After having gone through multiple write-ups and having seen many people graduate in these four years, I did not think my time to leave campus would come as soon as it did. I could always blame the pandemic for it. Perhaps the end came too soon because of all the shenanigans that this fourth-year academically reclined individual engaged in. Weirdly enough, I am glad that this piece is my last contribution to anything related to BITS. I know that BITS is not going anywhere, and my memories of it will not either. Memories of going to ANC in a waved state to grab a bite at one in the night. The Cinna Apple Jam at 301. Playing in Gym-G until that five minute “lights will be switch off” countdown begins just to play with more vigour. The CVR mess terrace. Not to forget those awful power cuts and the fact that they installed the air conditioning two weeks before we left. That last one hit home.

It is in the last month on campus that you finally realise the intricacies of campus that make it special. Whether it is jumping gates and evading the guards to see what is hidden away inside Shiv Ganga, or even something as simple as redi hopping to revisit old favourites and discover new ones. Every stroll on campus is interesting, with every seemingly insignificant nook and cranny on campus gaining significance as you slowly inch towards graduation. Peacocks, those blue birds that come out of nowhere, inebriated soldiers with loudspeakers and blaring music; every animal has a place in this little town.

By the end of my time here, my biggest realisation has been the growth I have seen in myself. No, I will not turn this mildly nostalgic piece into a rant lamenting all the juniors and seniors I dislike and how I am grateful to them as I could grow because of them. No, I would never do that. To quote a famous celebrity, “Haters gon’ hate, rotis…”, yeah, I cannot finish that sentence.

BITS was the first time I was away from home, and there were endless possibilities of how I could spend my time. I could just vibe in my room. I could go for interactions to the point of exhaustion. I could vibe in my room while seniors questioned all my choices in the same room, which as surprising as it may sound, has happened. Freedom is the best thing this quaint town has to offer. In the process of getting into clubs, departments, and PoRs, the most important advice I can provide is for people to remember that we are free to do as we please on campus. Beyond the gates of this campus, no campus commitment will count for anything, even more so if you are unhappy. At the end of the day, BITS has this weird way of ensuring no matter who you are, what you do, and what commitments you are a part of, you do not end up alone. Trust me, if someone from a club rumoured to be pretentious and all high and mighty can have friends, so can you.

It took me some time to realise who to be with and what to prioritise, but at the end of the day, everyone I crossed paths with nudged me closer to being who I am now. Although the end came too soon, I am grateful to the campus for providing me with the people I have grown so close to over the course of these four years. Finally, I thank my homies for making my college experience a memorable one. The psenti might hit right about now.