Slurp. I love sweet stuff. That is why when I passed out from Utpal Shanghvi School a little more than a year ago, I secured admission in Meethi Bai, er … Mithibai College!
It is a different matter that at that time, my nationalistic feelings were aroused, and I wanted to declare to the world Jai Hind! No, not National’s … please, If I had to go to Nationals, I would rather not be a patriot.
“Hal put … admission vath!” (Come child, here’s your admission). On learning that I belong to the community that loves papads (Sindhis), Jai Hind was welcoming me with open arms. But no, the masochist I am, I gave up the best, and decided to develop a sweet tooth. Mithibai College, I didn’t think it sounded too bad…
The formalities done, I was given my college ID, with the photograph of someone who seemed familiar. The gravity-defying hair were mine, all right, but I wonder when my face became that bad. But then, all IDs look bad, don’t they?
The first week of college was spent in acquainting myself with a college which boasts itself to be one of the best in Mumbai. Yeah, there was no sign of those pathetic raggers, wonder if next year, I may become one though…!
A few misconceptions were cleared away soon. Mithibai is not THE college, if you are in it for pure studies. If that is the case, Sathaye’s and Ruparel beckon you. Moreover, it’s not THE fashion college, as it is widely believed. Xavier’s and Jai Hind certainly have more hep crowds, and ooh la la, if the babes at Jai Hind and Xavier’s are post-graduates, the Mithibaiite females are still in kindergarten. (Ok, guys, you caught me there! That, and not my patriotism, was the reason I wanted Jai Hind)
Yet, Mithibai is, after all, Mithibai. A college, which soon, becomes like your home. If you are one of the lucky few who take Commerce, you got a centrally air-conditioned building, with AC classrooms, hi-fi projectors, beautiful tiling, beautiful campus, and a PH and CCD to boot (Pizza Hut and Café Coffee Day for the ignorant). Alas! If wishes were horses, I would ride. On taking Science, I had to resign myself to the ‘Main’ Building, which is called Main, purely because t was constructed earlier. No AC, no green plants, no hi-tech facilities, and sadly, neither is there a PH, nor a CCD. “Padhne jaate ho ya AC mein baithne?” That was my dad’s question. My answer was the latter, but that’s a different matter…
Ok, it’s not as good as the Commerce section, but the faculty is good. Teachers are knowledgeable and friendly. Of course, the hopeless ones are there, too. But, that’s part and parcel of every college, isn’t it? The laboratories are top notch. One of the best in the city, if not the best, surely. And for the ones addicted to Archer, Sheldon, Grisham, Rowling et al, the library is spacious, and has a good collection.
Hungry kya? No, you haven’t come across a commercial for Dominoe’s Pizza. You still are (un)lucky to be reading my review. What I meant is that when you suffer hunger pangs, you can go kahin bhi, kaise bhi. Ok, I eat too many chocolates, sorry … but what I meant was that Mithibai is surrounded by the yummiest of food stalls. Don’t dare to miss Dheeraj’s sandwiches and Shivaji’s scrumplucious vada-pavs!
All in all, Mithibai may not be numero uno, but it certainly isn’t a bad option for the ones who reside in the suburbs. And anyway, just like the song ‘Jeena yahan marna yahan’, for me, it is ‘Pass hona yahan, Fa…’ NO! I don’t wanna fail!