The Badge

                  After an exhausting week at college, I was making a to-do-list for the weekend. Room cleaning always comes first in my list because I always get a reminder from Papa to get it cleaned up so I always keep Saturday morning hours as a “DO NOT DISTURB , MY ROOM IS UNDER CLEAN-UP”. After sending good morning snaps and checking news feed, I was listening to upbeat music to get positive and happy energy and got ready with the cleaning essentials.

                 While keeping the books in order from my messy study table into the book rack, I got my eye on a dusty box which was lying in a corner of that rack. With curiosity, I opened the box. There were few badges which I collected since middle school; badges for being both selected and elected as the monitor of my class. I gently wiped away the dust from the badge, all my school memories which I cherish the most took me back to those carefree and overwhelming feeling. I proudly used to pin the batch in the school tie, walk around with heads held high, and greet almost every teacher I used to pass by inside the school premises. I believe those who got the chance to be the class monitor feels the same like I used to.

              As our teachers choose the most deserving student for that particular role after some observation as a person and both in curricular and extra-activities; they obviously seek for some expectations. Monitors/ Prefects/ Representatives are to set an example at ALL times. Example such as adherence to school rules, attendance, attitude, manners, respect and also the cleanliness and tidiness. Thinking about the school uniform, trimmed nails, polished shoes, ironed shirt, plaited hair, all of my classmates were obedient enough to follow the school rules and regulations. But, it is during the class time where the noise and disturbance led to chaos. As a 12, 13, 14 year old, we were told to take the names of those who disturb the class and submit their names to their respective class teachers at the end of the school hour. At this point, I had classmates who held grudges over me and it would led to break-ups with our friendship. But, how did I deal with those situations like the innocent misunderstanding, being left out from the group and becoming a teacher’s pet? It felt miserable, but I always waited patiently for the day my classmates realized that everything is unintentional and everything will be fine one day. I can tell, it was a school drama where all sort of student existed, the introverts, the show-offs, nerds, drama queens, Mr. I KNOW EVERYTHING, the happy go lucky and the emo blaming each other for getting into trouble, groupism which led to conflict inside the class and what not. But at the end, we all were friends, like a family.

              I stared at the badges for awhile, I felt certain connection, excessive feeling of enthusiasm, duties and responsibilities, attendance registers, class and subject teachers, 5- 10 minutes of minding the class (sometimes even more) and yes, broken friendships. Besides my experience (both sweet and bitter) as the class monitor, I most importantly saw myself growing up as a self-confident and broad minded youth. It has not only given me the platform to be self-aware and passionate for what I do but also has helped me better person than I am today. I can assure that I was and still am that person with the ability to empower and someone who is approachable, committed and a good communicator.

              Also, every badge in my collection allowed me to experience things which are really helpful for me to implement in my day-to- day life activities. The story behind every badge has made me realize the importance of qualities a good human should possess in the family, society and around the globe.