Random Rangzom Rants

My midterms are here and so many assignments are staring ruthlessly right at my face. Yes! while I am writing this. They are emerging out of my laptop screen with their fists clenched and are ready to punch me on the face. But I punch these imaginary creatures back to their virtual habitat. Because after all I am their boss. They don’t have an existence without me hahah! I think some people can relate but whenever I have an exam or an assignment due, I feel like doing all the other things in the world. So here I am just vomiting my thoughts. And you swallowing those vomited words. Hahah! you’re welcome for that gross metaphor.

So, it’s been a month since I’ve been at Kaza for my online classes. I have such paradoxial feelings for online classes. On one hand, I feel glad because I don’t have to spend 7 minutes searching for my class in different academic blocks while I struggle with my breakfast plate. I don’t have to worry about clanking my spoons while I listen to the professor and chew my food and make notes in an 8:30 am class. Huh! Such a muti-tasker right? These days I can just click on the link and there I am, listening to my professor while I savour my bowl of thukpa. On the other hand, I miss college. I miss going to the dhaba with my friends at random hours to have honey chilli potato and the mini thali of course! I miss going for swimming with Dirang (yes I’ll name my friends by their places because it’s more fun hah!) and just singing in the most pathetic voice humanity has ever generated. I miss decorating my room with random quotes and shifting the arrangement of my room every now and then with Afghanistan. I miss taking random walks around the campus at 2 am and talking my heart out. There is something about the night air that makes everything so smooth and open and non-judgemental. I miss lying in the mess lawns in the afternoon and just watch the birds fly by. I miss laying out my mundane monday routine and complaining about readings and assignments to Lucknow. I miss hugging tall Vishakhapatnam and I miss seeing Sonipat forget her id card every time we go to mess. And I miss talking about k-pop and about random nepali games (bomb blast) with Nepal.

Anyways, let’s leave these fragmented memories at the back of my head. Winter is almost here in spiti now. It’s going to be so cold. It’s been a long time since I did not visit my home in pin valley. I miss talking to the old people of pin valley. Just yesterday, a grandma from pin came to our room. I started asking her about her younger times and whether she made lenbu when she was young. “Yesssss, we used to make so many braids and attach thick threads with our hair to make it appear longer. We would sometimes attach some beads and shells at the end of the braids. You know, we were so fashionable!” She said with her eyes glinting with excitement about a time that had long gone by but still existed with such clarity at the back of her head. “You know, now we don’t make lenbu any more.” I have so much fascination for the olden times and for old stories that are taking refuge in the heads of old people. I think the best thing I could ask for right now is for a walk with a friendly old person. And just talking about life, listening to their stories and their experiences. Until then I am just going to take a deep breath, sign off and say “kyakpa so” to my assignments ;)