Guardians? Devils? Good Samaritans?
Notebook? Check. Couple of Pens without their Caps? Check. Messy hair? Check. And here it is in sight. I let out an exasperated sigh. ‘Welcome to the World of Torture’, the sign seemed to read. ‘Let’s get this over with’, I reasoned as I stepped into the college, for the first time. People lazily walked to their classes, as if they have no care in the world. Couples on benches, guys playing cricket. Yeah, it couldn’t be more cliché. And then, as I entered the classroom, I recalled the very reason of my exaggeration, Seniors. Weird, yet intimidating seniors that seemed to have fixed their images, just through those tell tales. And yet, I couldn’t be more inquisitive about the tag they proudly carried. First run in, first ragging, fir introduction ceremony (Yeah, I call it ceremony for the very reason of it being grand), these are some critical days in a first year students’ life, especially those pursuing engineering.
Samaritan seniors are a species rarely known, native as well as abroad. You would have heard of NGOs, government, organizations and such, being a benevolent help to those in need. And then, you would have heard of intense uncalled ragging sessions undertaken by seniors. Over a matter of few months, the image began to fall apart, not steadily though. It came more like a cementation and then a massive crack, which made me see through all that was levied upon them.
Need a marvelous fresher? Seniors. The paper pattern? Seniors. Team selection? Seniors. Drama club? Seniors. Prom Night? Seniors, again. And yeah, a way out through those agonizing hours preparing for Engineering Drawing? Seniors, please. Though they are tagged as the spoilt brats, they presumably hold more importance than any of the professor would ever do in a students’ tenure. They are there to help, not only during the exams, but I have heard of lectures being given on ‘How to chase a girl’ by my friend’s seniors. They invariably are the life of college; from organizing inter wing competitions to those drugged down parties. And yeah, they would gladly give you their drafter, which was obviously handed down to them by their superiors. They would encourage you to put proxies, and suggest you ways to pass through exams. They would share their ‘Oh! So valuable’ knowledge of proxy banned websites and would let you borrow TV Seasons, without which you’d feel famished. And yes, they would be a sense of security in new surroundings. They’d give whatever they have learnt through their experience, rather than those self help guides you’d find in stores. And they would be the biggest inspiration, motivator or even a reference. They’d believe your puppy eyes over treating a large group to scrumptious (Oh, the sarcasm) food and lend you assignments to copy or pass down notes to give you ample sleeping time in class. Of course, that comes with a cost. Occasional teasing, sessions, group ragging, entitlement as ‘Sir/Ma’am’.
But, would you mind those few minutes of mortification considering you had someone to back upon, more like a true practical guardian. I don’t think I would. Hence, the Samaritan Seniors.