And so it was with earrings on my mind that I walked into the Women’s Lounge in MCC the other day. If you asked me what my absolute favourite spot in college was, I would waste no time in declaring the Lounge as mine. I do not know if it is because I have only ever studied in all-girl institutions my whole life, but I find it an excellent place to just simply be. Why is it that I feel so calm the minute I walk through those doors? I believe the answer lies in the fact that it is the one place in college where I do not feel observed. Maybe it is because a co-ed atmosphere is still so new to me that there is nary a moment when I do not feel watched by numerous pairs of eyes (of all genders) constantly. Which is not necessarily a bad thing for one as vain as I (I’m kidding, of course), but it also means that my monumental social anxiety and general insecurity make a nice, big soup of worry in the pit of my stomach at all times, sometimes even without me being aware of it.
In the Women’s Lounge, I do not feel the need to tuck in my stomach, walk straight and agonize over my (somewhat lacking) side profile. I do not have to be constantly aware of the way my hair looks and whether I look good from all angles. Walking down the road from QSC to the canteen during break-time has subconsciously always been a performance of sorts for me, the perceived pointedness of the stares somewhat ameliorated by the laughing presence of my friends. Doing the same performance by myself seems as daunting a task today, after almost two years in this college and countless acquaintances, as it did on the very first day when every blade of grass seemed like it was out to get me.
This is, of course, a very subjective experience, as not many are as intimidated by attention as I am. Which then leads me to think about how much I’ve progressed as a public speaker since my admission to MCC, from being a person whose entire body shook before uttering a word in class to someone unafraid of speaking up. Well, almost. I still shake and shiver but I somehow manage to make it through the fear, which multiple books and movies have told me is what matters most. And books and movies are never wrong, am I right (lol)? But I digress. Return with me for a second to the divine oasis that is the Women’s Lounge.
What is it about the place that makes me adore it so? Other than freedom from observation, the Lounge is also all about the freedom to both literally and figuratively let down your hair. You’ll see girls with their shawls off, feet up, relaxing, lounging deep inside the sofas with their hair let loose to fly in every which way it wants to…women at peace, essentially. Where else in this college would you see women make the most of what little opportunity they get to rest, in mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence, unapologetically and unashamedly. Even the cleaning-akkas seem a bit calmer as they go about their work in the Women’s Lounge!
Now, the major attractions the Lounge holds for me are the cushy leather sofas which seem tailor-made for my body, the never-empty beds (hey, what matters is that I have a choice, not that I’ve never gotten to use it!) and of course, the private little dressing suites complete with floor length mirrors on which I’ve spent countless minutes taking selfies (like the narcissistic GenZ-er that I am). You see, the Women’s Lounge is also the perfect place to observe oneself without being observed by others.
Apart from these private predilections, I also happen to place a lot of value on the female camaraderie and sisterly spirit that seems to be course through the air in the Women’s Lounge. Girls standing outside bathroom stalls holding their friends’ bags and shawls, waiting, discussing and sharing lipstick shades, all the while complimenting each other endlessly. To someone alien to such an atmosphere, all of this may seem pretty frivolous things to be excited about. But I believe that this is how women best show affection to each other – through the lending and the borrowing and the holding and the waiting. These are the images I most associate with love, care and friendship. And you best believe I don’t joke around about the confidence boost you get from these interactions with your own personal cheerleader squad!
Don’t get me wrong, I love and value my guy friends and all the fun times we share, just as much. Yet, though I sometimes feel it is a pity they cannot join me in the Women’s Lounge, I cannot deny that I am infinitely grateful to Miss Indra Nooyi (former CEO of PepsiCo, Inc and ex-MCCian) for her thoughtful contribution to her alma mater. And even though the die-hard feminist in me whispers ferociously that every place on Earth is a place meant for guys and that the boys’ halls are basically the male-equivalent of the Women’s Lounge, I do wish that the guys in this college could have a lounge all to themselves just so they could experience the magic that is the MCC Women’s Lounge.
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