It has been some time since I wrote a post, come to think of it the last one was in July 2020 while being in the middle of the first round of the pandemic induced lockdowns. And now here we are once again facing lockdowns, albeit a little less harsh this time around. Hopefully the second wave of the virus situation improves soon, which would hopefully then mean not any more of such stringent measures π.
So, after a brief sabbatical, encouraged and egged on by someone dear to me π, am back once again to post thoughts on life. The last one which I posted was on a lighter aspect of life and am doing the same with this post.
And this time too it is from my academic life, though from college and not the school life.
It is an incident from 1987 when I was in my First Year of Graduation College.
In those days, and probably even today, students would normally bunk (or not attend) one or more lectures (classes) during the day. Because of this notorious practice by the students, the college administration used to arbitrarily record the attendance in any one of the lectures of the day, thus catching the students by surprise π.
At times, the attendance was recorded even more than once, so if anyone missing a lecture after the first attendance would be marked as absent for the day. And the second attendance generally became the final record for the day. And to avoid the second attendance, students many-a-times would decide to mass bunk, meaning all the students of the class would decide not to attend a particular lecture, especially if it pertained to a subject which generally most were not fond of or was being conducted by a Professor who was, well let us just say not liked π. And in situations where the entire class would not be present, attendance would generally be ignored by the administration.
And around this rigmarole of the attendance procedure, on one winter day in 1987 (Jan/Feb), as I must have risen from sleep, I was not aware π€ that I was going to create a college history that day; though not sure if am too pleased of that achievement π, well definitely my fellow classmates were not amused as you will soon find out π.
In our first year of college, we used to have a subject titled βCommercial Geographyβ, the syllabus of which was focused on Commercial Relevance and Importance of various Geographies of the World. It would cover aspects such as Location of Minerals and Mining across the World, key Ports of the World, and so on. Looking back through life, I now believe that it was very important that we learnt that early in life, but well most of us then just did not find it interesting π, especially when compared to other more exciting subjects like Accounts, Math, etc. And it was also a mandatory subject so students could not opt out of it for the Term/Year.
What further did not make it interesting was the gentleman who used to take the class for that subject. Nothing wrong with his knowledge or expertise, it was just the way in which he used to deliver the lecture, the Pitch, the Tone, almost like someone delivering a Sermon π. Moreover, he used to read out of his Prepared Notes, as opposed to having an Interactive Dialogue.
As far as I recall he was also not a friendly type of a person and had a reputation of being a little tough. He was a short statured individual, possibly not more than 5 feet, and if there were tall students sitting at the front, the students at the back would not even notice him π. I think many students used to use that as a cover and hide at the back π. As for me I was a little indifferent π, depending upon how I used to feel on a given day I used to either like or dislike the subject, but certainly did not favour it, I think mainly because of the professor π.
Though, I do not blame the guy, he had all the odds against him, a subject which the students did not like, and a persona not exactly which students found as pleasant π. So, to ensure that he had some presence in the classroom, he would use the attendance roll call as the weapon π. So, there was not an option but to be present in his class π .
Now coming back to that day on which I possibly created a college history and got so intimately acquainted, both with the subject and this professor π. Due to some errands which I had to run for my mother, I had planned to go late to the college that day and in the process had missed the first few lectures.
And the time at which I reached the college coincided with this class. I thought I was lucky that I was in time for this class where most often the attendance is recorded and by being present would thus have a clear attendance record for the day π .
But I had not even of an iota of an idea π€, that the entire class had reached an agreement to mass bunk this class mainly because one attendance was already recorded in an earlier lecture which I had missed. Obviously, those were the days where mobile phones did not exist and there was no way that information could be passed onto me.
So here I was thanking my stars π of having reached my classroom just in time. But as I entered the classroom and took some 5/7 steps inside, I realised that I was the only one in the class π―. And then the thought struck me π€ that everyone may have decided to mass bunk this lecture. So, I immediately decided to leave the classroom.
But just as I turned around and took a step or two in the direction of the door, the professor entered inside π€¦ββοΈ and we were almost face to face. As that happened, I noticed behind him some of my classmates who were gesturing me to come out of the classroom π. Now while I was not fearful, I definitely did not have the courage of walking past the Professor facing me and just leave the classroom π .
The Professor too realised that something is amiss π€ and noticing that I am the only one present π he too turned around. But just as he did that, others at the door who by now were furiously π gesturing me to leave the classroom, eloped and vanished into thin air π.
I thought the Professor would understand and allow me to leave, but I had never anticipated the question which was to come. He instead, asked me if I wanted to leave or stay back and attend the class π³.
I do not believe that in my entire professional life I have ever faced a dilemma of making such a critical decision as I had in deciding whether I should attend the class just by myself π or muster up the courage πͺ to walk past the professor and leave. Well, I do not think I was courageous enough π¦ and in a quiet and hushed tone agreed to stay back and attend the class.
To my surprise, he looked pleased π and was even a little happy. That is when it dawned on me π€ and I felt sympathy for the individual. Almost the entire student fraternity was neither fond of this subject nor him and thus did not enjoy his lectures. So, when I agreed to stay back, I guess he just felt a bit happy that there is at least someone who wants to attend his class π.
But my momentary sympathy was not enough a motivation for me to sit back and attend the entire lecture of 45 minutes, and that too all alone π π.
So, in a class of 100+ students, began this history making class of a single student attending the lecture π, and the first thing the professor did was close the door π; I wonder if he was afraid if I would have run away midway into the lecture π€π.
By then I was not thinking clearly π. I went back and sat at my usual place in the 3rd or the 4th row π. Being the only one in the class it did not even occur to me that it would make no sense in me sitting somewhere in the middle in a large classroom π. Obviously, he immediately summoned me right up to the front facing him across his table π. He too sat down on his chair and started to read out from his notes.
I tried my best to pay as much attention as possible π , but what followed was something I had not visualised. The doors of the classroom while were largely made of wood and thus opaque, also had a big glass panel on one side through which one could see both ways. I could suddenly notice all members of my class and possibly most of the college students lined up to peep thru π§ that glass opening and see the sight, or should I say the rare spectacle inside of the classroom ππ.
To many it was probably like the Matador facing the Bull π in the Ring all by himself, though I was not even close to being brave like a Matador ππ. And some of my classmates who were angry by now were showing me fisticuffs π π. Many were laughing, they must have thought of me as a nerd or a loser π, however not realising how I got placed into this situation. I think I felt safer inside the classroom in the bullring type scenario π and shuddered at the thought of the class ending and thus having to face the wrath of the classmates π§.
Those 45 minutes that day in that classroom felt like a lifetime π and when the professor finished speaking, he brought the attendance sheet out of his book and asked for my roll number π. He noted it down marking me as present and the rest of the class as absent π. And since this was the second attendance being recorded for the day, it stood within the register, thus marking me the only student present for the day ππ. This is what I was given to understand by others, unless the registrar must have thought it to be a mistake and maybe took the previous one, though I never had the courage to ask π.
As the class ended and the professor left, I took a few deep breaths π, got my bearings in order, mustered up some courage before walking out π. I thought I might just get beaten up π, but probably having to maintain the college decorum, some of the classmates just spoke a few words to me, and none of those which I can pen down here to maintain the decorum of this post π.
I did not have the courage to attend any more classes for the day π and just left for the day; though gathered enough strength to come back the next day and face the others π . But I guess by then everyone just saw the funnier and the amusing side of what had transpired π, and I guess I was forgiven or so I thought π€π, but all was generally ok. Thus, I survived for the rest of the term π π.
Life places us in different situations, sometimes unknowingly as it happened to me in this instance. We are then faced with dilemmas to make certain decisions, and at times it is just easy and convenient to make the Wrong decision. That day in life I learnt that no matter how tricky the situation, no matter what or how much we must endure, never deter from taking the Right decision. In this instance, I also thought somewhere deep down the individual was pleased π and he felt that he is liked at least by someone. We never know the impact we are making in life by taking the Right decision, not to mention in the process strengthening our own internal character π.
Hope that you also found this incident amusing π.
Thank you and God bless you. π