It's not everyday that you remember such sentimental quotes like that. This one's Matthew Perry, of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. fame, and he said something similar when the show ended after a 10 - year run. In my case the nostalgia is more by leaps and bounds.
So what's brought this up, you ask? Well, I happen to be in this college where a silver ring is presented to all students as a mark of their graduation. Apparently (or so said the Dean) this was as close as they could get to a convocation before becoming a Deemed univ. So here we were, all in formals, for one last farewell....I won't go too much into the details, 'cos they don't really matter, but suffice it to say that when our HOD/ prof slipped that ring up our finger, each and every one of us felt that flourish of pride. That feeling of wonderment and astonishment that we had made it on our own. As Pranay who gave the valedictory speech said, we made our identities here, or rather, we discovered them. And to think it all comes back to you at the precise moment when you're going to leave the college....Strange yet stark realities of life.
Anyway so we all got the ring, and the best students got the golden ring and golden medal...we all read the pledge, of which we have one copy apiece. Though following it is going to be one hard thing.(it was hard enough eating dinner keeping it in one hand)
Oh and by the way, so that you don't have any misconceptions, ....we've had our share of problems.
The food sucked. Just when we thought nothing could be worse than mess food.
There was no water in the blocks for 40% of the time we spent here. Maybe even more.
We've been deprived of our 3 basic necessities so many times, water, electricity and net.
We've had our share of surprise tests, and it's taken its toll.
None of us have the CGPA we wanted. As always ,we would have wanted more.
And yet, as Pranay said, I wouldn't have it any other way.