The inglorious basterds

To pinch a line from Dickens 'Those were the best of times and the worst of times'

Its been a while since we stepped out the gates at VESIT for good. Some of us excited to explore the world outside while the other reflected on the memories-past. VESIT had taught us singularity and psychophancy in equal measure. While I'm not sure if we ever did leave behind a legacy but we sure as hell did leave behind unaccounted expenses. I should know. But that was that... School was out

For four months we worked, or at least pretended to. Signing letters, addressing teams, motivating juniors, restraining Jeenal. We did it all. And boy was it hard! But none of us needed any motivation to get up in the morning, wear your praxis hats and run with the ball. It was all hardwired into the VESIT fabric. For four months, the little corner room on the first floor was our classroom. That is where we learnt. That is where we taught.

With a core committee like ours, things were bound to be difficult. Ten driven kids. Ten bloated egos. Ten people who could have run the show themselves. at least they believed they could. Those ten and a unbeknown bespectacled elder statesman too tall for the plastic chairs and too unVESIT for the inane core meetings outside the library.

Yes we did have fights and yes we'd bleed each other dry at times but look at the bright side. We didnt screw up! We may all reveled in our collective hatred for the management, our penchant for signing meaningless letters and cheap thrills from walking into the Vice-Principal's room and making straight-faced jokes without her not getting it. But our lowest common denominator was Praxis. That and schezwan fried rice. Praxis is why we wrote those letters, printed those brochures, set up those desks and ran those contests. Praxis was ubiquitous.

We may not have had the best of starts. No funding, no attendance (there I said it... ATTENDANCE!), no guidance, no support and no motivation. We could've had it easier. But we could've had it worse too. I remember the time we had gathered around and almost quit. Somewhere deep inside we loved it all too much to even reconsider stepping away from it. But we all liked to bluff, didn't we? I know I did.

We all had a legacy to protect. An ex-core member, a former GS or past pass out to make proud of our achievements. And when the day finally came most of us were too exhausted to react. Though i recall most of the pre Praxis innuendo, i remember nothing from Praxis. We had nothing to do. No papers to sign. No forms to fill. And the registrations were full, so we couldn't do shit.

What I do remember is standing atop that creaking bench in the quad delivering the CORE address to a tired yet excited bunch of people, who hopefully wanted our jobs as badly as we wanted them exactly a year ago. People cheering us on. Shouting out our names. Expecting us to say something smart or funny or controversial as the senior management looked on uncomfortably. That's why we put up with all those issues and hassles. Everything about the fest was bigger and better than they had left it to us. Save for the bank account and the Praxis T shirt.

Two years down, we have all moved on in our separate ways. But Praxis still remains our lowest common denominator. For a person like myself, who went from doing nothing in my first year to over engaging in my next three years, Praxis was a big watershed. Nothing excited me anymore. I was done with VESIT and the management for good as we all idled in the last few months of our college life. Praxis gave me closure.

Now comes the reason why i decided to wake up in the middle of a mid-winters night in Taiwan and type this out. No, I don't miss Praxis/VESIT and no I'm not suicidal and reaching out for attention. Earlier today I was sitting in a bar explaining to a drunk English colleague about what i remember from college days. This is what I remembered. This is what i wanted to share with you folks.

Its been well over two years. VESIT may have shifted. Societies may have died. Praxis may have mutated. Frankly, I dont give a damn. For me the idea of Praxis lived and died in those four months only. I guess as a team we did OK. But I'm sure we'd all have our two cents on this topic. So I guess we should save it for the next time we meet. If fate has that in store for us.
Like someone said, its never about how you start but always about how you finish. And did we finish well or what?
Give me a V... Give me an E... Common I'm getting to old for this shit.
Godbless and good night. Here's a toast to four months that will never come back.