A walk down memory lane

Abiya Annie Varghese

Life at Kristu Jayanti College has been a rollercoaster ride with many ups and downs, but mostly up, I must say. My college has been my pillar of support for the past 4 years. As I am in my PG final year, I will say “KJC, I love you for what you have given me and what you made me. You made me strong and you trained me to become capable enough in my steam, you have been there when I was not confident, many more to say about you.

Only have one thing to say THANK YOU for being there in my life.”

When I chose Kristu Jayanti College for my under graduate course, I was scared. Stepping out of my comfort zone and being myself was not an easy task. It was hard in the beginning but trust me, the teachers and Management made it easy for me. Though the teachers were new to me, they handled me like I am their family. I will shout out loud and say I Love You to them even though I will be out of this campus after one year.

There are many students who have been in KJC like me- creating their memories, facing hardships and everything else was part of their lives too. When I consulted them, every single one of them had different stories to share.

I asked them about their favourite spots in KJC and the common answer was Maggi Point and the ATM area. A lot of their stories begun from Maggi Point: friendships, bonding, and the saying, “Maggi and cold coffee of the Maggi Point is the best.” It was their breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the first year of UG and it actually is still for some of them.

Many of them bonded with their teachers and coordinators as they were their support and pillars for them during all the fests and functions. During the fest, all of them used to be together till the events ended and were always there for each other at every turn: encouraging them to be part of all the events, forcing them to face their fears, talking to them when they are scared, and consoling them instead of scolding them when they commit any mistakes.

Sports Day: A common event that postgraduate students miss in UG is the Sports Day and that was the day we utilized for showing our strengths and love for our sports. The most positive fact is that teachers were also part of Sports Day. How our former principal Rev.Fr. Josekutty PD was there to inaugurate the day by playing cricket and all our loving Fathers who were part of Sports Day too and they used to participate in every single game. We used to scream and encourage our teachers, fathers, and other Jayantians to their participate in games. Ethnic Day: The Ethnic Day showcased the unity and diversity of our college. Each of the Jayantians would don their traditional clothes and be a part of this event. Singing, dancing, and clicking pictures all were part of creating and generating new bonds with people. This day we make new friends and also find new people with our interests.

Canteen: The place where everyone sits together and shares their food with their life stories and experiences. Everyone sits here, talk about their day, and tells each other about what happened, where it happened, and how it happened. We all sit together and laugh, eat our favourite food and spend time with each other which definitely helps in generating bonding and connecting with each other more and more.

Classroom: From meeting one another for the first time to saying goodbye when our course is over is not an easy task. The bonding and relationships which we made are filled in these classes. The fights, debates, arguments, planning for events, preparing presentations, notes, and every trivial thing happened inside these four walls. When UG was getting over, it was tough for us to say goodbye because we didn’t get chance to bond more with college or people because of the pandemic. Even though we had our social media platforms, we needed to see each other and laugh and spend time together but unfortunately, it didn’t happen. The little we got in the college and with friends, we utilized and surely did generate more memories here.

When I stepped back into KJC for my PG course, I remembered and missed every single moment of my UG life.

Hostel life: Hostel life is the one in which we all could sit and talk. The sharing of a room with two other strangers who soon become your life and can’t change them at any cost. Here is an interesting story that I got from a group of friends who came back to KJC for their post-graduation, to be with one another for two more years.

Their friendship begun at the hostel. By luck, they all bonded and that bonding stayed for these years. They are not staying together in one place but they try to be with together once a month.

The story which increased their bonding was the story of going out for the first time to an innovative film city. Trying the metro and bus of Bengaluru for the first time, getting scolded for coming back late at the hostel and getting the tag “THE GANG” in the hostel was some of the highlights of their story. Ordering pizza and eating together, getting up in the morning by 7 am to eat breakfast- this bonding was a part of their lives because of Kristu Jayanti College.

They used to hang out in college when they were completing their UG and even now, they try to hang out as much as possible.

When they were in their UG they used to wait for each other to go back to the hostel and eat food. They would always wait near the College Gate and go together to the hostel for lunch.

Kristu Jayanti College did give a lot of students their best friends and other connections. The best mentor, the best college, and the best decision of their life were to choose KJC as their first priority.

Every single student with whom I talked today did make me realize that they are extremely happy to be a part of KJC. They have more memories to make and share.