BNU has a certain reputation. But what truly goes on at the sprawling campus is only known to the lucky kids who go there. If you have studied at BNU, you can definitely relate to these things:
1. The feeling of being on a journey every day to somewhere far far away from Lahore
An hour long drive to and from Tarogil felt like you were going somewhere far away for a really important journey, but sometimes you didn’t even take any classes and drove all the way back, achieving nothing at all.
2. Being greeted in the morning by Ejaz Uncle and Akram Chacha asking for the bus fee
And trying to hide away from him but his eagle eye always spotting you.
“Beta apki fees nahi aai.”
“Uncle kal pakka.”
3. The pain of Raiwind Road construction and getting stuck in traffic everyday for hours
You will never again know the pain of standing a few steps away from your university for an entire hour but not being able to get there because of traffic.
4. Keeping seats for your friends and fighting for them with all you have because you know that if they miss the bus, they will never be able to get to Tarogil
This was a crucial friendship test. The longer your friend took to come, the longer you held the seat and screamed for the bus driver to not drive, your friend is just at the signal, and the look of pure joy at your friend’s face, who got late, but didn’t miss the bus because of your sincere efforts. Friendship goals right there.
5. Getting to see the fields where Shahrukh Khan sang the DDLJ songs, and waving at the bhensain and bakriaan you watched on the way to university
You got to witness the best of both worlds.
6. On good weather days, you loved the fact that your university is far away
You couldn’t help but look outside with wonder at the stretching fields and the bathing cows.
7. When you’re not a bus student, but free riding on the bus anyway
Pretending to be asleep so Ejaz Uncle and Akram Chacha won’t spot you, sometimes on lucky days you got away with it, but sometimes, Ejaz Uncle made sure to make your walk of shame out of the bus as loud and embarrassing as it possibly can be.
8. The sudden feeling of betrayal when you weren’t allowed to enter the university gate without showing a proof that you have paid the fees
9. Becoming experts in zoology without even needing to study it
Seeing the kind of insects you’d never normally see. From rare lizards, to giant spiders and gorgeous flowers and trees with beautiful lavender colored flowers, you got the chance to explore mother nature.
10. Suffering makhi attack in summers
They sat with us and ate our lunch with us, because in summers, you couldn’t escape them so you had to get used to them.
11. That poultry smell that sometimes sneaks in when its humid
In the end you got so used to it, you even stopped covering your nose and let that familiar smell embrace you.
12. Admiring those gorgeous art projects by the art students in the courtyard
Undoubtedly, BNU has some of the most talented and creative people under its roof and it’s always fascinating to see their projects in the courtyard for you to admire.
13. Enjoying the comfort of this courtyard
14. Running as fast as you can before the courtyard gate gets locked so you can skip climbing the stairs to get to the canteen
15. Dreading the moment summer began because your skin turned 50 shades of brown
16. Watching people in the morning make the healthy choice of sipping an orange juice from one hand and smoking a cigarette from the other
Chai in one hand and cigarette is also another common choice observed in BNU.
17. Even if you never tried chars, you got so familiar with the smell that you can easily identity it among all other smells in the world
18. Watching people roll joints in their “supposedly” secret spots is a casual sight
19. Being patient when canteen walay chacha deliberately ignore your plea for a chai just because he can
20. Falling in love with the anda shaami sandwich from the canteen because you know anything else is a million miles away
21. Winters in Tarogil are simply beautiful
And drinking chai in this fog made your life complete.
22. Watching the VC jog around the football field no matter how cold or hot it is outside
You were impressed by the level of his fitness and sometimes wondered if you should jog along and ask for a fee reduction because he looks so nice and friendly but quickly shaking that thought away (or was it just me?)
23. You kinda sorta love being from a university that’s oh-so-scandalous
From the menstruation campaign, to being on the top of the list for a terrorist attack, to having Mubashir Luqman bash BNU on TV, to hearing rumors about getting a warning from the army, BNU is a university who likes to live on a scandalous edge.
24. Always hearing rumors about which guy is definitely gay
It doesn’t matter if you want to know or not, you will have to hear it.
25. The moment of betrayal when they decide to upgrade the tiny khoka canteen to a five star cafeteria just when you’re about to graduate.
But the new kids will never truly understand the beauty of that khoka.
26. Being so proud of BNU when Bestival comes and all your friends from different universities want you to help them get in
Yes, Bestival is that good.
27. Getting a 50% discount at Forest café
Yay! You may get discounts elsewhere but this one just takes the cake… and only 50% of your money.
28. Having a Coffee Planet all to yourselves
29. Those fashion shows
What better way to use all those models who go to school at BNU than putting up fashion shows?
30. Discriminating against IT department for no reason at all
31. Watching the faces from BNU on billboards, in dramas and in ads
BNU is the choice of the stars.
32. In summers, almost dying from a heat stroke because there are literally no trees or shades there
In the end, you resorted to umbrellas.
33. Being shocked at the percentage of BNU students that smoke
THE WHOLE WORLD basically.
34. Being jealous of the hostelites who had a giant farewell thrown for them which even the VC attended and always had events of their own where you were never invited
You Lahoris, on the other hand, didn’t even know if you’d get a lousy farewell.
35. That one time when Bestival’s logo lit up during the event after a collective countdown
Just like the Olympics, man.
36. That unforgettable Qawwali Night
37. Sometimes you’d miss the City Campus
You could go anywhere, but you mostly went to Bistro 201. MM Alam road and Residency’s panini used to be so near. Although the building was shit, you miss being in the centre of the city and being home on time and getting some sleep.
38. And especially Residency’s panini
The best panini in town.
39. You still remember falling in love with Tarogil all over again when you saw it at night for the first time
40. Sympathizing with the arts and architecture students who roam around with gigantic projects, sketch books and other artsy stuff with them
41. You could NEVER do BNU without at least a dozen heavy duty chappal
Most of us have broken a shoe or two because of walking too much in Tarogil.
42. Those stairs
43. And the best spot to soak winter’s sun
44. This beautiful football field
That has a tendency of turning into a swimming pool in rain.
45. Of course, this spot to soak AC in the summer, too
And the basement too.
46. Whatever anyone ever said, you know the BNU community is love
Waderay in karak shalwar kameez, balochis in full desi gear, guys in flip-flops and pajamas, boys who took their time to get dressed up from head to toe, girls in hijab, girls in stockings, girls with their head covered in dupattas, girls with dragon tattoos, girls in stiletto heals, girls in flip-flops, foreigners, PML N supporters and PTI supporters even PPP and MQM supporters. You saw it all.
47. And this place is lifetime love
BNU for you is after all, not a university, but home.