Best memories from school

When I look back on life and think of all the happy times, many of those moments are linked to school life. I remember wanting to go to DTEA very much, because my brother always seemed to have a ball there. I also remember my father wanting to put me in Lady Irwin and I prayed he would not. That time, my prayers came true and off I went to DTEA -- the seven years I spent there laid the foundation for the person I became, the friends I made and the thoroughly enjoyable time I had. Here are some of the memories that remain crystal clear even now:

First person who spoke to me on my first day in school -- Sharmila Xavier. I was standing outside the 5A classroom and she asked me, "Are you in this class?" Turned out that I was in 5B, and I didn't really get to know her until the 11th, when she became one of my closest friends.. and still is. Love you, Sharmi... :)

Joy of sitting in the last row -- In 7B, I was seated in the last bench with Rama and B. Kannan. Obviously, even then, I had no ambitions about staying ahead!!

School trip to Nainital and Mussoorie in the 11th -- That trip was when we all bonded very closely. The gap that the school tried so hard to maintain between boys and girls was eliminated, and we formed a close group that has more or less stayed in touch till now. Breaking the shackles the teachers tried to impose was a great lesson -- we learnt that members of the opposite sex could be just very good friends, and nothing more.

My Shloka Class attempts -- I tried very hard to attend the lunch time shloka class -- it seemed to be that all the good and bright students did so. I suppose I was neither very good nor very bright, because I gave up pretty soon!

Playing baseball/volleyball at lunch -- Eating lunch in whatever class was on before the lunch break and forming teams to save a precious few minutes so that we could swing into action when the lunch bell rang. In that crowded ground during lunch, we still managed to find space for a game or two.

Happy days with lots of free time -- Sometimes, all the stars aligned and the teachers were all absent on the same day. We had practically the whole day free, and it was spent in the school ground playing all day. How I pity my daughter -- when their teacher is absent, they either get a subsitute relief teacher, or they have to sit in class and read quietly. What a bore!

Ragging the teachers in 11th/12th -- Especially Mullay and the English teacher (what's his name?) Going repeatedly to get a drink of water in the English class and wandering all around school seemed such a great thing to do.

The great chase -- Sundar bursting out of the class chased by Sharmi, and Santosh looking on in horror. I don't know why I was outside the class instead of inside!!

The great lecture -- The above incident prompted Santosh to give us a lecture on our bad behaviour, and how our class was the talk of the staff room because of our antics. It proved that we were doing something right!!

Going with my brother to Lodi Gardens -- When the CA exams were on, school began only at 1pm. We conveniently didn't tell our parents and left home at the usual time, heading straight to Lodi Gardens. The amazing thing was that my brother, four years older than me, took me along too (obviously the only way the secret could be kept) and his friends didn't mind his little sister tagging along everywhere!

All the friends I made -- The best and most precious inheritance from school. There are too many to name, but all of them are on this group. Imagine not going to DTEA and not having all you great people in my life ... I would have missed so much!!