The bucket list of wishes, and a handful of days

I realized that I had very little time left at ISB on the night when I got placed. Before that ISB had been a busy roller coaster, where things were sort of running in auto-pilot mode. Everything seemed to happen according to a plan; a plan that was in accordance with the grand cosmic scheme of things. But here I was, 70 odd days from graduation, suddenly realizing that a lot was yet to be done. And time was running out fast.

The first few days went in celebrations, but then since everyone in our group wasn't placed, everything was low key. The initial idea was to go grand when all in our group would be placed. However, we soon realized that this plan wasn't working. So we made the first big plan that did not involve the whole group. This plan was Goa! And the trip was Legen... wait for it... wait for it... dary. I honestly dont remember the last time when I had so much fun. The trip was 6 day long, and when the plans were made there were ample apprehensions on whether there are enough things to do in Goa for 6 days. Believe me, 6 days were not enough! Bagha, Calunghut, Watersports, Arambol, the Dil Chahta Hai fort, Wagator, Anjuna (oh yes Curly's - went there twice in 6 nights), Doodhsagar Falls, Palolem - all in 6 days! Although we managed to cover a lot in Goa, we missed out on old Goa almost entirely! But at hindsight, maybe that was for the good; if we covered everything this time, what would be the motivation for the next visit?

By this time it was already the beginning of Term 8 - all in all 5 weeks left. And since most of us were placed, planing events was no longer a major constraint. So here came the Wishlist! Everybody had something or the other in mind on things that they wanted to do before they left ISB. And now was the time that they put forth their ideas. The next 5 weeks also went on auto-pilot now, only of a different kind this time. But still seemingly in accordance with the grand cosmic scheme of things. The last month at ISB was probably a time when we maxed out a lot of things at ISB - max no. of theatres visited, max no. of dinner outings (this is inspite of having a year long meal plan at Goel... duh!), max visits to Gachibowli Wines, max parties at M's corner, max no. of movies watched on the projector issued by IT - the list is undending. This had one direct result, there were certain people in Hyderabad who started recognizing us by face - the ISB watchmen, the Dot Cab drivers, the waiters in almost all restaurants in Hyderabad (oh yes, ST was even reminded what she ordered the last time when she visited!), the Cinema Hall ticket checkers and the Idli wala at Wipro. Everyday we would crib that there are so many things to do, fight amongst each other on prioritizing the items in the "Wishlist"; and most often end up chatting up all night without actually doing anything. Which implied a simple thing - not all items on the wishlist would be checked eventually.

After graduation, we all went our ways promising each other that we would definitely meet up frequently and relive ISB days in Bombay and Delhi - knowing very well from within that this was probably not going to happen. Here I am, at home, trying to pass time before I join my job; and as I write this vivid memories of all the things we did together are flashing right in front of my eyes. And dear yes, I am missing those moments.

Maybe it was a good thing after all that all the items in the "Wishlist" were not checked. Maybe these would become the motivation for another visit by the entire group to ISB. Maybe these unchecked items would motivate us to meet up somewhere and get done with the unfinished business. Maybe time will tell.