Hey! Are you gonna miss me?
Fig 1 – Computer being brought to lab
Today, I am a little heartbroken by the thought of getting separated from my home; when I first arrived here, in this enormous computer lab, I felt a sense of fear and awkwardness, but after seeing other computers here, I felt calm in the air. It was as if I was home again.
Fig 2 – Computer Lab
The attendant joined my circuits carefully, and I was ready to help others as I was supposed to. After getting done with my system requirements, the attendant left, and all the other computers rushed toward me as they wanted to ask me many questions; with this sudden
rise in the voices, I was startled a bit, but then I realised this was my new home. We talked a lot, they asked me about my new updates and software version, and they were impressed by the characteristics that I had, I felt proud as I was the new Gen-Z favourite.
My days were full of happening and interesting stories. I still remember a day, when students were having their exams in my lab, I was easily able to sense the fear in their eyes, their heartbeats were racing, but they sat and started working on their papers.
Fig 3 – Student working in the lab
The kid working with me had a very serious look on his face, I said to myself, “Great! This kid is interesting, he knows all the answers, and it will be good to work with him” I got very excited with all these thoughts. Suddenly, I saw that serious look on his face vanish into thin air.
With a flustered face, he prayed, “God, Please help this time, I will study next time, I promise”, that day I laughed a lot. I said to myself, “These are little kids, what do I expect from them, if they have a serious look it means they are in fear.” These little moments always made my
day.
Fig 4 – Student sleeping in the lab
I also remember a story from their exam times, when first-year students who didn’t have my siblings (laptop) with them came to me for help. They studied all night in the lab, and a few slept there. In the morning, I woke up with a sudden voice shouting, “We have an exam in 10
minutes, let’s go” I saw students rushing out of the lab; the person who was working with me was sleeping like a baby, so peacefully. But his friend came to wake him up, and they both rushed out of the lab. I wished them good luck.
My days pass like this, every day, I see new faces and make new friends, with lots of memories and stories.
Fig 5 – Student working on laptop
“Tomorrow is the day for one,” I heard somebody say. I already knew this; now that I am old, younger generations came after me and took over the lab, and my old friends were already gone. I wondered what would happen to me once I was removed from the lab.
Would I be sold for parts or simply scrapped for metal? Would I ever be used again, or would I end up in a landfill somewhere? I felt a sense of fear, loss, and abandonment, but deep down, I knew this was for the best. Even though I wanted to spend more time in this
lab, I wouldn’t, as tomorrow will be my last day.
Fig 6 – Class being held in lab
Through my time here, I helped a lot of students, professors, and teaching assistants with their research and work. But now, all of that was coming to an end. I wished I could have done more, been more useful, or lasted longer. But I knew my time had come, and I had to accept my fate.
Fig 7 – Student sleeping on the keys of computer
While thinking about all this, a student came to me and started working with me. I forgot all my worries and tried my best to help him. Working late at night, he felt tired and slept on my keys. I watched him sleeping all night. It was the best moment of my life, I felt very calm.
Now, I don’t want to think about tomorrow, I want to live today. But still, I just want to say, “Hey! Are you gonna miss me?”
Credits:
● Xhitij Chaudary, Somesh Pratap Singh, Ashish security guard and random stranger.
● AB7/108 lab, Computers.
