Well, the last year our then Second Years organized a wonderful annual intercollegiate biotechnology festival – Helix. We the First Years provided the man power required on the day of the event. Me and my friends were even part of the Treasure Hunt event which attracted the biggest crowd. (An intercollegiate event without a treasure hunt is lame.)
Now, today its almost exactly a year since Helix 2011 and we are on the threshold of venturing into Helix 2012. Some where in between this one year, the baton of Helix had been passed onto us unofficially and imaginarily. Back then, being just mere volunteers, we had no idea what it takes to organize an event as big as Helix with very limited number of students. We never thought our batch had the capability and resilience to pull of such a feat. But as the wise men said, “Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man”. Well, in this case, it is more women than men! My friends who didn’t even turn an eye accidentally towards Helix last year are the ones who are working as hard as the ploughing farmer, hoping to reap an excellent yield. Some are even holding the whole monopoly of Helix (even the main coordinators!)
Building upto the final days in the countdown, our beloved biotechnology lab resembles nothing less than a Dharavi warehouse. The usually slick and clean lab floors and tables are now messy and untidy. Chart papers from posters, ribbons, box boards for the props, sketch pens, pencils all lie on the floor like dead soldiers after a war. People work and move in a pace unknown to mankind! Almost as if the relative pace inside the laboratory is more than the outside world. Almost feels like Einstein’s theory of relativity can be tossed out of the window any time! Though in these final days I am sitting at home (I have a suspected case of leptospyrosis; by the time you read this I will know my condition) am not having a easy life either. Since the Mumbai clouds unleashed a catastrophe three days back in the form of unexpected heavy showers, I injured my leg wading through the waters. Nevertheless the water was no Holy thing and I got a swelling big enough to scare kids. Two days later, I started developing fever symptoms and my doctor advised me to undergo a test for leptospyrosis. As if I wasn’t scared to hear about this thing, my teacher at college told me he had a friend in school who died of this disease!
So I had to work from home and that was the auspicious time my computer crashed. So I had to shuttle between the internet café and home with the injured leg! So no one can say I sat at home and enjoyed while others slogged it out at the lab! Coming back to things at the lab, everything and everyone from different events are racing to finish all the preparations in time! Amina and Unain are the main coordinators as well as the pillar support of the Retroquest (Treasure Hunt). They spend their entire day shouting at the top of their voice explaining the First Years all the work they have to do. Besides they have to attend calls from participants who have their own fair share of doubts. They are also answerable to Sahir Sir (of course all are) regarding queries about the event’s progress. Both Sahir Sir and Vijender Sir make abrupt entries into the lab; sometimes with orders, sometimes with some or the other piece of information. They are the main coordinators of the event among the faculty members and have provided great leadership and support to us students.
Moving further, Mahendra and Mukul are the ones who did and are still doing most of the computer work. They are always busy in these end days; Mahendra with the T-shirts and Mukul with the banners. Besides they are also part of Retroquest so that means they make a mad scramble to get the event ready in time. The Scrab de crypté, which is a unique event and purely our own find is one event which is expected to garner great attention among the participants. It is a combination of Dumb charades and scrabble in the theme of biology. Our initial trials have assured us that this is one game the participants will take away with them when they leave! Creation of props for scrabble is a very hard thing and my team mates Nikhil, Hemani , Farheen and Saylee have worked very hard to accomplish it. Even the First Years did a wonderful job in making beautiful and creative posters.
Mohsin and me are very busy with the proceedings of the quiz competition. Especially since I am working from home, we are having a tough time communicating with each other. People belonging to Zooming Bandra- our photography event; have the least work to do. But even they are super busy with all the work that comes with the ending days! AD-here is another event of which Mohsin is again a part of! He and Neha along with the M.Sc students are preparing an excellent script for the skit and all are excited about that! Mohammed is the common factor in all the events. He is there wherever people need him (I mean shifting their work to him) and is seen roaming about the lab always. People involved in Pipette your Thoughts also have their hands full with all the other work. Besides all these, there is always some or the other work coming your way which you have to do. Things like designing coupons, taking minor printouts, being a mediator between students and teachers etc. are jobs all do at some or the other point of time.
All these hectic works mentioned above happen inside the four walls of the M.sc lab from morning 10 am to evening 5.30 pm between about fifty people. Imagine the chaos! Imagine excitement! Imagine the ecstasy! Imagine the anxiety of all the students and teachers working towards this one common goal – HELIX 2012! Ofcourse such dedication and hardwork never go unrewarded and we shall; God willing reap the benefits on the 8th of September, 2012. We hope to succeed in providing a happy and fun time combined with great knowledge to all the participants! We hope to provide the participants with moments they can treasure for a long time in the future! We hope to make the participants leave with the intention of coming back the next year! We hope to finish with a successful and all achieving HELIX 2012!
The Countdown Begins!
The Countdown Begins!
