Duality benefits

BITS-Pilani is known for its academic flexibilities and the dual degree system where a student completes an MSc and an Engineering degree in 5 yrs is the most popular one. Being one such student, doing an MSc in Chemistry and BE in Electronics & Instrumentation, I have had the fortune of attending two farewells- twice the photos, wearing that coat two times in the hot sun and attending one decent farewell in the audi and one awful one (2k8 batch, take a bow- you screw up everything) and a second helping of CDCs and all that associated with it. Other benefits include not having to spend an entire semester totally consumed by boredom as we have the great opportunity of getting run over by engineering CDCs.

There are few a silver linings too- we got our batchmates as PAs in our labs (which has worked out quite well for a lot of us), easy advice on how to write exams (hasn't helped me though), quite a few treats as our friends got placed or got through to B-Schools and what more can be more pleasurable than just watching them having a blast while we wrestled with lab exams, online exams on weekends and assignments. Well, not exactly, we too joined in the fun with them since it as infectious (if not more) than the jaundice that struck us last sem.

We spend an extra semester in campus and become the grand-old people and I was fortunate enough to be in the same room for all these years. We have seen the institute change and the view from my room has changed drastically- from rocky and grass infested in first year to the constant literal ground-breaking that rocked our 2nd yr (coupled with the power crisis, they gave us quite a few good days) and now to a lush green football (which was shifted twice?) and cricket ground. As I write this, someone is delivering left arm off-spin as a live cricket match is on offer on most days of the week! There is one thing that has not changed, the view of Zuari bay and the town on the other side and the constant breeze that makes for an automatic 'door-slammer'.

People are packing, ready to leave and I saw this last semester too and I told myself- " Micro on the last day and you got one more sem here". Not this time though (although an equally hopeless exam awaits me on the last day), no more sems (hopefully??hint of any NC??) to come back as 4 years have gone by faster than the breeze that blows in from the Zuari bay. I cannot yet reminisce or feel nostalgic or feel sad for I got miles to go or rather 3 more exams to go. I guess I am glad to be a dualite since it simply does not give me the time to feel sad (having to fill options for 288 PS-2 stations did its part too) and I do not want to feel sad for it has been a glorious 4 years for me, not always, but on the whole, it was worth the journey. I may not be a good engineer, but the journey has changed me and made me wiser.

Thank you....