As one walks into the campus of St.Claret P.U. College, you can still hear voices echoing in your ears
ID card elli? ID hakoli.
I would respond, okay uncle and would start to scuffle towards the college gate.
Lanes of lush green on both sides of the entrance, exquisite yet fragile flower beds that leaned on to the pavements, the subtle velvet graze of the petals that every student feels as they promenade through that path. The earful that we get from Parthiraj uncle almost every other day, the volunteers asking you to wear the right rubber band or asking you to trim your beard every morning (a monotonous yet soothing routine). Who knew, that as days passed, I would be one of them yelling, Girls, tie your hair properly. Pull up your socks. The morning rush before the bell rings, the benevolent smile on Father’s face and the nods responding to our greetings. Teacher’s assistance and their chastisement. All this made CLARET, CLARET!
As a student walks into a college after their schooling, they are exposed to a new world, A world one has never seen. A lot of questions ponders through their minds: how is this college going to be? Will I make friends? What about the teachers: will they friendly or strict? Will I be able to bunk classes? How are the seniors like, Will I get bullied? What about competitions and trips? As days pass by, every student gets an answer to each question. What I can surmise from this is that irrespective of the answers sooner or later SCPC becomes everybody’s ‘Home’ away from Home.
Well, this college is a plethora of liberating feels. Claret reforms every individual. This is a haven, a melange of talents and untapped potentials which claret discovers. This college like a dream college. An institution with multifarious opportunities with no barriers for anybody. From writers to photographers to rappers to beat-boxers to singers to dancers to TikTok stars to gamers to Claret TV reporters. You name it we have it. Claret truly provides holistic development and encourages every individual to step out of their comfort zone and find their potential. Well, the teachers here, what can I say, they are truly angels in disguise. They may seem authoritative on the outside but hearts made of cotton candies. Just like our parents, they scold us when we are wrong but embrace us with compassion and warmth when we are right. They are truly our parents, our second ‘Ammas’ and ‘Appas’. We being the usual smart children that we are, sneaking snacks and packed juices from our dear Francis uncle during the short breaks and then gobbling secretly during class hours thinking that we have accomplished the impossible mission. Our dear teachers always turn a blind eye to it. They subtly smile at our frolicsome antics. Not everyone feels lucky, sometimes the amount of imposition and notes that one may have to write might transform their hands shaped liked claws. But, I must take a moment’s pause here and assure you that they are the only ones who can understand that something is not right the second they decipher a slight frown on our faces. Sometimes I wonder Oh! how many troublesome students and batches they must have come across? speaking of which, once you become a Claretine there aren’t any divisions between the seniors and juniors. We share a beautiful bond with the seniors like fighting over Egg puffs, Gobi Manchuri (as we call it) and whatnot. I must also remind you that friendly rivalry with other classes over competitions would end in treating each other with an onion samosa and walking home with hands over shoulders.
Fests and competitions throughout the year. The amount of fun that we have is something beyond imagination. SYNERGY – our annual College fest is a time where every soul secretly wishes to be a part of the volunteer committee. Staying back after college hours working for Synergy, Namma Santa, practising for intercollegiate fests. One surely does have a great time waiting for them. I used to stay back at college until Parthiraj uncle has to come chasing us commanding us to go home. Have you heard of that anywhere, Students not wanting to go to their own homes? Friendships made here are seals of a lifetime, This is where we discover ourselves. This is where we embark on the journey of our life at St. Claret Pre-University College.
Well, That’s what Claret was, is and going to be for all of us. Our home, Our haven. This college is not just an experience, but also, an emotion.
And WHAT MAKES CLARET, CLARET?
YOU. I. WE. We make Claret, Claret. Ever Onward
Love and Regards.
Hannah Shaji
Hannah Shaji is elected President at St.Claret P.U College. She has participated in various inter-collegiate events and has won numerous accolades for our institution. A roaring leader but a silent bibliophile. She is currently in II HESP.