As We Leave…#12

Vani Gupta is a final year postgraduate in the Biological Science and Bioengineering department. Let’s have a look at her journey at IIT Kanpur and live the nostalgia and reminiscence with her.

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. 

As I clicked on the Google doc link saved by my browser due to its frequent use, I came face to face with ‘Vani JS Weekly Lab Report’. Yes, that is the doc I have most frequently opened, my weekly lab report. It is a privilege of only the higher classes, as they say, the postgraduates. As I tried opening a new doc, the report stared back at me, seeming both daunting and nostalgic for it missed being updated. Since the past one month or even longer, there have been no updates, no briefings, no anxious waiting for my advisor’s reply. The ongoing pandemic has brought a complete twist in our very usual to-be-graduate lives.

I, being, one of the few unfortunate or fortunate people, who were supposed to hold a degree in their hands by this summer, are right now stuck at our own homes, far away from the routines of working in a lab, on a forced break to maybe plan out experiments in a more systematic and meticulous manner? I’d say that life of a postgraduate, in general, might revolve only around their respective labs, no, no, pardon my words, it is not that small a world, but not bigger than their respective departments. Again unfortunately or fortunately, that is the life of a usual PG student. Or maybe that is how they choose to live it. But for me, it was not so limited.

Just like the unlimited fun of a roller coaster ride, enrollment in a Master’s degree didn’t fail me to give the same jitterbugs, I swear. Given the mere two-years time alongside pitying my fellow dual-degree mates with a year lesser, the tale of a brand new masters student at IITK is a little different from the other humans dearly called ‘Campus Junta’ because they do not have to get acquainted with the nitty-gritties of the campus-working or adjust to the culture shock of a totally new institute with it’s luring and an endless list of activities or do not have to get lost on the ways inside the campus while completing a full-fledged research thesis under the pressure of a clock continuously ticking away at a pace faster than they can imagine. That was exactly what I felt when I first joined the campus. With dreams of flying abroad, I could only ‘settle’ for an IIT. Though not long after, I realized it was one of the best decisions, to come to this place no less than an entire city. I can not do without using another cliche, that IIT Kanpur has been the best place of my life so far, and I am very sure it will not lose this status at least in the next 5 decades.

As I am beginning to reminisce, I am flooded with memories of so much that has happened just in a span of these almost two years, drowning me in a whirlpool of emotions. Experience it with me, as I spell out the traces of these beautiful memories, swiping each one to the side as the next one awaits: My parents dropping me off trusting me with the responsibilities of living all alone for the very first time in a hostel, the search for my roommate who had the key to B-506, buying a sparkling white bicycle, getting relieved to see a familiar face from previous interviews, meeting my advisor Prof. Jonaki Sen, struggling to remember the confusing names of all my many labmates in the first go, realizing that I am now a part of one of the coolest labs, ‘SB Lab’, of the department, attending the entire orientation week with an enthusiasm meter exploding at all times, meeting my first girlfriend while searching for “Safai vali didi’, the foundation of ‘Swag Vale Dost’ and ‘Fukrey’ with the end of Treasure Hunt, the activity of gazing at a mesmerizing star-filled sky becoming the starting of so many new friendships, exploring rooftops, staircases, alleys and corners around the campus to find peace and happiness, throwing farewell to the first and last ever roommate, enjoying living alone in a double-seater room, throwing surprise birthday parties, celebrating festivals with a new-found family, making plans around the daily video calls at home, finding a soulmate amongst best friends, attending and auditing extra classes because there was so much to learn, coming to 8AM classes with raincoats paddling through water filled roads, sitting and having meetings with the famous Prof. H.C. Verma, shifting to GH-1, grinding through thesis and project, living the dichotomy between Developmental Biology and Cognitive Science, gaping-in-awe through weekly guest seminars, preparing for lab meetings, having anxiety and panic-stricken breakdowns but getting pushed higher up by friends, taking care of eggs, days and nights of electroporation, having a gallery filled with gel images, spending time filling lab notebooks and labeling my samples with superhero names, going on a trip to Varanasi, helping to organize the Open House, having fun during all kinds of big and small fests and finally, booking tickets for home without booking return tickets which always used to be the first priority. Sigh. The dreary night before I left campus due to an impending lockdown still sends shivers down my spine.

But nonetheless, I am glad it’s not the end yet which would have been otherwise at this time. If I get a chance, I’d like to recollect all those memories which are diffused into the fresh pollen-smeared morning air or are lying on the tables of DOAA and hall canteens, those which are there in the rustling of the leaves of the ‘Tila’, or in the oscillating silence and chitter-chatter of the corridors and classrooms, or there in the echoes of every turn of the skywalk, and the memories outspread in the waiting hours at CCD, without forgetting the satisfaction of using all free drinks at Shiru cafe. I would not miss the chance to embrace the feeling of warmth of the winter sun, the roads on a foggy night, the ineffectiveness of coolers you know when, and of course the failure of rolling up pants in the unforgiving monsoon.

Before I bid adieu to a bucket full of experiences, I’d like to share the little wisdom I gained in this time. And so for all the juniors, both present and incoming, all I’d say is do not take this place for granted, because it will make you fall in love with you before you know it. In this blur of time, I’ve been able to sing a song on Fresher’s night, dance for the first-time-ever in front of an audience, learn violin, teach in an NGO, be an AnC secy, and an OTM in counselling service, and lastly I could get the sweet fruit of getting to decide which stream to pursue in future. Here, you can be what you want to be, more importantly, what you choose to be. Believe me, a focus on academics with such a rigorous curriculum is rare, show some gratitude and respect to the teachers who are worthy of being called real gurus’ in this modern age. Grab every opportunity you could, because no time could be better than this. Make many friends (I literally banged at the doors of my wingies the very first day just to say ‘Hi’, took the definition of ‘outgoing’ quite literally). Make memories, join clubs, sing, read, write, play. Every action verb you learnt in kindergarten, you can make a skill out of it here, remember that. Build your profile, as expected, but make your priority to become an open-minded life-long learner which this place teaches you to be. And never ever pay the cost of your health for anything. Dear ‘Campus junta’, I’ll miss this place wherever I go, for it has been a lover so remarkable that the marks etched on my heart would never fade.

The only lasting beauty is the beauty of heart. ~ Rumi

Written by:- Vani Gupta.

Edited by:- Sandipan Mitra.