NEW DELHI: Some have celebrated it, some have looked the other way, and some have denied it: But in the past week many schools have celebrated Scribble Day, with or without official sanction.
For those not in sync with Delhi adolescent parlance, Scribble Day is celebrated by standard XII students, usually on their last school day, by scribbling messages on each others'' uniforms. An extension of the year-book; maybe a little naughtier.
However, since the scribbling sometimes creeps on to faces and on occasion, even an exercise with sexual undertones, some schools have frowned upon it in the past few years — at least officially.
So while it was carried out clandestinely at Mothers'' International School (which had even hauled up the head-girl last year for such indulgence), DPS, R K Puram, celebrated Scribble Day rather proudly in its sports complex. There was lots of dancing and general merry-making, and of course there was a DJ.
Students at other schools feel the authorities need to be a little sporting about all this. "It''s a fun tradition and my school is pretty cool about it. We''ve just been asked to wear a jacket or sweater over it at the end of it," said Archan Ghosh of Sanskriti School.
Messages cover a wide range — nostalgia, humour, advice, ribaldry — from various inspirations — Hallmark cards, Bridget Jones''s Diary, Internet. Here''s a sampling:
''It''s been years of fun and laughter, tears and hugs, and now the last goodbye''; ''You''re my dearest friend who stood by me when I myself had forgotten to stand''; ''Be careful about the feet you step on, they may be attached to the asses you may later have to kiss''; ''Have a ball as you grow in college''; ''Freak out with new boyfriends''.
Naturally, it is also an occasion to get teary-eyed. "I feel miserable about having to leave school after being here for 14 years. Stepping into a strange land called college is scary," said Trinanjan of Sardar Patel Vidyalaya.
Those in line for the next year have a good time too. "It was such fun watching our seniors walk around with cute messages written all over their shirts, hands and even faces. I have been eagerly awaiting this day," said an exuberant Ritika of DPS, R K Puram.
Outgoing students of G D Goenka vowed their shirts would be their biggest treasure from their days in school, something like a scrapbook that they could take out and get emotional over later in life.
