Reflections from the School Days of 2002: Memories, Friendships, and a Simple Digicam

It's hard to imagine now, but back in 2002, smartphones were practically unheard of, at least in our circles. Social media didn’t exist, and entertainment wasn’t as instant or as accessible as it is today. In those days, school life was woven together by friendships, endless gossip, cycles rides, and the occasional, treasured photo on a camera we used to call the “digicam.” One day, I took my prized digital camera to school. It was nothing like today’s cameras, with its grainy, low-resolution images, but it was magical for us. I was in Class 11 at Chittaranjan Colony Hindu Vidyapith, Baguiati, Kolkata. I had no idea at the time that the pictures I took that day would become my only visual memories from my school days, spanning from KG to Class 12. My friends were thrilled about the camera – boys and girls alike crowded around, eager to be part of a rare moment captured on film. Everyone wanted their picture taken, smiling wide, making faces, and goofing around. But of course, we couldn’t see the photos right away, as we can now with just a tap. Back then, we had to wait to connect the camera to a PC, download the photos, and only then could we see the captured memories. I vividly remember our strict yet beloved teachers who shaped us, many of whom have now passed away. Our Mathematics teacher, Mr. Pullok Dutta, Bengali teacher Mrs. Apala Mam, and Chemistry teacher Mr. Gobindo Sir each left an indelible mark on us. Mr. Dutta was particularly strict and would often discipline students for making noise in class – his method of instilling discipline was memorable and feared. The teachers were always there to keep us in line, especially during our teenage years, armed with scales that were often used when homework was left undone or chatter got out of hand. In our classroom, girls sat in the front three rows while boys occupied the back. Seating was strictly gender-segregated, with teachers ensuring we adhered to this setup. Academically, those were some challenging years, especially in science. I still remember the shock of scoring 33 out of 100 in my Math half-yearly exams, a score that, surprisingly, was the second highest in a class of 60. Only three or four boys managed to pass, each barely scraping above 30. The struggle with Math was real, with some classmates – even those who had scored over 80 in the Class 10 boards – securing zeros on the paper. Entertainment was limited but precious. Since there was no social media or smartphones, our world revolved around our friends, cycles, and gossiping. We would spend hours after school, often in coaching classes or simply riding around, discussing anything and everything. Looking back, those simple, seemingly ordinary days were extraordinary. That digicam, our laughter, the strict teachers, the highs and lows of academics, the class gossip, and the friendships that endured – those are memories that no high-resolution phone camera or social media platform could ever truly capture.