LIFE

Today in this rapidly changing world we are leading lives preoccupied in mundane human issues of no particular significance barely noticing the ticking clock which signifies the dwindling time we have in this world. Life is biologically the physical and mental existence of an organism but for an idle brain life gives many definitions.

What is life?? What is the purpose of life?? A goal?? A destination?? This train of thoughts usually runs through our mind when we allocate time to contemplate about life. But is any goal worth missing the pleasures of life such as friendship and love??

These questions can be answered by no one but the lord almighty himself who created us and sent us into this world.

An ideal life consists of the following ingredients-

1. Achievements

2. Friendship

3. Nature

4. Love

1. Achievements- This is the most commonly sought element of life. Starting from a school going kid to someone on their deathbed, everyone strives to achieve something or the other. Success brings recognition and fame. The only way to be remembered even after death is to earn recognition. Many people miss the other components of life working towards their goal in life only to realize it’s too late to experience the other colors of life. Those who successfully achieve something are remembered in history for their sacrifice and dedication towards their respective goals in life. But sadly many spend their entire life trying to achieve something sacrificing a lot in life to end up in failure.
2. Friendship- This is one of the two cherished components of life. It is a bond formed between individuals of mutual trust, respect and care. It is a relation hard to describe in words. It’s something to be felt from within. It’s a unique feeling which one experiences in the early stages of life. It’s of great regret to realize that most of us, after reaching a particular stage in our life, lack the time even to recollect these happy moments.
3. Nature- A small child admires with wonder and awe the colors of a rainbow or the beautiful butterflies flitting around flowers seeking the nectar within. Once one reaches adulthood he barely finds any interest or time to enjoy these beautiful creations of almighty and tries to find scientific reasons for every such miracle. It is when one achieves his goal he/she realizes the cost at which thy have achieved it and what they have missed in life.
4. Love- Hmmm… this is the most difficult relation to explain. It’s a passionate emotion which imparts a sense of elation in humans. Love doesn’t only stand for the attraction between two members of the opposite sex but also includes the affection between parents and children, siblings and friendship. It enables us to give up anything in life for the sake of our loved ones. It s a wonderful feeling which cannot be easily understood by someone who has never experienced it. It’s something to be perceived and cherished.

All these constituents together form a complex phenomenon we call LIFE.

FOOTNOTE- What I have written above are the brighter side of those elements. Every one of them has a negative edge too. Many cases of lives being ruined by bad companionship and love are known to us. As the saying goes,” The grass is greener on the other side of the fence.” So, after giving the ingredients of a happy successful life I try to take a shot at defining life as “An intricate web of intermingling relationships and phenomena which has no steady course but is blown by fate to whatever lies in store ahead resembling a boat without oars in the wide vast ocean.”

LIFE OF A MEDICO

Day 1- This day like many others dawned bright and clear but this was one of the most important days in my life. It was my first day at college. I was brimming with excitement and methodically dressed myself in an exquisite outfit only to find the seniors in complete dissent to my attire. The classes were the usual affair starting with shy smiles and introductions in barely audible voices among the students followed by introductions to the faculty. Lunch was a memorable affair involving SO CALLED interaction with seniors which turned out to be a real show with us juniors running around the canteen following orders from seniors ending up as waiters ourselves rather than students. It was during such interaction sessions that I found true friends who would stand by me irrespective of what I would achieve in life.

The evening comprised of in depth chats with friends about interaction in their respective colleges and hasty fibs told to parents about the stringent anti ragging laws laid out in the college.

Sports- Excluding a week prior to the examinations, the rest of the time is ultimate bliss and freedom to a student wholly at his disposal to exploit according to his whims and fancies. Most guys indulge in sporting activities to burn the extra calories and gain some muscle and it doesn’t hurt if the girls come over to watch you play. Most of us have never indulged in sporting activities earlier in life and they explore this new avenue with renewed vigor and zeal. Sporting events are exuberant affairs involving rivalry among seniors and juniors starting with polite handshakes and freshly made friendships and ending with die hard friends on your side.

Cell phone- It forms an integral part of the student world. It’s a man made boon to the student community. You can hardly see a student these days without a cell phone rapidly clicking away messages at lightning speed. It is a useful accessory, particularly during a boring lecture or in lonely moments to lift our spirits. These cell phones are the main culprits in causing sleepless nights to students resulting in bleary eyed drowsy students sleeping in classes.

Attendance- It’s an ever diminishing aspect of medico’s life. Try as he may it never rises above the required seventy percent except for a precious few who consider any moment outside the classroom or library as a moment wasted. Mass bunks are a characteristic feature involving a collective holiday taken by the students to make sure no attendance is taken. It’s a constant battle that ensues between a medico and the attendance register which often goes down to the wire with the student winning it by a whisker approaching the end of the year.

Exams- The week preceding the exams is the best time to evaluate the stamina and mental capacity of a medico. It consists of hasty overviews of important questions, frequent consultations with seniors concerning the upcoming exams, sleepless nights and most importantly, the cell phone, which was an integral part of the student till now, lies shunned and stripped of all glory in a dark silent corner of his room. Several students have hysterical outbreaks and nightmares regarding the exams. The day preceding the exam involves night outs in the library and group discussions and in some cases, reverent prayers to every god known to mankind concerning a positive result.

Compared to all the ado and drama preceding the examination, the exam in itself is an uneventful affair which passes off with most students rapidly scribbling away and a few staring listlessly into space whiling away time till the end of the examination.

Seniority- Being a senior gives a sense of euphoria and satisfaction to the student. I remember how I felt when I first became a senior. It was like nothing could ever go wrong in my life. I had immense pleasure seeing juniors address me as “SIR” and recollecting fond memories of myself and my friends as juniors watching these new entrants huddled together in groups and missing the homely atmosphere. After a few formal interactions we befriended them and made sure they felt at home imagining our younger siblings in them and cherishing fond memories.

This in brief is the life of a medical student. Hope you liked it. Please comment or mail me at phanisamosa@gmail.com. Thank you.