School life: a pleasant dream
Remember the day, when you were 3 or 4 and your parents had bought a bag for you which caught your attention because of your favorite cartoon character on it? When mommy told you that you have to take this to school tomorrow. Wow school!!! That sounds quite pleasant. A new enthusiasm filled in me. What a day that was, when carrying the bag at the back, water bottle in the neck, holding the hand of my mother, I went to school the first time. Hand in hand, mother and her daughter moving all along by the side of the road, when in came the place where I didn’t know at that time that I would have to spend 14 years, where she handed me to another lady, whom we call teacher. O god! what a cry that was. Loud and clear that all the people got their attention on me and what a tight hug that was of not allowing mommy to leave. A strange lady, how can she hand me over to her? And a promise that she will soon come to take me. What a day that was. A small room where all the children of my age- group were sitting on their respective benches, some crying and the others looking at each other. I can’t imagine how time has passed. How those 14 years ended. It seems like it was yesterday only, when I went to school for the first time.
School, a place where we learnt what true friendship is, a place where we did all that came to our minds. A place where we learnt what dreams are. Actually, school life was itself a dream, which has ended because we woke up and are now busy in settling our lives. Those soft toys and swings of kindergarten and the race for golden star. That was all a dream. The nursery rhymes and the alphabets that told us that ‘A’ for 'apple' and ‘B’ for ‘ball’ did indeed exist. The flower and the fruit names, how it all ended. Now, going from the kindergarten to the primary wing. Though not that old, yet a feeling of being grown up was there. The new the standard was, the harder the lessons were. And the race for the class captain, where only a single badge caught my attention. Though you do not know the exact meaning of class captain, yet you want to become it. The drawing competition and the spell bee and the fancy dress, all were so fascinating.
The presence of whole class near the canteen during recess on my birthday and the birthday bombs. The water fight after school and the play rehearsals. Every day, we had the habit of waking up early in the morning and getting ready for school. The games period and the substitutions were a blessing in disguise then. I still remember that badminton racket and the school football that stained my clothes all in dirt and got me scolding at home. The computer lab and the science labs, especially the chemistry lab where we did the practical all wrong (deliberately) in the search of a new result. Yes of course, how can I forget the crushes? The first love of life and the friends teasing. Yes, school life is a place where we experience all- the first patch up and the first breakup. Her beautiful eyes and his strong voice were all so fascinating. Getting ready 10 minutes early in excitement, applying the eye liner and the mascara for he loves it all. I guess it was all a dream. A beautiful dream that I wished it never ended. But yes, what has to happen will happen, who can stop it? Of course, none of us. How can I forget that bloody teacher, who used to call parents on every single mistake? And the bitter greetings that we received at home because of her. Okay, that was alright, but the water reached the mark, when she changed our seats. How did she even dare to do so? Of course, we too were the match winners of the game. We decided to trouble her so much that she herself refused to take our class.
Though bunks are not good yet they were a mode of escape for all of us who hated the lessons. Sitting on the stairs in the ground or playing in the ground or roaming in the corridor all tempted us so much than the physics lesson. And, especially when it was the other section playing in the ground. Such pleasant memories they are. And sitting at the back benches and finishing the lunch even before the recess. Also, if there was something special in someone’s lunch box, the whole class attacked on it. Of course, there are some who always get more of it, but yes they are all distant memories now.
The plays in the auditorium and the sweet voice of the school bell that got over those harsh lessons then. In a class there are always some who never did the homework, even if the teacher told it very strictly. And if I did it, I would never show it to the teacher to accompany my friends in the punishment. Also, the annual day and the zero period. When the school no longer looked like a school. Everybody was moving here and there from one rehearsal to another and the teachers trying to maintain discipline but who cared. And the school picnics and trips, that was the only day when we were allowed to wear jeans. The rides and the vomits, the lunch and the ice creams, and our suitcases. The harsh voices of the teachers and the sword rising on our heads always, ‘no short dresses allowed’. But it was all enjoying with friends all night long. The born fires or the trekking, the waterfall or the river crossing had it all. Also, the sports day, that was the favorite of all. Apart from students, there were races for teachers and peons as well and the special attention was the relay race and the final trophy for the winning house. And the Christmas carol and the crip making, all was great fun.
Then comes the last day, ‘The Farewell’. Some are crying and some are trying to capture these unforgettable moments. The items presented by 11th STD and the last speech by the principal. Of course, we have never listened it all and also with so much patience but yes, it was the last day of the school and with a tear in the eye (though not falling) we thought for giving a chance to that old lady who was speaking for the past 14 years in the same place to listen her at least once. After eating and meeting together, we went through our own paths. All of us, some future Engineers and some future Doctors and others as well, went away. The people who pledged to be with each other throughout were all separated. I hardly think if there would be a quick reunion. It is truly said that ‘time runs very fast’ for it took with it the whole school life.
All of us want to get back in those uniforms which never fit in us during the whole 14 years of school life. Why not, those were the days which made us stand where we are now and deprived us of any responsibility. When I was in school, I had heard people saying that school life is the best part of life, I refused to admit it earlier. But now, I too agree. There is nothing in this world as pleasant as school life. When we first got into school, our mothers told us that ‘school is our second home and teachers our second mothers’. Yes, it indeed is. From the past 14 years we did only one thing, going from home to school and after school to home. School was the safest place and the sweetest dream ever. I would love to sleep again for seeing that ‘sweet dream’ and wish that it never ended.
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