Freshers’ Party JU-SE VIBRANTS at the Madras Medical College Campus
Here we are at the Madras Medical College campus as freshers. We, I, Swetha, Sana (Full name Sahana, Slim Sana, Shree jokes at her not to go to the anatomy lab where she seems to be like a skeleton to fear the juniors when we would be seniors) and Shree (Shreeram), and Sharukh (Bollywood Star Sharukh Khan is his mom's favorite hero) have been nicknamed Leos as we are friends since childhood. We, at last, are cracked out of the tedious shells (coaching, mock tests, entrance exam, admission, etc., etc.) to enter this noble profession, to study MBBS with some adrenaline rush and heart palpating (we are medicos), is it excitement, exploration, nervous (of ragging), we don't know.Gathered outside the campus, Shree and I have tremored a bit for ragging.
Sana walks down in front with Sharukh. "Hey cool. Today is the first day. Most of the freshers are with their parents. So, seniors don't."
We assemble in the auditorium and begin our first day with the orientation session, inaugurated by the Dean, HODs, and other professors. Lectures are given on the ethical values of the medical fraternity and the curriculum. We then visit the departments, and the hospital, and get around the campus in search of the canteen to fill our stomachs. It is almost 1 pm and the day ends with some sort of fulfilment. We get relieved of the ragging stress (will the same continue tomorrow? Million-dollar question. Let us wait and watch)
On the second day, we need to wear our white coats and stethoscope with pride, (as if we would become a doctor now). Now Shree chills out to line up first entering the campus. Sana, Sharukh and I follow him but are stopped by the voice, "Hello, come here." In front of us, a group of medicos seems to be seniors with some rugged appearance leaning on their bikes.
Sharukh replies, "Hello." We three do the same.
"Call me Doctor" the guy instantly steps into us. "Don't you know we are seniors? Tell me your names. Sana introduces her first, "Yes sir. I am Sana."
"I just say to call me doctor."
"I am Sahana doctor."
"I am Sweta doctor."
"I am Shreeram doctor."
"I am Sharukh doctor."
"Oh!! Sharukh. Come on. Sing the song Mera Mehbooba from Pardes."
Sharukh whispers, "Sir?"
"Doctor. No sir" The guy repeats, "go ahead with singing."
After a pause, Sharukh starts to sing since he is a good singer, and the song is on his wish list of music. The seniors clap," Wow!!! Nice."
"Ok. Come, let us have a party at the canteen to celebrate your singing; this is your treat."
Sharukh replies, "Doctor, it's time for classes to start."
"Ok. Let us meet at lunch at the canteen. Now you can go. "Wait. Show me your ID cards." Upon seeing the ID cards, the seniors get amazed.
The freshmen are split into three batches on the first day. Luckily, four of us have been in the same batch, and some newcomers have joined. Our first class in the morning session starts with anatomy and physiology lectures by the respective department professors. We all love these two classes since they are interesting. It is amazing to learn the physical structures of human beings though we learned in brief in schools.
We go to the canteen to have our lunch, where we do not find the seniors whom we met in the morning, and afternoon sessions end with the lab visits. We also have new hostel batchmates, John and Shalini from Kanyakumari.
When we come out of the classrooms, we see the noticeboard mentioning that there would be a Fresher's Party the next evening to welcome the freshmen of the College with the dress code being ethnic wear of veshti and shirt for guys and saree for girls.
The campus looks serene the next morning as if nothing serious about the Fresher's Party. We all as usual assemble in the lecture hall up until 3 pm. When we come out the college takes a complete change over with light settings, welcome floral rangoli, and beautifully-decorated auditorium.
We are all invited to gather in the auditorium where the welcoming Fresher's Event name glitters as JU-SE(NIOR) VIBRANTS. Four of us are amazed and all excited while seeing the senior on stage who just ragged on the very first day giving a welcome address to the juniors. Then the Dean inaugurates the party in a unique way, saying politely and shortly, "Freshers, you are the budding doctors of the campus and today is your day, and enjoy to the core. Cheers."
Then the events start with singing, mimicry, dancing, ramp walk, and drama skit one by one both by the seniors and juniors. Sana and Sharukh dance and sing the "lungi dance" with great applause and Shree and I do a ramp walk as we are interested in modelling and all making the event momentous.
The finale comes that we never expect and are surprised. The names of us, the quadrat, and three more seniors (one whom we saw on the first day is among them) are requested to be on stage. When we are on stage the lights go off completely and the screen behind us is held down for a few minutes. On screens up and lights on, we are delighted to see a big, yummy, dessert cake with seven candles on top and balloons around the corner. Yes!!! Today is our BIRTHDAY and the seniors' too. We cut the cakes, share them with each other, bursts the balloons, shake hands, and that bonding is incredible, and the moment is the most cherished in our lives.
This is for flash fiction creative writing contest