The Expected and The Unexpected

Our Third Minor results were declared on 22nd February (Wednesday). I have come 2nd this time- an aggregate of 292/400 (73%). I also managed a Distinction in Ophthalmology :-)
I was so freaked out when I heard that the results were out online. I have never been the kind of a person to get freaked out by results, you know. I actually pride myself on my control and temperament at such a time. This time, however, things were different. For one, last year's accomplishment kept replaying itself in my head. I really don't care much about what people say or think, but after last year's score and the shock everyone got, I know I was probably the first person who's marks would be checked by one and all- "Lets see how much last year's topper scored!" I did not want to be a one-time lucky shot kinda thing. I have that talent and determination in me, and getting a good score this year would only serve to emphasise this very fact.
I know, for a fact, that I did not study as much as I should have this time. I definitely did NOT study as much as I had in my IInd year. I got involved in things other than pure academics, the Ophthalmology and Paediatrics Quiz came up, I wasn't in the right state of mind for a major part of my PLs...and there I was, telling myself I was well-prepared, when I knew I wasn't. It was too much to ask for a top rank. All I prayed for, was a score that would keep my integrity and my mindset intact.
Going back to the time I heard results were out, I couldn't get myself to go online. Instead, I did what I have never in my wildest dreams, thought I would do. I called up a school friend and told her to talk about everything other than results. Sweet that she is, she agreed and the next half hour was spent in chatting about everyday happenings in our parallel lives...It calmed me down. It really did. When I was ready, I went online to check my score.
Funny thing really, I got disappointed when I saw it. I thought I'd managed a 60%. The relief that a 300/400 gives my mind can obviously not be given by a 292/400, as close as it is to that 300. Well, and that 292 underlined the fact that there had to be people ahead of me. Human that I am, I was disappointed. The only aspect of my scorecard that brightened my mood, was that 76/100 in Ophthalmology. Now, I have Distinctions to boast about, in every exam until now :-) (Biochemistry, Pathology, Microbiology, Ophthalmology).
The topper this time has got 76%. There is a 12 mark difference between us. But, I know she deserves every bit of it and well, at least I came 2nd :-)
I hope I can do better than this in my Final Year. It is my last chance and I want to give it all I have. I know that I have it in me to get to that Rank 1 and 2....I can't get there 2 years in a row by fluke, right? I'm delighted that I could make my Mother (an Ophthalmologist) stand tall and say, "My daughter got a Distinction in Ophthalmology" :-) In fact, having also represented BJ in the Ophthalmology quiz, I have done all that is possible with that subject :-) That was my aim when I first fell in love with that subject in January 2011:-)
I'm a pleased person today. I have done well enough and I am pretty proud of that. It is another issue that my family is happier than I am...it is strange, how your loved ones can manage to make you happier than you actually feel :-)) Love you all, guys!! Thank You :-)

Each Vote Counts

As the responsible citizen of my country, I have the right to vote. I have the right to decide who, I think, will live up to all that he or she promises during these rallies that happen before the elections. Most importantly, I have the right to decide who will be capable enough to undo the previous guy's mistakes and still have time to make some of his own.
Over the past week or two, all sorts of gimmicks have been put to practice to garner the largest number of votes. Now that I am a Med Student and I know a thing or two about the Healthcare system that works ( or doesn't work) in the country, I find it so hilarious to hear advertisements on the radio about how that same healthcare system is bringing such a change in people's lives. To give an example: There is something known as the National Rural Health Mission that basically caters to the health of the rural people. There are some services that are given free of cost to the people. Anganwadis are created in villages to ensure that the literacy of the children improves. That's the theory. The reality is that the services are there, but the providers are not. The Anganwadis are there but the teachers or the ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activist) are not. But that is obviously not shown in the advertisements. Instead, you hear a woman talking in the rural twang, praising the government for giving health services worth 3.5 lac free of cost to her child and saving his life. She will give her vote to the ruling party, because after all, they gave her that precious child back.
Now, think about it. If the Government starts giving out services worth 3.5 lac to each and every such individual, India would get bankrupt within days ( any person who knows our population and the fraction tagged as BPL will agree). But, this is what an advertisement is about. And this is just one example. Every party involved in elections carries out the same kind of propaganda. They pay people to come be a part of their rallies and shout out slogans. They come up with incidents involving their leaders that will bring sympathy votes. And then, there are some really characterless creatures who wire the EVMs wrong so that their party wins.
The main responsibility of the voter is to sift through all of this and make his vote count. The person he elects should have his full faith. That person should be capable enough to run true to the trust shown by that voter. After all, elections come only once in 5 years. One mistake is going to turn the next five years of your civic life into hell.
But, there isn't always a good and a bad. Lately, in politics, there has been a bad and a worse. So ultimately, you vote because it is your right. And you vote for the person who you think will make lesser mistakes than the other. The past year, a lot of things have happened. They brought out the real faces of a lot of people. Some of those were ok. Most of them weren't. What I learnt from that year was that, it's too much to ask for a sudden change. But, there is a need for change. And this election, I hope our votes prove that. Every vote given counts. After all, it shows what the people of this country really want. I sensed it last year, and I hope today's votes show it, that that want has changed...
Vote guys. Only your votes can make the real difference.      

Selfish and Self-Centred

4 years of college has brought out the real character of lots of people. That's been the REAL experience of College. I mean, who's going to bother about the time we spent pouring over thick books that most of the time, din't even make sense?! I would personally bother about the people I spent this this time with.
I am not the most perfect person on Earth. But, I am human, and like every Human Being, I have an opinion. Opinions can be right, they can be wrong and they may not even matter...What I really like about Opinions is that they make you feel important; they make you feel confident about yourself. After all, if you didn't even have an opinion, what use would you be to anybody??
So, in my opinion - there are three types of people in my College. On a personal level, I'll classify them as:
1. People I love
2. People I hate
3. People I couldn't care less about
This classification is pretty simple to understand. The first category would include my really close friends, a few not-that-close-but-good friends and a few teachers. These are people I would love spending time with and I know, even after college is over, these are people I would be honored to keep in touch with.
The second category would include people I can't stand being around. These are the typical hypocrits that walk around in college, giving you the smile to your face and making ugly faces behind your back; these are the people who never let you get ahead of them and do everything humanely possible to interfere with your strides; these are also people who look to get into a conversation with you because they want to extract from you, the small piece of info that they need. You think there aren't people like this? You haven't been to college then.
The third category is kind of the biggest, because it would include the people I don't know, know and don't bother to stay in touch and all those who are a part of the things I do, but do not interfere with my work and vice-versa.