By Sameen Hassan

University of Karachi – A World in Itself

To be honest while coming to Karachi University, I had my doubts. I was brought up in a pampered environment, was driven to and from school, never had to go stand in long queues for forms and fee submission and neither had to face the trauma of ethnic and political clashes. I was overly cautious and exaggeratedly biased in my opinion of Karachi University and the students here. To me they seemed a bunch of aliens ready to swoop anyone who would try and disobey the rules of not wearing a headscarf or dupatta or laugh out loud at awkward jokes or played cricket with the guys of their batch. The thought of coming to Karachi University gave me all sorts of negative vibes.

Having spent two years here, I sit back and laugh at everyone studying in those little campuses in the city. I laugh at those too-hygienic-to-digest cafeterias of the private universities. I mock those sardonic “oh tou ap KU mein parhtay hein” looks of the “assumedly” civilized lot of those beautifully constructed campuses. I literally ridicule the oh-so-educated degree holders of money ridden institutes.

To me the experience of Karachi University has been fulfilling. From those random lifts from Maskan to Pharmacy, to the infamous political clashes on campus, the variety of people to choose from and the diversity of culture and creed within one boundary; from those hours of sitting and chatting at Arts Lobby to the flavored French fries at Visual Studies, the teachers of all kinds: strict and expected and irregular and blase and the  friends and foes to last a life time, University of Karachi has given me a little bit of everything. It has given me a sneak peak to the world in a metropolitan city ahead of me. It has given me confidence to stand distinct amid a crowd and the strength to share my voice with the world. Above all, it has given me memories to cherish a lifetime!