On the top of the world

Classes here at IITd run as late as 5 in the evening. In the beginning, it seemed as if nothing could be done here except running to and forth the institution. However, then I was introduced to the concept of night-outs. I realised the campus was full of nocturnal creatures, of people whose biological clocks run asynchronous with the outside world's. What exactly does one plan to achieve at night? Well nothing productive actually ! If you plan to study, you will end up doing an hour-worth job during the entire night. So its better to go on a guilt-free pass and watch a movie or engage in LAN gaming. There are times however, when one doesn't feel like sitting in the confines of the hostel room, especially when the weather is fine and a gentle wind is blowing. The best place to be in such a time is the Insti-roof. Of course, reaching there requires hard work since the place is a 20 minutes walk and a 8-floor climb (without the lift). But still, it is worth the toil ! The moment you set your foot on the roof, a cool breeze greets you...and you forget all your worries, all the tension fades away. You may have to share the space with a blushing couple sometimes, but that doesn't matter when you are on such a high. Its (strangely) amazing to stare at the burgeoning city lights, the buildings, the traffic (even past midnight, the highway is buzzing) or at the planes which fly past every few minutes. Sometimes I wonder whether the people inside the plane can see us (yes...they are so low sometimes). The best way to chill out is to lay down on the floor and just gaze at the sky. What exactly am I thinking when I am in such a situation? Perhaps about what I am doing with my life....what are others doing with theirs....but most of the times, I am blank in the mind, there are no thoughts at all (thats how meditation also works, right?). Sometimes I cross the railings and try to go towards the edge but fear of heights sets in, signalled by an uneasiness in the stomach, and I usually chicken out, realising its not as easy as it seems. (But this is just a 8-floor building..how on earth do people look down 100 storeyed skyscrapers without having a heart-failure !! ) It may seem peculiar how a small open space a few metres over the ground can mean so much, there isn't much you can do up there to pass the time, but the thing is you don't need to, time just flies by. And soon, the sky turns blue...birds start chirping...and you realise you had dozed off for a while. Its time to get back to the hostel, have breakfast and sleep, coz whoever said "Early to bed and early to rise" hadn't been to IITd for sure...