Do Drinking and Dancing only go together?

Don’t mix drinking with driving! Walk when you talk! But don’t talk when you drive. Making its mark amongst all these pairs is that of ‘Drinking & Dancing’. While it’s a democracy and people have the right to differ, I think they make a great ‘couple’.

Dancing – so tiring, yet so refreshing. One can of beer was just the fuel that was needed. I dare say that I never enjoyed dancing like this, ever before. While the body energy levels had subsided considerably, my EQ (Enthusiasm Quotient; a self-patented acronym) was right up there. And I was dancing for as long as I could. I just didn’t want to stop. (Screw u CR!) And for a change, I wasn’t giving a damn as to what would ‘some people’ think about my steps. I wasn’t over-conscious, nor did a FOSTER’S can manage to make me ‘un-conscious’. The overall feeling was just amazing. Yeah, the atmosphere was electric. Guys were cool and the gals were hot! DJ too didn’t ‘suck’. Though I enjoyed it thoroughly, I believe there should be a digital display of lyrics somewhere (celing/wall/wherever) so that musical nerds like me can sing… ok hum along while dancing. The pleasure increases manifold when one knows what one is dancing to!! Most notably, I didn’t repeat the blunder of ‘sporting’ an open footwear to a disco. A never ending photo session followed. Although I was very ecstatic, I had a low strike rate as far as smiling in pics was concerned. Ironical, I know.

Sutra was way better than JW Marriott or Rockbottom. ACs seemed to be working, floor had space to dance, and the cozy feeling was also not missing. Yes, few more complimentary cans would have been great! However, I must say “Well done Students’ Council”. For all the thrashing and bashing you people receive, you guys deserve this compliment.

Reached home the last amongst my roomies and continue to live up to the title of ‘rent payer only’ in my flat J

Changing priorities....changing person

It was August 2008 and the CFA fever was catching fast in our college. I thought about it but the fees (1000 USD) was too prohibitive for something that i myself wasn't convinced about. Besides, after torturous experience at the hands of Dr. Rachhappa in Trim 1, i was no longer sure if I'll be able to handle finance. So i decided not to join the (rat) race. December came and I saw all (well, almost all) CFA guys studying during the nights in the college quad. I realized i was only getting behind in the race. Still i knew that at NMIMS, I'll get a good job even without a CFA degree. January and February brought in lot of turbulence. Placement scene was getting worse and the demon of Lehman Brothers (literally) was haunting B-Schools across the globe. Also, 15 out of 20 odd guys who took L1 from NM made it.

I decided to reason with myself, and reason at length:

Why CFA ?

A: Increases employability (given that i am a Zoology graduate, a CFA would at least bring something concretely 'financial' on my CV); Makes me more competitive amongst batch-mates; Everyone else was doing it! (i m not sure if the last reason has the potential to be the first reason)

Why not CFA?

A: INR 50,000 (a l'il too much)

What if i don't clear it?

It's an unnecessary feeling of insecurity that i must not succumb to.

My mentor-cousin suggested me to focus on academics instead of add-ons like CFA, etc.

Peer-pressure won; every other reasoning went down the drain. In came money from home-sweet-home and on Feb 17 i had joined the rat race. This time around, there were more rats than ever. Almost 50+ people from my batch were taking L1. And i was one of them. Different reasons, one road - L1!

Because i had just witnessed a 'huge' cash outflow, studying (at least immediately) was imperative. So i picked Schweser's notes and started. One week gone, and I was still in the first session. Gradually, the feeling of having undertaken a financial risk abated. Mid-terms, assignments were throwing their heads up and an End-term exam was also waiting. Given that i had promised my cousin to un-screw my already screwed up CGPA, L1 took a backseat. Summer placement? Still no where in sight...

It was April end and i was 10% through with my preparation. One month to go, five books to decode and a summer internship to undertake. Welcome sleepless nights. (whoever said they were gone forever!) I had to make every decision of mine subservient to L1. Taking up an accommodation in CP (Connuaght Place) at more than double the price. Sleeping less. Eating fast. Not wasting time on washing clothes (in fact i ended up wearing a pair of trouser 12 days!) But the internship couldn't be compromised with. So L1 was yet to become the 'bird's eye' for my eyes.

3rd week of May and i got the news that i had to show up at Mumbai for my 'interviewing' my prospective jijaji! Hell broke loose on me. Dad wasn't going to go to Mumbai without me and 'sentiments' outweighed rationale and i was asked to 'squeeze out' one day from my CFA prep days. Priorities had changed, and CFA still wasn't up at the top. I realized that I'll have to take a week's leave from my internship. Fortunately, my mentor was planning a trip in the same week and i was saved the trouble of having to answer the difficult questions at IIFCL. So, i got a 10-day leave and left for Mumbai. If only i would have known what i was in for. Receiving people from airport, 'interviewing' di's prospective groom, helping di for the 'interview', making arrangements, attending birthday parties, attending engagement and then seeing everybody off. It all ended on May 31st night. While my happiness knew no bounds at my sis having got engaged in Mumbai, i also realized i had made a terrible shit out of preparations. What was thought to be a one-day commitment turned to take 3 vital days out of my CFA preps.

6 days between me and 'CFA Sunday', and i had only completed first reading of 3 out of 5 books while my roommate had completed 3 revisions and most of those rats were into their 2nd revision. With 6 days to go, CFA was the only thought, It was the fuel, it was the fire. I had read IITians, etc. telling in their interviews to local newspapers in Ranchi how they used to put 16-20 hours daily, for months. I only used to quip "These guys have got to be crazy!" But I did what i had never imagined in my life: 16-18 hours of studies per day for a week. Nights in the college library and quad, 5-10 (am) sleep, etc.. Life was hell. Though i must admit, with all modesty, that the preparation was not boring. In fact, it was enjoyable and kept my 'enthu' going. June 7, CFA came and gone. I had, what i thought, a reasonable set of exams (L1 had two exam seatings). I had done whatever i could. Well, almost. Now was the time to reshuffle my priorities. While most of my batch-mates were headed to their homes to spend a vacation, i had to go back to complete my internship, which i very responsibly did. Fortunately, i had a great internship and the learning was immense to say the least, Three months of CFA-internship-etc. juggle had changed something in me. Managed to get a week's vacation at Ranchi most of which, ironically enough, went in Public Sector Banks' offices.

Was back at NM after a long time. Fresh faces were seen all around, and i realized that i was now a 'senior'. It took me a month to settle with the 'senior' feeling in my final year of graduation. Somehow, i feel there have to people senior to me! Here, the setting-in of the 'senior' feeling didn't take time. College results were declared and i got a GPA of 3.50 (15th in the batch of 250+). Suddenly, i was doing better in my classes. I was doing assignments on time and people were asking my inputs (it had been the other way round in whole of the first year). SFM (Strategic Financial Management) classes were bringing the best out of me. Everything had changed. July 28, the D-day had come. 6:30 pm it was, and rushed to the library. While the Internet was loading, i was reciting my patented "Trayam vakam, yajamhe.....". As the dots (of Internet) were increasing, everything that had been made sub-servient to CFA L1 (and everything that made CFA L1 sub-servient to it) was flashing before my eyes. Life had come to standstill. The page opened and my eyes caught the glimpse of 'PASS'.

Yuhhhhhuuuuuuuuu! CFA L1, finally!

Call Dad, Call Mom, Call Sisters, Call friends, Call Call Call. The burden of expectations was too huge to handle. I just didn't know what to do. So i 'discharged' my cell balance, to talk. I knew, life for me would never be the same hereafter. Something had changed over the course of past three months. Something had changed forever...

Thank you God, thank you!