Every time I have complained about school in the vicinity of an adult, they have always said, "Have fun while you can. Once you are out of school, it is a nightmare" - or some variation of it. My parents have told me many old school stories that they cherish dearly and always make them smile; my aunts and uncles have told me how if they could, they would like to re-live their years in school. As a student, I never really got it. To me, the school was just endless studies and social interactions I would rather avoid. However, with only two months left in school, I can finally say, I get it. So many of my favourite memories have been made at school - the fact that it is ending soon is still unfathomable. I get why my aunts and uncles want to revisit school now - some things, like the chaos of a school classroom, cannot be experienced elsewhere.
Every day at school is something new, but the lunch break has always been my favourite part of the day. Each different lunch is an extraordinary experience. There is always something entertaining going on in one of the classes, and being able to meet my friends always leaves an everlasting smile on my face. Lunch on Fridays is the cherry on top. Rushing to the cafeteria on Fridays is like a tradition followed by most of the school. It is always crowded on Fridays - the didis and bhaiyyas decide to make something special that day. Everyone is everywhere, trying to grab a plate or shouting over the crowd for an extra bowl of gulab jamun. To me, it has always felt like being in a local market. Students clamouring here and there, didis and bhaiyyas running to and fro, teachers navigating - it reminds me of the chaos in an Indian market. The solidarity experienced in the canteen - saving seats, stealing dal from the nearby table and knowing they would understand - is like no other.
I am going to miss the friendly competitions our school held. The competitiveness and the good natured banter that would come of it was always a different type of joy. Under the pressure of your house winning, everyone unifies. It becomes our sole duty to support our classmates by cheering loudly. It is a time when winning is the only thing on your mind, even if you are not participating. Those moments - when everyone in the hall collectively holds their breath to know who the winner is, the uproar of the winning house, the groans of the defeated - are something worth experiencing. It gives you a feeling of belonging and reminds you that you are a part of much more.
Most of all, I miss participating in Utkarsh and Balsatsang, the annual events of Arya Vidya Mandir. The spike of adrenaline prior to your performance, goofing around in zero periods - I took it all for granted before, and I wish I could participate one last time. The pandemic snatched my final performance and thinking about it always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
The pandemic took a lot from us, students. My grade missed out on what was supposed to be some of our best years of school. Even though the classes were shortened, online school did not hold up to offline school. The camaraderie and the shared experience that comes from sitting beside your peers are incomparable.
School life is the most important period of one’s youth - it shapes you into who you become. It is all this - the fellowship between your peers, the chaos in class before a test and migrating from one class to another during lunch break. It is attending Sunday Havans and volunteering for Primary Balsatsangs to get out of studies. It is this and so much more. The covid-19 pandemic only increased the importance of school in my life, and I do not know how I will say goodbye. All I know is that I am going to treasure every moment and make the most of my time. Going to school will always be exhausting, but I will be forever grateful for having got the chance.
