20 Things i found while cleaning my room !

Well, by now its common knowledge that I completed my MS thesis defense a week ago. My room was looking like it'd just been the scene of a cat fight between Katrina and Bipasha (over me i guess.. :P)....It was littered with things that ranged from old torn clothes to wrappers of snickers bars.. Once my defense was over, it was like an imaginary veil had been lifted from my eyes. A few online conversations and a few lectures on cleanliness later, I got down to Project CleanUP: A five day event that would ensure that my room would become livable again, but as things progressed i realized that cleaning my room was like taking part in an archeological dig.

Long lost items of historic and intrinsic value began to re-appear and each of them filled me with the feeling most people call "nostalgia"... what better to do with all these pent up memories than turn them into a nice new post.. So here is a list of 20 things i found while sprucing up my room. Its strange how each of these seemingly banal items represent the many facets of my two years as a masters student here... I thank all those responsible for making my degree here a fun filled riot !


Note: There may be those among you who arent represented in this list. I am still cleaning my room (!) and i am sure i will run into something that signifies you !!

Pragnya's Note: This was from a time when Jesal and Avinash used to ferry me to Meijer every other week. Pragnya once wrote me a note that said "For Raghav's eyes only". It was a shopping list that was filled with 'healthy' foods. Peaches, Oranges and Apples. It was topped off with a command that all these items not total over 10 dollars. (god knows how i managed to do that...)

Jesal's Picture: If there's one person who has been a part of every day of my masters even though he isnt here in EL. Its Jesal....He once sent us a package that had a handmade frame for each of us that contained a picture of the four of us together (Jesal, me, sam and anchita). This is something special. Its been moved from its original location below a pile of papers to my study table.

Madhumitha's Card: A memoir from my first birthday. A card that madhumitha had sent me from india. Full of lovely words. This is one thing that made me feel loved, pampered and cared for.

Varun's Book: I dont think anyone could have substituted for the role that varun played in the first year of my masters. This book called "Building, Environment and Energy" was something i stole from somewhere for him. Looks like he finished reading it before he left.

Boarding Pass from my first India Trip: Nothing else brings back the excitement of my first trip to India . An Air India boarding pass.. a ticket to home...to mom's food, pooji and appa.

A rose Anchita and Durga's bouquet of flowers: Anchita and Durga Akka... Friends forever...I found a dried rose from a boquet they gifted me during commencement this year. This was perhaps the most recent of the items mentioned here

The Bill for my PSP: Aaah.. my playstation portable.. the hours of fun and excitement its given me.. I still remember that snowy winter day when i defiantly went to the walmart in okemos ( i walked...)

Notes from my orientation: Orientation can be a pretty goofy time for all of us. I was trying to write down the names of all people i met and was giving them nicknames, so that i could remember them when i met them next. Some of these were pretty nasty. So i threw this one away

An accounts statement from my first india trip: Planning for an india trip takes more than the trip itself. This was a scribble pad page that me, sam, prachi and anchita had put together. For the record.. I did buy Pooji's camera and Madhumitha's ring. Most of the other items in this list were dropped.. as i found better ones.

A small bundle of Sacred Ash: This was something grandmom packed for me before i left india. A small bundle of Udhi that i used very little after i got here.

The recipt from my first visit to ELPL: I have spent some of my most memorable times here at EL with Abinand. Our first visit to the East Lansing Public Library was in the snow (Abinand was having another of his "i want to walk" days..)

Maps of Downtown Seattle and Downtown Chicago: Two years. Two Christmases. Two trips. Chicago: Year One, Seattle: Year Two. Anand Uncle and Family. Rajima and Family. I will forever be indebted to them for their love, affection and support.

The CD from my first Sargam: Me + Sam + Jesal + Pragnya + Prachi + Nikita + Stage = MAYHEM !

A harmonica that Hema gave me in India: This item represented all the nice things that people in india have done for me over the years.

My first Rotomac Glasse pen: The first pen i wrote with when i arrived in America. High sentiment value... I probably wrote my first masters level exam with it as well.

Notes from my first career fair: A representation of things not meant to be...This had a long list of companies i had applied for. Some clicked.. some didnt. All for the best, i guess. :)

A Batman Mask: My first birthday here. The day i turned 21 was another hell raiser of an evening. this was a gift from all my friends on that day. I wore it for a while.. but batman looked kinda dumb with a beard as thick as mine

A winnie the pooh stuffed toy: I still remember the road trip me, sam, kirit and pragnya took to Jackson. This stuffed toy was from a garage sale on the way to that place. Kirit, Sridhar and Venkat...the holy trinity.. :P

The Package from my first IFT: Sometimes winning is everything ! A large collection of papers and package design sketches from the IFT contest that we won. Thanks to all who made this win possible! Shantanu, Megan, Aileen, Eric, Ashley and Nikki.

A PGA Flyer: The PGA and the rest of the packaging fraternity were awesome all the way. I still remember working with kaushik and turk to get this one set up. I should say it was a
little crude.. but from what i heard.. It worked nicely :)

So... that was it !.. more items coming soon. Comment away people !

Read the original post at http:a-graduate-life.blogspot.com