NatUre heAls..!! (wAy to ShiV saMunDaram..) ~ paRt-I

Are you a nature lover?

No. Today, I’ll not talk about any management theories. Rather, I’ll share an enchanting experience of my life.

 The day to Shiv Samundaram… What a trip! I had no clear idea about the place itself.

I was gossiping with my roomie, the night before. She said, “Hey, it will be fun. Come with us, let’s enjoy!”

I said, “Sorry hun! Assignments are left. Can’t help it!”

“But debo, it will be fun. We’ve been living together for the last 6 months under the same roof and still have not yet hang-out for once!” As if the world gonna end soon!

“Are you kidding me?! We did hangout for several times. Shopping, going for movies and food… Buzz off.. I’ve assignments to complete!”

“Cool!” and she left, banging the door so hard.

I was trying to concentrate… I don’t know exactly on what! Words were so very random. Oh hello! It’s not my assignments. It was the outside noise; some discussion was going around, right after my door. I realized and opened the door.

“Hello guys, I’m trying to concentrate on something. Will you please lower down your volumes?!”

“Good for you!” And they ignored. (1/3^rd people)

“Ah! Yes..! MIS (Management Information System), Ch no. 3.” I recapitulated and opened the pdf files on my lappy.  Our group had to present the case study on ‘Blockbuster vs. Netflix’ next week, so I started anyhow to read the case.

Bang! “Debo! Sleeping???” Bang! Bang bang!

“Why? You guys always have to kick my door or what?” I said annoyingly.

“Hush! Poor baby, stop crying.. We’ll get you one next time!”  said, the gal next door (my so-called neighbor).

One very interesting as well as irritating fact about hostel life is that you can ignore your room-mate, but you can’t ignore your neighbors’. They are the true epitome of unwanted disturbance all the time! In my case, it was a bit higher. My neighbors are more like ‘pirates’. Why?! When they’re hungry, no matters if I’m sleeping or not, they will come and help themselves to get my food stuffs out of my cupboard.. And that too without my permission! And sometimes, they self-invite themselves for an unwanted mid-night Maggie-treat. And you better don’t dare to say ‘no’. Coz, sleep can be at stake for that night! Mind it.

Anyways…  So, they came inside and sat on my bed. I instantly realized it gonna take long time. I shut-down my laptop and sat in my chair (I had left with no choice, my bed was already reserved!).

“Okay! What’s the matter?” I asked.

“As if you don’t know!?” said by 224 (p.s. 223 is my room, 222 and 224 are my neighbors’ rooms.)

“What?” I asked in a serious tone.

“Polu! We’re going to ‘Shiv Samundaram’ tomorrow… Yaay!” said 222 (p.s. ‘Polu’ was one of my weird names, given by 222) 

“Wao! Enjoy gals..”

“Not without you!” ~ 224

“See.. I have MIS Case Study to represent next week. So you gals can understand the problem.”

They looked at me at first, then looked at each other and started laughing sarcastically. As if, I said any PJ! Before I could speak something, one of them anyhow managed to stop laughing and said “Are you serious!”

“I….mmmmmm…..” (And I started giggling a little)

And the rest you can understand! Finally, we’re going to Shiv Samundaram the next morning.

(to be continued.....)

DisCretE PluGgeD...

The weird term!
Does this emphasizes something! What it might be??? ~ My first thought to it.

After getting an economics assignment on 'The Competitive Market Strategy Game' ~ a simulation (group) activity, we got an email_id with a password.

Password - 'discrete_plugged'

For a minute or two, I thought, "What was that?" 
 This is a very interesting fact that we always bang our head on frustration when something 'out of the box' concept has been introduced to us! It was kinda alike. 

First thing about me is that I was a total disaster in Economics. Whenever, economics has came to my way, it got affected vividly; be it my mum's expensive household items or my dad's net revenue! Or even, my sister's high-tech computer games. I swallowed'em.. 
So, being a non-economic extremist, it was tough finding for me to understand the in-depth concept of the simulation activity. Although, we had worked together as a team for the next 8 odd weeks; but it's just for the sake of doing things (for me)!

Why?!

No clear subject concept?
People are more intelligent around?
Group politics?
I'm dumb! I doubt it...

Unfortunately, none is the reason! 
Reason was ~ lack of that 'burning desire to learn'!
Reason was ~ lack of being adaptable!
Reason was ~ "I was resistant to change..."

Why?

Simple! Lots and lots of years of practice.. Of being the way I am!

I was = I am = I shall be (projected)

Instead,

I wanna be = I shall/will be

And now, lets come to the main point... What it taught me?!
Economics....!  Naah...

It taught me something very interesting about human emotions.
It's called ~ 'Freeze - Fight - Flight'; generally in that order. 
You might be thinking what's that?!

Okay, 'Freeze - Fight - Flight', popularly known as the 3Fs' is the process of 'fear-generation'. How? For instance, imagine the situation when you come late to home at night and your dad is standing infront of the main entrance gate. And is very angry. What you generally do? 

1st step ~ you don't know what to say and how to say/ react instantly.. (i.e., the state of freeze) And you freeze yourself... Isn't it? Especially, if he not gonna listen to you at all.

2nd step ~ after a while, when you somehow manage to deal the situation with a freak excuse, you try to justify yourself with that statement/ excuse.. (i.e., the state of fight) Does this ring a bell?! Every fight is an outcome of fear/ expecting fear. Fear of insecurity. And that sense of insecurity results from irresponsibility. Irresponsibility results from improper time management. Think!

3rd step ~  after fighting your full spirit, you drain your full energy. As because that time may be your dad is among that 1/3rd of the people who will never listen to you/ against you. Ooops! What should you do? Run away? Say, "Dad.. It's the last time. I promise. It will 'never' happen again!" (LOL, the state of flight) So very happening... Isn't it?!

At first, I was in the state of freeze. I thought everybody in my group is more intelligent than me. Then, after few days, when my group members started pin-pointing my irresponsibility, I started to fight with them, with the situation, even with my Prof. saying ~ "Guys, I'm not an economist!" and cried.. cried real hard! But, nobody listened (1/3rd people)! 
Then came the 'F' called 'Flight' ~ I started absenting.. bunk! Again bunk! Again.. again.. again.. 

One day, my Prof. called me in his cabin and asked ~ 

Prof : Yes, Debolina. What is happening around? Why are you absenting so much?
Me : I'm not well!
Prof : What happen to you?
Me : I'm ill.
Prof : Go take some medicine and come back.
Me : Taken. But not working. May be I'm very ill.
Prof : I said, go take some medicine and come back. 

And he handed me one economics book (probably of class XII).. Freak! What's that? (I said in my mind) And I asked,

Me : Sir, what's this for?
Prof : You told me you're ill, I gave you the medicine. Go read and come back.
Me : (WTF!) Oh no! Sir but....
Prof : I know, You're not an economist. (laughs) 
Me : (blank)
Prof : Debolina, you're a brave girl. Why not, you read it once and then decide that whether you are one among them or not! Don't escape my child. Let's just face it. 

I had no situation to speak after him then. I don't know exactly what he meant saying "You're a brave girl". But, one thing was very clear that I must read! Why? Not because my Prof. asked me to read. But I realized I must do something. It's better to do something than to do nothing. And the words "Let's just face it" drove me so deep and so higher. After that day, my fear gradually got vanished. Or, should I say, I gradually vanquished my fear of reading 'economics'. I cannot claim today that I'm an economist after reading that book. But I can claim ~ Yes! I'm a brave girl! As because, I faced my fear. 
Our group stood 3rd among 10 odd groups. If you're thinking it's because of me. You're absolutely wrong. Coz, I'm still not an economist. But I am the one who was in team. I was a team-player! Kudos discrete-plugged. Where people are discrete but we were plugged so hard that we won and got the 3rd rank! As Rabi Thakur a.k.a. Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore said once ~ "United we stand! Divided we misunderstand!"

Be brave. Face your fear. Live your dreams!