My First Job, Cappuccino and S.U.E.S!
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| Sultan-Ul-Uloom Education Society (logo) |
8th
August 2011 - I got my Relieving Order from the Society Office
stating 'Miss Asra Ghouse is hereby relieved from her duty at her own request.'
And I miss the Campus already. From my one and only school in India India
This is a
difficult post for me to blog. It's the first time I'm using Google Chrome. It's quite a washed
browser... Anyway... That included, this is a huge personal aspect of my life.
I don't know why I'm bringing it out to blog by the way. So, considering all
difficulties, I was stuck on the title (as usual! I mean how I'll name my kids,
beats me). Finally settled on a clichéd one - My First Job!
Thinking
back, I'd never seen S.U.E.S as a prospective employer for myself. What would I
be doing at an Educational Institution anyway? I can't teach. Neither am I
interested in managerial posts. Naah! Just not my thing. How wrong was I? Being
interested in the Production Industry, I became aware of the technical aspects
of manufacture. It was then that I decided to pursue a technical job. 3rd November
2010, saw me taking my Lab
Technician - Pharmaceutics dept. post at Sultan-Ul-Uloom
College of Pharmacy. Ta-da!!!
My first
job turned out pretty cool despite my apprehensions about it. Barring the first
week where I came face-to-face with dirty office politics and annoying
stereotyped behavior towards a fresher employee, it all came to rest when I
conducted my first technical assignment. Something related to Dew Point and
Humidity Charts if I’m not wrong. And when the first salary came, well to put
it simply- YAYYY! I can't show myself off in my lab, as I've grown too old to
click pics. I haven't clicked one in a long time. However, I can show my lab.
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| Pharmaceutics Lab II |
Despite
having a tight schedule of conducting nine labs in 6 days, my first semester
was pretty enjoyable. The procurement of chemicals, preparing the solutions,
granules, tablets, etc, the rush of students, the sudden inspections by AICTE,
JNTU, PCI , making the lab presentable and displaying it like a doll in a
showcase, the international delegates – I saw to it with wonder and amusement.
Back in my student life, lab meant only to perform an experiment and leave the
lab as soon as possible. In some cases, we’d just scribble our attendance/ have
it scribbled by a friend to rush off for some fun. How soon does the
perspective change? The most important thing this job taught me was
professional responsibility.
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| Machine Room (inside) |
The first few months did funny things to my ears. I’d hear
my juniors refer to me as ma’am. That’s acceptable I guess, for I was a staff
member now. But to hear it from someone who until then was MY sir/ma’am was the
most bizarre thing ever. Eventually I came to realize that I no longer was a
student there, and not to be referred, as ma’am was wrong. It gave me a sense
of pride in my job. (I SO want to laugh at this) Yes, my first job has given me
a lot to carry with. One of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever done during my
job was during the end of the first month. I’d demanded that my name must not
be included in the EPF plan. Not aware of the rules, I’d made a fine fool of
myself, not just in the Pharmacy block but also in the Society block. I
couldn’t see the logic of everyone having to be a part of it compulsorily. I
mean, they cut a part of your salary for crying out loud and they want you to
be a part of it. They must’ve seen me as a reckless little stupid girl who
doesn’t understand its importance. How they must have laughed at the
Treasurer’s Office when I’d left, I can only imagine.
Undoubtedly, the best memory of my job has to be the one
during the Examination Period. Tensed faces, tempers high made me both
nostalgic and amused. Amused because in a few hours everyone will realize they
were tensed for nothing and nostalgic for obvious reasons. The prime reason for
why I settle on this memory as the best is: I gave the students what we
couldn’t get during our student life – Air to breathe during the exams. And for
that I’m happy to have been there.
‘Thank you Asra. You made my exam easy.” – Asim*
“I’m glad you were there during my exam, Asra.” – Naila*
“Thanks babe!” – An anonymous note on my desk the day after
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More than missing the job, I’d probably miss the campus. The
captivating ambiance created by the beautiful gardens and the vast canopies of
leaves of the huge bougainvilleas and gulmohars
made it an abode of pleasantness all around.
My childhood saw me running about in these grounds, playing dodge-ball and badminton. As I reached my graduation days, the same grounds saw me sitting in the gardens, chatting with friends or reading a novel under a tree shade. Soon the grounds were to be enjoyed by just looking at them. While I worked, I couldn't roam about in the gardens. I could still enjoy its beauty by seating myself in the name of drinking coffee in the canteen.
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| Behind Pharmacology Lab (2008) |
As a friend of mine put it once,
"We can make a movie based on your life at S.U.E.S!"
Go ahead, I say! Signing out now... Until laters...
~ Asra Ghouse
*names changed on request
