Image for Thumbs up for late m

Gone are the days of early deadlines for your child. Now youngsters set out to meet their friends after 9 pm as part of a new phenomenon called ‘late night buddies.’

 The next time you see a bunch of youngsters stepping into a coffee shop after starting out from home around 9 at night or meeting up near the beach, rest assured they have no intention to go back home till the wee hours.

 With exam pressure and busy schedules becoming a norm, school and college students are meeting friends late into the night. They say it is easier to catch up over a cup of coffee after 9 than fix an earlier time. Some coffee shops now stay open till 11 pm to tap into this new trend.

 Priyanka R., a first year communication student, says after she enrolled in college there was never time to meet up with school buddies, but late night meetings have helped them keep in touch. “I love meeting my friends. I used to meet them every alternate day when I was in school. But after I got into college, I hardly find time. So, one of our friends made it a point to meet all of us after 9.30 at night every Saturday.”

 Their parents do not object, she says, since they live in the same neighbourhood. “There are both boys and girls in our group, so we aren’t scared to sit out and talk in the night,” says Priyanka adding that they always make sure to choose safe areas.  

 Some youngsters say meeting up with friends at night is much more relaxed. Niranjan P., an engineering student from a popular college, says he prefers the calm of night meetings. “I don’t like being in a crowded place or even in a place where people talk loudly. So I always make sure I meet my friends after 10 pm. It is so much fun to be in a place where no one is there.”

 They visit 24-hour coffee shops or hangout near cafes that shutdown at 10.30. “We have so much fun at those places as no one is there to question or even look at us,” says Niranjan.  

However, many parents are not thrilled about these late night meetings. Homemaker Guna Ravishankar says she would never encourage night meetings. “These days one sees news about youngsters being molested, abused and it is scary to send them out after 9 at night. I always tell my daughter to be at home before 9 pm.”

 She believes such meetings are unsafe. “It is not safe, especially for girls to be out in the wee hours even though there are male friends in the group. It is like inviting problems. Instead they could meet in the morning or make calls and talk.”  

Saranya Balasubramaniam, a college goer says, “Accompanied by my friends Lakshmi and Subha, I hang out at a popular eatery that is thankfully open 24 hours. The best part about such rendezvous is that there isn’t too much of a crowd and the service is also good during those times. Also I find it very hard to catch up with them during the day time as we study in different colleges located very far apart.”

Shreesha S. Reddy
 The Asian Age