Gulbadan

So on June 5th, 2007, I ended my association with LUMS by giving my last final exam. It was quite an interesting experience, as having spent four long (and sadly rather uninteresting) years at the place, I felt a great tinge of sadness at leaving it. This was quite surprising for a number of reasons: first, I am normally a tight-ass who considers showing emotions a weakness that only those unworthy souls display who are pansies (this is probably the reason why Bellatrix Lestrange is my favourite Harry Potter character - I wonder who'll play her in the movie. They said Elizabeth Hurley was supposed to, but that didn't work out. Cinema lost a few cool moments because of that, I can tell you!) and second, it was not as if my LUMS journey was a rollercoaster ride of memorable moments. On the contrary, most of my time was either spent in class, or bunking class to go to the nearby market for food, or, most of the time, sitting in one of the labs playing one obnoxiously addictive video game or another. And yet, everything felt extremely sad. The labs area smelt unnecessarily sweet, the scant plantation around campus appeared greener, the few chicks braving the blazing sun appeared chikni-er. Everything, thus, appeared rosier and nicer.

The last exam went really well. I had the choice of preparing for it really well, or indulging for one last time with my newly crowned favourite person in the world, who was most generously treating me to some extremely valuable liquid costing 3 fucking rupees per millilitre! Ably supported by him and two old buddies, I spent the night indulging in the most banal of conversations that normally accompany such occassions, and went to give the paper at an insanely early 8.30 am next morning with a strong headache and half-shut eyes. Thought I'd use the grand effect on my last ever activity at LUMS. Kher, the paper went fine, but when Aqeel called time (bastard was my TA), I continued to write one last line of my brilliantly crafted answer and he, in all his audacity, came and snatched the paper away from me! Saala! I could not believe my eyes as he walked off clutching my unfinished paper. Not a memory I wanted to take to the grave!

Of course, studying with the ACF group over three years was most fun. Some teachers were excellent, and taught a lot. The learning and self-discovery was good. Being involved with AIESEC was a fascinating experience, something which will continue for some time in the near future, no matter how much fun my friends make of that.

I now begin the next stage of my life, which involves me heading to Karachi for one full year to work full-time for AIESEC. It's scary, exciting and extremely challenging at the same time, and one of the things I am most looking forward to is how it will make me become truly independent and self-sufficient. Now, if only I was better at washing my own underwear and cooking aloo bhujia!