I was with some of my friends in the college "Cafe" the other day, a place which we as Stephanians have been very proud of. Well not because we call it the "Cafe" and not "Canteen" but amongst other things cleanliness, hygiene and most importantly the ambiance and the atmosphere. A place from where we have many fond memories, of discussions, of generating thoughts and also of simply "wasting" time chatting over absolutely "arbit" topics.
This instance, however, was not so pleasing. Junior members in the cafe were shouting on top of their voices, were sitting on the arms of the cane chairs (I have always found the chairs very "elite"), they had randomly moved the furniture all over the place and now no one has the courtesy to stand in a cue for the bills let alone respecting other members of college.
So all of us were wondering that how has the situation become so and has the legacy got lost with time? Well in some sense yes. The legacy, the manners, the courtesy, the "elitism" or simply put "the Spirit of Stephania" has always been passed down over generations informally through what people may choose to address as ragging.
Ragging or "positive interaction" at Stephen's was not as it is usually, in places around college. It was an integral part of teaching the next generation of Stephanians the "culture" that should inhabit them. For example the decorum that made the cafe, the "cafe" and not any canteen. And as we recalled, all of it, the way we conducted ourselves in the cafe, the dining hall, in college and in public was taught to us by our seniors. They corrected us when we were wrong. I accept that it was sometime a little harsh, but in retrospect I can say that all of that is truly taught us something that defines us as Stephanians.
I am sad that the legacy is no further being passed down anymore for someone can easily write to the president and the principal would not even care to listen to the other guy and chastise him as if he has done something grossly inappropriate. Healthy criticism that made St. Stephen's different is now a dead philosophy. But this, as it is, has led to a decline in standards in college. The main corr that was always quiet and a decent place of intellectual overtones is now like some public bazar because no senior can check any first year at that. Cellphones and capri pants have become the usual attire of the dining hall. And all we can do is to hopelessly watch everything go down.
