The thought of leaving IBA and stepping into the world full of bills and calculating tax doesn’t seem so thrilling. Compound that feeling with graduation festivities being cancelled due to Corona. I would say you’ve got a pretty miserable batch of 2020. But all is not lost. Let’s have a look at the brief sense of normality before the Third Wave seeped in.
Graduation During Corona
Before the Third Wave drowned out the need for in-person graduation, the graduating batch was engaged in celebrating ‘Grad Week’. Daku Day, Retro Day, and Cultural Day were just some of the occasions that created the madness that was Grad Week. I escaped from outside of the Student Center (SC); careful to avoid water being thrown at from my seniors. My friends weren’t very successful. If you hadn’t had a chance to look what our student body came up with, keep scrolling to enjoy the nostalgic images!
Four years might seem long enough to fully enjoy the IBA experience. But when half of that time is spent under lock down or at home, one can’t help feeling unfulfilled. While the student body tried hard to revive the festivities of Fall Semester in 2019, there was always compromise on the number and size of any event being hosted. I would say the political parties tried their best to outdo one another in orchestrating a ‘mega event’ at IBA. But the atmosphere inside the walls of IBA can never be replicated.
How College Seniors are handling Graduation 2021
Graduation is an exciting milestone in every student’s life. While IBA may be preparing to recreate this experience virtually, many feel robbed of the traditions that make these ceremonies so rewarding. The collective feeling of standing among your class fellows and holding your scroll in hand, knowing this may be the last time you will see their faces.
Many hostelites feel the final chapter came too soon. Just two days ago, the administration informed us of closing down the hostel. The sadness of saying goodbye to our dorm mates was tough. The last time we sit together for Sehri and Iftar in the mess, or fooling around in each other’s rooms- the memories will forever be cherished.
Some of you may feel indifferent towards graduation entirely!
Having struggled through IBA, and unable to escape the restrictions from within the small circle where everyone knows everyone; graduation may be a relief for you.
Closing Words
To all my senior friends, I will miss your faces outside Tabba or Foyer where we catch up for a few minutes before class. I doubt anyone will miss Rana bhai’s riddles at 9 am, but every KU canteen will hold nostalgia of our chai breaks – and greasy fries with extra seasoning from the trees. May the end of your journey as an undergrad teach you how to tackle the challenges from the outside world. If IBA helped take those challenges head on, from dealing with stubborn teachers to fighting with the DPO for enrolling/dropping courses, you are already equipped as an individual. No doubt the new chapter in your life will hold every bit of success and failure to mold you unbreakable. I look forward to taking inspiration from your trials and tribulations.
Until we meet again.
