This is the first time I'm posting something personal in my blog which is not a poem. My usual routine, and moreover, a general day's routine in my new campus, the EFL University.
The day starts at 6:30 (for me at least!) when I wake up automatically due to some weird bio-chemical tuning in my brain. I would love to write that I wake up to the twittering of birds, or even, to the shrill sound of the alarm but sadly, I usually hear snores the first thing in the morning.
By 7:30 (still listening to deep snores) I'll start the day's voyage with my most favourite companion of all, my bag. Although others laugh at me and my bag saying we are Siamese twins, my bag never leaves my side. I love you bag.
With my bag I'll be off to my regular tea-stall outside the campus. The "manager-cum-cook", a man with a rather bushy moustache but a pleasant smile, gives me my usual. Either four hot, steaming and golden pooris or one large, round and crisp masala dosa. Always without chutney and with an extra serving of sabji. And he always has spare change, be it for 100 rupees or 500.
After breakfast and a strong coffee from our Govinda's Cafeteria, it's newspaper time. The reading room, which is open 24X7 is my most preferred haunt after breakfast. Unless of course, I get an urge to check my Facebook updates in which case I'll go to the computer lab which, again, is open 24X7.
By 9.00, its time for classes. I have classes where we don't study, but discuss. We don't learn but we interact. Although it's too early for me to judge my classes, I'm starting to enjoy them nonetheless.
By 1:00, its time for lunch and I'll be off either to Nissi Chapathi Center, or Govinda's Cafeteria where I'll have an affordable (read -- pretty cheap) lunch. But then again, I shouldn't criticize two of my most accessible sources of food.
That's the end of academics, unless we have our Espanol classes. We have them thrice a week and as of now, they are fun. !Hola!, ?Como estas?, Muey bien, Gracias.
With that begins another day's non-academic hours. In simpler words, Free Time. It seemed a bit too much in the beginning but trust me, now its barely enough.
One can visit the library which spans three floors and is open till 8:30 in the evening. Finding a book in there can be a daunting task in itself even with a full fledged computer catalogue. You will literally get lost among the numerous book shelves in each floor.
If you're not the booky type, you can always take a stroll through the campus, sipping a hot coffee from our Sagar Stores. The walk, amazingly, never gets boring, especially if you have a friend by your side.
One can also play cricket & football in the Ground (read -- small patch of land) or badminton in either one of the two courts.
If you're still not entertained enough, just go out. Explore. Hyderabad is your's to discover. It will never fail to amaze you each time you travel.c Although, it is advisable to have some Hindi in your arsenal if you want to get along without hassles.
Once the night falls, the campus comes alive. Bathed in the golden glow of sodium lamps, it is a beautiful sight to behold.
You can relax in one of the parks, go outside or take yet another walk through the campus. From Sagars' down towards the teacher's quarters, circling the hostels and on towards the Admin block, the New Academic Building and back to Sagars' passing in front of the library. You shouldn't be scared if you hear howls and yells from the New Acad Building. They are no banshees or ghouls. Just the Theater Club carrying out their regular practice sessions.
If you continue your walk well into midnight after having dinner, you may even have a cup of tea from the Midnight "T" stall along with bread-omelette.
The campus, it seems, never completely sleeps. If you were to go out at 3 in the morning, you will for sure find a lot of like minded folks.
The best part of being at EFL-U is that you will never be alone. Be it your friends or books or even one of the many dogs found in the campus, you are sure to have company. Always.
This is a little universe within the four campus walls.
The day starts at 6:30 (for me at least!) when I wake up automatically due to some weird bio-chemical tuning in my brain. I would love to write that I wake up to the twittering of birds, or even, to the shrill sound of the alarm but sadly, I usually hear snores the first thing in the morning.
By 7:30 (still listening to deep snores) I'll start the day's voyage with my most favourite companion of all, my bag. Although others laugh at me and my bag saying we are Siamese twins, my bag never leaves my side. I love you bag.
With my bag I'll be off to my regular tea-stall outside the campus. The "manager-cum-cook", a man with a rather bushy moustache but a pleasant smile, gives me my usual. Either four hot, steaming and golden pooris or one large, round and crisp masala dosa. Always without chutney and with an extra serving of sabji. And he always has spare change, be it for 100 rupees or 500.
After breakfast and a strong coffee from our Govinda's Cafeteria, it's newspaper time. The reading room, which is open 24X7 is my most preferred haunt after breakfast. Unless of course, I get an urge to check my Facebook updates in which case I'll go to the computer lab which, again, is open 24X7.
By 9.00, its time for classes. I have classes where we don't study, but discuss. We don't learn but we interact. Although it's too early for me to judge my classes, I'm starting to enjoy them nonetheless.
By 1:00, its time for lunch and I'll be off either to Nissi Chapathi Center, or Govinda's Cafeteria where I'll have an affordable (read -- pretty cheap) lunch. But then again, I shouldn't criticize two of my most accessible sources of food.
That's the end of academics, unless we have our Espanol classes. We have them thrice a week and as of now, they are fun. !Hola!, ?Como estas?, Muey bien, Gracias.
With that begins another day's non-academic hours. In simpler words, Free Time. It seemed a bit too much in the beginning but trust me, now its barely enough.
One can visit the library which spans three floors and is open till 8:30 in the evening. Finding a book in there can be a daunting task in itself even with a full fledged computer catalogue. You will literally get lost among the numerous book shelves in each floor.
If you're not the booky type, you can always take a stroll through the campus, sipping a hot coffee from our Sagar Stores. The walk, amazingly, never gets boring, especially if you have a friend by your side.
One can also play cricket & football in the Ground (read -- small patch of land) or badminton in either one of the two courts.
If you're still not entertained enough, just go out. Explore. Hyderabad is your's to discover. It will never fail to amaze you each time you travel.c Although, it is advisable to have some Hindi in your arsenal if you want to get along without hassles.
Once the night falls, the campus comes alive. Bathed in the golden glow of sodium lamps, it is a beautiful sight to behold.
You can relax in one of the parks, go outside or take yet another walk through the campus. From Sagars' down towards the teacher's quarters, circling the hostels and on towards the Admin block, the New Academic Building and back to Sagars' passing in front of the library. You shouldn't be scared if you hear howls and yells from the New Acad Building. They are no banshees or ghouls. Just the Theater Club carrying out their regular practice sessions.
If you continue your walk well into midnight after having dinner, you may even have a cup of tea from the Midnight "T" stall along with bread-omelette.
The campus, it seems, never completely sleeps. If you were to go out at 3 in the morning, you will for sure find a lot of like minded folks.
The best part of being at EFL-U is that you will never be alone. Be it your friends or books or even one of the many dogs found in the campus, you are sure to have company. Always.
This is a little universe within the four campus walls.
