Transition from school to college….

Here’s a lowdown of the changes that take place as we step out from the safety of our schools to the craziness of college:

1. Appearance – Changes drastically. The inhibited uniforms make way for the designer ( mostly self-designed) demeanor. No more ‘good-girl-oiled-plaits’, its time for bollywood inspired haircuts. Boys take an obsessive appreciation for hair gels ( and honestly regret it 20 years down the line when they suffer from premature baldness )

2. Speak slang– The compulsion of speaking in near-perfect British English is overtaken by the need to speak with a cool American drawl. Add to it a few hindi words here and there and Whoa ! you are the master of Hinglish. The need to swear out loud becomes almost irrepressible as it adds to your ‘cool quotient’.

3. Gender juggle– In school, you had your loyal bunch of same-sex friends with whom you used to study and play with. In college ‘studying and playing’ gets converted to ‘hanging out’ and same-sex groups are replaced by mixed groups of girls and boys. Somehow hanging out with someone from the opposite sex becomes much more comfortable.

4. Relationship rues – College brings with it all the novel experiences – first girlfriend/boyfriend, first date, first kiss, first fight, first make-up, first break-up, first ‘just got dumped’ feeling, first ‘never going to date again’ resolution, first ‘ shit my parents just found out about my girlfriend/boyfriend’, first ‘i love you’….so on and so forth. Every single experience gives rise to so many emotions all at once, but somehow you survive through it all, and learn to love again ( and again and again :P)

5. Parent problems – Daddy’s daughter and mother’s pet changes to ‘ that girl who talks to daddy only when she needs the car or cash’ and ‘ that guy who has put up a special Mom Strictly Not Allowed inside signboard outside his room’. There’s hardly time ( or subjects) to talk, you start whatsappping on the dinner table. Probably the only time you lend a ear to your parents is when you are in desperate need for a pocket-money refill or when you need permission for a late-night at your friends’ place.