E05 : The Freshers Eve

DATE : SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. The drumsticks clicked to mark the start of performance. The Bass guitar started charging the air with it's string, and so did the keyboard keys. The lead guitar joined in with its notes too. There was a blackout on the stage.  Only the rhythm of instruments was dancing in the air. And then, a yellow spotlight fell on the singer who was adorned in a beautiful flowing black gown. The crowd of 600 FE’s roared and hooted loudly with a new energy level. The girl started singing Adele’s most famous song- ‘Rolling in the deep’ in a powerfully strong voice. Slowly with the song, more spotlights were added on the stage and all instrumentalists were revealed one by one. The loud live performance was thumping the hearts of both the audience and the performers. Happiness and the awe of the moment were getting reverberated from every corner of the auditorium and spreading a magical aura.

After the songs ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and a Metallica song, the official college band melted the stage with an all time hit song – “Hotel California”. As the guitarist with long silky hair- that fluidly fell till his shoulders, came ahead to play the famous guitar lead of that song; the 150 FE girls went crazy and when he started headbanging, the whole crowd cheered till the end.

The colorful audience applauded when the performance ended. After the performance the headbanger, who was also the chief of the team, introduced himself and the other team members.

A girl and a Boy walked to the centre of the stage when the team ­­­­­­­­‘Octavium’ had left.

“Good Eeeevning People!!” the girl said melodiously.

“A very warm welcome to all the FEs to....The..... FRESHERS EVE!!!” the guy in grey blazer announced in a charming style.

“I am Aashna and he is Faizal” the girl said. “And we are going to be your hosts for the evening”

Faizal: Yes! This is going to be one the most memorable and fun packed evening that will be cherished and remembered forever!

Aashna: Well, you all have been officially welcomed and very well introduced to our college in the Orientation Programme. So now that you are in SCOE; where fun, academics and co-curriculars will go hand in hand; the next four years are promisingly going to be the Best Four years of your life!

Faizal: Super chilled students, beware, you all are going to start studying seriously here!!

Aashna: And dear Bookworms, you all are definitely going to bring out your coolness, I assure you that!

Faizal: New friends, unpredictable professors.....

Aashna: Awesome moments in Canteen, our Amphitheatre, Maggie house and Slope, would 

make your time worth wasting!

Faizal: Numerous outings with friends, the cultural events, technical workshops, Symphony, Abhiyantriki...and a thousand memories! The projects, teamwork and that team spirit... Ahh, you are gonna enjoy learning it all!

Aashna: And how can you forget, the results?

Faizal: Oh yaa, the peculiar result time, some of you would surely get heart attacks, because either your grades would be like unexpectedly Bad...

Aashna: And sometimes unexpectedly too good too!!

Faizal: Today, all the cultural teams would be introduced, so that you would find, in which 

team you wish belong to. Because at SCOE, every talent is valued, supported and encouraged.

Aashna: Well... we’ve got too senti Faizal. So, without wasting much time, Let the fun and Freshers eve Begin!!!

Faizal: You’ve already been introduced to the Music team. After the lighting ceremony, get ready, because the next dance performance is going to make your mind blow!!

The whole world seemed to be lying under the roof of the auditorium of the SCOE that evening. Life seemed like a celebration. Dance, music, drama, and fashion show were setting up on the stage one after another, while the dreams of being a part of those teams were being setting up in the minds of the audience.

 Till then, 7 teams had been introduced ‘Gyrations‘- the dance team, ‘Rhapsody‘-the drama team, ‘Octavium‘- the music team, ‘Glitterati‘- the fashion team, ‘Shutterbugs‘- the photography team, ‘Insignia‘- the Arts team and ‘Neotons‘–the UV light dance team.

And it was time for the trademark event of the evening: ‘Mr. and Ms. Fresher’

“We are beginning with Mr. and Ms. Fresher, so who would like to volunteer for it?” Aashna asked with a bright smile. But all of a sudden the crowd become chilled and no hands were raised. “Last call folks”, Faizal announced. They waited but no one responded.

“You’re all sucha boring bunch of fellas!  I guess we will have to come down in the crowd to hand pick you guys”, she said in an annoying tone. As soon as they got down the stage, they saw a raised hand in the audience.

“Oh I see someone, please come forward.”Aashna said,” Let’s have a big round of applause for this man.”

The ‘man’ came forward. He was tall, fair and had worn a green-and- white chex shirt on a white Tee, a dark blue jeans and Woodland shoes.

“What’s your name Mr. ?”, Aashna tried not to be awestruck.

“Rudra.”

“Full name Sirji.”, Faizal teased.

“Rudra Agnihotri.“

“Not a very cute name for a cute guy.,” Aashna smiled.” Anyways, since you volunteered first, you are allowed to choose a nominee for Ms. Fresher. So, come on, choose one from the crowd.”

Rudra’s eyes were searching the crowd, they found many pretty girls but not the one he was wishing to find.

“I would like to nominate Miraya.”, Rudra declared, he wasn't even sure if she was present in the Auditorium.

The heads in the crowd started turning here and there, searching this girl named Miraya. “Come on Miraya, if you are out there, don’t be so shy. Come out.”, Faizal said on his mic.

Then a girl stood up and shouted from one of the last rows. It was Ishaani. ”She’s here!!” she shouted.

“Great, looks like we've found her. Please come up to the stage Miraya.”Faizal said.

With angry eyes Miraya stood up. She was in no mood to contest for Ms fresher, but then she also did not want the crowd, and most importantly her classmates to think that she was egoistic. This Rudra is going to ruin my image. Everytime he is before me, he makes me angry, I say stuff and then others say I have attitude problem! She tried to calm herself down, took few deep breaths and started walking towards the stage.

She was wearing a simple white dress, with delicate designs that were embossed on it in dark blue. Her long wavy hair was open and held by a white hair band. She was looking too simple, but pretty.

“Everybody, a round of applause for Miss Miraya. You and Rudra, up on stage!”, Faizal said.

Rudra winked at Miraya when their eyes met.  

“You’re gonna pay for this. Soon” Nodding her head, Miraya warned  Rudra while climbing up to the stage.

Within the next 5 minutes, Aashna and Faizal picked up 5 more girls and guys and made them stand on the stage one by one.

“Okay, so let’s begin! The first round is Introduction Round, it does not have any eliminations. What everyone on the stage is supposed to do is a RAMP WALK first!”, Aashna smiled and cheered the crowd up , “Come forward and introduce yourself in the best possible way, and walk back to your place. Everyone got it? Do you need a demo?”

“ Yes! ”, the shy bunch of people on the stage exclaimed.

“Okay!”

Then the beautiful Aashna in red dress ramp walked and went to the stage’s centre and said on her mic in a cheesy way, ”Good evening guys and gals, I am Aashna Avasthi from Second year IT. I am good at hosting events and writing plays. The good thing about me is that I can easily make friends with literally anyone and the thing people don’t like about me is that sometimes what I say, doesn’t make any sense. That’s it. Thankyou.” She smiled and walked back.

The crowd, especially guys hooted and clapped. ”Okay. I am sure everyone just got it, so the girl in yellow top, you are the next.”

The girl in yellow walked too boldly and stood up for introduction and started speaking really too fast animatedly, “ Hello fellas, I am Sarika, a first year Comps student. My hobbies are speaking anywhere and everywhere. I am good at Entertainment, Entertainment and Entertainment! And frankly, there is nothing I would like to change about myself. I can talk for hours at length and I am so sure that no one would get bored.  I was always a topper in my school even though I talked a lot. It was like every teacher used to, you know, make me stand up and punish me all the times. And,” she giggled “once, a teacher was fired by principal because I was talking with her and the rest of the class was doing nothing fruitful. You know people actually gift me mobile talktime. You all know? Once, it happened that,”

“Ahem Ahem Sarkia! You were brilliant dear, we all will listen to your story once are done with the rounds” Faizal took her by arm back to her place.

“Miraya, come up”, Faizal said.

Miraya walked in her normal way that was as good as elegant and introduced herself,

"Hi everyone”, Miraya smiled coyly,”I am Miraya, FE EXTC. Well, I am a classical dancer and I play keys. People say I write well and the thing I would like to change about myself is control my anger on some crazy people. Thankyou. ” Rudra smiled at the anger part.

One by one, everyone introduced themselves. The last turn was Rudra’s.

Rudra actually walked like a male model, and then did a signature Michael Jackson step and the famous moonwalk.

“Woooooo”, the audience shouted.

“Hi this is Rudra Agnihotri again and all I love is – DANCE!”, he said charismatically,” I am good at influencing people and shaking their thoughts about really anything, and well, I am bad at disappointing my friends.” Rudra grinned and winked, and walked back to his place.

 It was time for second and final round then- ‘The Q & A Round‘. One by one the hosts were asking hilarious questions to the contestants. They were...

“Tell us a way you in which would like to rag a junior”, a contestant was asked. He replied that he would make him dance on an item song. And his fate was bad, because his seniors- the hosts, ragged him by making him dance on an item song.

“Sarika, tell us, who is more good looking, Tushar Kapoor or Himesh Reshamiya?”

“Okay. First of all none of them is good looking, but since you want an answer, I would say 

Tushar Kapoor, because Himesh Reshamiya looks old and....”, and Sarika went on and on and she had to be paused again.. Yet she smiled and thanked the audience.

Other questions were,

” If you fall for you best friend’s boyfriend, what would you do?”

“If Sunny Leone asks you for a date, would you go?”

“Two reasons why would you end up in heaven or hell.”

“What makes you think you deserve Miss Fresher title?”

"Ravi, what do you think, should inter-sex marriage be legalized in India?"

"How would you flirt with a nerd?"

And so on...

Only Rudra and Miraya were left. “We have something different for you both. We have seen Rudra dance already and Miraya claims to be a trained classical dancer. So, what about jamming then?”

“I am ready.”, Rudra was excited.

“But the song choice will be mine.”, Miraya said stubbornly. Before the hosts could say anything, Rudra agreed and the stage was then set up for the jam.

The song was Madhuri Dixit’s ‘Hey Ke-sara sara’. The truth be told, it was a beautiful performance. Both were dancing on that song for the first time. Without any collaboration, it seemed coordinated; without any prior rehearsals, it looked perfect. Both were dancing different genres, one Bharatnatyam and other Hip hop and freestyle, that too in two different corners of the stage, yet their energies matched. Miraya’s graceful body movements mingled with her naughty aggressive eyes and Rudra’s coolness and dudeness made their performance a complete thumbs up.  

Audience went crazy over this performance and showered many claps in the end. Finally Miraya had a smile on her face, not because of the claps; it was because of the joy that she had just got out of dancing. Rudra looked at Miraya and saw what he wanted to see – her real smile.

All the contestants were again invited on the stage to give away Mr.and Ms. Fresher badge of honour.

“Any guesses who the winners are?” Faizal asked the audience. Rudra had won many hearts; his name was taken the most. To Miraya’s surprise, she heard her name too.

“We don’t have much surprise element this time, so I’ll declare results straightaway. Mr. Fresher is Rudra, and Ms. Fresher is his dance opponent, Miraya.” Aashna announced grandly.

Both Miraya and Rudra were crowned and the college photographers took their pictures.

“Thankyou”, Miraya smiled and whispered to Rudra, and then all the contestants left to be the part of audience again.  

Rest of the time spent beautifully for Miraya. After the incident that had occurred in her life a few months ago, she had never really enjoyed anything, she never really thought she could and she had not gotten a chance to dance since then. Later that evening, she could effortlessly laugh on jokes cracked by Hari and also on Hari, she could dance like a party queen in the DJ and even eat heavily and heartily the dinner that was served after the DJ. 

Even if only a bit, she was herself again.

(To Be Continued...)

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