An Unexpected Mail

Saravanan sat on the stone bench at college, scrolling through his Instagram feed.

Suddenly, an email popped up about the results of the contest he participated in at NIT Trichy via an online event in Festember.

As he opened the email without much expectation, he just wanted to give it a try and receive a participation certificate, thinking that if he made it into the top 30 participants, that would be enough.

But the email addressed to him stated that he was the winner and one of the top 4 winners who had to be present physically at NIT to receive the award.

Saravanan thought long and hard about it. He was studying in Madurai, and even though his hometown was Trichy, he started thinking more about the pending work.

His friends encouraged him to attend and receive the prize.

Saravanan thought he should accept the recognition for his work.

He completed his work in the hostel and the next afternoon got ready to leave for his hometown.

Upon reaching home, his parents, who had learned about his winning, asked him about the prize.

Saravanan said it was a goodie bag and when asked for more details, he replied that it was a big travel bag with a t-shirt, a certificate, and chocolates inside, as his college friend had shared the info with him.

Saravanan reached NIT and found out the venue from the coordinator, a student he later learned, whom he had addressed as "ma'am" in the email.

It was the first time Saravanan had seen NIT, where his parents had wished to see him after he cleared JEE. However, he gave it a try and could not make it.

Saravanan chose engineering at another college in Tamil Nadu. Now, he had a chance to visit NIT.

Saravanan thought about the chief guest handing him the award and the crowd cheering and clapping as he walked up the stage.

But his expectations were dashed when he reached the venue and saw all NIT students dressed very stylishly and speaking fast and elegantly in English.

Saravanan thought he was good at speaking English but realized he should have improved his skills and his dressing style.

Inquiring about the event prize and showing the email, Saravanan had a bad feeling as no one there had a clear idea about it.

The coordinator, a girl with round spectacles, came to him and said, "Sorry, could you wait for a little while?"

In that time, Saravanan got a chance to watch an event in NIT where, in its ice-breaking step, participant students proposed to students in the crowd, and everyone took it jovially. A score was marked for it based on the audience response before the actual event.

Saravanan thought that all colleges should engage students in extra-curricular activities like this.

Saravanan saw the coordinator entering the hall and calling him for the prize distribution with some small paper bags. He thought that must be their purchases.

After receiving the bag, he learned that the event coordinators planned to distribute the prizes in the open space, calling the crowd from their conversations.

Saravanan was shocked as his expectations were shattered, but he took the bag, posed for the photo they took, and returned home.

The prizes in the goodie bag were a straw juice packet, a book, a badge, and a coffee mug in a separate box.

After reaching home, Saravanan showed his parents all the prizes.

His parents asked, "Is this the prize you said would be difficult for one person to carry?"

Saravanan arranged the prizes, took a photo, and posted it on WhatsApp status and Instagram.

Saravanan was happy about the experience and the prize he received.

His parents then said, "You put in a good effort, but let's not talk about the prize anymore."

Saravanan placed the coffee mug in the showcase of their home.

PS: Based on real-life incidents from my life. The cover image is the prize I received, except for the juice packet (my father drank it because he drove me to NIT four times that same evening). Thanks, Dad.