Thoughts During a Blackout (9.15pm 30/12/12 )

Dark and drizzling lightly. The tension of tomorrow's exam. The new year just lurking around in the dark corner, ready to jump at you.....and then the power supply was cut. My university had made an announcement on the power outage a few days ago, a warning to all hostelers perhaps. I myself have mentally prepared myself for this daunting ordeal. I planned to sleep through it. Luckily for me, it was only short lived since they used generators instead (Thank God!)

However, the switch from generator to main power supply left us with a few hours in the dark (literally).

Housemates gone desperado 'cause tomorrow is exam

The fear of the dark. The excitement in the air. The blinding beams of headlights from passing cars. Some take refuge in the dark (like me). Couples took advantage of the situation. Hugging their other half ever so protectively. Embracing them under the false pretense that no one can see them, well I did. Even in near darkness, I don't approve PDA.

The steady hum of the generator, slowly dying off. Waiting for the electric company to do its share of the job. Desperate people seeking refuge in emergency lights on the landing of the stairwells. Candlelight last minute sessions. The sound of cars going out of campus, toward solace with electricity.

The fear of the dark. The comfort of the light. The gift of sight. Never thought about it but, monsters seek light too (just a random thought). Perhaps they are lost souls looking for hope in their darkness.

Navigating in darkness, even in a familiar surrounding seems like being stuck in a labyrinth. Illuminated by the feeble orange light of your flashlight or your phone. Feels like as if you are your own protagonist in a survival horror game. Complete with random screams in the dark, little creatures scurrying about on the walls and on your feet. Only thing missing are the fiends...but really, who needs that when you got your own wild imagination to help you out on that.

I find that walking in near darkness is less terrifying as compared to navigating with said flashlight and camera. The latter seems to give life to shadows and being able to 'see' a part things that go bump in the night doesn't help make it less daunting.

Thankfully the night sky seems bright. Light pollution, useful in these 'dark' times.

After what seems to be almost an hour since they shut down the power, the campus feels quiet. Silence. We took it for granted. The heady buzz of the fluorescent lighting, the swinging of the fan's blade cutting through the air. The power generated from its humming motor. People manage to get acclimatized in the darkness. They continue on whatever they were doing. Going through their notes. Updating the situation on twitter. The obvious things 20 year olds do in this kind of crisis.

As I lay here on my bed, waiting for the electricity. Lighted by a lone candle on my roommate's table. Determined to study even in near darkness. Wondering what to do with my life. Might as well share it to the world right? In fact, sharing IS caring as they would say. Let me share my thought on this then: 

I think I like this kind of darkness.