Thread by @ramkid

Being on Twitter is like finding a table in a college canteen. It's been a while since I was in one. It may be different now. But I doubt it very much. Feel free to visualise your own memory. +

The college canteen is a no frills place. A large hall with tables with chairs around them. Ceiling fans ineffectual against heat and flies. A self service area. A counter for tokens. +

Students in their habitual gangs. Of course there are the loners. And the lovers. And the occasional cool professor, happy to hang out with the kids. +

Sometimes you walk in alone, in search of a table to join. Alone by circumstance, not choice. Because of a delayed experiment in the lab, an overdue library book you never read to be returned, some random bureaucracy like showing your July fee receipt to someone. Whatever. +

So you navigate your way across the hall with your cup of tea and samosas. You wave to someone. Nod at another. Ignore someone who's trying to catch your eye. Say congrats to someone for some achievement. You say it like you mean it. You don't. +

There's the nerdy group. Front to mid benchers. 90% attendance. That too without proxy. Have proper notes. Actually use library cards for reference books. Discussing mid term portions. And Pran Nath and Agarwal Question 7, Chapter 2. +

Then there are the lords of the last bench. Here after unbunkable pracs. Hence in full strength. Noisy as hell. Lots of laughter. Occupying way more space than they need. Planning the next (insert banned activity) session. +

The lefties. Discussing the next edition of the magazine nobody reads. And drafting a petition protesting something. +

The bullies. Led by the Big Brawn, surrounded by his spoons. Somehow, they get served at the table. And get off-menu items. They are discussing UP politics. Way more complex than Maxwell's equations. They are allowed to smoke. Or rather not disallowed. +

The lit cul music theatre gang. Passionately planning a festival that will attract loser teams from loser colleges because there are already so many other popular festivals. +

The geeks are at a table. There are some words of a known language in between all the other words they speak. They look a little crazy. They are actually a little crazy. +

The bridge gang. They need a bath. They haven't changed clothes for days. They haven't slept in ages. They are discussing how they should have bid at last night's game. +

Your tea and samosas are getting cold. You decide you'll just sit quietly somewhere and try to not look like a loner. Someone passes by and asks 'What's happening?'

ANTHE