War over the Benches

This morning, there was an interesting debate going on air. Radio City’s two RJs, Vasanthi and Rohit were debating as to who were more successful: front benchers or back benchers.
That was quite an innovative topic to discuss in a radio station and indeed kept me engrossed to listening to people’s views.
What have I been?
To be frank, I have been an all bencher. During school, I used to shift between the last rows and middle rows (mainly because of my height). Whenever I used to sit in the front row, I was asked by the teachers to move back.
I have had my share of fun in the back bench. Eating good food, reading a digest of Archie’s comics, writing messages to my neighbour, drawing, having my own conversations….it was a world in its own. I guess it was more of a cult to be in the back bench.
During my under-graduation, I sat in the front bench throughout. I guess that was mainly because, I was most-of the time outside college participating in inter-collegiates that when I used to attend college, my gang of friends reserved a place for me in the front bench. I never cribbed about it. In fact it was fun there too. But yes!! One had to pay attention even to the most boring of the classes.
During my post-graduation, I mostly sat in the back bench. I had my laptop too. So, it was easy to hide my face behind the screen. I remember during one of the sessions, I was busy making a presentation for the next day and did not pay attention to what my professor was talking. I spent three hours behind the laptop screen converting my summer project into slides, diagrams and giving it a shape to speak about the next day. I must say it was a productive effort that brought me laurels. Thanks to that marketing class that I never paid attention to. (Sorry, Professor AKD. You were good but somehow that was of a higher priority.)
Are front benchers entirely studious? Or to put it in a different way, do studious pupils sit in the front row?
To some extent, yes!
I used to wonder as to how some friends of mine could extend their attention span even to the most boring of the lectures without batting an eyelid. And ask doubts!!! And take down notes!!
But they were the saviours for all photocopies to be taken before an examination.
Hey! Being a back-bencher, I have paid attention to my classes too…in fact asked doubts too.
I guess people should experience these two vastly different arenas of a class-room.
One aspect has been proved throughout my academic life and these are my opinions.
Back benchers have been more out-going, participative in events in school/college and seem to have a buoyant spirit.
Front benchers have been disciplined in their academic life, serious and observant.

So what am I??