I graduated last Sunday. My undergrad days have been a rollercoaster of things – good and bad. This is an honest recap of how I spent my undergrad. The post will contain some VIT-Chennai specific things. I’m sure there are multiple versions to the same story, and similar versions in other universities. I am graduating with a Bachelors in Computer Science and Engineering with a Specialisation in Cyberphysical Systems from VIT, Chennai campus. The major part of the degree was my choice. The rest of it was on my “things that would work for me” list. I did not want to go to the Chennai campus precisely because a lot of people I knew went there/ were planning to go there. I wanted a fresh start to life. But life had other plans. Looking back, I don’t think it could have played out any better, and I’m graduating without any major regrets. I spent the first one and a half years enthusiastically exhausting myself by signing up for various things – clubs, events, special teams, webin...
I started Pre-Kg in 2007, right around the time Azhagiya Tamizh Magan soundtrack came out. As a child, my world would come to a halt when Vijay appeared on our aiwa screen. To this day, before anything important, I play “Ella Pugazhum” through my headphones. My friend has it downloaded in case my device fails. Somehow, every major exam I walked into while listening to it, with the right timing, I’ve scored an S. The song is an amulet, not of luck, but of the reassurance it gave me that all I had to do was put in the work. Songs from Vijay’s movies have soundtracked my childhood. Scenes have accompanied me through numerous fevers and crying episodes. We had three cds of azhagiya tamizh magan alone, not to forget about the countless number of vijay dance mix cds. “Arjunaru Villu” was my cocomelon. I played kabaddi for my school house match because Vijay played kabaddi in Ghilli. Nanban left a deep sense of responsibility to learn something rather than just doing i...