Exam time....The final lap!

Hey guys...
    This is the last part of the exam time series....and definitely the most comical one!! We were done with the theory exams...and had a three day break. Given the fact that the theory exams had not gone well, we made sure we did not go into the holiday mood! However, the mind was too exhausted to take any kind of crap...(no offence!). Anyhow, the three days went by and soon came the day of the first practial exam!
     Now, I do not now if it was psychological, or really true, but the temperatures were continuously dipping, going till almost 10 degrees. With the first exam, started the series of getting up at 5 in the morning, wrapping ourselves in our warmest clothes and roaming in the lobbies, trying to rote learn how much we could, but with a 7:30 reporting time, there wasn't much we could do. Juggling the cold, lots of portion to complete (forget revision!) and the hot water guy never turning up on time, it was indeed the most stressful time of the exams! With the end of first exam, came people's reviews of how the externals were ( ranging from khadoos to  dev maanus!!). and with the myriad of opinions, we did quite conjure a bhelpuri image of them! Days passed by, giving viva after viva, not caring about how it went, just trying to get done with it.
    I had my Medicine and surgery first, two quite vast topics. And getting done with them was the best feeling in the universe!!! Now, it was just two exams between me and my degree. And as usual, these days passed as well. It was the night before the last exam, as expected, nobody was in the mood to study! That was indeed the longest night of my life!
   Finally the day of the last exam came, and what a mess it was! The usual reporting time was 7;30, however it had gotten changed to 7;15, and we were informed pretty late about it, none the less, we rushed to he hospital. Being assured by our batchmates that we would get plenty of time to take and revise our case in the hospital, nobody had touched the theory of the cases. But when we reached the hospital, we were in for a rude shock! The examiners were going to come in an hour and we were supposed to be ready with two cases!!! A sense of panic did arise in our minds, but left with no option, we gave it our best! The examiners did come on time, and took pretty short and to the point vivas, and by the time it was 12, we all were free! FREE in the true sense! We were done with final year exams! What a feeling that was!

   All of us came back to the hostel, and never had the hostel been noisier. Everyone was in the best of their spirits!!! And mind you, nobody was sleepy or tired or exhausted. Soon we could hear girls giggling with their family members, who had come to pick them, girls running up and down the stairs like maniacs dragging and lugging their huge suitcases behind them.

Murti lahan, pan luggage mahan!!

Warm hugs and plans to meet up in the vacations could be seen everywhere! Rest of the girls settled into their beds, cuddled up in their razais with their laptops, catching up with the latest movies or tv shows they missed in these three months!

  Come evening, and everybody was in the christmassy mood, given it was the 24th of December, good food, santa caps and jingle bells ringing all around. It was now time for the Bombay girls to leave for their homes. All of us rushed into the bus, laughing, cracking jokes, clicking silly pics, discussing all sorts of bullshit that happened with us during the exams. Finally I reached home, and thus ended my magical year!!

The Bombay Gang, just the half of it though!

    I wont miss the exam per se, but  will surely miss the ''kitna baki hai?'' ''khatam hoga kya re?'' ''pata hai, xyz ka ek baar padhke bhi ho gaya!'' ''pata ha, xyz kal puri raat phone pe thi'' ''examiner toh bas mazze le raha tha meri leke'' ''paper tha ki mazak tha?'' ''yaar intern banke hi vapis ana hai'' and many more! Thats all for this week!

THE WALL, as we called it. It had inspiration from all my friends, urging us to never give up, however bad the situation maybe. It also had a little countdown to the day of going home!!

Exam time....books and birthdays galore....

Hey guys...
    So, picking up from where I left things last time, prelims were over...and so was or patience! The very thought of going home after the great ordeal we had gone through was over whelming!! The three day stay at home had us all charged up to give it our best in our preparatory leave. But you might have gotten it by now...things never go as planned. We studied hard...no doubt..but the vigour was lost, saturation threshold was reaching newer depths with each passing day and the hostel food made sure we felt home sick on our very next day from home!

sitting on the stairs....one of the futile attempts to make sure we do not fall asleep!!

3-4 books for 1 subject...and obviously food!! Must haves for the study table!

  Then came Diwali, some stayed back...some went home. But the festive mood was too much to make sure we stuck to our schedules, this was a truly testing time! While people were out there wearing new clothes and bursting crackers with mouthful of sweets, we were having our mouths full with sonosalpingographies and dysdiadochokinesias. The festive season was over..and so was half of the preparatory leave.

what a friend teaches in one night is more important that what a book teahces in an entire month!!

the long queues for the shitty food!!

the clothes drying area...even this area had gotten converted into a study table!!

  All ways and techniques to finish off the humongous portion at least once before the exams were being tried...right from making impossible-to-achieve targets to spending sleepless nights in the cold windy lobbies to make sure we dint fall asleep. I had also gotten a suggestion to eat vicks with bread to make sure I dint sleep and had 100% concentration. ( did I try it??? keep guessing!!).

  Finally the day had arrived, 1st December!! And as people say...once the exam starts, you wont even realise how it goes by!! Trust me,,,people had never been more wrong!! The initial days went by so slowly...getting up at the same time....picking up the same books...reading the same stuff..walking around like zombies each night and obviously the dark circles!

   However a refreshing change in our lives came..when we celebrated a birthday in the hostel....mind you..it wasnt an ordinary one. She was one special lady who was all smiles always, never a frown on her face, wishing all the girls "good morning didi" no matter where we met her, bringing us delicious bhel from the nearby village, and the most important, always calling us her children, she is none other than our dear Varsha mavshi, the maid. The celebration was a very impromptu idea, and when the plan was proposed, no girl opposed! Within 15 mins, the cake, the candles and the girls were ready! And when the mavshi saw all the preparations....her reaction was priceless. She then blew the candles and cut the cake..obviously with all the emotionl drama and masala added! What happened next..was totally unexpected. She made a little prayer to God, praying for all the girls.as our mother. Never ever had I heard such a genuine prayer, no fancy shlokas or bhajans, no frilly language, but a genuine wish by a mother for her child!

   Now the days began to pick pace....consistent bad papers had us highly tensed and a feeling of hopelessness had begun to creep in. The irritation and saturation levels were at a all time high and had us all doubting ourselves and wondering if we had made a correct career decision! However, just like everything else..this time too passed, and ended on a happy note as we gave the best last theory paper of our undergraduate life!!

 This is all from your crazy organiser for today....next part, next week!! till then, adios!  

Exam time...MBBS style!! (Part 1)

hey guys,
   I know its been long....but as I had said, I had my final exams...so this one month was totally hectic!! Well well well, today I am not going to crib about my exams...rather I am going to share something very amusing!

 All these years that I had had my final exams, it always meant sleeping late...waking up early! burning the mid night oil....Never ever had I thought, even in my wildest of dreams, that of all years, final year exam would be my most memorable and favorite one!! and since there is a lot to share..I will divide this post into three parts...showing the transition from MBBS students to sloggers working our asses off...to doctors..ready to face the world!!

  So the year had started with a lot of excitement and enthusiasm..the whole hoopla about FINAL YEAR...all of us ready to work hard and nail our exams...little did we know what lay ahead!! The month of January went by in getting accustomed to the fact that three and a half years had actually passed, and the best was finally here!

  Then came February..the month of the college fest! And this being the last year of our "college life", celebrating every day to its fullest was absolutely necessary!! Juggling college, postings, dance and drama practice...by the time we had realised, it was mid March!! And then the post fest lag...who could study in that phase..when all we could think of was how much sleep we had lost!!
 

   April brought a bit of tension with it...as we had lost so many months..and sooo much was already covered in clinical postings..but when were the odds ever in our favour!Just when we had begun to gain momentum ..there came the May break! With so many activities pre planned..how could anyone ever expect us to study!!! and when the break was over...our asses were already on fire..and came the month of july..and brought exams with it! and though it was just for four days...the after exam party went on for 4 weeks!!


   And then came AUGUST!! Finally the reality dawned upon us..and books became our companions and most flaunted accessory and pouches filled with colourful markers, stick notes, flags and all kinds of fancy stationery! How those months passed by...who knows! And it was October already..time for the prelim exams..the mock university. The tension..stress..load..showed us our best...our strengths and a strange sense of calm! Thats when we realised...the real treasure lay in the wards..everyday patients that we would see, people that we would interact with..rather than becoming "rattu popats", we actually saw what we read..and that was what gave us the kick to give it our best!! Prelims were over..and so was our patience....

 

  Thats all from your crazy organiser, next part..next week!! Till then..wish me luck for my exams!! 

Heel your soul!!

Hey guys.... Today's topic is really really close to my heart...... HEELS!! I have been in love with with heels like forever... And I just cannot have enough of them... But then which girl can? It gives a nice posture... Lady like elegance and can certainly make heads turn where ever you go! Stilettos , wedges, kittens, cone, block, platforms.... There are soooo many of them! I might not have a huge collection, but looking at the pairs I own surely makes my day. On the other hand what turns me off is seeing worn out... Cracked... And dirty heels. So, today I am going to write about my routine once I am back home after a party or any function.

Well, this is my teeny tiny collection

And I love all of them to bits!!
So once I am back  I thoroughly inspect my heels.. To check for any stains or flecks of dirt.
Once that is done, the further procedure depends upon the material of the footwear.

1) PU (polyurethane)
         Now, since this isnt a very durable material, this baby needs real special care. All I do for it is clean it off with a dry cloth. If i see any flecks of dirt or any stain, i just clean it it with a mild cleanser (i use Johnson and Johnson bodywash... Pretty mild) and a clean cloth. After the cleaning, i make doubly sure that it is entirely dry before i put it back in, you do not want wierd stuff growing on it!!

2) Suede
           This is a very very soft material and very comfortable. This baby to be cleaned with cleanser and for spot cleaning, an old toothbrush can be used. Just use the brush with a light hand, and you should be good to go. Again, make sure it is dry.

3)
      Well, this is the toughest and i clean it vigorously with a brush, cleaner and a cloth. Since its white, the dirt shows off pretty easily and the OCD in me takes a ferocious avatar!! Warm water, cleanser and my trusted toothbrush.... Thats all that needs to be done! Wipe it dry and you are done!!

4)
       Now, this one hasnt been used much (and sorry I do not know the name of the material) and doesnt get dirty very easily. I just wipe it and thats it.

          Once this is done, I wrap my  babies and put them back into their boxes and store in a dry place until its next use.

This may seem like a  long process but its worth it guys, your heels will be happy with the way you treat them and will last for a long long time.  Thats all from your crazy organiser, adios until next time.

Pic credits: Ashwini Patekar

Bolo Ambe Mata ki jai!!

        Hey guys...I know..I know..its been too long...but final year...all the books that weigh more than me..jugglng all that has been difficult!! However, today I will be talking about my brush with religion and devotion in my years in the hostel.
 
        Well, I myself have never been a religion fanatic, all my parents' efforts to teach shlokas and bhajans have gone down the drain!! I wont call myself an atheist...I  do believe in some greater power out there...but the upvases and the elaborate poojas and the milk abhishek have always been something that I have failed to comprehend. However..my second year in hostel and all my perceptions changed!! at least 25% of them did!!

        It all stared in the navratri of 2012, my friend just made a casual announcement of having the navratri arti in her room , and all of us had chided her...saying it was a lot of work, keeping the diya burning all night, arrange for prasad everyday, have the 15 minute arti especially since it would always co incide with our exams, still she was confident enough and thats how the hostel got its official arti room. It started on the previous night of the first day, decoration materials were brought, devi's photo was cleaned, a pedestal was beautifully made by the girls. I, being painfully lazy, just looked at them, returned to my room and had my beauty sleep!! However, the next morning, things had changed!! The room had a complete makeover, fresh flowers, devi's picture on the pedestal, beautiful decoration, the heady fragrance of agarbattis (incense stick). Then there was the arti, and for the first time..i enjoyed it! There was no show off, no sense of being superior. Just a group of girls, some of them knowing and singing the artis beautifully, while others googling the lyrics and trying to sing along. It was definitely a new learning experience and showed me that side of devotion that I had never ever seen before! The evening artis would be even more beautiful, Devi's image in the diwali lights and the flickering diya was one of the prettiest sights I had seen in my life!! And then there would be the prasad!! Now being humans and primarily Indians...the girls' fondnesss for sweets was very publicly evident and none of us minded it!!

Work in progress

         This has been a routine for us for the past 4 years now..the bell used for the arti has now become an reminder call for the arti, the number of girls has increased, the artis are sung in two different languages now, and well..i have learnt at least one bhajan now (still not sure if i know it well!!), the favours that we ask from Devi maa, right from passing us in exams to serving good food in the mess...and more than anythng else, the beauty of devotion in absence of elaboration! This is all from your crazy organiser! Do share any such experiences from your hostel..will be looking forward to it!!
                                                                       

The girls!!

Electric kettle.... My constant companion!

Hi guys,
   Sorry for the lazy and delayed updates... Was searching for a really interesting and common topic for discussion.. And guess what? The topic was lying on my window sill for the past six months!! Well.. It is the most common thing that you will find in hostel rooms., definitely can't live without it and our partner for all nighters during exams!!  No.. It isn't Maggi ( even though the description holds true for it)... It is our very own favourite ELECTRIC KETTLE! So what exactly happened?
    It happened around 6 months ago... It was my friend's birthday and I was in charge of making the caramel pudding.  My kettle is a really old model and doesn't have the auto off on boiling.... So when I boiled the milk in it and got distracted for just a second, all my hardwork started flowing down the sides of the kettle... Onto my mattress and all over the floor!! And while I was busy cleaning all the mess... Little did I realise that the milk got burnt and got stuck to the coil! Scared for my life I packed the kettle and did not open it, until 3 weeks ago, when I desperately needed the kettle and asking for it from others became a pain!!  That's when I undertook the CLEAN THE KETTLE project!
       Then started the endless Google searches, innumerable keyword combinations to find the perfect solution..... Little did I know it wasn't going to be as easy as a simple google search. Anyways, after around an hour of research, I came up with this method and it worked perfectly for me! This is how my kettle looked ( downloaded this pic from the net, mine was a Little browner)

   Now, most of the solutions suggested detergent, baking soda, vinegar and the likes. But where do we get these... In a hostel room!! That when it struck me... Anything strongly acidic would work wonders!! 

 STEP 1) Liquid soap:

           I first added around one tbsp of Vim Liquid and added around a glass of water and brought this mixture to boil.  This step has two benefits, it cleans up the insides of the kettle... Where no brush can reach and it also loosens up the burnt bits and makes the cleaning easier.  I brought this mixture to boil for around 10 mins and thoroughly rinsed it. 

STEP 2) Lemon juice:

    Then add the juice of one full lemon and mix with 1.5 times water and keep it for one hour.  The acidity will loosen up the really difficult stains and also kill most bacteria, making it Sterile! 

STEP 3) Boil:

   After an hour has passed, bring the lemon solution to boil. I love the fragrance that spreads in the room after the boil. Now... Thoroughly rinse the kettle. It smells so nice and citrusy after the rinse!! 

This is how it looks now

 

This is all your crazy organiser had to offer this time... Stay tuned for more tips and hacks.... Till then, adios! 

ME AND MERI MAGGI!!

     Hi guys... Today I will be writing about my bff since 4 years... Meri Maggi!! You may think...why this sudden detour from the normal organizing hacks? Here's why:
   Cleaning makes me very hungry... And believe  it or not... I can be a lazy ass when it comes to filling my stomach.  So the easiest solution? MAGGI.  I remember the ads back then in my childhood, mothers surprising their kids with a plate of Maggi after a rough day at the playground... But the exact opposite would happen at my place. My mom would always say a big no to Maggi... Stating it was thoroughly unhealthy... And that I should rather eat fruits....I always found that hilariously funny... But I obliged anyway. So the prestigious Maggi always remained a "forbidden fruit"  and well, who doesn't want to taste the forbidden fruit. So, my tryst with Maggi started around mid of my first year in college. It was always fun, trying to hide the Induction Cooktop from the Rector, making sure its noise dint go too high... Always trying to camouflage its noise by our shrill girly laughter (inductions were not allowed in my hostel back then!!  That may explain the craziness).  It always embraced hungry tummies in a motherly fashion and provided respite from the horrible mess food.  Come rains, the classic combo of butter cheese masala Maggi and coffee was a must- have.
          While Maggi spread joy (literally) in my world, many of my close friends became that CLOSE to me because of this ₹10 packet.  May it be a bad day at college, a fight with batchmates , getting insulted by patients, fight at home or plain mid night cravings, Maggi was always the comfort food we would turn to.  Never has Maggi failed to make smiles appear on our faces.  Just the aroma of Maggi in my hostel lobby would attract people to that room, just like flies to honey and the Maggi would be gone within minutes.
    I do not say that Maggi is completely healthy, or that may be the lead in it is a hoax, but with the ban on Maggi and confiscation of all the packets already on the display in shops, I just hope Nestle bounces back with a greater and non controversial range of Maggi noodles..... Else it will indeed be the end of an era!!
P. S. : Nestle guys, I still haven't stopped eating Maggi... Such is my loyalty to you... So guys... Pls Pls Pls.... Make a way out of this mess... Many tummies are waiting for their jadoo ki jhappi !!