It was a beautiful morning, the kind that hums with quiet promise — the first day of BTech life at Aditya College. I felt a flutter in my chest, excited to meet the people around me. Each of them must carry their own scars and stories, yet here they were, alive and moving forward, holding on to some reason to keep going.
And maybe… just maybe, I could be a character in their lives — someone who, even for a brief moment, could make them forget their worries. Make them smile. That would be enough for me.
With these thoughts swirling in my head, I boarded my college bus — Bus No. 222 — from the stop. And despite all those dramatic resolves I made in my head, I immediately dozed off, because hey… that’s what I do.
I woke up again only once we reached college. Nothing looked familiar. No face I could recognize… except for one — my school friend, Steve.
He grinned and said, “Follow me. I know the way.”
On the walk, I asked, “Which branch are you in?”
“AI & ML,” he replied.
“Oh, I’m in IT. Different branches, I guess.”
As we reached the block, I finally read the name carved into the stone:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHG8WntRPF4
“RATAN TATA BHAVAN.”
There was even a big statue outside — a man on a horse. I didn’t know what kind of symbolism they were going for, but it was cool, I guess.
Inside, they guided us to a hall where all the students gathered. The HODs and other staff spoke, but I couldn’t help but feel it was just the usual fluff — the stuff you hear every year. Once it was all over, the only thing I found useful was discovering our classroom floor.
But honestly, the day wasn’t what I imagined. I mean, we’re in BTech — shouldn’t there be something more advanced, some cutting-edge tech? Instead, I felt like I was sitting in a room with projectors probably stolen from Chor bazaar in Hyderabad.
Worst of all? No proper phone signal on campus. Like, what forest is this?
I just sat there, already wishing I could go home.
At 12:00, it was lunchtime. Not that I had any lunch with me. And, by the look of things, I probably wouldn’t have any in the future either. So I set off on an adventure across the campus in search of food.
And that’s when I discovered one of the seven wonders of our college —12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDh7eMY4qY
The Ball Canteens.
Round structures, average food, and weirdly comforting. I wasn’t impressed, but I wasn’t disappointed either. At least I wouldn’t starve.
The afternoon session was just as thrilling — I dozed off again. It was the first day, after all. My expectations were low, and reality barely met even that.
Finally, at 3:30 PM, we were allowed to leave. Felt less like the end of the college day and more like a temporary bail release. But somehow… I still had hope.
These four years — they’d be our final years as students. The last phase before real life swallows us up. And maybe, just maybe, I could make them count.
Growing up… it wasn’t what we thought it’d be, right? As kids, we thought being an adult meant freedom. No homework, no exams. Just freedom. But now, standing at the edge of adulthood, I realized that freedom is just an illusion. Adults are just kids who got tired and stopped fighting. We’ll find out soon enough.
But not me.
I made a resolve that day.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVPqST7lgK
No matter what people say… I won’t lose my childishness.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBJhUIgmWH
I’ll carry him — the boy inside me — till my last breath.
And if anyone has a problem with that? Well, they don’t know the half of me. I hope they never see what happens if I lose my cool.
As I was thinking this, I started my search for Bus No. 222. I ran back and forth across the buses until I finally spotted it — parked near the canteens.
I got in and immediately saved the driver’s number. You’ll understand later why. Let’s just say, my laziness requires planning. Strategic laziness, if you will.
The moment I sat down, I checked my phone again — still no internet. Holy cow.
But then, something unexpected happened. A senior sitting nearby turned and spoke to me.
She smiled and said, “Hey, first year?”
“Uh… yeah,” I replied, startled, trying not to sound like I’d forgotten how to talk to humans.
She introduced herself. “I’m Chandhini. Fourth year, CSE. I'm from the second campus.”
Oh! Right. I should probably mention that our college has not one, not two, but three campuses. Apparently, our principal just couldn’t settle for a single account… or maybe he wanted to cosplay as a real estate tycoon. Who knows?
Anyway, back to the bus. Chandhini was kind — not the fake kind that people put on when they're bored, but genuinely curious. She asked me where I was from, what branch I was in, how my first day went.
Now, understand this — I hadn’t talked to a girl properly in the last two years. The only girls I knew back in school still had runny noses and fought over pencils. So yeah, I was mildly terrified.
But I tried my best to answer. I probably stuttered a few times. Okay, a lot. But she didn't mind. The conversation felt easy… and just like that.
Time passed without me realizing, and once again, I dozed off.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBhnhjKfTz
What can I say? I’m consistent.
My stop was the last one. About 50 kilometers from college — two hours on a good day. If the roads were feeling moody? Make that three.
When I finally got home, there she was — the one soul who always waits for me like I’m the center of her world.
My best friend.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH79D1nGnfq
My dog.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gXanKkcgG
Her name? Potti.
Yeah, yeah — laugh all you want. But she’s tiny, and it fits her. Like a Complan bottle with legs. But she’s mine.
She jumped around like I’d been gone for years. I patted her head, mumbled something, and collapsed on my bed without changing.
Gone. Knocked out. Dreaming again.
Maybe I’m a sleep addict. Maybe it’s just how I cope with the chaos. Either way, day one was done.
But somewhere, in the quiet corners of my mind, a whisper remained.
“This is just the beginning, Nova. Something’s coming. Something big.”
…Yeah, I talk to myself in third person sometimes. Makes life feel more dramatic.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8imd4xJYo2
Name’s Nova, by the way.
Sleep addict.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCyeqleagr
Accidental philosopher.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMC9T4dJD0m
Poet who sounds high even when I’m not.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGB4HBrtP9
A chef — I season life with chaos and serve it with sarcasm.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5y731LwJE
Smart enough to doze off strategically mid-chaos.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMq0ybPy0e
Slightly cracked in the head (certified).12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPCHJOjRtd
Also… the world’s loudest fan of anime, manga, and K-dramas.
Yeah, I know — binge-watching and sleeping all the time? Kinda contradictory.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJSPviF625
But hey, welcome to the paradox that is me12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iycoqiYt5
The next morning, I woke up groggy, with one sock missing, my bag half open, and Potti sleeping like a curled-up cinnamon roll on my chest. I moved her gently — she growled — I apologized. Classic.
Checked my phone.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LVIWDZHs5
Nothing.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjInZdrUjMT
Of course.
I got ready, still unsure if I was walking into a college or a government office building with classrooms. Packed whatever looked like books, stuffed them into my bag, and stepped out.
Bus No. 222 again. Same driver. Same death stare.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYhyJsB2c9
I gave a polite nod, got in, and went straight to my seat — last window, fourth row from the back.
You know, the unspoken rule in buses: your spot is your kingdom. Shift me, and it's war.
I plugged in my earphones — no music, obviously — just to avoid small talk. The ride was long, but my thoughts were longer.
I kept wondering if today would be any different. Maybe I’d actually talk to more people. Maybe I’d make a friend or two. Or maybe I’d just learn how to survive another day without decent Wi-Fi and edible food.
But deep down, I knew something was stirring. Like the calm before a storm.
Not academic. Not campus drama.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUCRe8VIZm
And as the bus rolled through broken roads and sleepy fields, I leaned back, smirked a little, and whispered to myself:
“Let’s see what you’ve got, Day Two.”
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