I wore a kurti that I had bought while shopping for literally everything else since I had misplaced my suitcase on the first day of arrival in India. It looked, never mind I don't remember how it looked. I made my hair in some rough bun took some fresh books and a pen and left for the lecture. When I entered the class it was still a bit early but it seemed like almost everyone had already come and taken their seats in their respective groups. I wasn't even confident in my Hindi let alone my other languages and what if I spoke English too with a French accent? There was no point in making friends either, what if they became the next target, my paranoia had not yet subsided nor did the depression get any better.
But right when I entered the class one by one everyone started staring at me and then the whole class went silent. I suddenly became conscious of myself, did I look that out of the picture here? Or does the kurta look funny on me, wait do they only wear it on special occasions? Do I have something on my face? Wait, so what, I don't even know them nor do I care. I went straight ahead and set in one of the middle rows with only two empty seats left. People had started whispering after that maybe because they didn't see me at the orientation or because I did look like all other white Europeans. After that, a guy entered then the professor, and then again another dude. Some girls started giggling and whispering when the last guy entered for some reason.
Professor: Where are you running to my guy?
Guy: Oh I got lost on my way here professor so I just reached now.
Professor: So what? You could've searched for your lecture room in advance yesterday. The schedule was given to every student here over a week ago and has everything mentioned in it. This is no reason for your tardiness. Such irresponsible behaviour will not be tolerated here. Now leave and come back only after you have completed 15 laps around the whole ground, mind you from the gymnasium to the end of the pool- no shortcuts!
I thought to myself how tiring would be even if it was early in the morning, thank god I at least arrived on time.
Professor: So who was the student who didn't show up on the day of orientation even after warning everyone that it was compulsory!?
Avril: ..... Sir, Me.
Professor: Have you still not arrived at the campus?
Avril: No sir, … I was there.
Prof: Then why didn't you attend the simple ceremony?!
Avril: …
Prof: Well, you too go take 15 laps around the ground. Quick!
I started running, it was extremely breezy and cold on the ground, maybe because of the monsoon season but regardless 15 laps were still easy just annoying to do when you've come straight out of your bed.
Guy: So hey, you are from my class right? I had seen you sitting in the hall. Why are you running though?
I didn't want to talk especially when the wind was blowing right into your mouth. But I had seen him with the professor, he was a persistent guy who wouldn't just go away from ignoring him. So I spoke
Avril: Orientation
Guy: OH so you were the dude who didn't come for the orientation.
Avril: …?
Guy: Oh we just assumed you were a guy since most girls liked to dress up and socialize for such occasions and rarely are they rule-breakers right? Haha just kidding, I'm Ivaan and you are?
Avril: … Vaidehi.
Ivaan: So you are an Indian after all huh? you are also the one who entered the college with the highest marks right? I know cause I couldn't believe I came in second for the first time in my life.
Avril: I don't know, I haven't seen the list.
Ivaan: Hmm pretty, nonchalant, and smart, just my type you know😉
Avril: What did you say again?
Ivaan: Perfect!
He started running faster and the rain started pouring suddenly, I had already completed the 15 laps by then, it had been exactly 8 minutes since I left the class. Only my hair had become wet so I left them open and then dried them on my way to the lecture hall.
Avril: May I enter sir?
Professor: Are you sure you completed the 15 laps exactly as I said?
Avril: Yes sir.
Ivaan: Yessss
Professor: OK quickly go back to your seats now!
My seat was now next to the guy who came after me and Ivaan. I wanted to sit next to a girl but there were only so many and I didn't know if they'd like me. The professor droned on and on about ethics, values morals, discipline, and rules for almost two-thirds of the lecture and then finally started teaching us a bit at the end.
Ivaan: maybe you should've bunked this lecture too.
Avril:
Ivaan: What are you doing after all the lectures are over today?
Avril: sleep.
Ivaan: Or I can introduce you to my friends and we can also check out the whole campus so that we don't get late for another class
Avril: No thanks.
Ivaan: well, here's my number if you change your mind I'll be at the cafeteria or the basketball court.
That class was over. Some left the hall, some gathered in groups and started crowding over Ivaan, thankfully he left too after a while. I had turned my head and tried falling asleep but I couldn't with the amount of noise they were making. That's when I noticed the guy who came after me again. He had long hair for a guy tucked in a man bun, and he was objectively good-looking as well but I could never find anyone other than Aime attractive. That's when I felt like a panic attack had suddenly started rising in me. I left my seat and went in search of the washroom or at least an empty space. I tried my best to calm down or distract myself but I was hyperventilating and couldn't think straight. I then tried to drown myself in a bucket full of water. I started breathing normally when I finally lifted my head and my heartbeat went back to normal as well. I found myself in an open hallway and the bucket was probably full of rain water but I couldn't care less and started heading back to the other lecture hall. There were a total of 6 other lectures we had to attend until it was finally time for our dismissal. In the last lecture, the professor gave us a heads up about a future project that we would have to conduct a whole year-long in groups of four which included- making a presentation, collecting physical materials/evidence, a model depicting our topic, solutions if any to the given issue/problem, volunteering certificates and pictures from relevant shelters/NGOs and lastly defending it from a rival group from our batch itself. We had time until the end of the week to decide our group and its members whilst choosing an appropriate topic from among the given in the list. However apart from the topic, everyone else seemed to have decided their partners with an overwhelming majority trying to join either Ivaan or the other guy whose name I forgot- probably Janav or Jahnav.