Around the same time last year, my summer internship was ending and we were all getting ready to go back to college. While most of us were saying teary eyed goodbyes, giving assurances of keeping in touch, I was an indifferent onlooker. Indifferent to a summer well-spent. Indifferent of all the bonds we forged. Indifferent of the fact that we'll never get to do that ever again. But as I sit here, in the same office a year later, looking at this set of interns; I miss all of it.
I miss the first day - the nervous smiles, eager introductions, confident greetings followed by the sleepy orientation. We didn't need an ice breaker. All we required was one question and that one question brought out a plethora of life (read: love) experiences - short & long, of present & past and those that were surprising and predictable. Stories of languish yearning and hysterically mushy feelings. I miss the endless hours I spent in the corner cabin playing chain reaction and the complicated analysis of absolutely useless things. The corner cabin that witnessed a competitive argument. The corner cabin which is no more present. I miss the punctual cafeteria calls with tardy returns, the minesweeper I played during them and the aimless chain reaction games. I miss the pre-lunch break, lunch break, post-lunch-outside-canteen break and the post-lunch-pre-work-lawn-break (which a certain someone would always sleep through). I miss the tiny fight over the review slots, the cross-check of the messy draft and making fun of the idiot who was worried just cause he wasn't asked any questions. I miss the long drives that were part of our temporary routine which started with off-key chorus of Oh Susanna and ended with the same.
So why is it that I am writing about this almost a year later, trying to fit pieces of a jigsaw puzzle with some faded memories and some glaringly vivid ones? It is only when I am looking at the current interns and notice how awfully boring they are do I realize that I am never going to meet a batch like us. 'Work' with a set at least similar to us. Independent of all that we liked and hated about each other; Independent of how close or far we were from each other; Independent of whether you liked me or not, I miss you all. It is because of this that I am writing about all the things I can recollect with an annoying repetition of the 'word' before they fade into obscurity.
So here's to all the fun we had. To 'What's your story?', Preethi, Sahana, Subiksha, the Hanuman Temple, the Bangalore girlfriend, the one who gifted the watch, the Sivakasi relationship, the Mallu boyfriend and all the crushes in between (And of course, Banu, Thanuja, Janani, Shwetha and Sonia). The Anaikatti trip, truth or dare, the endless questions to the innocent, Music discussion. To the Marudamalai trip, Paneer Butter Masala, Tomota/Onion Sabji and Beer. (Oh, not to forget the curious case of hiccups and Chola Bar) Here's to the best Environment day possible - the colour coded clothes, painting competition, Ad-zap, Posters and the short film I regret not being a part of. The embarrassing stories of football matches, Bangalore days and stories as far back as 9th std. Here's to friends, siblings, LKG buddies (which doesn't change the fact that they were indeed annoying) among other things. All the things we learnt about EHS concerns, Kaizens, Dashboards, flowcharts, Yamazumi Charts, the famous Pivot table and the infamous Look-up table. The Innumerous places we hung out at - Calcutta chaat, V's, Mithai Mandir, Guptaji's, That's Y Food, Moti Mahal treat, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dominos, BBQ Nation, Annapoorna, My Place, Hot Chocolate, Delhiwala, Brooke Fields. Here's to the lazying around at Arun's Place; getting lost finding it and the hurry to leave. The unheard swears the house had to listen and the tall buildings my house could withstand. The post internship treats (not) at Liquidzz, Dominos, Cascade, Grains of Salt, Boomerang and perhaps more I don't remember. Here's to a competition without competitors. Here's to the summer of my life - the Summer Internship of 2014.
-Shreeji
I miss the first day - the nervous smiles, eager introductions, confident greetings followed by the sleepy orientation. We didn't need an ice breaker. All we required was one question and that one question brought out a plethora of life (read: love) experiences - short & long, of present & past and those that were surprising and predictable. Stories of languish yearning and hysterically mushy feelings. I miss the endless hours I spent in the corner cabin playing chain reaction and the complicated analysis of absolutely useless things. The corner cabin that witnessed a competitive argument. The corner cabin which is no more present. I miss the punctual cafeteria calls with tardy returns, the minesweeper I played during them and the aimless chain reaction games. I miss the pre-lunch break, lunch break, post-lunch-outside-canteen break and the post-lunch-pre-work-lawn-break (which a certain someone would always sleep through). I miss the tiny fight over the review slots, the cross-check of the messy draft and making fun of the idiot who was worried just cause he wasn't asked any questions. I miss the long drives that were part of our temporary routine which started with off-key chorus of Oh Susanna and ended with the same.
So why is it that I am writing about this almost a year later, trying to fit pieces of a jigsaw puzzle with some faded memories and some glaringly vivid ones? It is only when I am looking at the current interns and notice how awfully boring they are do I realize that I am never going to meet a batch like us. 'Work' with a set at least similar to us. Independent of all that we liked and hated about each other; Independent of how close or far we were from each other; Independent of whether you liked me or not, I miss you all. It is because of this that I am writing about all the things I can recollect with an annoying repetition of the 'word' before they fade into obscurity.
So here's to all the fun we had. To 'What's your story?', Preethi, Sahana, Subiksha, the Hanuman Temple, the Bangalore girlfriend, the one who gifted the watch, the Sivakasi relationship, the Mallu boyfriend and all the crushes in between (And of course, Banu, Thanuja, Janani, Shwetha and Sonia). The Anaikatti trip, truth or dare, the endless questions to the innocent, Music discussion. To the Marudamalai trip, Paneer Butter Masala, Tomota/Onion Sabji and Beer. (Oh, not to forget the curious case of hiccups and Chola Bar) Here's to the best Environment day possible - the colour coded clothes, painting competition, Ad-zap, Posters and the short film I regret not being a part of. The embarrassing stories of football matches, Bangalore days and stories as far back as 9th std. Here's to friends, siblings, LKG buddies (which doesn't change the fact that they were indeed annoying) among other things. All the things we learnt about EHS concerns, Kaizens, Dashboards, flowcharts, Yamazumi Charts, the famous Pivot table and the infamous Look-up table. The Innumerous places we hung out at - Calcutta chaat, V's, Mithai Mandir, Guptaji's, That's Y Food, Moti Mahal treat, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dominos, BBQ Nation, Annapoorna, My Place, Hot Chocolate, Delhiwala, Brooke Fields. Here's to the lazying around at Arun's Place; getting lost finding it and the hurry to leave. The unheard swears the house had to listen and the tall buildings my house could withstand. The post internship treats (not) at Liquidzz, Dominos, Cascade, Grains of Salt, Boomerang and perhaps more I don't remember. Here's to a competition without competitors. Here's to the summer of my life - the Summer Internship of 2014.
-Shreeji
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