Charm of Garfield

The Most Relatable Cat Who Understands You All Too Well

Kamakshi Khandelwal
AIS Gurugram 43, XI D

“No one gets me!” said every student ever. Have you, a thaka-haaraa student, ever found a character so relatable that your heart sighed with the feeling of being recognised and heard? No? Well, here is everyone’s favourite lazy, grumpy orange cat to fix that. Meet your new spirit animal, Garfield.

Gluttonous glee
“I eat too much because I’m depressed, and I’m depressed because I eat too much. It’s a vicious circle... that took years to perfect!”
Now you might not be an orange, lazy, and self-absorbed Persian cat but the hot samosas you dream of while studying and the joy on your face when you find pizza on the dinner table is Garfield’s sweet spot too. His infinite appetite often leads him and his human Jon Arbuckle into trouble. His daily dreams about lasagne and pizza were inspired by the Italian restaurant he was born in, while ours are just fuelled by stress and Maggi masala.

Monday madness
“I hate Mondays.” Other than vet visits with evil Nermal, Mondays are the dreaded day when bad things happen to Garfield. And isn’t that relatable? Because who dread, Mondays more than students who must now wait for the weekend (that is an eternity away) again. Garfield’s hate for Monday is like Voldemort’s hate for people with noses (and glasses of course).
Sarcastic snipes
“Good times are ahead! Or behind. Because they sure aren’t here.” “Let’s talk effort versus return here. You know, you can still lead a pointless life without all that running around.” Sarcastic one-liners that steal the show are Garfield’s superpower, and who is more sarcastic than a high schooler? (Maybe Chandler from Friends, but that’s it). In fact, each sarcastic thought of yours that you try to not say out loud is just one of Garfield’s daily sayings. 

Slumber serenity
“I'll rise, but I won't shine.” What’s a student’s worst enemy? One may come up with millions of answers to this but, many would agree that it is the early mornings and late nights that snatch away our sleep. We curse our alarm clock and even attempt to throw it away like Garfield. And much like Odie, our siblings fetch it and put it up to our ears to annoy us, until we throw it at their face. High schoolers yearn for coffee every waking moment but still stay up till 3 am, whether to study for exams or to chat with friends on social media.

So, whether you find solace in Garfield’s intense passion for food, hatred for Mondays, remember that you are not alone in this chaotic adventure called life of a student. The trials and tests of school life are universal, and Garfield serves as a reminder that a shared understanding can make the journey a little easier.

Kaleidoscope of hope

Album: A Head Full of Dreams
Artist: Coldplay
Released on: December 4, 2015
Genre: Pop rock, alt rock, electronic, indie

Synopsis: ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ is the seventh studio album by the band Coldplay, released on December 4, 2015, by Parlophone in UK and by Atlantic Records in the US. Unlike their previous heartbreak tone album ‘Ghost Stories’, this one just explodes with positive energy. It’s an attempt at moving on, rebounding with your head held high, a smile on your face, and bright colours painting the path, with themes of life, love, and imagination. The album was deeply inspired by the Persian poem ‘The Conference of the Birds’. Songs such as ‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ and ‘Hymn for the Weekend’ take a major stride into the lands of pop-rock, funk, and electronic influences that define Coldplay.
Why this is worth listening:
This album is especially designed for those who appreciate music that uplifts and inspires them. When searching for the right path, this blend of vivid and eclectic songs gives you a reason to live. Nevertheless, with collaborators like Beyoncé, the experience is diverse and engaging, connecting a whole new genre to it. It won’t matter if you’re an old follower or a new one, ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ promises to deliver something with a highly optimistic and celebratory vibe, setting itself apart from the rest of Coldplay’s discography. The album also features a sample of former President Barack Obama singing ‘Amazing Grace’ at Clementa C Pinckney’s funeral on the song ‘Kaleidoscope’.
My favourite song is: Hymn for the Weekend
Rating: 4.2/5
Review by: Shreshtha Kara AIS Gur 46, VIII G