Caught by nervous excitement
The big doors of Christ Junior College opened to a fresh batch of students on Monday. Filled with anxiety, nervousness and clutching on to their bags, the first PUC students entered the campus.
Their eyes were filled with hope and a desire to give their best and make maximum use of the opportunities that have come their way.
To make sure each student is comfortable, the college decided to have a two-day orientation programme for all the batches. And helping them get comfortable were the ‘seniors’ of the college. Many of them put up a nice performance during the inauguration, giving the newcomers a feel of being a ‘Christite’. Some even volunteered to lead them to their respective classes for the orientation.
“I remember my first day in college. There was fear of whether or not I will make friends, of getting lost in the campus and getting to know the teachers. But things went off very smoothly, it was only after lunch time did we get a little comfortable,” said Eric, a second PUC student.
Getting to class was a big priority of the day. Finding the right classroom was a task for many. Frantic parents and students, who were a little late, were stuck to the notice-board trying to find the class number. But the cordial volunteers helped them and tried to calm the situation as well.
“It’s such a tense feeling right now. There are so many different sections and that’s making me a little confused. I joined this college with my best friend and now we are separated, making me more nervous. But I am looking forward to making new friends now,” said Nishath, a first PUC science student. While her friend Bhumana added, “Getting separated from old friends is a scary thing but I am sure we are all in the same boat and things will fall into place.”
Ragging on the other hand is out of question. Nayan, second PUC student, explained that there are strict rules against ragging. “There is no reason to rag. We want our juniors to feel safe out here and hopefully we can get to know them in the course of time,” he added. Some are even looking forward to collaborate with their juniors for competitions.
Bhamini, from the choir team, said, “The choir has become a small group after our seniors left. I hope we get to meet some talented singers in the new batch, so that we could include them in the team.”
Fresh out of school and being in an alien atmosphere have made many insecure as well. Nitya, who was in Carmel Convent before joining Christ Junior College, said the feeling of insecurity is at large but she prefers to look at the brighter side of things.
“We all have to move on and there are so many things to look forward to. When our principal spoke to us about having a holistic learning experience, I felt that I should work towards achieving that,” she added.
