What's it like?
The stuttering halt of the train from Delhi at Roorkee is what often comes as the first jolt of realisation. And the schlepping of luggage that follows, accompanied by a babble of old friends reuniting is what lends it that certain credibility. You start walking, inevitably, towards a few of the most memorable of your years.True, the initial feelings of trepidation and confusion (not to mention, annoyance at their lack among your senior counterparts) seem to far outstay their welcome, but there’s no denying the thrill, granted to all freshmen, of stepping into unknown, unbounded realms.
The first few days on campus are meant, as a principle, to pass in a blur, a phantasmagoria of strange looking people, greek-like lectures and unceasing scurrying between classes, hostels and messes. There’s little that one can do about that. But then someday, when clarity begins to set in, the following words of wisdom are bound to ring true.
Never mind the words of wisdom, what ought to ring true the instant you reawaken your numbed senses are the anecdotes of the incredible history of this institute and the sheer length of its existence. There is also likely to be some unwarranted surprise at the sight of that grand white building, which, you see really does exist, true to the stamp photographs and looking, if anything, even more picturesque in actuality. As campus life unfurls, you’re assured a complete absence of even remotely dull moments.
The campus is a living mosaic of a student’s choicest activities. From music, choreography and dramatics for the gifted to Watch Out and Kshitij for the literati to technical sections like Software Development and IMG, the sprawling cultural council leaves nearly no one unconsidered. The Hobbies Club featuring the likes of astronomy, fine arts and philately, the UG Club surfeit with indoor sporting activities and the ever bustling sports complex, all collude to make turn your college life into a never ending celebration, hectic, frenetic, yes, but a celebration all the same.
Life on campus comes replete with hedonistic pleasure just as much as it does with academic pressure. While regular exams and assignments do their bit to keep your nose to the grindstone, the snug somnolent town of Roorkee comes with an inherent quality of setting things at just the right pace. With its many eateries and a multitude of hang-out places in and around itself, Roorkee plays the perfect host, offering as good as a break from the rut of the greek-like lectures as you could ask for.
