Go out into the world

A bad break-up, a blasting from your parents, or just a boring lecture — any reason was good enough to hop out of Delhi. That’s what DU is all about, isn’t it, asks Rannvijay.

I was in a pickle recently… the kind where you just can’t figure a way out. Anyway, I don’t intend to bore you with the what, why and when of it — this column is more about what followed. Half frustrated, I would’ve packed my bags and left if it wasn’t the thought of a million responsibilities I had to fulfil. It was then that I realised how much things had changed from the time when I was in college. Back then, “planning” was a word unheard of. A bad break-up, a blasting from your parents, or just a boring lecture — any reason was good enough to hop out of Delhi. That’s what DU is all about, isn’t it — unplanned, unadulterated fun.

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But I’m more concerned with what happens when you finish college. I was sitting in a café near some students fresh out of college the other day. They were discussing a weekend trip… and I was witness to one of the most tiresome discussions on what all you need for just two days — toothbrush, check; shoelace, check; 17 T-shirts, check!

After 20 minutes, I had to butt in and ask them if they would’ve dedicated as much time to planning when they were in college. They had no answer. Don’t misunderstand me; my intention is not to encourage you to run away from responsibilities or to be ill-prepared for a trip… I would never advise that someone going for a trek pack nothing but chappals. But too much planning spoils the fun of unpredictability. Nothing is as cool as an impromptu trip, where you hop on to a bus to Pushkar not because you have to, but because you want to!