Do societies really make your grades hit rock bottom, or is it time to turn the finger towards yourself? Often, the will to get the best of both worlds is all you need.
Usually academic fulfillment is the primary motive of school, while holistic development is that of a college. For the purpose of grooming an individual on an all-round basis, colleges across the university harbor a wide array of cultural and non-cultural societies open for participation to all students, irrespective of course and credentials. The selection procedure entails a rather long drawn-out audition cycle that is necessary for evaluating the credibility of a potential entrant.
Both cultural and non-cultural societies engage in a lot of work that essentially requires a high degree of commitment. Being a part of a college society demands undivided attention, free from external influence of any kind. A likely situation may arise prior to and during the annual festival season. The cream societies of the university are under pressure to maintain their legacy, and the budding societies face dire stress of making it to the top. In the face of these difficult circumstances, students usually find themselves in a fix. It gets utterly impossible to be able to keep a stable record of lectures and remain wary of the repercussions. But then again, that is precisely how student-run organisations, societies and clubs function. They base their working on the acquired, sometimes innate, ability of their members to multitask well. The least that can be expected from an undergraduate student, willfully a part of some society, is efficient management.
As is very rightly said, with great power comes great responsibility. It is time that students start understanding the severity of the same. Whilst being a part of a college society is an accomplishment in itself, maintaining a decent grade point average stands at equal footing. A society, no doubt, requires its members to sometimes miss lectures and it may, in worst cases, result in loss of both attendance and conceptual knowledge. But that should not make room for ready acceptance of ill fate. In scenarios like these, wisdom lies in putting in an extra effort to make up for all the lost time, by personally requesting teachers in-charge to take tutorials in their free time. This will ensure steady growth, both academically and professionally, and will also leave a positive impression on the teacher.
The ingrained blueprint of school days takes less than a month to wear off in the face of collegiate novelty. It is, in fact, true that college students study most of the text on their own and need little help with the rest. The days of incessant pampering and spoon-feeding have long gone, and it is imperative to let that fact sink in. It is not as difficult, as it is laborious, to make notes on one’s own and clarify doubts. There is no better way of keeping track than to take notes on a routine basis and reach out to the professors in case a doubt arises.
College societies are a professional arena and follow precise modus operandi, in accordance with which practice timings are determined. Their functioning is such that it leaves ample room for attending certain lectures. Also, considering the final score sheet carries a weightage of 5% attendance in each paper, colleges provide to their society members a compensation bill which helps settle the attendance score card for all the classes missed. A benefit of this kind is like ambrosia for ECA students and should not, in any way, make allowance for excuses regarding a dilapidated academic score.
The societies are as much a part of the educational institution as any scholarly establishment is, and consequently, bound to follow the university calendar, which stands witness to the various events and examinations throughout the year. And the societies do suspend work for almost a month and a half before semester-end examinations. The preparatory leave is also bountiful and makes for a wholesome study environment.
The benefits that a person reaps from working actively for a society prove fruitful in the long run. But it should also be kept in mind that it is not so at the cost of academic forfeiture. There are people who manage their score, their professional pledge, and work simultaneously with ease and meticulousness. It is only intention that helps these students function tirelessly.
So the next time you find yourself brainstorming on an idea to use ‘commitments’ as an excuse for not scoring well, remember that good management, coupled with a strong intent to fare well in exams, can make all the difference in the world!
Image credits: Gargi College
Lakshita Arora
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