“Am I Audible?”, “Is my screen visible?”, “Ma’am, your voice is breaking”, “Sir, I am having some network issues”, “Thank You, Ma’am!”

The lingo of classes changed quite profoundly as we stepped into this new mode of learning. From requesting the teacher to explain the concept one more time to asking them to present the slide again, we all grew up in the lockdown.

A year or two ago, when each one of us, stepped out of our comfort zones, in hopes of finding a new home in the realms of SRM IST, no one anticipated to become a part of a family larger than each of us. Heading down those mystic lanes, taking a short cut to not miss the train,  hesitantly shaking hands with your new roommate, entering the Great Hall of Mess and the unexpected ‘running into your to-be best friend’, all these ‘firsts’ remain etched in our hearts.

With the beginning of a new semester, came the new year, 2020. Meeting old friends and whining together over the new subjects brought us together, like we had  never been separated. But as dramatic as all our lives are, it brought with it a turn of events, namely, a global pandemic. With heavy hearts we all temporarily bid adieu to running into our friends in the morning, having a feast at java or walking around the campus, only till seven-thirty of course.

Tiny rays of happiness shone through those grey clouds when we reconnected over Online Classes. The means of education might have changed but, the thrill to watch your mate go completely blank and the satisfaction when you understand a topic on the first go still remains unparalleled. The laughter and amaze started seeping back into our lives.

However, the secondary victims of this unforeseen setback were our teachers. The ones who would travel miles, 5 days a week, to impart knowledge, are now restricted to their homes. However, without backing down, collectively with an unfaded will, they brought the new mode of everyday teaching into being. The admiration for our teachers, who became learners for the past few months to be able to deliver knowledge over this new medium, deserves a huge round of applause. As they assisted us and remained undeterred with the situation, it was time to do our bit, helping them become  tech savvy, one step a day.

The “vacation” that we got gave us a chance to reflect on ourselves, discover what really excites us. Completing online courses was another level of delight. Scoring that internship online, brought the joy, words cannot express. And when the new semester started, we all returned captivated and rejuvenated; more than ever. Along  the same lines, for many the last few months have been challenging, but the sheer determination to not fall during the gloomy times of 2020, has helped us stay strong, collectively.

Some things never change, the dread to complete the assignments on time, or to score the highest marks in class still keeps us going. The friends that helped with the last minute hasty revision before the test, still call because they know very well. The laughter over scribbled drawings on the desk, sound ever so lively over the online Pictionary quests. The constant nudging to your friend to ask your doubt, still goes on over a WhatsApp text.

On the sunny side, it is only correct to say that virtual classes not only brought a change in how the world perceives learning, but also taught us the lesson, that learning never stops.

The world has changed, and so have we. The mind has accepted the change, but the heart still aches for the days that ended with a smile on our face. We always have embodied the will to strive continuously forward, and so we will. In our attempt to take a gander into a time when we will meet on-campus, we’ll rise to Learn, Leap, and Lead.  