Rivalries, Friendships and Bonds

The air was abuzz with anticipation.

8:30 a.m. and the hustle and exhilaration were quite visible. A school bus of 20 arrived, everybody got off and walked towards the entry. It was like a trained army squad. As soon as I walked through the gates, I could immediately feel the thrill through my being that drowned in an electrifying suspense of what the upcoming day beheld.

The proceeding we so awaited was nothing other than Immaculata – the multi-event Inter-school competition, organized by the students of St. Mary’s School on a yearly basis. With schools from all over Mumbai vying to participate, the excitement and enthusiasm were palpable. From sports to debate and from acting to singing, the events were vast and varied.

It surely goes without saying that Immaculata forms an important part of ICSE schools’ interschool event calendar.

I was representing the school in the Diplomatic Discourse and this was amongst the early and 1st events to kick off.

We kick-started our event with our chairperson announcing the start of the formal committee session. As the Delegate of the United Kingdom started to speak, the cheer of the football team, whose event had just gotten over, quickly muted his voice. The victories of the triumphant teams were quite unmistakable from the growing elation in their shouts and cheers. The air was agog with eagerness.

Our committee navigated through an array of crises, from Germany taking over Poland, to China attacking Japan. From Britain losing to Germany in war to Germany's tank failing in a war causing the Soviet Union to win. Our committee had some of the most bizarre updates that kept us on our toes.

As we approached the end of the first half of this thrilling and unique committee I walked into the auditorium for some time to see students dressed as robots, witches, and whatnot. The dramatics section of Immaculata! Our school had created our play around the fairytale, Cinderella. The nervousness and excitement on their faces were evident. It was pretty hilarious seeing these students running around trying to find their eyeshadow or a missing prop.

Our committee ended with the Soviet Union joining forces with Germany against America and a lot of new relations and memories that would last a lifetime.

The last segment of Immaculata comprised of the dance section. As soon as our committee ended we rushed to the auditorium waiting eagerly to see the dances. In spite of being the last event, these dances had an amazing level of energy and got the audience absolutely uplifted, cheering and shouting in joy. From gender discrimination to the story of Krishna, from women empowerment, to love, these dances portrayed some of the most heart-touching stories.

The St. Marys band managed to turn a performance into their own concert. Their energy levels were absolutely insane and it reflected greatly on the audience as well.

The air was invigorating with jittery yet warm emotions.

The closing ceremony or award ceremony (As we like to call it) was an absolute smasher, and being there with friends was an absolutely memorable experience. Holding each other's hands hoping our school’s name would be called out for certain events where we believed that we would be placed, hugging and cheering when we got placed.... the feels and vibes of a team truly came out and were felt throughout the auditorium. Every time a school won, we could hear the shouts of excitement and the roars of jubilation.

As one chapter closes and another begins, we look forward to future events with the same sense of eagerness and enthusiasm, with greater age and maturity. Events like Immaculata are the experiences that define our lives and shape our memories. They are the moments that uplift us and inspire us to move forward with joy and optimism.

The air smelled of the action-packed near future where these sweet memories were ones to stay forever. Never to grease away. Never to lose their luster. To remain as is till the end of time itself.