It was just an ordinary Friday morning but as soon as I looked at the
calendar I smiled because it was not an ordinary day, not anymore!! It was
teacher’s day…soon I was flooded with my school memories, memories that had
made my life so special. For a moment I hated my bag which was all packed to go
to a frivolous conference. I didn’t want to go. I just wished to be back at
school with all my friends.
Reluctantly, I got up to get ready. I was not excited and even got really
late. I left my house at 11:40am when my call time was of 12:00pm. I knew I was
late but, I didn’t care. Therefore, I reached at the hotel at 2pm. All through
the way I tried to smile and muster up little excitement but it was all in vain
and thus, I soon gave up on it.
Finally, after about two hours of travelling and heading in the wrong
direction once, I reached the hotel where the so called “AIESEC in Delhi IIT
September Leadership Conference 2014” was supposed to take place. Not an
impressive hotel but, then I didn’t even have any expectations. Actually, I
didn’t have any expectation from this whole conference.
I get my luggage out of car and stand in a queue to get it checked for any
eatables. Like seriously, I felt so like a school kid!! I get my room number
and head inside with my luggage. OMG!! My luggage was so heavy. I reach stairs
and stare at them for a while. I wait to see if someone would help me but, then
I tell myself that I’m a strong, independent girl who doesn’t need anyone’s
help. I pick up my luggage and start climbing the stairs. I reach my room but,
stand out for while to catch my breath.
Now, while writing this do I realize that the first step into that room 118
was so special. I didn’t know that just an ordinary hotel room would make my
life turn upside down. It was as if someone had pushed me into a hole. My
fairytale had started as soon as I had stepped into that room and I was the
ALICE who had gotten into wonderland unknowingly.
Day 1
I met my department (Youth Marketing Musketeers-YMM) managers and members
in room. I felt awkward sitting there but, soon I saw myself listening to the
weirdest and craziest things about people. I was surprised at every story. When
it was my turn to share, well, let’s just say I didn’t have much to share.
After this ice breaking sessions, our managers asked us to prepare a “Jive”
and “Roll call” for our department. We started with jiving and the song
selected was “tu lagawe jab lipstick”. Oh God!! In the beginning I just
couldn’t stop laughing as I heard the song, let alone think of any possible
steps for it. But, soon I found myself following the steps and actually
enjoying. We had prepared our jive and in the process a few other members and
managers had joined us. Then, our managers left us for a while and we had a
crazy DARE game in which we gave all the possible wild tasks.
Till evening I had met so many people and when I went for the first Plenary
I found myself shouting my department and DI (Delhi IIT) roll call at the top
of my voice. Even though, I’m not a dancer and quite shy, I simply loved jiving
before every session. With evening session our conference truly began. We met
our LCP (Local Committee President) and Executive Board (EB) members. We
officially started the conference.
As the night extended we touched all kinds of topics from abstract to
serious world issues. I never imagined myself seeking solutions about world
issues in middle of the night or for that matter proposing an Executive Board
member in front of about 150 people. I could already feel myself coming out of
the cocoon, emerging out as a more confident and independent person.
But, the journey had just started. First night our conference finished
around 3 am. After this we were not supposed to sleep since we had our skuling
night at which I cheered for my team at the top of my voice. So, this first day
I slept at 5 am and woke up at 7:30 am.
Day 2
With just around 2 hours of sleep, everyone woke up and got ready to make
it to the morning conference at 10:30 am. As usual it started with a jive. We
finally met our official chair for the conference and started the session with
the punishments. Yeah, people who were late to the conference were given
punishments.
The conference sessions on second day focused on familiarizing the new
recruits with the actual work they had to do in their respective departments. Also,
we had one-two-one chat with our president and our chair (who was an ex-LCP in
Russia) too told us about the Russian culture. We had auctions for the prom of
the executive board members in between our sessions, which were so amazing and
hilarious. Two girls from my department got dates for the prom with an EB
member and yes, our very own LCP!!
PrOm NiGhT <3 <3
Love was in the air or not…well, I can’t say much about it but, yes the air
was drugged with happiness. If there is something like getting “high on
happiness”, well then I was really drunk on the happiness. I was giddy with joy
and it all happened because I asked an EB member to dance with me and he did!!
Like OMG!! When I went to ask him I was so scared but then I mustered up
courage and went to him and said, “Can I have one dance with you?”
“Where is your prom?? You should be dancing with him!!” he replied as he
kept his phone inside. The way he had kept his one hand on my shoulder in the
cliché patronizing gesture of a school teacher, I so felt like a school kid at
that moment. In that moment I thought that he would refuse and I felt like
running away from that room. But, guess what?? I didn’t have to because the
next moment he looked at me smiling and said, “Okay, I’ll dance with for 2
minutes and then you go back to your date”.
Oh yeah!! I didn’t shout out loud but I was actually going crazy. Finally,
I had asked out him…a person who I was so scared of. I did it!! I conquered
yet, another of my fears. The song on which we danced was “pehla nasha, pehla
khumar”, it was the perfect song for the occasion. It was not the perfect song
because of the cliché reason that I had some crazy crush on him; it was just
that for me it was the first time that I had done something so out of my character. During
the whole dance he tried to ask me a lot of things and I didn’t answer because
I was so happy.
After dancing with him, I danced for quite a while with my friends. I slept
at 5:40 am.
Day 3
It was the last day and a lot people were suffering from the last night
hangover. I woke up at 8 am. Got ready and had my breakfast. I reached the
conference on time but, I went out and ended up getting the coin punishment.
Like seriously, I always end up screwing things. It was okay, after the
punishments the whole day went on like the previous day. But, third day’s
sessions focused more on self-introspection and strengthening the trust between
the team members.
We discussed our weakest moments and first time everything fell in place.
Till then the people who had been like strangers suddenly, became my confidante
and secret bearers. Their stories told me so much about them. During the last 2
days I had asked a lot of questions because some of them were like open book
but, there were some people who were giving me a really hard time. I was not
able to figure them out. After that session it dawned on me that I was sitting
with not some bunch “nobodies” but, with extraordinarily brave people who had
won a lot of battles. Though, in the process of winning they were not
unscathed. They had proud battle scars; some visible other invisible. They
taught me that “life goes on” and with every problem you emerge out to be
stronger and better version of yourself, one just has to hold on tight and
never give up!! Also, the JFDI videos were shown. The best team and delegate
were awarded too.
With all this and more our conference ended with a last party. We had an
official department toast before the EB party. We all shared our experience and
I finally got out of the hotel at 5:40am with my luggage. My managers and
members were still dancing. I had said a quick goodbye to everyone I could meet.
As the morning breeze entangled my hair I realized that it was not an ordinary
day when I stepped onto this threshold, neither this conference was frivolous!!
I wanted the time to freeze but, life goes on and I had left behind a
little piece of me in the form of sugar cubes for my YMM team.
My whole experience of SLC challenged all my pre-conceived notions about
the world and its workings. My basic beliefs and principles were constantly
challenged at every turn and there came a time when I felt like a misfit and suffered
identity crisis. But, I didn’t give up and persisted on my way of life even
when the whole order of my life was collapsing down. This SLC taught me not to
quit on stuff, rather it showed me the other way which was not the conventional
one but surely better than giving up.
This conference had redefined hope and optimism in my life. It taught me to
not give up on my values rather modify them to cope up with this fast pace
life. It taught me to be more adaptable and non-judgmental. It somewhere
redefined the limits that I had set for myself and helped me to broaden my
horizon and dream big!! I conquered most of my fears and became a better person
than what I was last week!!
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