The Convocation

The two years had flown by. Just whizzed past. Convocation was only hours away. The gamut of emotions that arose today were too many to name. Relief, happiness, grief, ecstasy, sorrow…the list would be endless. Sometimes there was that huge joy and satisfaction that emanated on seeing my parents’ face glow with joy. Sometimes, the hollowness of not being with my friends, the few that I made over the two years, spurted up. One last time I would see them today.

Actually, there were only two value-adds in these two years. The friends that I made, a life-long bond, and the Degree that I got (and in all probabilities, a stronger Life Long Bond, haven’t yet come across a rule that revokes MBA degrees!), which I could brandish, and coolly get through any company that’s willing to hire me, and pay me a bomb. And then there were these memories that I will cherish. And treasure. Forever. Nostalgia would fill the blood and flow through the Heart.

As Henry Longfellow had once said, "The leaves of memory seemed to make a mournful rustling in the dark."

The question, why can’t an MBA be a four year course, kept repeating. Through the day, and in the hours preceding the Convocation. Guess, all things had to end, and this was one of ‘em. The Good Things. Almost as good as anything else that I had experienced. Better than the Corporate Life that I had already seen. And hopefully, something that I would love to match with my forthcoming innings.

The moments leading up to the convocation were hazy. Barely remember a thing. But then, I remembered everything. There I was, sitting amidst the 200 odd fellow comrades, and friends, waiting for my name to be called. Decked up, for probably the last time, in the Grey Coloured, NMIMS blazer. Looking at it I remembered the number of trips I wasted to get it stitched by this small shop called Jaggi’s in Bandra. How, I wished I could do that again. The Lapel Pin was conspicuously standing out. It shone in the sunlight. A couple of guys next to me were joking about how boring the speech was. I smiled at them. Another had small tears in the eyes. I sympathized, but I knew I was in the same boat.

It’s funny; how one generally took every such “function” for granted but remembered each and every small detail when it was the time to part. Anyways, for now, I was only seconds away from being called up on stage. The announcer was just about to call my name, when someone called me from behind. Called me once…then twice. Seemed like my mum. I got a little confused, because she was actually sitting in the front rows. Before I could react, she called again. I tried looking behind, but I couldn’t. I tried to walk, but the sound grew louder.
“Oh, come on, get up”, she said.
“huh?” I replied.
“Time to wake up Sonu, first day at your Summer Internship, you are late.”

Shit. I was dreaming. Convocation for only seconds away, but not for me. For my seniors. I still had one more year to enjoy, one full year to try not taing any such functions for granted, and an year to savour the pleasures of an MBA from NMIMS.

One Whole Year. The Countdown has begun…