CHENNAI: The road outside Stella Maris College on Cathedral Road was chock-a-bloc. The alumnae of the college were slowly driving their cars into the premises, while waving out to long-lost friends and batchmates.
They walked into the sun-lit narrow corridor outside the M-01 auditorium, laughing and hugging. The hall was buzzing with murmurs, whispers and giggles of women greeting each other and a few current students running around carrying dandiya sticks and pocket-sized water bottles. The annual reunion and AGM of Stella Maris College was a sight of radiating energy.
Old classmates and batchmates inside the auditorium reminisced their time at the college. “I stayed at the hostel. It made college different for me,” said Kiran Jeffrey, a student from the batch of 1989.
The celebrations kicked off at 11.30 am with a prayer sung by two students from Economics department. In her speech, Sister Susan M, secretary shared that the new block of the college is ready to be opened.
“I would like to thank the Alumnae Association of Stella Maris (AASM) for organising funds for the construction of our new block, Sancthosofia. Thanks to their grace, the block is complete with classrooms and a media centre,” she said.
Syama, from the 2017 batch, opened the entertainment session with a stand-up comedy act. She began her set by asking “Can I speak in Tamil now that I am an alumna?”.
Teachers and students laughed out loud at her jokes about awkward situations while buying sanitary pads.
The college also organised a dandiya session after the event, and dandiya sticks were being sold at `50 for those interested in joining the festivities.
The auditorium once again rung with excited chatter by seniors and juniors from the many batches of women that have graduated from Stella Maris College as they made their way to the dance floor.