Practicals are for Life!.....
Practicals were always fun. That was the joy of the sciences stream. We all got to spend umpteen number of hours in the various practical labs around the campus. I’d rather have a couple of hours of Practicals than theory. Physics was not always fun. How much fun can you have with a screw gauge or a set scale. All the optics experiments were fun with refractive indexes galore. The tuning forks and the pendulums were all very educational. I just wish I’d spent more time in the Physics lab than at the College Canteen. Well, you would do the same if your Physics professor was the one who took all us gals to the canteen. Let’s go gauge the size of the Samosas in the College canteen. I don’t think I learnt much of Physics at college but I sure had lots of fun.
Biology was gross – I never wanted to look at a frog’s innards up close and personal. I’m very happy not knowing much about the inner workings of an earthworm, or a frog, or even a mouse – ewwwww! Hated all of it. Never liked it and I never will. I still remember in 4th class at Lawrence, we used to have a science lab where we would have our science classes. It used to be filled with glass jars of various sizes with tiny human fetus’ in some kind of solution. All the boys just loved the whole display. Especially Mr Nar Kankaal who hung in the center of the class. It totally grossed me out though. And it didn’t get any better in the higher classes. We had to dissect a plethora of animals and insects in the name of science. I still remember this one time in 10th class (at Pathankot), where our very formidable Mr Ohri was cutting up a poor mouse and the blasted rodent woke up. Apparently the chloroform had not been administered properly. That was a sight to behold, I didn’t know who was more pitiful, Mr Ohri who was trying to pin down the poor mouse with his left hand and at the same time trying to administer chloroform with his right, or the poor, poor, pitiful mouse who was soon going to meet his maker. I always knew growing up that I was not cut out for Biology – especially Zoology.
I didn’t mind botany, a tad bit boring but at least a pleasant couple of hours spent picking flowers was always a good change of pace. All those long nature walks across Lovedale pretending to admire and collect fauna. Botany I could dig, Zoology never did much for me. Speaking of earthworms, if you’ve ever been to Ooty in rainy season, you’d see earthworms almost as fat as my chubby fingers and about 10 inches long. We used to have these piano lessons where each aspiring pianist would be called one by one for a private one-on-one session with the music teacher. And while we awaited our turn, the boys would always dig around for earthworms and torture them till their turn was up. Ugggh! Boys will be boys will be boys.
Now, Chemistry - I loved the chemistry lab. All those tests to analyze the actual salt given to you. All the KMNO4 and the NA2SO4 and the smells of the Chem lab. I always enjoyed chemistry even if I could not decipher the mysteries of molarity, formality, molality. All ambiguous words dealing with the concentration of solutions. To me they all sounded the same – 1 molal solution, 10 formal solution – ehhhh! What’s an extra pinch of salt. Put it all in, mix it with a stirrer and pray to God, you had the concentration right. The only ones who really had any inkling were our Lab assistants or Labass’s as they were popularly known. The rest of us just fumbled though the experiments. Hmm, the solution was supposed to turn Red, well baby pink is all I have. You knew you were doomed if the experiment began with “Prepare one molar solution…..” Time to get down on one’s knees and pray. I sure garnered a red, when my teacher gave me a big fat 0. But like I said, always fun. The centrifugal machine and the jars of varying sizes, the litmus papers, and the lab coats with an infinite number of holes. I totally loved Chemistry. Even organic chemistry. A little C2H5OH - ethyl alcohol anyone. Hic! Hic! Finding the chemistry lab at St Josephs was always easy – just follow your nose. You’ll either reach the Chem lab or you’d be at the mess – a similar smell permeated from both places.
But, Practicals do not end with college. There are still experiments to be done in real life. Still many demonstrations to perform in our day to day lives. Like teaching one’s children how to hold a pencil. Or demonstrating to your child the importance of neat handwriting. Washing hands after visiting the toilet. Oh! And having regular baths. Mysterious concepts to the ignorant child, but hey, one has to begin somewhere.
Some demonstrations you give and some you learn from. I always take out a notebook and pencil when my Mom or my Mother-in-law cook. I always write down the recipes as best as I can down to the last detail. I drive my Mother-n-law nuts with my attention to detail. I still remember when Nallu and I first shacked up together, meal times were always interesting. We were so clueless that everything we made always tasted the same – Yucky!
My elder son now gets home science experiments from school. This year in second grade their last project was to collect all the seeds they could get a hold off. A few days later he came home with a Rajma plant – they were learning about germination, which is much better than my neighbor’s son who brought home a live goldfish. Their class was learning about fishes. And how can I forget all the experiments that my sons perform on each other. They both are on a quest to discover each other’s coefficient of irritability. If I pull Dadu’s hair, how irritated will he get. Or what if I snatch away the Elmo Rishab is playing with, will he cry or will he go complain to Mommy. You’ve all seen the ads, “He’s touching me….No I’m not touching him”. At times like these, it is tough demonstrating a calm that one definitely does not feel.
So last night I had on Remington Steele Season three when we sat down to dinner. So Nishad, the cheeky little boy points out how I was breaking my own rule. I’m very big on no TV at meal times. But it’s not TV, it’s Remington Steel! Drat! Caught by my own rule. Practicing what you preach is also very difficult.
We’re currently in the middle of potty training my younger son. Rishab is almost there, he just needs a little practice. A few accidents here, a few extra loads of laundry there and hopefully we will all be set in a few more weeks. Rishab can pee by himself, or “I stan’up and go poo poo, Mommy” as he puts it. And guess how the little boy learned about the whole concept of stan’up pee pee. Apparently his “Daddy” demonstrated it for him. For the first time in my life, I’m ecstatic that I have two boys.
Pillu.
PS: This brought back a lot of memories. Hopefully it does the same for you. Also, below is picture of the Chemistry lab at St Joseph’s. Last December I visited my alma mater with a fellow classmate. I took my son along to demonstrate how important college was. It did not help my cause since all the lecturer’s remembered my batch as the noisiest batch on campus to date. I think Nishad totally got the wrong message. His decibel level has hit an all time high.
Written by Ms Amareshita Pillalmarri (1989 - 1991 B.Sc Batch) - Alumnus
