Survey #5

Back with a new survey.

Everyone has some image of the perfect place for them mapped out in their heads. Some may find their place, (more than symbolically) others may in live it without it ever existing. So my undertaking for this time was to find out what people consider their ideal place to be!

(I do not own/ doctor these answers. I honestly do not have the brainpower some of my surveyees have, these are 100% unaltered. …except for some grammar, I couldn’t resist.)

Q: Where in the universe would you like to live, and why?

Shania: Kepler 22-B. It’s supposed to be the “other earth”; I want to be its first explorer!

Daivya: Alpha Centauri.

Manya: In Ranbir Kapoor’s heart.

Manvika: In a black hole, because it’s interesting.

Anjali: I don’t want to be found, so I won’t tell!

Vani: I’d live in Australia, U.K. or Scotland, because they are peaceful places.

Anisha: In Gallifrey, because of timelords.

Anushka: Themyscira or the Hall of Justice, because I would love to help superheroes.

Niti: First, I would like to travel the universe to decide where to live!

Nirmitii: New York City (preferably Brooklyn or Manhattan). I would live there because it’s the only place where I feel at home. Home of my soul.

Nethra: In Monica’s (F.R.I.E.N.D.S) apartment, with my group of friends living across and Joey and Chandler, because it sounds like fun!

Priyansh: I would like to live in a world where Manchester City FC has class, because it doesn’t in this world.

Aakansha: In Japan, because of the people, the culture, the anime, etc. Or in Canada, because of the place, the people (and the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.)

Vedika: Tanzania or Zanzibar. They’re beautiful.

Aayush: In Mumbai, ’cause it’s the best. 🙂

Sudhanshu: In Australia, because it’s one of the best places in terms of education, culture, sports, people and nature. Or in Japan, because of its culture, lifestyle, anime, games people and food.

Jatin: A planet where there is free pizza and hot girls and all the anime characters I have ever known.

Mohak: I would live at Silverstone, England, with the best racetrack in the world right in my neighbourhood.

Lakshit: I’d love to live in London, with my flat in the vicinity of Stanford Bridge, the home stadium if my favourite club Chelsea, so I can watch every game, every year.

Shivam: In Malibu. I would like to have a beach house there.

Shrinjay: I’d live in a world that resembles Gotham city… Or in Gotham city itself.

Sakshi: I’d live in Norwegian villages, with legitimate Viking descendants, and in Scotland, and New York, and Winterfell and King’s Landing. Maybe a place just like the other.

Aditya: Cadarache (ITER and JET) or Massachusetts (MIT) or Livermore (NIF).

Kruthika: Vulcan or Naboo.

Anshul: I’d probably like to live in Cincinnati, with my house close to  Boeing’s Payne Field: so many goddamned Boeing aircrafts! Especially the Dream Liner.

Rashiv: The address will be – 221B Baker Street, London.

Deepan: Andromeda Galaxy.

Satchit: In the Paradise City where the grass is green and the girls are pretty (oh won’t you please take me home?)

Arshya: In Hogwarts, because that’s where the magic happens 😉

Akanksha: Bedford, U.K., because it’s the most beautiful place on earth.

Mahima: I’d live on the clouds.

Shlok: In the land of cars, because they’re the origin of speed.

Pranav: I would love to live in the Marvel universe!

Ashay: I’d live on a planet of gullible aliens. I’d convince them I’m God and rule them.

Raghav: On a planet where I can make a lot of friends and have a fun life.

Krishnan: in the Crab Nebula, because it fascinates me.

Hardik: Somewhere far away from humans, with no negative environment and where beings care for all.

Jyotishka: I’d live on Earth.

Gauri: I’d live in the moment.

Lamha: I’d liveable Mars because I can meet Martians and experiment on them, and dissect them, and take a friend with me and leave ’em stranded.

Keerti: I’d live in hell.

Mahwash: I’d live in Australia, because I love Masterchef Australia!

Anushree: I’d live in an alternate universe, because it’d be better than reality.

Riya: I’d live in Sydney, it has the best flying schools!

Pragya: I’d live wherever I am!

Vishrutha: I’d live in Hogsmead, a village near Hogwarts!

Madeeha: I’d live in the Pacific Ocean.

Zeba: I’d live in the Faraway Tree.

Vrinda: I’d live in the Faraway Tree.

Charul: I’d like to live inside everyone’s head.

Aditi: I would live in Disney World.

Shreya: I’d live on an island I build on my own, connecting to the underwater world.

Anandita: Study in Hogwarts till I’m 17 and then work there.

Vidhi: Pizza land with chocolate rivers.

Adhya: in the Marvel Universe or in Switzerland.

Anisha: I wish I could live in another universe where I could meet The Doctor or go to Hogwarts. In this universe, I would like to live on Mars!

Arjun: I wouldn’t live on any of the planets; I’d wander about observing and knowing where it all ends, and if it does, what lies in that far far space.

Bon voyage, surveyees!

Traveller

She awoke to deathly silence.
As she sat up in bed, she knew it wasn’t hers. The bed wasn’t hers. Nor was the room; nothing was even remotely familiar.
She could not remember going to bed… but for some reason, she did not even stop to question her abrupt change in location. She got up and out of bed.

Everything seemed old, ancient, in fact. There was dust everywhere. She dusted some off herself and went to the door.
She opened the bedroom door that wasn’t hers, and went downstairs. Not her house.

“Mum?” she called out, but somehow, she knew there was no one there.

It was as if someone had been in the middle of a regular day, and had left. The kitchen, the hallway, it all seemed preserved. Like a museum from a long time ago.

“Is anyone home?” She called.
No answer. In fact, there was not a sound to be heard.
She did not even think if soundproofing. She knew something was wrong.

As she walked around the house, there was not a thing to eat in there. She wondered where she really was.

She decided to go around and find answers. She opened the front door.

Never had she imagined what she saw…
It was like a scene in a picture painted by a lazy artist. There was the city, the streets, the buildings, but no people, no animals, only structure.

Why was everyone missing? Was it Sunday? Was she out early? Why was she all alone?

The truth of her last question weighed in heavier and heavier as she walked the desolate roads. The streets, the markets, the city itself seemed to be asleep. There was truly not a living soul for miles. She looked everywhere she could, but knew her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her; unless all her senses were failing, she was sure there was no one, not a sound in the city, only a strange smell, a cold in the air was all her senses relayed to her.
She screamed, if not so much out of fear and desolation as to simply break the eerie silence, it was all too much to take.
Where was she? Where was everybody else, anybody else?

More dust on the path.
She saw what looked like a block of apartments.
Residential localities! There must be someone there, and for then, the desperation for contact with humanity, indeed, any life form, overpowered the general decency that every child was taught, and she decided to try and seek out a stranger. Indeed, seeing a python would have brought her relief now.

She walked into a doorway.
Strange, people’s homes with no security! There was no one guarding the gates, and she was inside.
She walked the stairs to the first level.
What would she say when she knocked on the door? It didn’t matter, she could have hugged them, if only she saw them!
She was a lost traveler, she figured, although how she travelled, and more more importantly why and where she had travelled, she didn’t know.

She knocked on the door.
She waited.
No response.
They may be asleep. It was rude to disturb a sleeping person. No matter. She pounded on the door. She shouted.
There was no response.

She tried another door, and then another floor.

All of a sudden, she knew it was empty.
There would be no point in showing courtesy here, there was no one to be courteous with.
With a strength that comes from desperation and fear, she rammed into the door, it opened all too easily.
It hasn’t been opened in years.

The museum display case continued. Life as normal had been painted in the house, sans the people.
Life at a standstill.
She coughed, the air had a funny smell. There was a metallic taste in her mouth. Whether it was out of fear, if her stomach was acting up, or if it was something in the house, she couldn’t place.

She was in a ghost town for sure, and there was no help for miles. Her heart sank at the realisation. She was truly, truly all alone.

She walked out of the house and broke into a few others.
The city had definitely been populated a long time ago, but everyone had left abruptly, she noted for the hundredth time. What had driven them away?

She walked out into the streets. Perhaps, if she could find her way out of the city, she may be able to find help. Even the smallest chance of getting out, a microscopic sign of hope was enough to get her back up and searching; she wanted out.

And so she did, wandering far through the streets of the still life city, the lifeless city, until the structures became sparse and began looking like ten outskirts of town.

Her heart began beating faster. Was she getting any closer to the end of her nightmare? She walked on, a bare path lay ahead of her.
Nothing for miles.
Nothing but a few big structures in the distance.

She went closer, her heart rate increasing, her heart absolutely pounding, thumping, roaring in her chest by the time she got to the big buildings. They weren’t working, the silence was evidence.
Yet she approached, with only hope guiding her.

There was fear. And something else. She felt a bit disoriented. The metallic taste in her mouth returned.
If this was what fear felt like, she was sure she had never felt fear before.
Her knees went weak, she felt pins and needles all over her face and body.

And then she coughed. Her breathing became heavier. Her vision blurred. She saw it, just before she fell to her knees.

She had gotten too close. She’d been in great proximity, right from the start.

She lay on the ground, breathing becoming harder, and mostly, not necessary.

It was a mistake, a big mistake, but at least she knew she wasn’t leaving without an answer. She suddenly knew where she was.

Reactor number Four… she read through the haze in her eyes, as she closed them, in the outskirts of Pripyat, Chernobyl.

Survey #4

Everyone loves playing prophet. In fact, be it past or future, both (in our heads) are more interesting prospects than our present day structured life. We often imagine the past as a time of no barriers and more freedom, and hope for the future to be so.

The difference is, we know the limitations of the past. We cannot even imagine the possibilities of the future.

… Except maybe some can. So in today’s survey, I gave my surveyed the chance to step into their well-rehearsed role of crystal-ball-man/woman, and who knows, thirty years down the line, someone may be able to return here and say with a sneer, the dreaded, I-told-you-so!

Q: What’s your big prediction for the future?

Aayush: The world will come to an end.

Shrinjay: Everyone will be expecting a better future.

Mohak: Everyone will live in VR. (Virtual Reality)

Deepan: After the maxima point of capitalism is reached, we’ll be heading for a dark, self-induced dictatorship. Because democracy doesn’t work.

Anshul: The world is going to die a slow death and every human being is just going to watch while eating popcorn, because every human is selfish and just wants their own benefit.

Aditya: The western civilisation will slacken while the eastern powers will gain control again. The bell curve will go downhill. And nuclear fusion will reign. (If it isn’t done by then, I’ll do it.)

Satchit: Pizza will come in pizza boxes made of pizza. And English exams will stop having word limits, at least not ridiculous ones!

Kruthika: The world will get better, people will be happier and I pray we learn to live together.

Sakshi: The world won’t be bound by fences and we all will be citizens of the world. Travelling will be free and life will be full of food and joy. There will be sunshine and smiles.

Aditi: We will be able to do what we want rather than force ourselves to do something else to earn a living.

Ashay: I predict potato bunnies and cheesy pandas.

Pranav: No age restrictions.

Krishnan: An alien invasion.

Raghav: Everyone will be happy with their lives.

Mahima: I’ll be in my bathtub with a dog watching SpongeBob, 24/7.

Aayushi: I’ll be queen.

Nethra: USA will get dumber with Trump as President.

Anush: Marijuana will be legalised in the whole world, maybe even LSD will.

Nirmiti: NEW WORLD ORDER   #ILLUMINATI

Sudhanshu: A new earth will be born.

Jatin: Someday, the world will end, and Goku will be stronger than omni-god  Zeno-chan.

Shreya: We won’t need to walk (much)…!

Antra: Everyone will start seeing joy in little things like the rhythm of the universe.

Tanishka: Everyone will become invisible.

Oliena: Trump will win.

Gauri: Trump will come to power and make spray tans necessary.

Vidhi: My prediction is that I’ll tell you tomorrow.

Arjun: Biology will overpower other sciences and India will outgrow China.

Rishbha: I predict I’ll die.

Mahwash: Everything will be virtual. People won’t have real talks.

Tanishi: I’ll be answering another survey of yours.

Aninthitha: All fictional worlds would actually exist.

Anandita: The world will have a huge excess of doctors and engineers, but not enough jobs.

Keerti: I will travel the world and visit all the Disney lands.

Anjali: I predict life on a different planet. Or probably a real Doraemon. Or both.

Manya: Aliens will come to earth and meet a mixture of Ranbir Kapoor and Virat Kohli.

Priyansh: World War 3.

Adhya: There will be a pizza land!

Aakansha: A completely technology dependent world, where people look different due to too much exposure to radiation.

Looking back, I think we all knew then, and know now that we are doomed, perhaps were doomed from the start. But I’d like to think that these are all the aspirations people have from the future, and whether or not some of these may come true, we can always hope… and put in work ourselves to make this world the crazy place it was meant to be, no more bound by the shackles of structure and civilisation!

But I’d be looking forward to those I-told-you-so’s!

Survey #3

Back again with another survey.

Q: Given the chance, what would you make a movie about?

Aakansha: I’d make a movie based on someone who can control time and how they goof up the timeline and mess up the universe, opening portals to alternate dimensions and stuff like that.

Anush: I’d make something like Clockwork Orange, I’d make something dark and bizarre and philosophical.

Tanishi: I’d make something with horror, suspense and dance.

Yusuf: Something with superheroes, or horror. (Avengers!)

Shrinjay: I’d make a movie on Harley Quinn.

Priyansh: I’d probably make a movie on food.

Nishidh: On school.

Pranav: I’d do a biopic on myself.

Sakshi: I’d do a movie about my feelings on lavenders.

Arshya: I’d remake the Order of the Phoenix, because it was crap.

Aditi: My movie would be a mix of Breakfast Club, Breakfast Club at Tiffany’s, Chef, Julie and Julia, with some of Madeline in Paris and Pingu and Roman Holiday, with a role by an icecream seller, a lot of food and sunflowers.

Keerti: I’d make a movie on music: Rock, pop and blues!

Arjun: I’d make a movie on myself, won’t that be the most interesting?

Shefali: I’d like to make a movie on the moon, if possible!

Mahwash: On Podar’s system in 9th and 10th grade.

Charul: I’d make a very boring documentary to bore and torture people and take revenge.

Binita: I’d make a movie on my life.

Rishbha: I’d make a movie about hurting someone’s self esteem.

Aninthitha: I’d make a movie on Chandler Bing and Richard Feynman.

Manya: I’d make a movie on travelling.

Lamha: I’d make a movie on the stupidities of my life.

Vrinda: My movie would be ‘In the Mind of a Doctor’, about the stuff that goes on in their mind, how their psychology changes and things.

Shivani: I’d make an opium thriller!

Mihika: On procrastination.

Netra: I’d make a movie about mind reading.

Anushree: I’d make a movie about how autism isn’t accepted in India.

Kaanan: on LGBT.

Jatin: I’d make a movie on my malnourished jawline.

Ajinkya: Minimilitia.

Omkar: I’d make a movie on physics.

Deepan: I’d make a movie about time.

Ashay: Pizza.

Avirat: I’d make a movie on the Illuminati government.

Aayush: I’d make a movie on ‘movies’.

Anshul: I’d make a movie on aeroplanes.

Aditya: I’d make a movie on a relationship between a female superhero and a beta male where there are no knights in shining armour, nor any people who hope for them. Or on the second-in-commands’ version of a success story.

Nethra: I’d make a movie on famous TV shows, so that people can relive their memories.

Rashiv: I’d make a movie on reservations in India.

Akanksha: I’d make a movie on hamsters because they are cute.

Satchit: On anything that makes people less stupid.

Aayushi: I’d make a movie on paper plates.

Mahima: I’d make a a movie on food.

Shlok: I’d make a movie on cars and space shuttles.

Hardhik: I’d make a movie on basketball.

Krishnan: A science fiction movie.

Shivam: I’d make a movie on a guy searching for the real meaning of life.

Mohak: I’d make a movie on how tough it is to get into the NBA.

Nirmiti: I’d make a book adaption that is not hated and is worth it!

Simar: I’d make a movie on water.

Nihar: On paradox.

Neeti: On best friends.

Pragya: on human life.

Antra: On Dance and music.

Anisha: On the Trojan War.

Anushka: I’d make a movie on Greek gods.

Shreya: I’d make a movie about the future.

Harshuday: I’d make a movie on the Liverpool football club!

Vedika: I’d make a movie about an alien invasion that takes place in a country other than the States.

Anandita: My movie would be a compilation of all my random but connected thoughts.

Anjali: I would make a short film out of all the amazing scenes in the show Suits and add some of my own!

Thanks to my surveyees (yes, I made that up, and it’s here to stay) for putting up with me!

(and no thanks for the suspicious looks and remarks about me being creepy!)

Cheers!

The life of a surveyor

… Is all about the suspicion. No kidding.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Is this going to be published somewhere?”

“That was embarrassing, can you please change my answer?”

“Is my answer going to come back and haunt me?”

And the worst: “Is this a psychology project?”

No, no, no. I’m sorry, your intense brainstorming is, sadly, not going to contribute to the study and development of the confound behaviours of the human race.

“Just wanted to ask, why exactly are you doing this?”

I’m sorry, I haven’t questioned my life choices as much!

I suppose a surveyor can double up as a meditation guide. Physics doesn’t need as much patience as a person trying to choose between five answers.

After ten minutes of standing and counting eighty Mississippis, your interlocutor says, “um, I don’t know, can you ask someone else?”

(fine. I confess I don’t count. I ask ten other people in the mean time.)

You’ve got to be super creative. You never know, after surveying ten people, four of the responses turn out to be your own. Five confused minutes down the line, your surveyee (is that a word?) asks you, “can you please suggest an answer?” and you feel so bad for the poor guy, you prompt despite maintaining that the answers must be their own.

You’ve got to be athletic too. And very aware of your surroundings. Just recently, I have learnt the art of writing on a paper while walking up the stairs. You also increase your memory power. You learn to remember four responses while writing the fifth. You lose your handwriting. At the end of a survey, you won’t recognize your handwriting anymore. That’s a start for undercover spies-to-be.

You’re on your feet all day. You see that one person you haven’t surveyed yet, you drop your lunch, pick up the book and run.

You begin to know people not by their names or faces, but by their responses.  “Hey, I know you! You’re the one who said she wanted to be shot into space, right?”

I don’t know if this one is for real or if it’s just me, but you end up randomly thinking of something, and wonder, will this make a good poll question?

Despite how bad your hand hurts, when you’re done with a survey, the taste of completion is just sweet.

And that’s enough to bring you back.

And so I will. As soon as a good question strikes me.

(these are just my experiences after two surveys… Pro surveyors, please don’t kill me for misinformation, particularly since I get that the facts are very important to you.)

If I had a time machine…

Heck, I offered it to 60-plus people, but honestly, why would I give it away?

I was counter-questioned a million times while surveying, I suppose it’s about time I answered my question.

If I had the time machine, I’d go back to 1986 and evacuate Chernobyl before the nuclear disaster. Then I’d go ahead to the best decade: the nineties. That way, I’d be about as old as my mum, which would be awkward to think of, but hey, she couldn’t boss over me then. I would have seen Nirvana live, and called back home (the “future”) from those old phones with the round dials that make a lovely ching sound when you let go the dial. I’d have witnessed the Y2K hysteria from outside of my mum… Nevermind that. I think it’d be cool to see how people made time to meet up outdoors rather than on an online group… wonder if they got texting finger sores?

And then someday, I’d find that time machine again and go back to the 90’s, and I’d probably continue the cycle till my soul would be a hundred years old and I’d wish I never asked this question in the first place.

Survey #2

Back with another survey I conducted in school. I find it quite amusing that most people I ask for an opinion assume that I’m doing this for some kind of psychology project! Personally, I’d always though the word ‘survey’ was more synonymous with ‘statistics’… Nevermind, I’ll never know, or maybe someday I’ll make just that the object of my survey.

As with the first time, thanks for putting up with my constant questioning (and no thanks for those suspicious looks!)

(once again, non-judged (mostly) uncensored, unedited and completely unabridged!)

Q: If you could be anyone or anything, just for a day, who/what’d you be and why?

Aakansha: I’d be the 10th Doctor, because I’ll be able to time-travel in the TARDIS and my day would never end!

Aayushi: I’d be Beyoncé. She’s the Queen Bey!

Arshya: I’d be J.K. Rowling, just because I’d like to know what it’s like to be the mastermind of a series like Harry Potter!

Arjun: I’d be the head of the Harappan civilization so I could take down the Aryans.

Kritika: I’d be Bill Gates and buy myself an amusement park with the money.

Anjali: Definitely someone famous. I wonder what it’s like to have no privacy and all publicity, all the time.

Harneet: I’d like to be Zakir Hussain and experience his life, he’s a maestro and he’s so down to earth.

Sanyukta: A designer, because that’s my dream.

Kruthika: I’d be me. Best option!

Khushi: I’d be a piano, just because I feel like it!

Deepan: Brian May. He’s a great guitarist and is really into astrophysics as well!

Ashay: A bottle, since I wouldn’t have to do anything.

Pranav: Pranav. Because I love that guy.

Antra: Priyanka Chopra, because she’s my idol: she’s strong, independent and classy.

Daivya: Albert Einstein, for the physics.

Satchit: I’d go with God, then I’d tell everyone I’m an atheist.

Mahwash: Donald Trump. I want to stand in his place and see how he thinks, how he just stands and says anything he wants.

Rishbha: Albert Einstein. I want to know why he got a Nobel prize for his work on photoelectric effect and not for Relativity.

Aninthitha: Batman. ‘Cause I’m Batman.

Anshul: I’d be Elon Musk, because he’s super smart, very positive in life and built one of the best companies in the world from scratch.

Rashiv: (points to the Flash hoodie he’s wearing) The Flash. I can travel time, run fast and do what other humans can’t.

Aditya: Carter Kane. He’s a lot like me, and he has a girlfriend.

Vedika: I’d be a golden retriever in an upperclass family. Need an explanation?

Lamha: Me. Because I love myself; I’m perfect the way I am!

Gauri: A Graphic designer , because I love how they can create art and masterpieces.

Jyotishka: Lionel Messi. He can do what he loves and he’s good at it, plus, he gets paid for it.

Harshit: I’d be a bird, because I want to fly.

Anush: A guy with a time machine, because history fascinates me.

Punyam: I’d be God. I want to see how bored he’d be.

Vidhi: I’d be Hitler, and I’d change world history.

Shania: I’d be Marie Curie, because I love science and she was amazing.

Saif: Khalid-bin-Waleed, because he never lost a single battle.

Madeeha: A cat or a plant. I’d just stand and look at people.

Rhea: A door. I think it’s important to open and close one,

Sapna: a mirror. I reflect.

Unnati: I’d be a lefty, because they’re more creative!

(note: being one myself, I thoroughly encourage this!)

Madhav: Amitabh Bachchan. I’d like to know if I (he) really had a crush on Rekha or not.

Shivam: I’d be Barack Obama. I’d live in the White House and have all his powers… Or I’d be Ashton Kutcher.

Shubham: Ranveer Singh, because he gets to date Deepika Padukone.

Swaraj: I’d be a younger me, because there was a lot less pressure then. I could come home and watch Tom and Jerry, do simple maths questions, like two times two is four and watch Beyblade at 5:30 pm!

Shreya: Michio Kaku. I’m a fan of space-time wrap!

Manasi: A llama, because they’re cute and fluffy and have no responsibility.

Omkar: I’d be a supercomputer, because I’d like to.

Amrita: I’d be myself, because I don’t want to be someone else.

Ajinkya: The Hulk, ’cause I love destruction!

Jatin: Goku! He’s the god of power!

Tej: Bill Gates, I can do anything I want!

Diya: Doraemon. I really want that Anywhere Door and the Love Triangle and the Time Machine.

Shefali:  I’d be my brother. Then I can get back at him for the times he beat me, I’d beat him back!

Pranav: I’d be God. He doesn’t need to eat, sleep, he’s ultimate and he doesn’t need permission for anything!

Richa: I’d be the owner of a dog farm.

Hruditha: I’d be a psychologist. I’m good at it.

Vaishnavi: For a day, I’d be Harry Potter and I’d get to meet Ron and Hermoine!

Neha: I’d be The Doctor. He’s awesome!

Anushree: I’d be an alchemist. They’re cool, they perform transmutations, and I could bond someone’s soul to a piece of armour.

Archit: I’d be band manager for Lamb of God. They’re the best band and they treat their crew like family.

Mahima: Selena Gomez. She has an amazing life, I know that because of SnapChat!

Oliena: I’d be Marie Curie on her last day. Then I could die radioactive.

Mihika: I’d be the air.

Akanksha: I’d be the Queen of England. Just because.

Diya: Beyoncé, she’s Queen, and I want to see the world from her view.

Misha: I’d be the queen.

Adhya: I’d be Donald Trump, and I’d take back my election campaign.

Anushka: I’d be Chris Hemsworth’s wife. ‘Cuz.

Nandinee: I’d be SpiderMan. I’d get to be good at studies, awesome, hot and everything else.

Mark: I’d be Chandler Bing. I like his sense of humour.

Vani: I’d be my cousin. I feel she’s super perfect!

Shivani: I’d be Sherlock, because I love him!

Aditi: I’d be Vincent van Gough: I’d be broke and painting the world.

 

I suppose the only proper way to end this would be to quote David Bowie on a line from his song Heroes,

“We can be heroes! Just for one day.”

Define anticlimax:

A King, his mother and his sister are brutally murdered at a Lord’s feast. Your mind’s numb as three Starks have been killed in the span of four pages. And the next chapter opens to Davos Freaking Seaworth.

Survey #1

This is my first blog. And my first post. I’m still figuring out why anyone would want to read some random musings of mine, but by sudden impulse, I find myself here anyway!

And aah, I’m nervous too! But here it goes!

Now, about the purpose of this blog.

Sometimes, one thought leads to another, and even when you think you have (and you actually have) forgotten about something you were thinking about, it stays in your head, without your knowledge or permission, and so I woke up this morning with a thought I’d carried forward from the night before: if I had a time machine, what would I do with it? Would I go to the future or try the past? What even would I want to do?

Seems trivial enough a question, I decided to test it out!

So on reaching school, I put the question forth to a few friends, and I was surprised: the supposedly ‘trivial’ question was in fact a really big deal! The amount of “ummmm”s and “welllll”s that I initially got was enough to get me to take this forward: I now embarked on a day-long journey to get answers out of people in the school, and I posed my question to just about every person I saw today. The more I questioned people, the more I realised that people are so stressed out in life, there are so many substantial things to focus in life that a great deal of people told me that they never paused to think about something like this! It took some people a full ten minutes to think up an answer, some others told me they’d get back to me with an answer (and I’m glad to say they did), many suspiciously asked what this was all about, but no one turned down the question, so it seems the bizarre does have some relevance in life!

I got some pretty positive responses and feedback, along with many requests to publish people’s insights, so I figured this must be the best way!

So after running through five hours of surveying and sixty-something opinions, here’s my list, completely uncensored and unabridged!

(P.S. For the sake of privacy, I’ve just used first names, which isn’t something anyone can hold against me ’cause there are a hundred Joe’s in this world 😉 )

Q: If you had a time machine that could go anywhere in time, (to the past or to the future) what would you do with it?

Vedika: I’d go to the last earth-day and meet the last human.

Aakansha: I’d go see the Big Bang.

Charul: I’d go to my future, see what it’s like (so I can come back and change things) and see my futures husband.

Anshul: I’d go to the past and (try to) marry Toni Duggan.

Aditi: I’d go back and kill the first human and save the human race from itself.

Tanishi: Go into the past, kill the guy who invented exams and marry Ranbir Kapoor.

Anamika ma’am: go see dinosaurs, kill Newton, go to the future to a time when space tourism is cheap and get on a flight to Mars.

Satchit: I’d go into the past and give the Stone Age humans a lighter! Then I’d make the <last name withheld> family monarchs of the world.

(I keep my word)

Rashiv: DO NOT MESS WITH THE TIMELINE!!

Aayush: I’d go to the alien race and study under them.

Nirmiti: I’D BAN SCIENCE! (as a stream, at least)

Shrinjay: I’d give it (the time machine) to Stephen Hawking. Or I’d go back to the medieval age and see how people lived then.

Mahima: I’d go back and visit my childhood. I’d probably stay there forever.

Nethra: I’d go to the 90’s, when FRIENDS was shot, and I’d go sit in the audience.

Jatin: go to the future and get back some cool gadgets from my future self.

Vidhi: go to the past and tell my past self to live life exactly as she’s doing it.

Gauri: I’d go to the future and see how it turns out.

Aninthitha: I’d go back in time and kill J.J.Thomson; I hate chemistry!

Lamha: I’d go back and steal Einstein’s work. That’d be women empowering! People will acknowledge me and stuff, then I’d tell them to be pro-LGBT.

Arjun: I’d go back in time and prevent the Cold War; I’d tell the government to allow extensive liberalisation and capitalism in the country!

Aditya: I’d like to see who made it (the time machine); I’d like to see the grandfather paradox.

Pranav: I’d go back in time and give myself question papers, and ace tests! I’ll correct my past mistakes.

Lakshit: I’d go back to my 10th grade.

Tej: I’d go back to my childhood and play Pokémon, and loot Bill Gates.

Mahwash: I’d go into the future and see where I stand and how much money I’ll be earning (because it matters!)

Anjali: I’d go to the future and bring back some futuristic technology.

Kruthika: I’d go back in time and rewrite my physics paper! And I’d like to go back and kill Donald Trump’s parents.

Ashay: I’d sell it and be rich. Simple.

Deepan: I’d go back to the 60’s and witness the British Invasion, best musical era.

Khushi: I’d go back and utilise the time I had.

Arshya: I’d go back in time and tell myself to stop procrastinating!

Daivya: I’d go meet all the great leaders (and scientists).

Archit: I’d go back and watch Slipknot live in 1999.

Pranav: I’d destroy it!

Shania: I’d go to the future and bring back some new technology and a floating library (I’m sure one will exist by then!)

Amrita: I’d just leave it there.

Rishbha: I’d go to the future and see where I am ten years down the line.

Kritika: I’d go to the future and check out the monuments! (I mean,  will architectural ideas have changed by then?)

Shivam: go into the past and steal someone’s discovery.

Hrutvi: I’d go back to my childhood and change my life.

Nitika ma’am: I’d go to the past and live in Mohenjodaro. It seems they lived life much simpler, they had satisfaction, happiness and probably gender equality. Perfection!

Ajinkya: I’d go see my future wife.

Oleina: I’d go back in time and tell my mum I’m her daughter!

Vishrutha: I’d go back to the time J.K. Rowling was writing Harry Potter and read it over her shoulder as she writes.

Zeejah ma’am: I’d go back in time and correct some mistakes.

Diya: I’d go into the past and attend an AC/DC concert!

Mihika: I’d go to the past and meet Hitler!

Tanishka: I’d go to the future. There must be good enough technology to make me a guy.

Kaanan: I’d go back in time and prevent Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

Ayush: I’d go to the future and get my next question papers, and I’d go loot casinos in my spare time.

Amir: I’d explore the future

Aadhya: I’d go back in time and ask my parents to have a second kid.

Divyam: I’d go back in time and try to prevent the Vietnam War by convincing JFK of the consequences.

Nidhi ma’am: I’d go back to my childhood and enjoy it more… I’d take my kids with me and show them what life was like when we were young; life before technology!

Anush: I’d go to ancient India and observe it… and see if Mahabharata really happened.

Vrinda: I’d go back in time and warn my younger self about the people around me.

Shamila ma’am: I’d go to the future and see new technology and infrastructure, and how the world has changed. (No, not the latest version of C++!)

Zeba: I’d go back in time and erase my embarrassing moments.

Anandita: I’d go to my deathbed. I’d die a quicker, natural, painless death.

My mum (which however was after school, but hey, it counts): I’d go back and relive my teens!

 

 

And after a whole day of suspicion, brain cell-juicing, surprising honesty and support, I feel I could do this everyday!

Thanks to all the guys who took out precious time from their busy schedules and thought up answers to my question!

(to those reading here, what would you do if I gave you a time machine?)