The Ultimate Chase

“TANU IT’S 7:30 AND HIGH TIME YOU WAKE UP” comes a voice loud enough for me to jump out of my bed and start getting ready. Can you believe that human brain is so powerful that one can build up ‘n’ number of scenarios that might take place? Just because of one sentence, I had already missed my bus and was not allowed into the main gates of school. Intriguing right? Well! Getting back to the reality, it was 7:00 in the morning and as usual my mother’s strategy to wake me up after her calling out to me for last twenty minutes. I brushed my teeth with my eyes partially closed struggling to open them. There was rush in the house and the kitchen smelled like a chef’s field. I was still in my own world trying to count my teeth with the brush top unaware of the time I was wasting.

(Here's 7 year old me brushing my teeth while having a short nap.)

Once I finished brushing I was more than awake for I had splashed the chilling water right on my face. I then went for my bath wondering if I had completed my homework, assignments and packed my bag according to the timetable. “Argh! Another boring day.” as the Friday timetable flashed in my mind. Being a playful kid games period was my favorite one and we had it only once a week. And so the entire division would wait for the day eagerly. For our division it was Thursday. I got back to my room after bath and fell asleep. It was winter, the air was chilled and the late sunrises had created a perfect atmosphere for me to sleep again. There was a loud knock on my door “get up! It’s Thursday do you want to miss your school? It’s already 7:25am” said my mother. Once again I got back to my senses and started getting ready as I had just realized that it was Thursday. I drank the milk, wore the socks and shoes whilst papa ran down the building with my school and tiffin bag to stop the bus for me. I then ran as fast as I can with the fear of losing games period haunting me at the back of my mind. As I reached, there was no bus and my papa was ready to lecture me about the importance of getting up early. Well! It is high time that I inculcate it. I was in hurry and stressed. I then ran upstairs and bought the scooter keys so that we could chase the bus and catch it. It was so cold that even the scooter won’t start, the engines had frozen and it took us few more minutes to make it work. That time felt like ‘forever.’ We then left for our further journey. The tension had doubled what if the gates closed? Was all I could think. And irony was: my father driving at 20km/hr. The pressure was high. I was continuously asking papa to speed up a little. We had to cross a huge slope to get to our school. And papa being papa, was in his own world, driving the scooter while singing with all his heart. Soon came the next slope and guess what! Our vehicle just stopped. It won’t start even after us trying for innumerable times. We then started walking towards school thinking we would reach in time. It was too late and I thought I had missed today’s games period. It was disheartening since my past experiences stated that every time I missed school that day either we would get extra games period or some teacher would be absent. As I walked my thoughts kept pilling, a car then stopped near us. There sat a young boy with his father. They then offered us a seat and we drove to the school. Seeing the gates I ran as if I was missing a bus. And thud! the gates got closed just when I entered. And that’s my journey to school. Pretty interesting right?

A Fight with Failure

               ‘Failure is the first and foremost step to success’ you might have heard this quite often especially more in the teenage years cause I have too! But what if one has fear for it? Well then here is an incident from my life.

              I remember struggling to get up from my afternoon nap and wearing that white uniform with yellow belt and walking to Karate class. Every time I got ready for it, a question popped ‘when will the class end?’ and that’s because I hated going there. I literally used to cry to avoid going for the class and instead play in the society. C’mmon! we all have that moment where at a point we want to leave the class and just enjoy and play.

Me practicing after class.

             This went on for years and my interest developed in it and slowly and gradually I exalted from yellow belt to brown and then eventually black. Well, the credit actually goes to my mother who didn’t allow me to leave the class come what may for which I am now thankful for.

           It was in July 2017 that our instructor told us about this National competition of karate that was going to be held in Mumbai. We were so excited for it. Also the preparations had begun in full swing. I still remember teaching few of my juniors, some practicing fight techniques, some punches and kicks and it was all so fun as well as electrified with energy. After two months of this rigorous practice we were all set for the competition and ready to go.(Here) us doing the techniques.

        The competition was in September. We left for it in the morning at 5am and reached there by 9am. The competition had begun I could see few children go and come back with medals, certificates with extreme joy on their faces. Soon it was my turn. I was standing in the line, as I could hear my heart running so fast in my ears that I was literally shivering. All I could think was what if I lose? What if I forget the technique? My turn came; I took a deep breath and looked at my instructor who was right there standing to watch me perform. Within a second my heart was in my mouth. “BEGIN!” the judges said. I started with my techniques and just after doing two-three of them I was blank I was doing anything that I could think of next. And that very moment I realized I lost! I was shocked, in grief and couldn’t think of anything else but that, that I had let myself down in front of my instructor. What would my juniors now say- that I just forgot? After practicing for two months, how did I mess up so badly? After that I couldn’t sleep for nights.

             I had always been that person for whom reputation mattered the most. Here’s what I realized after months: I cared more about what others would say and think, rather than to focus more on how can I give my best.

               Failures are a part of our life and no matter how hard you try they will be there. What one should know is to accept and learn from them. And also a secret, that every time you experience failure the fire in you lightens up and encourages you to work harder.

              That’s what exactly happened! I practiced more next time and was not only physically but also mentally ready for the upcoming International competition. All I could think was to give my 100% and that’s where my positivity won me a silver medal!

                All I would like to conclude by saying is failure is an opportunity to grow into bigger and better person and excel in every aspect of life.

  National Award                                                   International Award

Thrill in the school

 Rewind to your past and recall how you were as a kid. Well! I was quite naughty and talkative. I won’t lie but yes, I have been punished a numerous amount of times. Stood outside the class, been in principal’s office, sat in a corner of the class but out of all these, the most deadly punishment was when our (our division’s) ‘games’ period used to get cancelled since it was conducted once a week. It was like waiting for the best moment of week but then all the dreams of playing games with friends being crushed to pieces. Sounds funny right! But then it was quite a serious moment for us. I can’t even remember how many times we have pleaded to our Principal for a games period.  I feel sorry for the principal though! She had to bear with us and our “important” (for us) pleadings.

I am pretty sure most of you don’t like mathematics. Like, why on Earth do we have to do all the unwanted calculation? In short, 

what is the use of this in life? Now this is from a person who might not like mathematics but I was one of those who liked it a lot. I still do. As rightly said, every coin has two sides the interest in the subjects defers in the same way. 

The academic year of eighth standard soon started and our regular lectures in school began.  But as we all know the excitement for studies is momentary. Mathematics being my favorite subject I would always complete its homework and even try doing further problems. Now that might surprise my teachers. But believe me! We enjoy doing things which we like the most. That year we had two lectures of mathematics scheduled every Wednesday. The lectures being conducted immediately after break would sometimes be boring; since one and half hours of doing the subject was then boring and that too when we had finished with next two-three problems. Also the ‘pin drop silence’ was being followed to its best. That’s when the thought of doing something thrilling struck us.

CAUTION: THE STUNT PERFORMED HERE IS NOT RECOMMENDED. KINDLY DO NOT PERFORM IT. IF DONE YOUR PARENTS MIGHT GET INVITED FOR YOUR “FELICITATION” DONE WITH “PRESTIGIOUS” WORDS.

And that’s how I and my friend Saanvi came up with a plan. We took our bottles and told ma’am that, our computer ma’am had called us (she really had but on some other day). We asked for ma’am’s permission and left for the mission ‘BUNK’. We did go to the computer lab and talked to her but then instead of coming to class we went down stairs near the water filter. That’s when a deep voice asked us from behind, “what are you two doing here during lectures?” Sweat dropped, as we unknowingly shivered while witnessing the situation of “life and death”. We then somehow convinced him about our bottles being empty and walked past him. Further we took a round on every floor and then ditching the CCTV cameras we went into the kindergarten section and sat there until we heard the bell of next class go (that was literally just 5 minutes). But was so much fun! We then got back to the class and no one noticed. MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED! It was the first and I think last time till now we did this and enjoyed it.

To be brutally honest bunking is considered as one of the worse deeds done under section SCHOOL. I wonder if it still was the worse deed since our work for that class was completed. But in a way that’s what made a part of the school life memorable.

Disclaimer: the purpose of this blog is merely fun and not to encourage the stunts performed.