23/09/2014

23/09/2014; 23:09:

Yay, the date and the time match. That, and I'm finally home! This whole term just went by in a blur, with the coming in of the new batch and all the Atharv work. Looking forward to focusing my energies on different things, once the new term begins!
Let's start with writing about the Birthday which was on the 20th.

I had a good mind of writing a Birthday post which would essentially consist of celebratory statements revolving around how I'm 21- the age to be and blowing my trumpet. Luckily, I did not get around to writing that post. Next year, possibly.

Anyway, as it struck mid-night, I made my way up to the hostel terrace, found a chair already placed in the perfect spot and sat down to watch my friends at work, arranging my birthday cake-cutting. It’s just this hostel tradition now, there’s a cake, a cake-cutting, a face decorated with cake, people singing and hugs, for each person’s birthday. It is a rather nice experience, for everyone involved.
Almost all the batch-girls were assembled in my room, most presumably for my birthday. After 10 minutes were spent looking for me, I made a grand entry down the stairs, to less curses and more cries of ‘Happy Birthday’. Grinning from ear to ear, I proceeded to blow out the magic re-lighting candles which were mostly stumps, by now. Wishes, hugs and lots of love later, everyone disappeared since a history mid-term was in the offing.
I received a couple of cards and I hope I’m able to keep them around, for some time at least. Knowing me, this will be quite a task. That, 2 kurtis and lip gloss- all stuff that I wouldn’t even think of buying- my friends do know me too well. Oh, and a ‘365 reasons to Smile’ calendar.

The night was spent gossiping with my room-mate, since we both agreed that birthdays are more important than History end-term exams.
The history end-term was surprisingly good. Well, I can maintain that at least until the results are out.
A cab had been called, at 11:30, right as soon as the paper was over. My room-mate was leaving for home on the 4p.m. train. Lunch, ice-cream and one room-mate dropped at the station later, I was on the Institute Bus, heading back to campus.
Once back, I rushed to submit my IGNOU assignments which I had finally managed to complete. It had been quite a task, mainly because I’ve picked random subjects which no one else in the batch has, which meant that the assignments had to be worked on by myself, from beginning to end. I finally made up my mind about the month-off in December. I’ll stay on campus and give my IGNOU exams here. The date-sheet appeared which made my decision easier. Unlike almost everyone else, who have one paper on the 1st, another on the 6th and the others all scattered, until the 30th, I have one on the 6th and the others one after the other between the 15th and 20th. Also, while so many people have 7 papers, I have only 4. Plans include a week at home and then leaving for Bombay on the 21st- Christmas, Mood Indigo and New Year’s, all in Mumbai. This decision made, I also submitted my examination form, registration form and DD’s.

A dinner plan was soon in order. On the invite list were the few batch-girls who were still on campus. Half our party was already in the city and there were only the 3 of us who’d planned to get on the 7 p.m. institute bus. Unfortunately, our junior batch too decided that a party needed to be held. The lot of them happily waved at us from a full bus, also adding birthday greetings for good measure. Attempts at the next two buses proved futile mostly because of a no-show and we slinked away to the food-court in Mess 2 and got ourselves burgers and ice-cream. The ice-cream was good. The next two hours were spent lying on the footpath behind Mess2, talking about odds and ends and how being 21 is awesome.
Once back in the hostel, everyone had to leave by 10 the next morning- everyone seemed to have rather early morning flights!- and was packing frantically, since order had come in only a few days ago, asking us to vacate our rooms before we leave to go home. My train wasn’t until the night of the 22nd and packing my stuff was the least of my concerns, at that moment. I ambled around, offering help and generally talking. Shruti gave my ambling some purpose and I sat around in her room and moved a few cartons around.
Even later that night, we had a non-veg food party where we gossiped until everyone dispersed one by one.

I’m not exactly sure when I fell asleep and how; at least I was in my own bed and everything. I woke up at around 2:30 on the afternoon of 21st. I was actually woken up at 2:30 on the afternoon of the 21st to be more precise and well, honest. A junior needed the shuttle bus schedule explained to him. And, the library was somehow the best place for this exchange to take place. It had to be my first library visit, this term. Evening was then spent ‘bonding’ with the juniors, since almost all of my batch-mates were either at home or en route to home. This juniors thing reminded me of a ‘confession’ about me on the IPM Confessions page. That page is also another story. It started, then, it disappeared. It then came back in a new avatar which too was short-lived. This re-birth & death process then repeated itself. Apparently the current page which exists is the original one, revived. Unfortunately, I did not realise when it was revived and could only read the confessions because someone sat across from me and read it out to me. I shall now try to follow the page again; but, I don’t really understand half the things that are posted on there.
Late evening, a beautiful bouncer was thrown at me, courtesy the Income Tax Office and the rest of the Atharv Core Committee. I was to apparently accompany the PGP SAC Treasurer and one of the Institute’s CA’s to the ITO, early on the morning of the 22nd. So much for all my plans. Hopefully, there would be something new to be learnt. And of course, there were Atharv Cash & Bank books to be read and tried to be understood.
And, I remember falling asleep, post 1 a.m., complaining about how the whole hostel was empty. Well, not technically, since the junior batch girls were still on campus, but no one else from my batch was around. Anyway, an early morning and busy day were in store, so I coaxed myself to sleep.

I more or less willingly got myself out of bed, early on the morning of the 22nd for there was a lot of pending work to be competed, courtesy mostly the fact that 20th was the birthday & that 21st was spent lounging around. I then proceeded to have an unhurried breakfast, whilst waiting for a certain phone call which was to give me further instructions on the ITO trip.
The PGP SAC Treasurer had been sent a summons by the IT Commissioner of Indore and was due to appear in person at the Commissioner’s Office at 11:00 a.m. on the 22nd, with certain documents as evidence. We left campus on the 10 a.m. bus. We were in the office by 11:15 and out by noon. The ITO scene was handled well, mostly by the Institute CA, who is now going to be the AR (Authorised Representative) at the ITO for all future meetings and documentation of evidence, including Cash & Bank Books and TDS Deduction Sheets. We were informed that this was the first time that the ITO had called IIM-I to visit, in connection with an event; it seems that Atharv managed to do enough publicity to get the IT department aware too, or so our CA believes. The EDT (Elements of Direct Taxation aka Income Tax) course that we had last year seemed so relevant the whole time I was sitting in the Commissioner’s office. Random terms like AOP, assesse and the like were being thrown around and it was good to be in the know. Our PGP SAC Treasurer had looked really nervous the whole time. Later conversation revealed that he only sweats a lot and bites his nails as a hobby. We managed to be on our way back to campus, on the 12:20 bus.

Post lunch, I began packing my stuff. All my stuff was soon packed into 1 carton whose main contents are my IGNOU books and my rucksack, 3 suitcases, one suitcase for my clothes, one large plastic box whose contents I shall never be able to decipher, my laptop bag and a large bundle which is essentially my quilt and pillows wrapped in a bed-sheet. I then mailed 2 Atharv-related write-ups to Nupoor Ma’am, the IIM-Indore’s website’s content editor, following which I went to pay her a visit, to discuss any further requirements. The content was approved and we had a generally long chat about Atharv, the IPM students and other odds and ends. This was interrupted by a rather frantic PGP student who was wondering if anyone knew how to use the Solver tool in Excel. While Ma’am hurriedly excused herself after being mistaken for an IPM student by said frantic guy, I was stuck there, smiling awkwardly, and then before I knew it, he was explaining a problem and scrolling through random excel sheets. I taught him how to use the Solver tool and gave him step-by-step instructions on how to solve the problem at hand. The whole exercise was apparently for a competition where the grand prize is a PPO. Glad to know that I have a shot at that!(if it comes my way).

I then rushed to the IPM Office, for there were leaves that needed documentation. I slipped on the way; I think I need new shoes or the Acad Block needs new floors (not that I caused any damage, only for the slipperiness).
Composing a blog post on a (okay, multiple) piece(s) of tissue paper whilst sitting in Chappan is an experience that has no parallel. And, it is also the first blog post that’s ever seen real actual paper (well, almost).
After filing leaves for the term, I sauntered off to the laundry, collected my clean clothes and resumed my packing & shifting. Packing was mostly done and shifting was in order, when I left to make a delivery. A dress was to be returned to a friend’s friend and I ought to be the courier service. I ran back and wound up my shifting- moving said bags and carton to the cloak room aka the ground floor common room where they will remain for the duration of the term break. I then locked the room up and handed the keys to an InfraComm member who was only glad to have the additional responsibility.
Before I left campus, there was this new friend to say ‘good-bye’ to. He wanted to keep my basketball for the duration of the term break and I obliged only for this might mean that he learns to play while I’m gone & then I’ll have company!
I picked up my bag- not a suitcase or anything, just my regular college bag & left campus on the 8p.m. bus. I feel asleep on the way and woke up just in time to get off at Chappan. I then ate momos and wandered off to Eat N Treat- one of the shops at Chappan with real seating and everything and ordered their white sauce pasta which never fails to delight!
The restaurant list is pending, but, I’ll probably just put it up in parts, as an addition to the regular blog posts; or there’s Zomato for that! The Exuberance report is pending too, but, I think I threw that sheet out, whilst packing. Ah! Well… and the Atharv final day report awaits my writing too!