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In this 5th edition of As We Leave, Reetika Gupta a Y21 student from Biological Science and Bioengineering Department shares her journey at IIT Kanpur. She shares her journey through Badminton, various clubs, friendships and the importance of living every moment to the fullest.
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 IITK.
For me college was a blur of deadlines, late-night conversations, and spontaneous adventures—but most of all, it was the people who felt like home. I remember one night in particular: my last fest. Four of us girls were dancing, arms slung around each other, a circle of sweat, laughter, and rhythm. And then,something shifted. Our smiles trembled, and without warning, the tears came as we reminisced through our entire IITK journey.
My IITK journey was like a tidal surge. It had an extremely chaotic start but the ending seems calm and peaceful. What you can expect is a lot of badminton(although i love swimming more), BSBE, self depreciation,movies,quizzing and being grateful for all the people around me. This campus will forever be my most treasured memory and I doubt I can relive these moments ever again.
Moreover me like many others I swear by the line:
“Hope the prof takes care of my CPI”
~baseline wolves
Chapter 1
"I'm somebody now, Harry. Everybody likes me. Soon, millions of people will see me and they'll all like me."
(1460 days to go)
“I was like a caterpillar in its cocoon wrapped up in my own delusions waiting for a traumatic kick to free me out”
My campus life started off with a rough start. I felt really depleted initially. I juggled through academics, sports (I had joined the Badmintons team and had to undergo a rigorous 3/4 hour training everyday), friends( were not as great as I recall) , MnC clubs (I was in 3 of them – humour house, film club and ELS {and even PPOC [but wont match my baddie lifestyle so would be hidden]}) and naturally everything suffered. The dehydration, weariness and heat made it hard for me to even sleep. The times I did – I would wake up with muscle spasms.
This was also the time I changed my branch from Civil to BSBE, something unusual on campus but I never regretted it. However my refusal to study or cheat properly ended up costing me and my academics a ton. I lived under the shadows of my cousin Nandita -a Y18 here( I flex a lot about her)
Badminton was scary for me back then. I had a constant fear of the coach (probably the reason I was on court otherwise I would have lazed around) and was scared of the seniors. However I remember the first intra-team individual tournament that changed everything for me. I remember Faiz suggesting that I do an entire professional entry (with the music “kuch kariye”and kitback everything) and that ended with laughter and killed the fear I had of the interactions. My favourite seniors were the extremely chaotic Navya and the generous and lively faiz.
Inter-IITs preparatory periods (begins somewhere around November end) are the bittersweet memories I have. The intense debating that goes through the selection process, the kill-throat competitiveness in the team(thanks to the y19 captains who supported me) and not to forget misogynism by some of the players(and they ended up being the captains later, phew!) keeps you on your toes.Moreover getting up at 6 in Kanpur winters to run probably 7-8 kms is a herculean task (I think even hercules would love to snooze the alarm and doze off under a blanket in a foggy cold winter morning). Yet the worst for me was yet to come. I had a massive muscle pull during practice .It was so bad that I couldn’t walk outside the court (warmups and the court’s energy is contagious enough for you to practice and run on court but not be able to walk outside it). Moreover I avoided telling anyone cause I feared I would be replaced{which I almost was but that’s another story}. However it was all worthwhile for the on court fun and a scrumptious team meal after the exhausting day. And therefore somehow I reached my first Inter-IIT (party to banti hai!!)
I worked a lot in ELS and had applied for the coordinator position. I conducted and hosted events and tried my hardest to engage with the club. My coordinator interview (generally all coordi interviews here are a .22 bullet shot willingly taken to your self perception and image. The mission and vision are extremely clear: 4 good for nothing frustrated with life seniors will make you feel worthless. But what I won’t admit is that the interview helped me build a character and gain confidence that I will carry for the rest of my life) henceforth was messy. Not being the coordinator for me was a bolt out of the blue yet I accepted it for I felt I did lack the necessary skills. Also thanks to ishita( was one of the els coordinators and was a cutie!!) I felt better. All this just led to my cinephile era.
I met Teja on my first day on campus and it was friendship at first sight (almost like love at first sight but instead of a cupid it’s just Philotes or Hanumanji striking you). I just knew we would be together till the very end and I was right.Teja is the reason for my laughter, he is there when I am sad, he is there when I feel anxious and he is probably my longest reigning friendship in my life. He is kind, cute,cuddly,caring and one of the best human beans you would come across.
Part 2
I am bad and that's good. I am not good and that's not bad.
(730 days to go)
Summers in IIT Kanpur are intolerable- hot, sweaty,tiring and also as I remember vividly -lonely.But it was the summer that changed my life for the better. I became closer to my existing friends- Teja,Priyanshi(my behen),Rohit and Arnav.
I remember waking up at 8 just to watch movies. I slept watching a movie. I ate while watching a movie.I watched so many of them I doubt anyone watched more movies than I did. For me movies are a way to escape reality and enter into a sphere created by the director. I believe a good movie is as mentally exhausting as a good book~ the intricate dialogues, cinematography and direction are worth your while.I made a new friend- Manasvi who then introduced me to Shruti and Varshitha.Shruti is a person whom I admire a lot. She is talented, smart and she takes care of me as if i were her baby(yes I am secretly her lover-beware her future partner I fight),Manasvi is extremely hardworking (though the most apt description for her is that of a chhoti behen-cute,shy and sweet) and finally Varshitha, the reason for the two consecutive golds by the institute female volleyball team (yet was looted of an Institute blue).
And then came the turning point, I met Siya. Siya is passionate, commanding with a killer face card and eyes so sparkly you wonder what makes her so excited about life. She brings the best out of me and treats me like her younger sister.I remember going to the extremely hot 6th floor just to hangout with Siya and Khushi- two people I just can’t get enough of.
In the days that ensued adventures with my girl gang proceeded- the takeover of H.Cs 1st floor(although still in construction), solar panel parties,going to random hall days are just a jist of what my memory can conjure (and what can be legally written)
It was also during this time I became the badminton Coordinator in GnS as well as the female captain for the institute badminton team. I had to be more regular on court which resulted in better bonding with everyone in the team. Faiz, Sanjay, Pradeep and Amrit served as a guiding light to everyone on the team. The new Y22/Y23 girls team- Avanee, Paki, Vasudha ,Samanvitha, Neela and Ananya were fun to be with. I played 4 tournaments within a span of a few months- Spardha(IIT BHU sports festival, Sporttek (IIT Delhi Sports Festival), Inter-IIT (held in Bombay) and UDGHOSH (in IIT Kanpur).
Moreover, I built a rapport thoroughly with my branchmates through the weekly labs we had. I won’t lie but the Y21 BSBE batch will go down in history as the most well associated branches in IITK. All the group study sessions, lab experiments, late night hangout sessions and parties made us all a closer brunch. I will miss my branchmates~ each and every one of them a lot.
Part 3
It's the wood that should fear your hand, not the other way around. No wonder you can't do it
(400 days to go)
Even semesters are the best. Why? One word- Galaxy. I love galaxy quizzes- the competitiveness, the energy, the happiness when you get the right answer, the nerdiness, the pressure everything combines giving you an *Experience*. My quiz partner- ammu were thick as thieves almost to the point i think we had a telepathy. Apart from that I loved participating in JAM,DumbC.
“Veera Sada taiyar hai
Veera sada taiyaar hai”
I remember the winning galaxy parade from hall 6 to every boys hall. I was beating a big drum while the girls shouted in unison. History was created and I am glad I was part of it.
This was also the time i grew closer to my branch mates- Priyanshi ,Sahil, Khushi, Utpal,Vivek,Sujal, Tanuja, Kanishk,deepak and many more. We hung out a lot, The late night visits to MFCEM or BSBE building according to our mood (take that you other shared building or one building branches).I learned a lot from them academically- going to classes everyday, making notes ,sitting down in first bench all while having fun.Priyanshi is bubbly and amiable, Sahil is straightforward and a good hearted guy, Utpal is brilliant and benign, Vivek as helpful and good natured as a person can be and well sujal is the funny and coolest one in the group and together we watched movies, went to restaurants and hung out all day in Hall 12.
Kanpur winters though chilling are also comforting once the Inter-IIT sessions end. It is so cold that stepping out of your warm blanket is taxing but put on a few layers of sweaters and warmers and mix that with a couple of energetic friends like I have and it’s the best season. Garnish that with a roommate like priyanshi- extremely lazy and talkative and its heaven. (Side note: hall6 should continue its room delivering services. On the peak of our laziness this service was our saviour. The only energy we spent was on debating who would open the door for aunty). Another memorable part were the neighbours I had. Khushi and SIya lived next door,the ever smiling and kind Divya and Geethanjali lived in front of us. And Sahil was a daily visitor. Life was worth living!!
Khushi and Tanuja are also one of my closest friends. Khushi is hysterical, courteous and is always there for me( and i will be there for her too) and Tanuja is my baby. She is brilliant and always gassed to take on new adventures with a smile ever so bright.
Apart from that the baddie team had new recruits- Karthikeyan KB : a Tamil state champion who loved hip hop more than I did and yogesh. KB is one of the closest people I have here on campus. He always motivated me to do better and the CCD talks are what I will remember. I loved third wheeling him and Jaya(was my roomate, innocent and energetic like a small puppy) and discussing south movies with him.(also thanks for that yummy south indian food on Tamil New Years and in Saravana Bhavan)
Part 4
So long, partner
(100 days to go)
Unexpectedly in my last year I went to classes everyday and tried to focus on my academics, probably trying to cover up . Interestingly I grew fond of molecular biology, biomaterials and tissue engineering.In Fact I even did a UGP. Inspired by Abhimanyu- another spirited badminton teammate, I joined PRAYAAS. I taught 8th and 10th grade social science and it was the most humbling and invaluable experience of my life.
Although the placement semester was pretty boring (mostly because i didn’t sit for placements). I found solace in keeping my room clean(courtesy also to my floor aunty-Soni) which now lacks a space for me even to stand and my bed is just one giant mess I slide through somewhere to sleep.I even made friends with seniors- Milan especially who inspired me to do so much more in life.He is such a sweetheart- always helping others wherever he could,working diligently and that crazy work ethic inspired me a lot.I danced in DE with my girl group along with somya, ananya and Anushree.I even did a trip to tirthan(a scenic place in himachal) with Priyanshi and Sahil .
The farewell parties from the badminton team, BSBE branch, film club and finally from my girls made me grateful for what I had.
Moreover, it’s now that I appreciate the campus beauty even more- the red gulmohar trees, yellow golden shower trees, the pretty flowers, the dogs- putput, and the bulldog are all embedded deep in my memories. Waking up to hear birds chirping, the random peacock sighting and the beautiful red buildings is what I will yearn for everyday. I will thoroughly miss this campus and its people.
As I leave I am filled with tears. Leaving IITK has left a hole in my heart and a hollowness i dont think can be filled again.
Written by: Reetika Gupta
Edited by: Mudita Jalan, Divyanshi Agnihotri, Himanshu Mahale
Designed by: Pragya Puri, Pankhuri Sachan
