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In this 82nd edition of As We Leave 2026, Chinmay Pratap, a Y21 from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, reflects on an unforgettable journey defined by lifelong friendships, countless campus adventures, and the people who made every semester memorable. Through stories of laughter, traditions, and moments that turned into cherished memories, he celebrates the experiences that made IIT Kanpur much more than just a college, it became a place he will always carry with him.
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.
“You can’t change the people around you but you can change the people around you”
This feels like a quiet blessing. Here I am, writing these pages in the scorching Kanpur heat, something I never imagined doing. The title might confuse some at first. I’ve spent exactly 13 semesters here 10+3 summer terms. It’s just a name for now or may be not, We’ll figure out the rest as we go. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance it’s mostly me from the future. Maybe, just maybe, it reaches an old batchmate or someone who knew me back then or somehow a friend who I had a close friendship with. Either way, this is my journal. Some parts may not make sense if we weren’t that close. But I want to tell you that if we crossed paths and you come to this site to read “my” AWL: you have been special to me literally.
Let’s start how things start with the intro :
Mera naam Chinmay Pratap hai !!!
(Phir se) (Awaaz nhi h kya B***)
*in ultra loud voice and speed *
Mera Naam Chinmay Pratap hai !
Mere baapu ka naam Parteek hai
Me yaha Jaipur Rajasthan se aaya hu !
Bhartiya prodhugiki sansthan Kharagpur dwara ayojit Sayukt pravesh prakisha agrvarti 2021 ko utten kar mene bhartiya prodhugiki sansthan Kanpur me Yantrik Abhiyantriki me pravesh liya h
Mere mukhya abhiruchiya chalchitra dekhna Shatranj khelna evam Gati Ghantriki karna h
Premise : JEE Advanced was finally behind me that forever-nightmare, done after loop of post poned due to covid . When the results came, one thing was certain in my head: not UP, not Bihar. Definitely not. (coughs).
I still remember getting that call of Parteek while I was in Delhi. Everything felt electric, like a dream unfolding in real time. The excitement was real.
Later that night came the actual virtual meeting. I got introduced to the whole bhai culture and the warm, chaotic bappu vibe that defines this place. My school friend was already here, which made things easier. My first real connections were with these brothers one of them even from my own city.
It all started right there, simple and full of possibilities.
Sem 1 (2021-2022 I)
The start was a pure chaos, but in the best way. At that time I had just one close person I could talk to. We used to have five or six calls a day, sharing doubts, answers, and all the confusion. Then the online orientation kicked in. Everything felt brand new and exciting. I remember the anxiety before Wednesday TA labs and the Thursday PE quiz. Random groups popped up everywhere, Instagram connections bloomed, and memes kept flowing. After the long depressing days at home during COVID, this was a fresh breeze.We played online games like Smashkarts and Scribble to pass the time. I was terrible at them, while my Jaipur buddy (Georgebush) was a champion he used to dominate our whole wing and even Baap wing (*Subtle foreshadowing *). One highlight was our first offline meet in Jaipur with local buddies. We gathered at Patrika Gate. It was the first time turning online friends into real ones. That energy still feels fresh and online bulla’s were the best. Then exams hit reality. I even don’t know what a quiz was. It sounds very casual and that is one reason we will be not taking about acads here (RR due to mechanical blood). Another highlight was having the FIR on us in TA 101 legit it was so weird. “Bhai, institute walon ne aate hi report card dene ke bajaye hum par report darj karwa di! Like wtf.” At the time it was stressful, but it became a lifelong memory. A senior bappu, active in gymkhana, gave us solid advice that helped calm things. I even performed stand-up comedy online as part of Humour House. The whole experience was overwhelming, in a good way so much to absorb.
And just like that, it was time to finally head to campus.
Sem 2 (2021-2022 II)
Welcome to IITK and stepping into the Hall 13 E511 and meeting the family of IITK was a cherished memory of summers of 2022 April. The kanpur city was never kind but just after crossing the railway gates it was clear that this is different and seeing all those beautiful visuals campus beauty and orientation with new wingies and friends and especially meeting our wing baaps and baaps and bhai’s. Hall 13 mess and living a life we always dreamt of as an IITian. The summer torture on 5 th floor was always one thing that I never wanted in my life. But making new friends wing bulla and new tradition of whole night cycling with wingie gang and chilling in his room after exams over is the thing that remained constant upto 8 sem.
We visited gate had a lot of crazy gpl’s whole wing going to hall 13 canteen half naked was a very key memory of this sem and having the toughest esc 101 labs surviving the torture of MTH102. Second sem in 1 word would be nostalgic for first time feelings for new people and place.
Sem 3 (2022-2023 I)
After my already damaged academics, we stepped into the most talked-about semester for Y21 Mech batch. This was when we truly understood why it’s called “mechanical.” During attendance literally forgot the name of his course in front of Prof. The best part was finally connecting with solid people from the department. Many of them are still close today. TA201 played a big role it gave me some of the best memories and friendships.
People often overhate ESO209, but honestly, it wasn’t the only villain. We got belt treatment across ESC201, ESO201, both MSOs, and especially ME251 (this have a separate RR monologue : Blud literally gives any random object and expect us to draw it ,,the toughest lab course we (I) ever got ) That semester taught me what a truly hectic life looks like. For the first time, seeing the gradesheet hit me with real depression. But shifting to Hall 5 brought a fresh vibe. I ended up loving the new environment and energy of that time.Winning the SNT code chanting hall anthem leading speedcubing team was always a core memory.
Sem 4 (2022-2023 II)
Returning to campus meant facing the well known Kanpur winters. That semester tested me like never before. I was at an all-time low, and my resilience started cracking for the first time.
Mornings were brutal. Getting up for 8 am classes felt impossible, especially with random surprise quizzes. Still, we tried hard and never missed them. Two of my wingies once show up at 8:40, write for just ten minutes, and somehow score above average. (Absolute legends).
One afternoon stands out. I was exhausted and went to my bhai for the 12 noon class. He said, “Bhai, roz jaate hain… aaj chhodde te h, kya hi ho jayega ek din se.” I was already off that day, so I agreed. We skipped that one class : the only one I missed all semester and of course, the universe planned a surprise quiz that exact day (which was never in FCH btw). That course never went easy on us.
A memorable moment was when a close mech buddy fractured his leg when we were playing Zorball during Antragini. Strangely, it brought us closer, turning friendship into brothership.
TA202 brought the best part of the department. Building the robotic arm together created a strong, solid group that still feels special.
The highlight of the semester was joining the Election Commission (EC). It holds a very special place in my heart. Despite the usual “saanp” reputation on campus, the seniors and friends I met there were among the most real and trustworthy people. The bonds we formed had a lasting positive effect. I learned a lot about campus politics past, present, and even future moves. It was genuinely eye-opening.
Sem 1* (2022-2023 III)
Welcome to another episode of my f**ked up life. But if you’re still reading this, let me ask how unemployed are you exactly? I’m 100% sure we’re solid friends if you’ve reached here. Let’s continue. That summer turned out to be one of the best times on campus. We temporarily shifted to Hall 12, and for a rare stretch, I actually felt some real hope. I was repeating course to clear my backlog, and most of the mechanical gang was with us (thanks IS). Mornings were simple and beautiful. I’d rush to the swimming pool with the wingie, enjoy the water one activity I truly loved then come back for breakfast, head to the library, attend classes, and actually stay productive. Evenings often meant going to DOAA with the same guy who had fractured his leg earlier. Nights were pure chaos and fun late bulla sessions with new people from the branch, speedcubing buddies, or EC guys discussing campus politics.It was a much-needed breather, full of small joys and fresh energy.
Sem 5 (2023-2024 I)
Back to our den Hall 5, I got room A101. This was easily one of the best phases. Having my closest people nearby made everything special. I truly enjoyed some of my finest moments with the most supportive gang from IITK. This semester marked the peak bonding with the wingies. The Mech wingies especially stepped up and became the real protagonists of the story. We started studying in small groups of 3-4, which gave me the exact support and strength I needed. Evenings were pure fun playing Smashkarts and Among Us for crazy stretches, including one 14-hour Sunday session. The Mech faculty also seemed a bit more empathetic this time. Nights meant frequent canteen strolls. My bruh and I got completely addicted to Chicken Kolhapuri and the mess’s kesar milk. It was one of the harshest winters yet, but we enjoyed it fully with extended wingies making new friends and building stronger bonds ,crazy fest nights. Random 2 am rushes to the canteen for packed food with Georgebush became routine. This was the semester I finally found people who gave me a new life. Group studies, late-night gaming, tutoring sessions with Arindom, and some important life-changing decisions everything started feeling worth it.
Sem 6 (2023-2024 II)
This was a whole new time when we started and making efforts of becoming what we always dreamt but somehow I have a very faint memories of this sem I remember most of the mornings I would be woken up by mech wingie scream scolding then rushing to class either to attend or to mark the attendance and then coming again to sleep and cycle repeats. The most toughest days were wednesday a packed schedule and straight 5 classes with one being hss of strict attendance policy. I had a got a lot of good people in this sem as my new friends and I remember having the best late night political disscussion with one of my EC buddy which I cherish a lot in my life.
An random visit to Lucknow marked this sem worthy and late night discussion during walks with an byddy were always good.
Sem 2* (2023-2024 III)
That summer was one of the harshest. The heat was brutal just surviving a single day felt like a challenge. The hall was literally burning. I was on campus doing a few extra courses while trying to figure out my next steps. I remember visiting some seniors who were about to leave, especially the Bappu wing and our mech godfather Vinoba. I went to them seeking advice about the Dual Degree program. I left the conversation still unsure. It was a quiet, uncertain phase. More than anything, I was just trying to survive.
Sem 7 (2024-2025 I)
Even if you woke me up years from now and asked for my academic peak sem, this semester would be my instant answer. I shifted to Hall 9 as final year began. Some people had moved to other wings, but the core mech wingies and a few solid ones stayed together. We also got some new, (and annoying) neighbours. This was the semester where everything clicked. I found really good friends who helped with almost every assignment and pulled all-nighters to teach us before exams. I got a very good friends which helped me and my buddies with literally all the semesters assignments and taught us one night before exams well this sem every course has something which I never forget ME664(Rambharat’s single handed destroying this one), ME644 (Sarkar ki Sena and Micro Mech peak performance), ME762 (Robo Robo), ME613 (Amrit and Mine toughest of all battles legitally pushed all the limits and Paper work literally made us beg) ,ME401 (The best team work during exams),DES641 (Wing group peaked), HSS(great discussion and great pears to have around). This was the sem which gave me a lot clarity a lot of good people and a lot of good memories of hall 9 crazy wing nights far from politics of hall 1 gave a lot clarity a lot life changing experience.
Sem 8 (2024-2025 II)
And just like that, we’d reached the final sem of B.Tech. How time flies, na. Same for me. Every emotion this sem felt exaggerated, turned all the way up. I hate admitting it, but this was when I felt most connected ironically, right when everyone was about to scatter and finally start their actual lives. In Hall 9 everybody was loose, relaxed, most of them placed and coasting through a chill sem. And then there was me and some others. Sixty-four credits. A Mech overdose. Dragging myself to morning class from Hall 9 was a real struggle. I haunted every lab the Mech department had to offer due to some random course. SL canteen in afternoon with sarkar ki sena .The long night walks with the thala crew were peak, though. But I also kept myself a little isolated. I knew everyone would leave eventually, so to cope, I started pulling back, picking up other things to prep myself for the Masters chapter ahead. Somewhere in the middle of all this came Sikkim. A crazy trip, the best week of my life. We invented our own lingo out there words that are still alive. Ask any of us what counts as batting and bowling, and you’ll get the whole dictionary. Back on campus, the photoshoot phase began with wingmates, branch buddies, everyone. Pure enjoyment. (Somewhere in there a guy fell flat on his head on the library foyer genuinely a near-death experience for him.) The department farewell was the craziest night of all. And the small ritual that defined the sem: filling testimonials and getting them back for the yearbook. The most alive sem I’d had. After endsems it only got wilder. Night-outs, movies, cricket, swimming everything. Walking to the canteen at odd hours, just strolling, no plans. And then the goodbyes started. One by one, people began leaving. I was one of the last men standing. “As we move on!!” kept echoing around. It was the kind of time you could just cry over and somehow, that’s exactly what I love about how it is.
Sem 3 (2024-2025 III)
New beginning, new chapter, new season, new cast some old characters returning, some new ones joining. I came back hopeful, walking into the our den again Hall 5. New lab work, new lab members, new wingmates. The people who’d been recurring faces earlier were now main cast. And just like that, we were back in the game.The late-night walks became almost a daily ritual long loops out to DJAC, the helicopter building, all of it. A good stretch of time, really: adjusting, adapting, fighting to settle in. Walking all the way to Hall 3 for food was genuinely awful. But the people around me made up for it. They were great.
Sem 9 (2025-2026 I)
The new sem came with its own challenges courses, thesis, lab work, and nights spent at the lab and nowhere else. A new thing for me this time was TA duty, paired with a very good buddy and a “figure it out” kind of prof. The freshers were enthusiastic but annoying in equal measure they gave us a lot of laughs through the term.
This was also the placement sem. The support I got was unreal not just from the people around me, but from a few old faces too. My thala group literally built my resume an hour before the deadline. And the seniors especially Parv and Vinoba carried me through a genuinely tough phase. They helped, they showed up, they kept me going. Thankyou to each one of you.
Sem 10 (2025-2026 II)
The new sem began with a buddy leaving campus. That one sat heavy on me. A conference in Khajuraho came as a chill, relaxing break. Around this time a few good people to share meals with one of them a total cracked maniac, but his easy vibe could lift a whole room’s mood. Another was disciplined enough to pull me into evening walks; that habit carried a big piece of me. After that, most days just rolled on. I shared lab free time with a buddy from the room next door proper friends, both of us foodies. We strolled every food spot on campus, hitting Divyam almost every evening and Mama Mio late at night. I loved that whole stretch. We went on outings regularly and somehow just managed to stay happy, to enjoy this one fully. The long night walks with that buddy talking about life in general were the constant through all of itThen came the thesis submission and defence. And right after, the string of goodbyes started again. Only this time we were mature about it. The last few days played out like an end-credits scene. Three or four of us stuffed into one room again, sleeping into the morning, heading to lab, eating far too much, hitting every campus food spot one more time trying to relive it all, one last time.
And then, on 5 June 2026, at midnight, while the whole world slept, I crossed the campus boundary. Heavy heart, teary eyes. Looking back now, it all makes sense leaving the place that gave me my purpose, my people, and everything I ever needed.
In the end, I want to thank everyone who’s been with me and IIT Kanpur itself, for giving me a life within me.
Netflix was a part of me throughout all of this, so let me end the way it would. The truth is, for so long I’d been stuck in one place a deep, dark cave. Then I came here. And for the first time in a long while, I started feeling again. The feelings came alive in me.
Now, as we move on, there’s a bit of anxiety and a bit of excitement sitting side by side. But I hope everyone makes the best of their time, stays a good person, and that we all stay connected.
Written by: Chinmay Pratap
Edited by: Tanmay, Lavanya
