so even club work was more of a fun hangout.

Second year was when the idea of “Mahaarajan” started to concretise. I used to handle my academics almost effortlessly while being involved in multiple places and “Mahaarajan” became synonymous with me being down for anything always with a happy attitude .With more of my CSE courses coming in I was getting better and acads became more fun than a burden. Huge thanks to the department for all those memorable courses. And this was when I found my gang through one huge ass assignment (Manindra bro)  and Elysium, my closest friends for the next 2 years Akanksha, Animesh, Sankalp, Kushagra, Aditi, Arush, Ritesh, Amul and Jagdale.

This was also the time I started going on college trips starting with IITB, oh man oh man the hike to the hill and the forest fire. The lore is too heavy to pen down here but do ask ur DebSoc seniors about it, Followed by a beautiful and calming trip to God’s own country, exploring Kochi. Will remember this trip for that 5h long boat ride in Kumarakom with the beautiful sunset and thunder while returning, kites by the beach and driving a rental for the first time :).  Special mentions to the national anthem in Bombay and the speed bump on the ‘highway’ near Kochi. I have become a much better driver now ig 🙂

Then we had the Mimamsa trip to Pune, I was truly amazed with how much bio I knew (We topped in Bio in the prelims). I shall remember Anantha and playing ball inside the room with Sruthi, Viral and Dinesh. And the way we handled the questions by going up to the stage and confidently explaining something which we were 0% sure of was crazy. Walking around IISER with Viral at night shall remain a core memory. Special mentions to the dog that saved us brdr and Anantha our literal guide and of course Krishna from Logistics :).

Rafting was a vibe with Ritesh (my first Bro-moon) after the sem got over, man those crazy scooty rides on the slopes in Mussoire and highways of Haridwar. This was truly living life to the fullest. Special mentions to the night drive after dinner on the highway and losing my glasses in the Ganges. Remember guys always say yes to trips, it has been one of the best parts of my college life (ironically outside college lol).

Onto sem 5, after a grueling summer prepping for interns and finally getting through Day-0 with Quadeye was really satisfying. After this I thought I had experienced everything there is and my life couldn’t get much better. This is what you need to understand, you never peak, things only get better as you move ahead. In solving those difficult Lab questions set by Deba I found someone far greater any experience I ever had, it sure did take me a hell lot of courage :). This was also the first sem where I got a true taste of core CSE thru OS, TOC et all and man that was fun. At the end of this I got 10 people onboard for a crazzzy Goa trip by booking non-refundable flights (note to the planners out there) before planning anything. We were a lovely group and the trip was absolutely magical, one of the best trips I have executed. Special mention to the paragliding and butterfly beach :). That lovely sunset at Gamyam just like the sunset at La Manzanilla in Rosarita 🙂

The internship in the upcoming summer was great, the intern taught me to be more confident in myself and the people around me. Always be open to learn and never be afraid of being uncomfortable to learn, appreciate stepping out of your comfort zone once in a while. Interesting fact, I met Tarun whose AWL I edited in 2nd year over at Quadeye :). Was absolutely elated with the return offer and off I went into my final year starting with a Dad trip to Zambia followed by the MVM gang reuniting in the beaches of Bombay. So my last year was filled with good courses, lovely trips…Now I shall delve into my trips one by one, I shall try to keep it brief but be ready 🙂

I ended up visiting Ladakh with Shivam and Bhutan with Sankalp in the 3rd year. Both the places were insanely beautiful and showed me how majestic nature can get. Travelling is life ma man, to travel is to be free. Solo trips might not be that fun but don’t hesitate to go even if u have only one more person with you.  The stars in Ladakh and the peace in the monasteries of Bhutan made me appreciate life more, I was genuinely happy to have experienced these places in this life. Both the trips were really gutsy and most of it was not pre-planned, it is those unplanned adventures that are most memorable :). Special mentions to Malabari Banger & getting scolded by the British couple in Ladakh. Also the Baileys, Holi in ice and the crazy winds that day in Bhutan 🙂

The final year was a happy continuation of how life was at sem 6, I felt whole and was well and truly happy with everything. I also went on 2 short trips to Agra and Jaipur in the meanwhile on weekends to make the most of the time I had left. Courses this time was completely my choice and boy I had a blast, challenged myself academically with many tough courses and emerged victorious on the other side. The fests were also great as everyone came together for one last dance.

The tripping only became better as I explored Meghalaya, Varkala and Munnar this time. The north east was truly mesmerising, the waterfalls there were so majestic and water so so clean and blue. It was one of the closest I have been to nature. I shall always remember that blue lagoon trek and everyone floating in Krem Chympe. Special mention to the boating in Shillong park on the last day, climbing after dark from blue lagoon. My return to God’s own country was nothing less as I enjoyed my birthday in the waters of the Arabian sea. The scooty rides we had with the open ocean to my left in Varkala and through the tea plantation in the morning in Munnar are stuff of dreams. Never should you stop travelling, what are we but travellers through this life.

I also finally ended up going on a trek with my man Sankalp and it was one of the most challenging and transformative experiences of my life. Would recommend everyone to give it a try, the experience is truly something else. We walked for about 65km over 6 days in the steep slopes in the Indo-Nepal border. I felt one with nature and completely connected to my surroundings. In this digital age it is required that we disconnect every once a while and experience the nature in this world. I would hopefully continue this and make it tradition to trek once every year :).

Then it all culminated in the batch video preparations, photoshoots and farewells. Yes change is the only constant and I shall miss this place that I called home for the past 4 years, but I do look to the future with the same hopeful eyes that I had when I came to IITK with all those dreams and expectations. The one thing I would miss are the wonderful people and the freedom here on campus, I can walk in the middle of the road at 3am in the night which would be impossible in Gurgaon or elsewhere. I shall be forever grateful to IITK for all the experiences and friends :). I’m better off in all possible ways and am truly happy to have what I have after this absolutely wonderful 4 yr journey of mine. Yes there were moments when I struggled, But in the end it is only the happy moments that you will remember :). So create many many happy moments so that when you look back, you can say with full conviction and confidence that yes I have lived my college life. 

 

If you have been able to read it this far, thanks buddy for sitting through it, so just be happy stuff works out in the end, trust yourself you can make it, take it step by step and learn to take a break and travel the world.

“Mahaarajan” shall always persist and stand for this spontaneity, carefree happiness and optimism forever. Sometimes even I motivate myself to be more “Mahaarajan”. Have a lovely day ahead reader and experience the little things that make life worth living. All the best 🫶.