Dead of the night. The silence rings loud and clear. Every idea is exhausted, just like the coffee machine.
If you’ve ever stared blankly at a Google doc titled “Malhar_final_FINAL_copy,” then hey! Welcome to the party. It's the creative block party. Unfortunately, there are no snacks and no "creative focus" playlists. Just you, your overworked brain, and a blinking cursor that seems to mock your very existence.
You're not alone. It's a phase that happens in the life of every fast-moving, fun-loving Xavierite, which includes the 75% mandatory attendance, submitting assignments, writing CIA's and working or participating in Malhar - which is just as immensely exciting as you expected, but just as overwhelming.
And that's fine. It gets like that sometimes. Nothing is fun when you are overworked.
Because here’s the thing: creativity isn’t some long-awaited guest who’ll politely knock on the door when you’re “ready.” It is more like that messy, comfortable blanket you always forget you own until you're in need of the warmth of the hearth. It appears like the ‘Eureka!’ moment you were waiting for.
There are moments when we think we’ve drained ourselves dry — emotionally, mentally, creatively. I've heard my teammates say things like, “I’m done, there’s literally nothing left in me” while simultaneously organising a jam-packed day filled with drafts, edits, group discussions, चाय breaks, and maybe exchanging an idea or two with the rest of our team. But guess what, (and this is the secret Malhar Magic) they still go on. It is unimaginable, but it's also inevitable.
So, your first idea flops. And your second one sounds suspiciously like something you wrote when you were 5. But then, somewhere between a 2 A.M. smash typing and a 3 P.M. चाय, something clicks. A line (for me, it was exactly this one). A vision. A concept. An event. A title that doesn't sound boring. Something. Anything.
It’s not accidental. It’s you, doing what you do best. Even on 20% battery and 2% hope. That’s the thing about us. We’re not just students - we’re like idea machines powered by panic and passion. We complain about the workload, but thrive on the chaos.
And college life is undeniably chaotic. Malhar is more so. But it’s also fuel, it's also the warmth in this rainy weather. It makes you feel alive in the way only a shared document full of new tabs, inside jokes, long evening practices, meetings and last-minute event ideation can. You whine, you procrastinate, you overthink - and then you create something unforgettable. You create something that lasts — something people laugh and tear up at, something that goes up on the Internet archive forever. You help create Malhar.
Your comeback is already on the horizon. And it looks like a sunrise, lighting up everything in its path.