Happy birthday to me... 2009 - A new year, a new place

Third year in a row! Yup yet another highly memorable way to bring in my birthday. 2007 gave me a totally unexpected surprise party in an unknown country, thrown by relatively new friends. Last year gave me a 2 foot tall memorable moment sent by my closest K* friends, to make my day in an unknown place. And this year again, its cheers to new friends, who brought in my birthday in a spectacular manner - in a way that would go on to occupy a special place in my heart for all the years to come.

ISB is tough. No doubt. So far the rigor has been nothing short of military. But throw in 560 super intelligent, super achievers, and you get nothing short of a scintillating bunch of fundoo people! The very pace of the things grilled into your head can send you into a tailspin! And at such a time, if you have a bunch of friends around, life can actually look beautiful.

Here I was, getting homesick. And here was a birthday. In ISB, the birthday celebrations begin where life started. Yeah, we all know that the earliest life forms originated in water, and here at ISB, we begin birthday celebrations by throwing the hapless budday person mercilessly into the pool. We call it 'DUNKING'. For what joy? well, the throwee - birthday boy/ girl feels like a basketball as he/she gets tossed high up and goes splashhhhhh into the pool. You feel petrified as the sky swings overhead, as the throwers chant - 1....2.....3 above your head, but you hit the water, and peace prevails - sending you into a spiral of buoyant joy. Yeah - buoyancy, Archimedes etc etc... Ok, back to my story. It has been pouring like crazy these past two days, and today especially was tooooooooooooo cold. Some were in two minds, wondering whether it was indeed prudent to get thrown into an open air pool, only to end up cold and shivering thereafter. But in a way, I was kinda clear that I wanted to go through the ISB budday experience, on my legit birthday! So armed with well, easy to dry clothes, I walked on to the pool, only to be greeted by well, practically all of my friends - my jhund from class, my quadie, Filter coffee, PK and of course my fin club pals!

PJ asked me whether I was sure I wanted to get dunked today, and I said, Hell, I won't get to be a year older at ISB again. And so, I was all enthu to go right in! I don't know how to swim, but Barry couldn't care less, neither could Shaurya, since clearly I was taller than the depth of the pool, and according to them, I'd be safe as long as I didn't do 'CP' once inside the water... What nice friends, right?

So there I was, ready for my 1... 2.... 3 moment. It happened, as the guys swung and tossed me in perfect co-ordination and I landed splotch into the water, and yes, since I am writing this in past tense, I did survive to tell the tale! Whoopppaaa... Then, one by one, my gang was thrown in - Pandeyji, Funky Pavan, Chinzzz and the icing on the cake was the Olympic diver - Aneesha, who managed not one by 3 somersaults before hitting the pool! Man, that was some sight indeed, and then came Preeti, who by very strict standards wanted to stay out of the pool since exams were nigh. But the sport that she is, she was soon in the pool, bringing in my birthday.Then, out we hopped, and off to the most wonderful looking cake ever and again in traditional ISB style, there was more cake on my face than in my mouth. As usual, we had the perennially peppy Chandni and Reetu, not to mention Dixie, Panda, Atin, Anunay and well, everyone else adding cheer to the moment, as they all brought in my birthday...

And, then a few dorky, goofy pictures later, we were off back home. But as I walked back, I thought. This is what I came here for. For someone who looks at every prospective friendship wondering whether it would translate into a friend for life, I think my purpose is more than served. Since here I am, surrounded by some of the most wonderful people, who took the time and effort to come and make one person's day. So what if exams are here? So what if assignments are due? So what if it's biting cold outside? They all came....So with a spring in my step, I walked back, home, happy in the knowledge that here I was with a group of real good buddies I can hold on to for life... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.............