Escorts
With the jitters of a newly minted freshman and the gleaming eyes of a big-time movie buff (the Bollywood fangirl in me being especially enthused), it was only yesterday that I had sung Elvis Presley to my escort. And now suddenly, a year had beamed past me, and I was not the one getting down on one knee.
It was me who was being asked out!
This year, these pre-event ‘shenanigans’ began on the 13th of September- when our 1st years, with every ounce of zest possible, asked out their preferred seniors from the 2nd year.
Now, it is much difficult to enunciate an exact picture of how it was planned and executed by the juniors, but my humble self shall try.
Some asked their escorts out in full Bollywood swing, singing and dancing to the evergreen 90s, “y2k”, and to the latest jams of the gen-z.
“My dil goes Mmmm”, “You are my Soniya” and “Aankhon mein teri” were just some of the songs that made the new seniors blush and glow. There were also some juniors who went the extra mile and personalized the whole experience for their escorts by bringing in the latter’s most cherished movie dialogues and music from their mother-tongues.
See, there is a reason why this tradition is indispensable to any AILians’ college life. What do we call it? A core memory, is it?
Also, there were still others who didn’t ask and who didn’t get asked. Not to worry though, they went stag, with all of their swag (and the super-cool shades most wore, were just an added pinch to the oomph).
Following the excitement of the Formal Introduction, Escorts ‘23 was awaited with wagons full of anticipation.
Well, the D-day arrived, and how!
Bedecked in the captivating mystique of a “Masquerade” theme, unfolded this evening on the 18th of September, that combined elegance with a dash of secrecy, and many generous measures of dancing.
The night commenced with the junior attendees embarking on a somewhat whimsical quest to uncover their escort partners as they stood with their beautiful masks on, in the basement. Emerging from this clandestine rendezvous, they strolled hand in hand, making their way to the splendid MPH, where the festivities were set to unfold.
The evening’s overture was a dance of chance, as escort pairs swayed to melodies drawn at random from chits – a playful game aptly named “Switch the Partners.”
The festivities continued with a medley of mirthful activities like “Guess Who” (my personal favourite), the all-occasion-game “Musical Chairs,” “Guess Your Escort Partner,” and the lively “Ping-Pong Ball Throw,” all adding a sprinkle of joy to the night.
The culmination was the grand finale, which saw the second-year students inviting their junior peers to the eagerly anticipated Freshers’ 2023. Their synchronized dance to the timeless beats of “Disco Deewane” not only got everyone grooving but also unveiled the forthcoming theme with a flair – “DISCO.”
As the night drew to a close, both batches converged on the dance floor, leaving behind the world’s worries and weaving a tapestry of cherished memories. It was a night of unity, laughter, and celebration, where the joyous present moment reigned supreme.
Freshers
The excitement is palpable from the moment you step into campus. There’s this adrenaline rush of picking out the perfect outfit, the thrill of meeting new people, and the sheer delight of dancing like nobody’s watching (even though everyone definitely is). Now, you may (or may not) ask what this all is for?
Only the event all of our freshly-out-of-school selves mark off our calendars for, like children counting days till Christmas.
FRESHERS’! Ho ho ho.
It is a rite of passage. It’s one’s formal & final induction into this crazy, brilliant & much-celebrated AILian way of life.
It is a party that isn’t just a night to remember; it’s the prologue to an entire college adventure, like plugging into a live wire of anticipation, charging up for the college journey that’s about to set hearts aflutter, minds abuzz, and dance moves on fire!
Coming back- “the event” everyone (the 2nd year, quite literally) had been on pins and needles for, had arrived.
It was September 22nd, 2023 and one couldn’t help but notice the Class of 2027, all bedecked in the blingiest of outfits, exploding with energy yet almost nervously, welcoming the incoming Class of 2028 into the sparkling MPH.
The theme? A big nod to the glitzy 70s- “Disco”, baby.
Let me paint you a quick picture here – the scene was the most ‘disco’ one would ever expect, with CDs and other handpicked décor from the various streets in Chandigarh, to a full wall of carefully chosen, some 500 b&w posters. A beautiful disco ball hanging down the center of the ceiling surrounded by metallic balloons, all reflecting the Pinterest-y projection lamps & fairy lights, as far as one could see- it truly was a sight capable of making an ‘Average Joe’ nostalgic, and a ‘Boogie buff’ weep in awe.
Now, even though the theme was all groove, the event was called ‘Equinox 2023’. This was, after much thought on the fact that the day marked the actual autumnal equinox of the year. It was a day where the lengths of the day & night were equal, where the sun & the moon shared a stage in the heavens, symbolizing a perfect balance of day and night, just as the freshmen, the Class of 2028, had been finding equilibrium in their newfound college lives. It was a moment when the light and the dark had come together, much like the diverse talents and personalities of the incoming students.
Anyway, the evening flew by just like a smooth ‘Bee Gees’ hit. The hosting band being: Dil, Anushka, Adhya, Srishti, and Vaani.
Dil and Anushka started the party and also, drew the curtains with poetry and flair. While Adhya, Srishti, and Vaani made the night shine with fun games like “Catch & Answer,” “Group Dance Battle,” and also, posed some interesting rapid-fires to the faculty.
The grand finale was the runway show, where students flaunted their style & smiles. Around 10 charming first years (5 girls & 5 boys) competed for 6 titles, in these rounds judged by Dr Amita Sharma & Dr Bajirao Rajwade.
Manvendra & Saloni were crowned “Mr. & Ms. Best-dressed” and, Aman & Alankrita were “Mr. & Ms. Congeniality”.
Reaching the most longed-for and anticipated results, the titles for “Mr. & Ms. Freshers’” were bestowed upon Lohit & Upasana, who with their grace and wit, won the crowd, and of course the judges’ hearts.
This was followed by the cake-cutting wherein Principal Ma’am & Registrar Sir harmoniously accompanied these two newly crowned freshmen, signalling the end of the festivities and to the scrumptious food awaiting all.
“Aur janaab, DJ night bhi toh baaki thi…”
So, with disco memories in their pockets and dreams in their eyes, the Class of 2028 ventured forth, knowing that their Equinox night had set the stage for a college experience that would truly be out of this world. Ho ho ho, indeed!
This article is written by Anushka Verma and Muskan Singh (2nd Year).
