Growing up days – going to college

In those days, it was not too difficult to get entry into a college – since I had studied in St Joseph’s, and had secured good marks, my obvious choice was St Xavier’s College. And – since I was in the science stream, it was bit natural that I select that stream. When I came for admission, I discovered that there were students from other schools also and I also discovered that I had entered a new phase in my life.
Yes, I had broken out of the shackles of school and strict rules and regulations. I had discarded the school uniforms and embraced a new life where I could allow my fancies to take over. I had become independent and it was up to me how I used my new-found freedom.
For a start, the classes were nearly one hour duration and, unlike my school where there were a handful of students, here the class had several times more students. And – they were from all walks of life and different schools. It was a totally new scenario and I had to adapt myself to the new setup.
In school, I had Christian Brothers as my teachers but here the teachers were Jesuit Fathers. They also were equally experienced in handling Indian boys and were sincere in ensuring that the students were taken care of. The attractions of the college were the huge library, common room and the canteen. (to be continued …)