My life - Part 46

My life - Part 46

So I was stuck with the Indians in my particular college on campus. Every night we were expected to meet the seniors who would make us sing and dance and do all sorts of nonsense stuff, it's part of the ragging culture in universities in Malaysia. It was an uncomfortable time for me because I didn't speak Tamil well, and yet I was Indian, so I was there but I was not really there.

The thing that was drilled in us over and over again was that in university, the Indians had to look out for their fellow Indians, because in times of need, only a fellow Indian will help out another Indian. We had to follow all the rules set by the seniors, and do everything they tell us to do, and in return they would take care of us. If we disobeyed, they would boycott us and we would be ostracized, and when we needed help there would be no one. Being the doe-eyed-small-town girl I was back then, I naively believed this shit.

Two incidents happened to change everything.

Incident No. 1

I had to submit a form at my faculty and it was the last day, with very little time left. The law faculty was very far from my college and if I walked I would not make it in time. So I asked an Indian senior for a lift on his motorbike to the law faculty and explained my situation. He apologized and said he was busy and couldn't help me. Desperate, I then asked a Chinese senior for a lift on his motorbike and he not only took me to the law faculty but waited until I finished submitting the form and brought me back to my college.

I began to have doubts about 'only Indians will help fellow Indians'. But I let it pass.

Incident No. 2

We had to attend a cultural performance in the main hall in university. It was the first week in university so I still had no idea where all the buildings were situated. The seniors brought us juniors to the hall, and we were to go back to college together. After the performance, I asked a fellow junior to wait for me while I went to the loo. When I returned, they were gone. Nevermind that the stupid junior did not tell the seniors to wait for me, the seniors should have asked if there was anyone missing etc. So then I had to find my way back to my college, at night, alone.

This time I had no doubts. I refused to take part in any further racist activities. They could take whatever action they liked. Give me your best shot.