Sophomore:The slow but steady second(PartIII)

On 17 June 2010,I was jubilant to be back in home after almost a year . I had been looking forward for this time since the second professional began. I had made plans as to how to enjoy to my heart's content and make this time a memorable one for my family. Along with all other stuff, there was a cousin's wedding which I was going to attend in my birthplace i.e. Patna. It had been almost 4- 5 years since I had been there , and I had heard quite a lot from people that Patna has changed from what it was in the Laloo regime.

Little did I know , that this trip of mine is going to be an emotional one and it's gonna make me realise that one's credentials are very important for gaining/maintaining respect for oneself , in the eyes of people whom you consider to be family. I will leave it at that, since it is a public blog I can't explain many things here, so pardon me for that. 
 Patna had changed quite a lot . It appeared so new to me, there were numerous flyovers, new buildings that had come up and it had become a lot more clean and safe. On 22 June, it was a time for me to say goodbye to my birthplace and leave for what now is my home.

Three days...there were just three days left for me to be in home, before I had to leave for Mysore. I ensured that I made each day count and made some memories to last. It was 25 June, the day I had to go back. With a heavy heart, I boarded Coalfield express at 6 in morning and bid adieu to my home. I had a flight at 2 from Kolkata and the train was supposed to reach Howrah by 10:30. But I don't know what happened that day, the train was late and reached Howrah only around 12:30. I had to rush to take a taxi and had to pay exuberant amount to take me to the airport soon. Somehow , I managed to reach the airport by 1:20 and ran to the check in counter. To my horror, the flight was delayed by two hours. I got the security check done and just sat at the airport waiting. Since, there was still some time left for the boarding, I went to the restroom for a while. And within minutes there were 5-6 policemen in the restroom saying that there is a bomb in the restroom and I had to rush out to the runway at that instant.

I still remember that scene vividly, me running through the completely empty Airport with my heart pounding that this place will be exploded at any time. I was the last person to come to the runway..and there I got to know that it was just a mock drill. I was feeling so pissed at the time and was cursing the policemen, but now when I look back, it is something that makes me laugh. Anyhow ,I boarded the flight and it reached Bangalore by 6:30-7.. there again..I was unable to find my check in baggage and had to wait for a few hours before my  luggage arrived. As if ,it was not enough, I couldn't even find buses to Mysore from majestic that day. Because of some issues, the buses were not plying and I had no option other than to take a hotel and stay overnight and take a bus the next day. As fate would have it, I had to run from pillar to post find a hotel, as rooms everywhere were full because of some exam/counselling or I don't know what. Thankfully , I got a place. I left at 9 the next day for Mysore, I was hoping that I reach without any hassles , but that was not to be. The bus stopped near Ramnagara and there were some issues with it and it couldn't go any further. I was like God have some mercy...just let me reach Mysore safely. I had to walk a few kilometres before I reached the taxi stand in Ramnagara and had to take a taxi from there.

Finally, I was back to pavilion ;) I took a sigh of relief and just crashed on my bed, there was the gruelling fifth term awaiting me, after all ;) and I badly needed some rest.

The next day, I started the first day of Fifth term. The classes were already going on , I had bunked a few and gone home. Now there was Systemic Pathology, Virology, Parasitology, Mycology, Anitbiotics and Toxicology to deal with. Along with all this, there was the ICMR Project which I had to complete.  It was hectic , but it had to be dealt with. In this term, we were again posted in core Clinical departments like Medicine, Surgery and O.B.G. for a period of 6-7 weeks each. 

I had no times for other things, there was sooo much on my plate, I had to do the project,  the regular classes and practicals to read for and the clinicals. I was busy again with the routine. I was a good student and was doing reasonably good in academics until now and was sincere in my work, but there were other things which I had to get used to...

During this term, I got to know how important is the place from where I come, where I was born and the general perception of that place in the people's mind , how important a role it plays in the general day to day work. I had always been questioned, from where I was since the first year by the Professors and Colleagues alike. Then after knowing that , I was from Jharkhand , people used to make some remarks as whether I know anything..whether I know English at all..or is that place full of goons and nobody can walk safely there. I had just been ignoring such remarks from the past two years. But it was during this term , that I got to know that the place where I was born, the thing which I cannot change, has a lot of bearing on the way people perceive me.  

I have heard a lot of stuff like your parents know nothing, the place you come from is famous for crimes..are you a criminal too? and many such remarks... I have been ridiculed on many occasions , for the fact that I was born in Bihar. But during this time ,it had become just unbearable for me. I used to feel suffocated. Even if I answer correctly, or am better than other students, some of the teachers kept pulling my leg every day. I broke down completely one afternoon after returning from hospital. What can I do if I am from a state which is considered backward...What can I do if I was born there....But I had no option other than to take such things and move ahead.

I had to... And I did.

During this time , there was another quiz..this time Pathology for which I was selected to represent my college at Rajarajeshwari in Bangalore. It was 4 of us in two groups, and we used to study and look for new MCQs to broaden our knowledge base in the subject. It was a bit too much for me to handle, but I tried my best. I wasn't one of the finalists, but I was quite happy to have represented my college at state level. :) At one point of time , I was literally ripping my hairs apart, with the amount of workload, clinicals, the project, and this quiz taking a lot of my time.

The only respite for me during this time was Microbiology...the subject..I loved reading it. I read it's textbook like novels and never felt bored.  It was the only subject in which I have read 4-5 books..n that too without feeling bored. It is something which requires a lot of cramming and I made charts and notes to remember the things. I used to love the Microbiology practicals, to look at the various slides of the budding yeast, the SDA, the Mac Conkey, the hanging drop preparation.. It was the only thing that I enjoyed apart from histopathology. 

MacConkey media with LF and NLF colonies :)

People say..samay kabhi nahi rukta..it didn't...n it was December in no time. I had completed the project and submitted it to ICMR. It was accepted , and I was issued a certificate and stipend for it. The internals and the finals were nearing again... Just like the previous years..it was books and myself.. :p

I finished my exams in January 2011, and there was just 3 days break before the next Professional started. I planned to bunk a few days and went home....Awaiting the results....