Forty Four Years Later: Celebrating the Spirit of an Enduring Friendship

 

Forging Friendships

 

Once upon a time, in 1980, in Jamshedpur, a bunch of girls graduated from different high schools in the town and enrolled in the local women’s college to pursue a degree in Commerce.

As they transitioned from school to college life which was an entirely different culture, the girls were drawn to each other and friendships that have spanned distance and time were forged over Mills and Boon and mutual friends.

 

A Treasure trove of memories

Their college years were marked by unforgettable moments and adventures

 

Bunking class for movies

They sneaked out of class to watch the silliest of movies at the theatre a stone’s throw away from college.

Chai and Confessions

Gorging on devilled eggs, Jhaal muri and drinking endless cups of chai in the college canteen while making true confessions and having deep conversations marked those happy years.  

Rotary Phone conversations

Endless conversations on rotary phones, letters and postcards written during the month-long vacation. The girls were bored and eagerly anticipated the reopening of college.

 

Homework and exam cramming

Cramming for exams and hurriedly completing homework assignments in college strengthened their bonds of friendship.  

 

Shopping expeditions

Then there were those shopping expeditions, which turned into an adventure for the girls and a nightmare for the shopkeeper where almost the entire gang would storm into a single store for a single purchase.

Gatekeeper gratitude

A small bribe of one rupee to the gatekeeper to be let out of the college premises for that little bit of freedom.

Rajasthan Excursion

 The college excursion to Rajasthan, for which my father had to be convinced by another parent to permit me to go. We had to rough it out but never complained. The sight-seeing and shopping kept us on our toes and we didn’t even notice the rough side.  

 

Riverside Picnics

The highlight of the four years was the picnics to the riversides. The entire class travelled to the picnics in huge open trucks which again was quite an adventure. Despite having to battle motion sickness, I never missed a picnic.   

 

As these four years flew by in what seemed like the blink of an eye, the girls embarked on their paths.   Forty–four years later, the memories of those four years remain vibrant and cherished.

 

Reflections on an Enduring Friendship

The friendship built on shared experiences, innumerable adventures and simple joys has created a foundation that has supported them through the years. As they reconnect and reminisce they celebrate not just the past but the power of friendship. Those four years were some of the happiest years of my life.

 

Describe a fond memory of your college days.

This post is part of the #BlogchatterHalfMarathon 2024