As I attempted to silence my friend's panting, I looked around the corner to see if the coast was clear. Not a single soul was in sight. With a final glance around the place, I pulled myself into the empty hallway with my friend. It must have been another hundred metres, and we would have been there. All the junk food of the world would be at our feet, the canteen would be our stage. Just as the final stretch came in sight, an enemy sprang to our periphery, blocking our path with his unconquerable vastness. Alas, Kuddus Sir had beaten us at our own game.

Thus, concluded our pathetic first attempt at bunking classes. And yet, we never forgot the thrill of evading authority, the feeling of freedom that comes with not having to sit through classes where time passes at half the speed. Our eyes alternated between the clock's motionless hands and the lush, verdant fields outside our classroom where classmates who were done with their classes had been frolicking about and playing badminton.

The ever-present Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) tempted us like never before towards a life of carefree lethargy. And so, we followed the siren's call to the blissful realm of bunking. 

With each new class skipped, our skills at eluding teachers sharpened, and our love for the life of crime deepened. Our escapades even attracted the interest of our classmates, who became eager to dip their toes into the dark world of dilly-dallying.  We simply couldn't find a reason to give up this extravagant life of excess for the miserable boredom that awaited us inside the classrooms.

Over the years, we have realised that bunking is an art form on par with hyper-realistic oil painting or writing a French epistolary novel. To be able to survive school without butting heads with school authority while also making the best of your school experience, bunking has to be done selectively. You simply cannot afford to skip your tyrannical Physics teacher's class and expect to finish the term unscathed. But what about your Geography class where your snores go unnoticed by the teacher? The world might not end if a few students are missing in that particular class.

It is also a good idea to pull out the Marauder's Map, track the movements of the strictest faculty members, and make a beeline in the opposite direction. The trick, after all, is to never get caught in the act.

All of this is not to say we condone or encourage bunking. Yes, it can lead to unbelievably fun times and you might end up making unforgettable memories. But that doesn't take away from the fact that bunking is, essentially, wrong. You never know what you might have learned had you resisted the urge to skip classes. As students who have extensive experience with the art of bunking, we can assure you that the costs do add up. In our case, we spent one too many periods in relaxation and found ourselves ousted from the exam hall, clutching a letter addressed to our parents. 

Everything should be done in moderation. Sure, you could bunk a class or two but be smart about it. See how it is going to impact your percentage attendance at the end of the year and strategically, spread out when you skip classes. Start a spreadsheet if need be, and construct a bunking routine. But be sure to catch up with all the coursework.

Aranyo Rishi Chowdhury and Adrita Zaima Islam are students at S.F.X  Greenherald International School.