It is that time of the year again, when the university is buzzing with the sounds of busy corridors, humming in novel undertones of bewilderment and slight fear.
Yes, you heard it right! The various societies of the university are holding their auditions in the coming weeks and that is precisely why you see so many flyers in and around the college premises, some resolutely pinned to bulletin boards, while some stuck on walls, witnessing enthusiasts, all too often, lately.
For freshmen, standing on the threshold of the seemingly crucial years of their life, intimidated by the arduousness of the ensuing academic pursuits, a society plays a very convincing dual role. A college society gives its members the kind of exposure that most of them have not been witnesses to, far earlier in their life, which paves way for their holistic development and also acts as a much needed value addition to their CVs. They usually follow professional calendars and a precise modus operandi, which leaves close to no room for speculation about the seriousness with which a society is run. The extensive work that goes into the making of each society, cultural or non-cultural, is abundant which makes it a reputable platform, nonetheless but also one which is incredibly demanding in terms of both time and energy.
As the new academic session has only just begun, the freshers are brimming with excitement, almost to the extent that their enthusiasm is palpable even from quite a distance. The societies are more worked up than usual, trying to score a balance between managing the new finances for the current session coupled with the registrations and auditions for the recruitment of new members.
As simple and exhilarating as it may sound, the auditions are a tedious task, especially so for cultural societies. Starting with the registrations, it maneuvers its way through the long-drawn out audition cycle, which usually lasts a couple of days. The atmosphere, although thick with exhaustion is also very lively, the latter superseding the former on most days.
The sight of young, impressionable first years standing in long lines, waiting for their turn, desperately imagining different scenarios in their head, gives way to more than one school of thought. The first being the rapid rate at which the societies of The University of Delhi are gaining traction and the second being their willing acceptance of an amalgamation of both, academics and extracurricular activities in their all-round grooming.
The precise reason for a fresher wanting to join a society cannot be very accurately traced, but going by the latest statistics, it can be deduced that participation in the same has only seen an upward trend. It can be due to the increasingly dynamic work profiles which requires a person to have a very diverse Curriculum Vitae (CV) or because of the growing acceptance of heterodox ideas amongst the youth, which usually do not conform to the mainstream career choices.
We happen to live in a time and age where the competition is relentless and the competitors, barbarous, all in the name of a secure life. Now, a secure life is not necessarily granted by a stable workplace but it does, in some probability, affect it positively. The big IT companies, the flourishing online retail stores or even the very renowned publishing houses for that matter, take into consideration the diversity of arenas that a potential recruit has gotten himself/herself into.
A college society not only instills in its members, a sense of professionalism but also provides them with a platform to express their views and ideas openly. It helps them build relationships both, social and contractual, making way for healthy interactions through consensus and dissent.
The very many intricacies that surface when looking closely at the working of a society are complex and intimidating too, sometimes, but as is very rightly said, with great power, comes great responsibility. The pain and effort that has gone into the establishment of these associations is undeniably worth everything that it demands of its members because it is usually easier to create a legacy, but far more difficult to maintain one.
As Freshers, just out of the cocooned and sheltered environment of schools, it can be a conflicting thought but whatever be the argument after duly weighing the pros and cons, there is a sound ground on which people usually base their judgments about whether or not join a college society; and whatever maybe the choice, the aim should always be prosperity.
Feature Image Credits: DU Beat
Lakshita Arora
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