To Be A Janitor's Assistant...

Wednesday afternoon, 15^th of May, and I am sitting in an auditorium waiting for yet another event of NSS, Meet the Scientist, to start. As it mentions scientist I have an image of this nerdy guy with frowning brows and hurried step. Yet the man who is staring out at me from every of the six corners of the auditorium is the complete opposite of what I imagined. This is Dr Adil Najam, as the poster shouts out at us. He is also VC LUMS, winner of Goodwin medal for effective teaching and numerous other things.

Dr Adil’s turn to hold the stage came soon and hold he did. For the better part of two hours or so he took us to an exhilarating and wonderful journey down memory lane, back to when he was a boy.

“When I was four years old, my parents left me at school. They haven’t yet come to pick me up.”

My assumption negated. He was a scientist after all. Only a scientist had to be this crazy to have passed three quarters of his lifespan (judged on the regional lifespan) studying; and still showing no signs of stopping.

I turned back to the stage. Dr Adil (I was beginning to like his personality with every passing minute) was telling how us about some of the lessons he had learnt from his life; “The seven lessons of my life” he called them.

Beginning with a lust for learning, I along with the audience was first lectured about the importance of humility. He was telling he had been a janitor’s assistant in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). (Funny, I thought, to travel all the way to MIT to be a janitor’s assistant). Then I heard him saying that his father was a government servant and I was brought to my senses.

He had a taste for dance too, as his life’s ambition was to see LUMS students as waiters in the LUMS cafeteria. Oh, but wait, wasn’t he saying something about being humble, I think that’s why, stupid me.

Then we were advised to build bridges, not walls. Yeah, you heard me right.

Build bridges, not WALLS.

I was just starting to think that being a civil engineer he had remembered some old phrase from his textbook, but then I came to know that he was actually telling us to keep our options open, not limit ourselves. Oh so that’s where the wall comes, I thought to myself.

Moving on to his work in the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change, he proudly told us that being a jack of all trades ( Law, Engineering,  Teaching)  he could converse with ease with everyone, as the other men on the panel were so liable to using their respective field’s jargon. But thanks to being in school since 4 years old, Dr Adil was able to sail through. This incident was narrated specially to lecture us on being multidisciplinary (and; this was me thinking, tempt us into learning all the life; fat chance I thought)

There are smart people in this world. And there are good people in this world, he tells us. But being smart is due to no effort on their part, they were born smart. But being good is an art, only few are able to master.

To be smart is good, to be good is great.

And then came the not so inspiring words

“Make friends on your way up, because you will meet them on your way down.”

I am sure we were just as confused as he himself was when his teacher uttered those words. Yet he was right in saying that,

”We all come down sooner or later. It is called gravity.”

As Dr Adil was so kind to tell us. And thus another remarkable session with another remarkable scientist ended with promise of numerous such remarkable sessions brought to you by the so very remarkable (I will say so, I am an executive member, hell yeah) NUST Science Society.

Life In A Professional Society

This is my own story based on experiences and memories regarding the workings of NUST Science Society and my perspective of things happening there.

When I first read the promo of NSS, I got all wide eyed and wishful. I saw in NSS everything an official society is depictive of, the professionalism (at least in their ads), the working way and the general environment. It was all very sophisticated and official and beautiful for me. Yes, I say beautiful because I had this feeling that being an NSS member makes you automatically very important, that you are contributing to the science throughout the world, and that you are at a level above the lowly laymen (read students who don’t give a damn about societies).

My professionalism rating of NSS 10/10.

 Well I applied in publications, submitted the tasks…. and lo and behold; I got an interview call. I couldn’t believe my luck. Being a freshman in engineering and just beginning to grasp the intricacies of the professional world, it was heaven for me that I was being called for an interview!!A real live interview!!!! I got all excited and waited anxiously for the big day. Being from another campus of NUST, I had my interview on Skype. I had this picture of a strict, important looking man, thoroughly professional, with the aura of a dragon. The next thing I knew I was looking at the face of this crazily smiling nice young girl (three years senior to me but still a girl!!!). I immediately relaxed and then we were talking, laughing, sharing experiences and I don’t know what else. But then the meeting (it didn’t seem like an interview really) was over and she was saying that if we select you we will tell you. Ok I said.

And then I waited. And waited.And continued waiting.

 And then again I waited.

Then I asked my elder brother who is doing job whether you call an interviewerand ask whether you were selected or not. I was of this view that maybe I had been rejected that’s why I was being ignored. My bro said ask them, they won’t bite:D Ok I said.

 I wrote them a nice long email asking about what happened to that interview I gave a month ago, and WOW!!! They were tumbling over themselves saying apologies, and that it was a mistake and that they are extremely sorry and that I had been selected. This was one and half months after the interview, mind you! So that’s how my impression of a professional society slipped some notches.

Professionalism rating 8/10.

This is summer semester and the month of May. I anxiously wait for my letter. Which not unexpectedly, never comes. Then the finals start and I am beginning to curse the society heads for being so irresponsible about their recruitment drive.

Then in the fall semester, after two and half months that is, I again contact them and ask them about my selection. Their response hit me like a bombshell. They were saying that it was the beginning of a new session all the old admin had left and they had a completely new admin and didn’t know anything about any recruitment drives in March. What the hell! I thought in my head. I showed them their own promo. Which, againnot unexpectedly, they didn’t recognize. Sigh. I then contacted my campus coordinator, who contacted the HR Director, and after a week of pulling strings, I was able to make them realize that they indeed had selected me and that I was now officially executive member of the Professional Society. Let’s see what lies ahead.

I went to the event immediately after my selection that was MTS (Meet The Scientist).All executives’ presence was mandatory as here was to be a group photograph of the full team of NSS comprising around 80 executives, office bearers, group head etc.  So my friend (who also got selected as NSS member)planned to go to the event. Unfortunately we got very late, and upon reaching SCME (School of Chemicals and Materials Engineering) Seminar hall, we found that everyone was filing out. We waited sheepishly at the entrance for the photograph. After the group photo I asked about my director from the joint secretary and explained to him that we got late;sorry about that. I expected a reprimand, but their response took me by surprise.

Us: Sorry sir hamaydairhogaihm ne meeting misskr di. Apbta den wo(director)kahanhain

He: Meeting misskrdi?koibaatni, group photo me to thayna?

Us: Han sir thay

He: Phirkhair ha

Us: :D

I was just beginning to grasp the meaning of the word professional. Oh so thoroughly professional:D

Professionalism Rating 7.5/10

Then I found my director and had a long chat with my director about how I am from a different campus, and how I cannot come to each and every meeting, probably I will rarely be seen here,I said. Its ok she said. I was thankful she understood me. We had his conversation for like 30 minutes. Then after this we (my friend and i) left for EME College.

 I was now at ease. I had become the member of a professional (looking) society, and I had made friends with director (sort of) and didn’t have to goto their meeting, but still got to carry the tag of NSS with me and show off to my friends. Oh how I enjoyed watching them burn :D

Then a week later, tragedy struck. My director changed and the new director immediately called ameeting of her team. I was left standing in chest deep water. But I managed to wiggle out of this one. And once again everything was ok.

Then one day as I was online on Facebook, I got a message from the president….I couldn’t believe my eyes. I, a lowly executive member, was being inboxed by the NSS President. Wow, this HAD to be important. It sure had to be. I quickly replied her. Better read the conversation.

President: So how does it feel to be a part of NSS finally?

Me:(feeling that I had to be extremely professional and sophisticated as this was the high and mighty president… better impress her).

Me:It feels quite great to be sitting in EME and have some association with H-12 campus frankly and some apprehension on the high level of quality and work. I will have to be on my toes as i will be very concerned about the quality of my work not matching your high level of expectations :D

President (obviously bored by my professional talk):Ok , for now just share it on your wall.

(Sends me the promo  of the next event)

Me: (speechless)

Had I read correctly? Was this really the president? Was this the leader of NUST’sBiggest and Most Professional Society? She was asking me to share the promo on my Facebook wall. What a dumb thing to do. And surely unbecoming of the president. But well I guess she was human too (ofcourse she was -_- , that was me on the seventh sky, everyone else was on first slip , stupid me, share the poster on my wall, of course I could do that, what was stupid in that, stupid me,I will never forgive myself for thinking that way again.

Professionalism Rating 6/10

Well, well, well, so much for professionalism. After daydreaming two months about the most professional society of NUST, I was getting enlightened on every step. After that , as I was to find out through experience, there was not so much work to do as the showoff that came with it. On the society’s main page, the main regular activity was..,. Guess what??? Wishingbirthdays !!! Yes you read correctly. Upon asking the HR Director (whose job I guess it is to keep the page healthy, juicy, and full of activity, no matter how mundane it is ) her answer was;

HR Dir: NSS is a professional society and we wish birthdays to show that we are apart from the grinding factories of the professional world andwe do care about our executives. Fair enough, I thought.

But the continuous lack of activity on my group page of publications was unnerving. Wasn’t there anything to do at NSS I thought?

Then my sensible friend of EME college told me that as NUST is a new university they don’t have that much societies and events, so whatever societies they have, no matter how much people are on their team, work is done by only a diligent few. And the rest are merely on reserve. Wow I thought.

Professional Society Rating: 4/10.

Life kept going on this way. I was at my grandmother’s one day when I got a text from my director “Check fb inbox”. Sigh. I thought. After waiting for any type of work to do for almost two months, I am now being contacted when I have come to uncle’s wedding.

Apni to bad luck he kahrab ha yaar.

 I profusely apologized , she graciously accepted. And life was normal again.

Then next semester started and I began with a new will to scale back on extracurricular. I resolved to give aback seat to professional society (was it still professional? the only thing professional was their two piece suits in events)

The Dawn Of Inspire:

But to my horror, NSS pulls off a big one with Inspire (Internship  Student Poster Presentation), I wasn’t even following it on the group as I didn’t give a damn about internship ( I was still in second year and not interested in internships, at least for now ).

I am at my aunt’s one day and then I get this text from my friend, tune on Sachal TV. I had never heard of it before, but still I tuned in on it, and wow!!!This is my society on TV. Can you believe it. The professional society is professional after all. I tell anyone and everyone under the sun about this event.

I AM in this society. This is MY society. I AM an EXECUTIVE MEMBER of this society.

 Did you appear on TV?

Go to hell dammit. Who cares whether I came on TV or not. IT is my society and I am still a member of it.

But nobody Is interested and I start to cool off too. After all, what is the big deal anyway, Professional society or not, it is still run by students.

What the matter if everyone is not so sophisticated as I hoped, they are after all humans, and you can’t be perfect. That does not mean that I am, but I still felt that these people were super professional people.

 In short I have come a long way from the wide eyed, highup to the seventh sky kid of the first year who wet his pants just watching the message of the president on his inbox.

Enlightenment:

After all, this is student society and everyone, no matter their posts is a student. At the end of the day it is collective benefit for all of us. We all learn from each other. What’s the big deal if we crack jokes sometimes? We are humans too.  And I personally liked everyone’s happy go lucky attitude in the event I went and met them (that happens to be a grand total of two events :D ). At the end I am thankful to NSS for giving me an opportunity, and I am sure I will learn more from it in the days to come.

Professionalism Rating:  Who Cares?:D

Story Of One Rejected In Love

Life is full of surprises and startling revelations. Agreed? No? Well let me share with you a bitter sweet experience. There was this seminar on “Zero Energy Homes” by guest speaker Saad Asif CEO Nexton Group, organized by NUST Science Society under its series of seminars TECHTALK. I attended this seminar and at the end of the seminar there was this interactive question and answer session in which the organizers asked some questions from the audience based on the lecture given by the guest speaker. It was basically a clever tactic to check if anyone was paying attention, plus to make sure the audience stayed on its toes (in a manner of speaking) next time around. Correct answer warranted a free Kit Kat chocolate bar (I happen to love Kit Kat very much).

On the first question asked I eagerly raised my hand determined to win a Kit Kat (i hadn’t eaten a Kit Kat for a long time).

Host: What is the biggest source of power consumption in homes?

Me (effectively misinterpreting the question and with everyone’s eyes on me): Iron

(Silence)…

…

…

God, why did I raise my hand? Why? But then the organizer pronounced my answer as incorrect, and I was relieved of my misery.

Not to be deterred I raised my hand again a few questions later. This time I was very confident my answer was right because I happen to have done a lot of reading on this stuff.

Host: What is the first step to power efficiency?

Me: Reduction of power losses in distribution and transmission.

Host: Sorry?

(I was sitting in the last corner of the hall)

Me: REDUCTION OF POWER LOSSES IN DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION!!

Host (after a moment of deliberation): Incorrect!

Now, I am seething. The question asked was WHAT was the first step to power efficiency, not HOW you achieve it. I was sure my answer was right. Though not in the exact wordings but still it was correct. Alone, sitting in the corner of the seminar hall, with half of the directors siting behind me, I felt like a fool.

Well you tell me, if I said milk was beneficial for children. And you said no, not the milk, but the cow is beneficial. What would be your reaction? Part of me wanted to raise hell in the middle of the hall and challenge the organizer’s decision. But then I thought better of it and looked forward to the free samosas and tea awaiting me.

During the refreshments when I was talking to other executive members I met my best personality of the day, the organizer himself. I made no issue of hiding my bitterness and shared with him my grievance, to which he smiled and said that those chocolates were a marketing perk to arouse interest in the audience and thus were not for members of society itself.

So this (embarrassing) experience taught me quite a few things.

Number 1: Being the organizer you can’t share the privileges enjoyed by the general audience J

Number 2: Always be attentive in these lecture and seminars, because you never know, there might be a packet of chocolates lying inside that dais. 

First Five Minutes In The Exam Hall

The world has indeed advanced a lot and we rightly live in the age of modernism. In the olden days there was no TV, children played in the open, there was physical interaction among people and we used to write essays on topics like “Last Five Minutes in the Exam Hall”. Now all of this has become much more advanced. Now situation has changed so much that I am compelled to write an essay on “ First Five Minutes In The Exam Hall”.

 I will explain how. Today was our Engineering Material sessional and i along with my friends had prepared well for it. Actually we were very confident that we had prepared well and were like, bring it on!!! But there is a saying that “A cat teaches lion all tricks except climbing on the tree”. I am afraid our Materials teacher also taught on the same lines and upon looking down on the paper it was the same story:

 In class: 

1+1=2 

 In exam:

f(x,y)=summation delta sinx/under root of cot2x. Integrate the expression

Needless to say that when the exam started, while everyone was writing on full tilt and was thinking which answer he knew best, i was thinking whether to make a run for it now or five minutes later.  Those five minutes were the most crucial in the whole paper. As i had to make a decision, then and there, in the full presence of all students and teachers, whether to do the paper or not. They say that time heals everything. I agree with them. Time surely heals everything, including one's sense of shame. For when i resolved that i would do the paper, i first had to dispel the feeling of ashamedness at what my parents would say if they were present now. That solved, the next big step was to see whether i knew ANY of the questions a little bit. Tears filled my eyes ( from the inside) when i remembered the good ol' days when i checked to see if i knew ANY of the questions a little less so i could leave it in choice. But i was brought back to reality when our teacher came in the class to check upon us. He went to see each student personally and asked if there was any problem. When he came to my desk, I learned that i am very good at controlling emotions, and that this teacher also gives courses on Anger Management. Well i ignored the violent infighting going on in my heart, and said with a big smile in my face, “Sir there is no problem, You have made a wonderful paper "( the latter i said in my head).

As the paper progressed my decision making capabilities were being enhanced every second, as i found out that the longer i remained in the exam hall, the more i dwelt on the paper, and the more i was able to derive from it. For staying in the exam hall made me DO the paper, and once i had resolved to do the paper, there was no looking back. I did all the question asked of me, though i hardly knew anything about the long question, in fact i doubted i had even read that topic, but there is always a saying there that," Where there is a will, there is a way". So i kept doing the paper even when my course mates had started to leave the hall looking dejected, and i am proud to say i did the paper good enough to get respectable marks (and be able to look my friends in the eye)

That day i truly began to respect my Math’s teacher, who emphasized all the two years i studied from him, that whatever happens," Don't leave the exam hall before time." Now i know the value of his words. And thank Almighty for being kind upon me, and giving me the chance to study from such a great teacher.