"SOCKS"

"This person's speaking in Hindi, I can't understand a word, you speak!"

I shoved my phone to Hrishi.

The popular doubts of the day:

1. What should i wear for the GD/PI? Is there a dress code?

2.Should i carry my original certificates, or would attested copies do?

3.Are there any home assignments?

Since my pondering over this wouldn't help me in anyway, i was forced to call up the SIMC people again, to ask. They still hadn't learnt English. How sad!Hrishi got another number from this national language lover. Thankfully the lady who picked up the phone in this number was not quite as patriotic as the earlier guy, so i could communicate with her.

"Ma'm, is there any dress code for the interview, like, one of my friends, who's been shortlisted to SIBM said something about..."

"Haven't you got the courier yet?!"

"Courier? What courier?I've not got any.."

"You have to wear formals."

"And certificates?Should i bring the originals or..."

"All original."

"And Ma'm, I have heard of home assignments..."

"You haven't got the courier?It's your SOP.It's published online too"

"Oh, that? I've submitted that. Thank you!"

Finally, the courier did come. It clarified the dress code- Western Formals or Saree. Since there was no way I was gonna wear a Saree, I had to get Western Formals.

"Your aunt says that it's really bad of you not learning to wear a Saree after three years in your college."

That was mom. Why the Hell did she have to bring up that goddamn place into the picture?I totally hate that HELL. That's the place where parents send their girls so that they'll become good, proper girls, 'ready-to-marry' by the time they are out of it. That i hadn't mastered the art of wrapping a long piece of cloth around me after spending three(MISERABLE) years in that hell was totally outrageous. CRAP! Why am i even speaking of that hell?

Anyways, back to western formals. So what exactly did they mean by western formals?A Diana suit thingy? Or the pants n coat thingy? Would i need a tie? Joseph Sir, S.O.S!

After getting a new pair of 'formal' shoes,a wonderful deal of getting a coat, a sleeveless t-shirt thingy and pants, all for Rs 1040,( the shopping spree was a quirky story in itself. To be elaborated upon later), i had to get another shirt because what they gave me in our lovely deal was something i'd prefer to wear only while sleeping.

'What sort of a shirt are you looking for?'

Good question, mom.

'Hello?Hrishi, i've got another stupid doubt today.'

'What?'

'I'm at this store, and i have to get a shirt to go with my western formals thingy. Should i get a striped one or a plain one or a checked one or, i know it shouldn't be polka dotted, so...'

'Either plain or striped, don't get anything else.'

'And, like, is there any particular colour that'd suit interviews, something formalish?'

'Get blue .'

There weren't many blues to choose from over there, but i chose a light blue shade. Now i had Western formals, formal shoes...what else did i need? Oh my God, socks!

' Sir, what colour socks should i wear for the interview?'

This question was posed to Joseph sir after the GD session one evening at T.I.M.E. No reply. Amused/slightly taken aback/ 'you're really asking this'?/'chorify'ing look.

'Guys, Reshma has a problem. What colour socks should she wear for her interview?'

Now this question was posed to everyone who happened to be in the vicinity.

Laughter.

'And thank goodness she stopped with socks...'

More laughter.

Is it necessary to mention that i was called 'socks' ever since that?

But my doubts were never ending. Should i take all my certificates, like , even the ones from pre-school? Should school level certificates be kept? In what order should they be kept, ascending or descending? What sort of a file should i get to keep them?

Well, i never asked about the file question. But i hunted in almost all the office stationary shops in the area to get a perfect file. And i didn't. With a little help from Jisha and Jyotsna, i managed to get one from the one shop that i had missed while i'd gone file-hunting.

So...

Western formals?

Check.

Formal shoes?

Check.

Socks?

A BIG CHECK

Certificates and a file?

Check.

Now all i had to do was to actually go to SIMC, do really well in the GD and PI and make sure that my first trip to Pune won't be my last.