Hostel lightyears, ahoy!

While you can’t really turn back the hands of time, you can always relive the moments through creative reunions. Thinking along similar lines, four Bengaluru corporate honchos, John Thomas, Kishore Shetty, Shyam Chengappa and Benny Augustine have rustled up an innovative reunion plan: by inviting alumni of the St .Josephs hostel to re-live the times by renting out the whole hostel for three days and two nights! The idea is a one-of-a-kind arrangement of sorts, and is garnering much talk in town. We talk to the team behind the plan for more...

“This idea is a team effort by four of us, who decided to relive our hostel memories literally and metaphorically!” shares John, an entrepreneur. Considering its holiday season, the hostel has been vacated to accommodate the plan. The idea, he believes, sprouted out of the desire to help connections actually connect. “Thanks to technology, it’s not very hard to figure out what a friend is upto. But, for hostelites, batch-mates are not just people you spend time in the classroom. You’ve grown up with them, they’ve supported you and played the role of a mentor, guide, best friend, a partner in crime and even a parent. As a St Joseph hostelite, the biggest takeaway was the fact that it accommodated students from various universities. So, it was a almost a ground for students from varied neighbouring colleges to unite. And it’s only justified if we strengthen such connections,” adds John.

Expecting a turnout of about 100-120 alumni, the plan is garnering the attention of pass-outs from varied ages. “As surrealistic as it seems, it also feels like an adventure to look out for,” exclaims Shyam Chengappa rather excitedly. The hostel will also see  renovation through adequate contributions by the alumni. “It’s important to do our bit for the space that helped us climb up the ladder. We’re planning to fix the washrooms and spruce up the interiors maybe,” reveals Kishore Shetty, a senior professional at an MNC.

Enthusing how the idea is not to end as a one-time event, but make bonding a way of life among university graduates, Benny Augustine concludes by stating, “Through this, we  wish to create a platform to help the needy and contribute to the institution that shaped our lives.”