JUST A BLINK AWAY

I still vaguely reminisce a beautiful memory from an early morning school day nearly five years ago. I was in my fifth standard and the academic session was coming to a conclusion. For any student, those few days preceding the final examinations are rainbow moments with interwoven moments of joy and gratitude for a fruitful academic year and the frustrating and anxious times in the run-up to the final examinations.

Being in fifth standard, it was even more joyous as we were transitioning into the senior wing of the school. It was the last day before the examinations and a friend telephoned me at night. In a rushed voice, he told me that the class had planned to make a chart of gratitude to be given to our class teacher but none of them had the chart paper available. I assured him that I'd get it.

I went inside to get the chart and was shocked. Alas! There was no chart paper at home and being the person I am, I couldn't backtrack on my claims. Early next morning, my parents frantically started searching for it in every cupboard but in vain. At that moment, I rushed to our neighbours' house and after ringing numerous doorbells, I finally found the precious thing. What a memory that was!

Today's times, however, present an altogether different story. Quick commerce apps have made inroads into smaller towns and have seen a massive boom. The 10 minutes' delivery punchline has materialised into tons of orders and certainly, life has become a lot easier. However, a convenient life isn't necessarily the best.

While these apps, armed with their swashbuckling claims, provide quicker and smoother delivery experiences, the memories created by the present day's school students has become limited. Such apps have certainly capped our social interactions with people around us and weakened ties in neighbourhoods. The jingle and thuds of the milk seller's carts are no longer eagerly awaited in middle-class households. The occasional visits to the grocery store are no longer a source of enthusiasm for little children. The struggle of asking for stationery and vegetables early morning has gone awry in today's world.

Back in the day, the journey to school was an expedition for me. It was commonplace and inevitable for me to miss out on a thing or two. A stationery shop on the way was the perfect messiah. These early morning visits forged the deepest of bonds with the uncle who ran the shop. While getting groceries at odd hours no longer remains the vertiginous mountain that it was, it certainly has led to consequences on our memories.

Will the surging trend of quick commerce lead to a happiness apocalypse for our generation? Only time and tide can answer that.

Saikrit Gulati, Class XI, St John’s High School, Chandigarh