UoH days

Our 2014-16 batch with Prof Kanchan K Malik.

It was through two of my college seniors that I first came to know about the University of Hyderabad. I attempted the entrance test for MA admission along with a few of my classmates. We got the interview call. It was my first train journey outside Kerala. I went along with friends from college and their parents.
The interview went fine and I got a feeling that the panel was happy. In the afternoon I walked inside the campus. I loved everything about it at first glance. Active politics, green spaces and calm atmosphere, I felt that this is where I must belong. So, when I found that I can join, I had a sense of satisfaction in mind.
I was allotted a hostel in North Campus along with a college senior. We reached there on Saturday, a few days before the class commencement. We bought basic essentials from outside and we came across a few Malayalis as well. The hostel was providing free Wifi and everything there was cost-efficient, including the food, thanks to subsidies.
I made some new friends through some of my existing friends and we used to roam around in the night using our bicycles. We made kanji by lighting the firewood at midnight and it was a blissful experience. Some of my friends used to collect peacock feathers. It was the first time I was meeting so many people outside my State. So, I was a bit confused initially on what to speak, what not to, etc. In fact, I have not had a chance to interact with such a diverse set of Malayalis back there in Kerala. UoH was the common link to connect all of us together.
My department, SN School of Communication was an excellent place for learning with a set of well-informed and friendly faculties. They were open to discussions. The classroom was not only about learning. We discussed many things in general. We watched the 2015 World Cup semifinal and played cricket with some of our professors. Our faculties took us out and bought us icecreams.

Politics

I was an active participant in campus political debates in the initial days. Our Onam celebration was mocked on Facebook and it was labelled a 'Savarna celebration' by members of a particular ideology. This incident made me reflect myself, what I was doing, my choices and the impression I am leaving on people. Our room was an adda for people with contrasting ideologies. At night, they used to visit us and we all engage in discussions, some of them productive and some just plain rumours.
Kiss of Love protest happened in between and my campus became a talking point in my tiny village. People asked me about what was happening there. Initially, some of them had asked me about the necessity to move out of Kerala for studies.
It was in the final year that we witnessed a tragic incident. The suicide of Rohit Vemula. Everything changed from that point. Classes were discontinued/boycotted, media and political leaders came to us, students protested day and night against the VC and the campus administration. It was our final semester and faculty badly wanted us to return to classes. Police lathi-charged us, some of our friends were in jail. I and some friends visited them in Cherlapally prison. The students talked about caste atrocities and discrimination. Several social practices were questioned. Many people became more aware of their privilege. In between, the campus activities resumed and the movement is still on, at least among many of those who lived around that period.

I realised that it is okay to make mistakes, to be unapologetic and learn to correct a mistake, to remain non-judgemental, to listen, to speak the truth no matter how bitter it is and to love your imperfections

Friendships
We used to explore the scenic campus in the evenings. The trekking, walk to high rocks, peacock lake and food travelling made our minds in good shape. Most of the students are hostel residents. So, we get ample opportunities to meet them often and spent quality time with them. Some people were comfortable in their rooms and hardly came out. We enjoyed little things. Walking in the evenings for the sugarcane juice or chai with small samosas became our favourite pass-time activities. We celebrated birthdays at a particular place called 'Birthday Circle'. Friends from other campuses like EFLU, MANUU too visited us on weekends. Golconda Fort, DLF circle and Lingampally railway station, Old SN  School (for obvious reasons) were some of the most happening places in my tiny world of friendships.
When it was time to leave, 'I will miss you, stay in touch,' became the most spoken words in the campus. It is not the amount of time you spent with a person but the emotion connect s/he generates with you that stays longer. Some friendships don't require you to stay in touch all the time. But you know that they will not let you down if you are in trouble.
Some of the friends were going through a tough phase - depression. We talked about it. Some of them have moved on and some have learned to live with it. People like Alan are not with us now. We miss him a lot.

Culture
I never associated fully with a particular culture and hence got an opportunity to understand many. Bengali, Odisha, Syrian, Telugu, North East -  the list appears small because of my reserved nature. But if you ask any other UoHiyan, you may come across a bigger circle. 
Each culture has a distinct identity. My Syrian friend feels India is her new home and she feels safe here. This discussion was before CAA was tabled in the parliament! In cuisine, fish and beef are embedded in Bengal and Kerala culture respectively and an outsider may not comprehend its value. Unlike the stereotyped ones you see in media, not every Bengali hears Tagore music or watch Satyajit Ray's films. I too could not satisfy their imagination of a typical Malayali identity. Each culture can lead to some of the choices that people make.
I get to understand the nuances of the religious and caste system - how it operates in various religions. how people live with it, how it can divide people, etc.

Learnings from UoH
The campus taught me many things. I realised that it is okay to make mistakes, to be unapologetic and to correct a mistake, to learn with an eye for detail, to remain non-judgemental, to listen, to speak the truth no matter how bitter it is and to love your imperfections. Two years of classroom and non-classroom learning activity was an adventurous experience.