I just finished reading Kamila Shamsie's "Kartography" again, and for some reason, I was reminded of time  I started writing here slightly more than a year ago. For those of you who actually want to look up my previous entires, check out pg. 4 of vines under the "Campus" category. While this may seem like blatant self-promotion, please believe me when I say it isnt. It'll give you guys a better idea of what Ive been writing about so far, and besides, I'll be flattered  :P

Before I go any further, please excuse any spelling mistakes that I make...its 3 am in the morning here and I ought to be sleeping.

I am now in the second year of my Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering degree, and quite honestly, my studies are killing me. I have three lab reports due, two assignments to begin, and two mid-semester tests coming up. And I choose to sit up at 3 am and bring my blog back to life...

Anyhow, you guys will be glad to know that a bunch of Pakistanis on campus decided to form what is now that first-ever Pakistani Society on campus! It's hard to believe isnt it? The University of Melbourne never had a Pakistani society...despite the presence of incredibly active Indian and Sri Lankan clubs. The Melbourne University Pakistani Society (MUPS) had its first event last week...it was simple pizza lunch to make our mark on campus. We set up a stall in South Lawn and hoards of people showed up, Pakistanis, and non-Pakistanis alike! I was so happy I could've cried! Hopefully, we'll be coming up with another event for Ramadan or Eid.

I ended my tenure as the Welfare Officer for the Overseas Students' Service. My one year serving there was incredibly fulfilling, and I learnt so much. 

BUT!!! More importantly, my younger sister's joinedme here in Melbourne. She's a first year and she's taken over a new position in the Overseas Students' Service, and is helping out with a huge event called the Festival of Nations..its like a huge food-fest! She's doing better than I ever did, and adapted to life here almost immediately, which was expected.

Apart from all the extra-curricular-ish stuff, Ive made friends who I know Ill be in touch with forever. They come from every cultural background, and theyre lovely human beings. Its amazing when we all come together with our different views on everything from religion to politics to art, and we leave feeling that much more close to each other. I feel truly blessed. In short, life is good on every front, except studies, which I think will remain an eternal problem.

Since I started university, I have lost the concepts and rules governing time. Night and day have lost their meanings, in the sense that Ill feel perfectly comfortable working till 6 am in the morning, and then waking back up at 9 am and heading to university. These things dont seem strange anymore. In fact, theyre normal, if anything. And I speak for all my friends when I say this. Days merge into each other and before I know it I have a ton of reports due...times flies here!

Winter is almost here. We're being pelted with rain almost every day. In Pakistan, the main mode of transport for me would've been a car. Here, I either walk around the city or take a tram. So when it rains, it makes life very, very hard. I remember I went for a part-time job interview a little while ago.  I was wearing my best suit and trousers, and I had to walk some distance to reach the office. By the time I reached the office a good four inches of my trousers were drenched, and I could only hope that my employer wouldnt take notice of my state! So yes, rain makes life very hard for university students!

I miss Karachi. I dont know if anyone who's reading this has read Kartography...the book transported me back home, to the Karachi I love with all of its flaws. I havent been to Pakistan in two years, which isnt very long I know, but I miss it.

And on that thought, I'm going to sign off for tonight.