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Between words of gratitude and being overwhelmed by emotions, words of immense wisdom are often woven into speeches given by award recipients.

From witnessing the gleaming glamour to deducing the winner at the end of the night, award shows bend towards a more realistic form of entertainment in a field which thrives on stories and creativity. An unanticipated takeaway from these starry nights are the bits and pieces of wisdom actors and actresses often impart our way. They might radiate of an unspoken truth or of an experience which shall have rippling effects in hearts. While there is a plethora of shows and a motley of winning speeches to choose from, here’s presenting five speeches which moved us to the brim of inspiration!

Meryl Streep Voices the Need for Respect

The afternoon of January 9th flooded our news feeds with the list of award recipients and the bests and worsts at the Golden Globes 2017. The world shared a common sentiment (except Donald Trump, perhaps) in appreciating the endearing speech by Meryl Streep on accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award. The actress did not shy away from bordering to the political sphere; commenting on the importance of foreigners as they construct the best of Hollywood and the golden rule of disrespect inviting disrespect. Let violence not be resonated in the times to come, and let reverence for people sway the world with kindness!

Quotable Quote: “Take your broken heart. Make it into art.”

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxyGmyEby40

Leonardo DiCaprio Relays the Realities of Climate Change

As the world collectively broke into applause as Leonardo DiCaprio was declared the Best Actor at the Academy Awards 2016, his words of gratitude brought to light a message of greater importance. DiCaprio talked about the realism and threat of Global Warming which faces the world today. Supplementing his tremendous perseverance which is palpable in his work, his speech moved us to ponder over a global issue acting as a major hindrance in this age. Let us not fail in this endeavour of protecting and delivering the planet to the generations to come in the same manner in which it was handed over to us.

Quotable Quote: Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpyrefzvTpI

Matthew McConaughey’s Aspirations of Being His ‘Hero’

The recipient of the Academy Award for Best Performance in 2014 delivered a speech which was a dreamer’s delight. The idea of ‘looking up to, looking forward to, and chasing something’ everyday left an indelible mark in many hearts, which McConaughey continued with the stirring story of aiming to be your hero every ten years. It is on the verge of impossibility to become who you truly aspire to be; but that’s what dreams are for, to be the impregnable destination which we shall always chase and extract inspiration from!

Quotable Quote: “To any of us, whatever those things are, whatever it is we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to, and whoever it is we’re chasing, to that I say, ‘Amen.’”

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD2cVhC-63I

Graham Moore Gives Optimism to Kids Suffering from Depression

It takes unfathomable courage to speak about one’s personal struggles on a platform like the Academy Awards, especially about an issue which most fail to recognise and is enveloped in taboos. Winning the Award for the Best Screenplay for The Imitation Game, Graham Moore told his struggle with depression, an account not too unfamiliar to the youth of today, and relayed a message which was important to be conveyed. It is okay not to fit along the lines of the society because we’re all made for greatness in one way or the other!

Quotable Quote: “For that kid out there who feels like she’s weird or she’s different, or she doesn’t fit in anywhere. Yes, you do. Stay weird, stay different.”

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbNJq90t0Wk

Deepika Padukone’s Stimulating Letter from Her Father

Every dream in this world and its subsequent achievement involves some primal figures who have had a monumental impact on us. Deepika Padukone emerged as the winner for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards 2016 for her performance in Piku, and it was only befitting to oblige the efforts of her father and simultaneously all parents out there who are a source of inextinguishable inspiration. The values and learnings of life are infinitely greater than the achievements and failures that come our way, and to rise above them is where our life’s motive lies!

Quotable Quote: “There is no substitute for perseverance, hard work, determination, and passion for what you do. If you love what you do, nothing else matters.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAI2nQU6ZGE

 

Feature Image: Quora

 

 

Saumya Kalia

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The University of Delhi has planned to expand its placement process and launch a bigger placement drive this month for the academic year 2016-17 with an aim of providing greater opportunities to the students than last year.

The placement drive, starting from the 17th of January, will continue till the 20th of the month. “The companies will be arriving with salary package offers ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 5.86 lakh,” a university official said.

To participate in the placement drive, the students are required to register themselves under the Central Placement Cell (CPC). The registration process that started in October 2016, can be done on the University Portal.The students will be a part of the placement session once they get their CPC Id-Card verified by the principal.

The two major companies that will be coming to the campus on the first day of the drive are BT Global Business Services Pvt. Ltd and Forex Pvt Ltd. While BT Global will select BA final year and postgraduate students from any stream, Forex will select final year students pursuing BMS and B.Com. According to the official, Forex will offer a stipend of Rs 15,000 while BT Global will offer an annual package of Rs 1.80 lakh. “However, the company made it clear that it will pay salary as per the 6th  pay commission at present and as per the seventh pay commission at a later stage,” the official said.

Photo Credits: rajgovt.com

 

Aditya Narang

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The New Year is always a special time for Delhi University as it brings with it the most awaited fest season! For the first three months of the year, colleges across Delhi University host their grand annual fests with pomp and celebration. A regular student of DU would tell you that fest season is all about attending competitions, star nights, partying at DJ Nights and eating to their heart’s content. However, for many amongst the DU student community, fest season is a time for competitions and hard work. Yes, these students are the ones who are members of their college dance, music and theatre societies, and for them, Fest Season is the most hectic time of the year.

It is understood by everyone that the ‘even semester’ is the most important academic semester, due to which students are forced to create a balance between their academic commitments and fest season celebration. However, for the ones involved in rigorous performance societies, they are bound to create a balance between academics, performances and practices. Fest Season brings with it a variety of inter-college competitions and these societies work relentlessly towards victory. So for all you society members struggling to manage your time, here are 5 tips which could be of some help! :

  1. Attend as many classes you can: With back to back fests and practices in your daily schedule, if there is any space wherein you can accommodate attending that one lecture, then go for it! Since this semester is going to be hard on your attendance records, try to get in as much attendance as you can so that getting your admit card becomes an easier task.

 

  1. Get some rest to avoid a breakdown! : Burdening yourself with work from all ends will lead to an inevitable break down. Try  to get some rest, especially in the form of sleep. Your body needs to relax in order to give you its best results.

 

  1. Stay full and stay hydrated: The importance of food and water in busy times cannot be emphasized enough. So remember to stay fuelled up with enough food and water for a great performance.

 

  1. Stay in touch with those friends of yours who attend classes regularly: Considering you are not able to attend classes frequently, stay in touch with those friends of yours who are regularly in class and can help you gather notes and a knowledge base for times after the end of fest season and approach of exams.

 

  1. Don’t compromise on your study ethic: This one is a tough act but one should always try to keep their study ethic. Even though you may not be able to attend classes, but try to get your assignments in place from time to time so that your work-life balance in maintained.

 

Last but not the least, have fun to the fullest in the fest season! This is a time which you will never get back and will be cherished in your memories forever. Best of luck to all of you and may the odds be ever in your favour!

– Joyee Bhattacharya

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Picture Credits- Bayside Journal

The ‘Titanium’ and ‘Dangerous’ hit star DJ David Guetta is on his Unity Tour and is going live in India from 12th Jan to 15th Jan 2017.

“The Grandfather of EDM” David Guetta is on his Unity Tour 2017, which includes a four city tour in India, performing live at Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Noida from 12th Jan to 15th Jan 2017. Robin Schulz will be a special guest in the tour. The team is all set to put the Sunburn arena on fire this New Year!

David Guetta, a French dance-pop DJ and producer who has sold over 15 million singles worldwide, has learned and perfected his craft in Paris nightclubs throughout the 1980s and 1990s. DJing professionally from the age of 18, and after spending years on the French club scene wowing crowds and winning fans, he formed Gum Productions in 2001 in partnership with DJ and producer Joachim Garraud. One of the biggest names in dance music has collaborated with a huge string of stars of the past decade to create some momentous world-wide hits. Now the French DJ has collated these into one massive live show where he drops in some of his personal favourite dance/pop records from a variety of eras. People feel David’s charisma when playing to a live crowd, as they describe him visibly enjoying what he does as the more energy the crowd give the more animated he becomes within his DJ box. People abroad have described, “As he drops the likes of ‘Shot Me Down’ and ‘Titanium’ he hypes the crowd further by dancing along with the masses. His sets often feature numerous tracks from a variety of genres. It is fair to say there is something for almost everyone during Guetta’s set and you assured to dance along to at least one piece of music.” So, yes we are expecting an excited and loud crowd in all his concerts in India!

David Guetta has toured all over the world – both on solo stints and alongside Rihanna in 2013. He has literally travelled over a million miles to bring his dance anthems to all four corners of the globe, and is known for releasing the party animal in his fans. With two Grammys already under his belt and a strong legion of fans from across the globe, David Guetta’s fame and success will continue to balloon.

 

Image credits: www.partyowl.in

Radhika Boruah
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A motley of real and relatable characters unfolds the craziness which resides in every household; explore what makes this show firmly lodged in our memories till date!

The Indian daily soaps often tend to fall back to a formulaic way of narration: larger than life characters, twists as complicated as a jalebi, and a superfluous confluence of emotions and drama. The one show which defied the anticipated trajectory of a sitcom within the realms of Indian television was of a Gujarati family within a family; both often at comic odds with each other, thus forming the crust of the story. With the Instagram announcement that Sarabhai V/s Sarabhai will be returning for a web-series after ten years, our hearts were re-ignited with the incandescent joy one can only experience after obtaining a content dose of the Sarabhais.

The title itself induces the involuntary humming of the theme song, highlighting their quirks and comedic conflicts. From “Sophistication inki surname hai” to “Zuba se oh my-my yeh kitne pyaare hai,” we were roped in to witness the life and times of the Sarabhai clan and their extended family. Interestingly and fortunately, the show’s story became its USP; for it broke away from the traditional portrayal of a fictional family and connected with the mind-set of a real family. The idyllic sanskari parivaar where the blowing off the flame of a diya signified an incoming tragedy (categorically middle class, we tell you!) was left leaps behind to pave the way for some much-needed reality checks.

Breaking away from the norms of the stock characters, the Sarabhais are a bundle of laughter with their baggage of eccentricities. From Maya’s incessant Monisha bashing and middle class comments to Indravadhan’s knack for stirring up trouble in the household which is always on the brim of chaos, their quirks became the source of some brilliant slapstick comedy. Add to this equation the Momma-ness of Rosesh who is determined to ruin the art of poetry with his oh-so-unique kavitas; one is bound to enjoy the laughter that ensues. The latter titular Sarabhai family brings with it a couple who thrives on their polarities. Monisha shines as the scrooge with her lackadaisical attitude to anything and everything, and is the not-so-perfect bahu who is certainly more entertaining than the show, Uska Pati Sirf Mera Hai. Complementing her is the always neutral husband Sahil; a doctor forever caught between striking a balance between his wife and mother. Put together the members of this dysfunctional memory, and one is assured to be presented with a sitcom which provides all shades of amusement!

Until the show returns to laptops near us, here’s a Rosesh Sarabhai poem to illuminate your life:

Sone jaisa rang hai tera, aakhe jaise moti, 
Laash jaisi dikhti hai jab khuli aankh se soti 
Machli bu bu bu bu bu bu bu bu kissi de do choti choti!

 

Feature Image: India West

 

Saumya Kalia

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Delhi University plans to scrap off the cut-off system to introduce entrance test for admissions into undergraduate courses, beginning from the session 2017-18.

 

In addition to being aimed by students for its reputation and extra-curricular engagement, Delhi University is famous throughout India and perhaps the world for its soaring high cut-offs. Every admission cycle in the varsity presents an inadequate amalgamation of qualified students in excess numbers and limited seats in over eighty colleges; thus pushing the course cut-offs to new heights, and making it difficult for the brightest minds to secure admission in leading colleges. From the academic session 2017-18, the varsity is reportedly planning to bring forward a new admission process by conducting entrance tests for undergraduate courses, thus doing away with the cut-off lists.

 

Every year, the admission process involves releasing a series of cut-offs for a majority of courses, and students who meet the criteria can then proceed to the college of their choice along with the stipulated documents. Entrance examinations were only being conducted for professional (DUJAT) and post-graduate courses until now. There have been speculations regarding the commencing of entrance exams for B.Com and B.A. programme courses from this admission cycle onwards.

 

Khalsa College’s Professor Nachiketa Singh, a member of DU’s academic council, speaking to a national daily said, “Delhi University is planning to scrap the cut-off list system and move to an entrance test for admissions in undergraduate courses from the academic session 2017-18. The test would be objective. The entrance test is likely to be of 80 marks and 20 marks would be kept for assessing the CBSE marks of the particular subject in which the student will appear for the test.” The varsity’s Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi last year commented on the inflation of marks by boards to secure admission in DU as a major hindrance and remarked that a proposal to introduce a single entrance for all colleges is being considered as a solution.

 

In 2016, the highest cut-off went up to 99.25% for B. Com(Hons) by Ramjas College; thus, scaling incessant heights every year. Such stringent requirements for admission into an array of courses and colleges demand aspirants to obtain near-perfect scores, and due to the escalating number of applications every year, the cut-off system would only grow to be more chaotic. A 12th grader who would be appearing for CBSE boards in March this year, commented, “The boards examinations with every year are turning into a redundant cycle of rote-learning and scoring marks by sheer luck. And even those who secure a percentage above 95 have to struggle to gain admission in the course and college of their choice due to the plummeting cut-offs. With the system of entrances, admission would purely be based on knowledge.”

 

While such a move would come as a breath of fresh air for the plethora of applicants who apply every year, it might also pose difficulties at the functional level. Firstly, after having appeared for the extremely daunting Board examinations, to sit for a singular entrance test which would minimise the importance of the former examinations would leave students with high marks disconcerted. Secondly, while previously aspirants could apply for several courses, such an examination would limit their options if the entrance examination dates were to clash. Moreover, the conduction of such exams all across the country would require extensive planning and work, and it would take time to develop a proper structure.

 

 

Feature Image: The Indian Express

 

 

Saumya Kalia

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DU adopts new policy for recruitment and promotion of teachers; the newly proposed system reduces the previous emphasis on interview performance.

On 31st December 2016, the Executive Council of Delhi University adopted the University Grants Commission’s policies that will regulate the recruitment process and promotion of teachers, which will consequently impact the University in its entirety. In the emergent meeting of the Executive Council, the varsity adopted the fourth amendment of the UGC which will govern the regular recruitment process that will fill roughly half the posts in DU.

According to the new recruitment policy, 50% weightage will be given to academic record and research performance, 30% to assessment of domain knowledge and teaching skills, and the remaining 20% to performance in the interview. The newly proposed system departs from the previous policy which placed more emphasis on the interview performance.

Abha Dev Habib, a member of the Executive Council, says that the new process, still far from perfect, does introduce some measure of “transparency” to the process. In the previous system, a selection committee would select anyone practically for any reason, no questions asked. “Now they’ll have to create a table and fill scores. 4,000 teachers, comprising half the University’s teaching staff, will be recruited through this process and they will be in service for 30 years.” On the other hand, Academics for Action and Development opined that this distribution of weightage will mean that “a majority of the long-serving ad hoc teachers will not be regularised.”

The new system, however, only partially undercuts the arbitrariness for which the previous system was scrutinized. Abha Dev Habib points out that 50% weightage to “academic record and research performance” without proper guidelines of how they are to be assessed means, “it will yet again depend on the selection committee.” She argued that different departments should be allowed to lay down their own parameters, judging the quality of research, making the exercise more objective. Academic Council member Nachiketa Singh, also opined that, “If the qualifications criteria is not spelled out, there’s no difference between the old process and the new.”

While efforts are being made to improve certain aspects of the recruitment process, the issue of the reservation roster remains unresolved. Dev Habib points out that the varsity continues to use “a faulty reservation roster imposed through the emergency powers of the Vice Chancellor in September 2013,” and said that the roster must be corrected so that the posts can be advertised.

 

Image credits: catchnews.com

 

Aditya Narang

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The 74th Golden Globe Awards could have easily become just another humdrum routine on TV—men and women sashaying in expensive designer attire on a red carpet. Instead, it has ended up becoming a far more significant, almost a historical awards night, meant to be remembered and looked back upon in the years to come. Priyanka Chopra’s dazzling gown could not divert from the centrality of the issue of diversity. The acceptance speech for Zootopia, an animated film, included its makers emphasizing on this very topic. Within a period spanning over just a few hours, Meryl Streep went from being a Lifetime Achievement Award winner to an “overrated actress” and a “Hillary flunky”, all thanks to Donald Trump and his remorseless wisdom on Twitter. In the rarest of occasions in awards night history, Trump, politics and xenophobia gained precedence over fashion and hairstyles.

The highlights of the show, aside from La La Land which went on to receive an award in every category, were Jimmy Fallon (the host) and Streep herself. The former hardly attempted to make the celebrities in attendance the butt of his jokes, contrary to clichéd expectations from an awards show host, especially when he happens to host a talk show. Instead, he took jibes at the newly elected President. Streep took to the reverse side of the coin. Where Fallon was comic, she turned the attention to serious issues of discrimination and the fears of a common migrant. One got to hear the words “Hollywood”, “foreign” and “press” several times throughout the ceremony. But she declared, “[If] you kick them all out, you’ll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts.” Be it a Ryan Gosling or a Viola Davis or a Dev Patel; for once, Streep united all actors under a larger umbrella issue—there is no difference between these actors and the thousands of migrants who make up the labour force of America. Neither Hollywood nor America can do without its diversity.

However, some amount of backlash did follow. It is true that Fallon never confronted Trump about racial discrimination, his views on gender or physical appearance. He did not attempt to do so even when Trump was a guest on his show. This is the primary foundation of the backlash. But this could be equally true for a talk show host like Jimmy Kimmel, who has invited Trump on his show before. Kimmel was not caustic either. Caustic humour and jibes, though all in good fun, do have a time and place to adhere to. Fallon’s humour is much like Kimmel’s, not confrontational in nature during the Globes or in the talk show and if he failed to hit the nail on the coffin somewhere in this attempt, Meryl Streep’s speech more than compensated for it.

Overall, the 2017 Golden Globes proved much more to be a comment on contemporary politics, the national hysteria surrounding Trump’s election and the pressing need for diversity rather than clichéd awards night trivialities.

Image Credits: www.blogspot.com

Deepannita Misra

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There are some who delight in conversations or movies, while there are some who find peace only in pages embellished with printed words. But when this only resort to peace doesn’t arouse happiness like it always does; that is the beginning of a deep gloomy Reading Slump for every bibliophile!

Reading Slumps can be a very irksome period for some, while not so annoying for the others, but they definitely irritate the poor reader with unfamiliar predicaments like not finding the right book, or not “feeling like” reading. The Slump gets worse when the favourite part of the day annoys the book lover beyond measure and none of the books in the reading shelf attracts the eye, instead makes one cringe at the sight of it. Every Reader goes through this phase at least once during their “reading life”. Maybe it’s a signal to take a break away from the routine for a little while and maybe switch over from the genre, or switch over to some other pastime altogether, temporarily though. Seeing how common Reading Slumps are, we have found some super easy ways to help you step out from this dreadful phase; while all you have to do is not cling on to your books or favourite genres for some time and pick one of the ways mentioned below.

  • Pick up Magazines/ Journals; because a slight shift from Literature to issues that are currently being dealt with in the society can work wonders! This can help you find another genre to venture into or pull you back to your all-time favourite one; making you happy, or normal again.
  • Watching Web Series or Movies can be also a great way out from the slump. Movies or Web series that circle around your areas of interest can help you rebuild your interest in tales, which you think to have lost interest in; due to the Slump. Shifting to this pastime for some time would freshen up your mind, give you a little break and pull you back to your unattended book shelf again.
  • Reread your favourite book or your favourite parts of some book you like. Because recollecting those good old memories can always bring you back to your reading routine or at least your favourite genre/ author.
  • Set the right ambiance and reorganise your reading area. Cleaning up or making yourself comfortable in your reading space can probably be the best way to bring you back from straying away from your reading routine. This works with utmost ease for you can get right back on track without making the effort of trying out some different genre or pastime; and can quickly dive into the world of books again.

 

So try one of these to bounce back and find solace in your favourite company again, because nothing beats books for the bibliophile usually lost in the world of tales!

 

Priyal Mahtta

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Image Credits: www.lifehack.org

Kick off the first month by commemorating some unusual-yet-relatable Days approved by and throughout the world with this guide!

We’ve all heard and celebrated the multitude of highlight festivals and National Days of this country; from absorbing the patriotism on Independence and Republic Day to revel in the happiness of your birthday, we’ve all been there and done that. Keeping up with infusing degrees of ‘new’ in this New Year, start off the opening month of 2017 with ‘Days’ which are on the verge of sounding made-up but have been stamped authentic by the calendar!

3rd January- Festival of Sleep Day

Commencing the New Year with an activity desired and treasured by all, The Festival of Sleep Day seeks to grant 24 hours devoted to catching up on sleep after the merriment and sometimes daunting activities of the December holidays. This unusual yet enticing holiday sets out to celebrate in the Sweet Land of Sleep!

4th January- Trivia Day

Succeeding the hype of the popular culture game, Trivial Pursuit, January 4th pursues the likes of curious minds who are fascinated with the nitty-gritty of general knowledge. The festival can be played with friends and family alike; endeavouring to bring to light little-known facts about anything and everything all around the world!

7th January- Old Rock Day

Following the second connotative meaning of the word ‘rock’ here, Old Rock Day is a celebration for Geologists and rock enthusiasts who want to delve deep into this field of Geology. From fossilised articles to stones, everything ‘rocky’ becomes their object of fascination. It is widely speculated that the origin of this day is centred around the actions of The Flintstones family!

 

8th January- Secret Pal Day

A derivative of Friendship’s Day perhaps, Secret Pal Day aims to celebrate friendship and its many shades. One can embrace the day with reaching out to long lost friends, spending the day with ones you treasure, and feel the warmth of a beautiful friendship!

11th January- Make Your Dreams Come True Day

We live to dream and dream to live. Every day our hearts are invigorated with a genuine desire to work towards something we aspire to, thus forming a pivotal crust of ourselves. This day pushes you to go that extra mile for transcending your vision into reality; from talking to someone who inspired you to getting started with a project, this is vast territory!

15th January- Hat Day

This one will be a personal favourite of the Mad Hatter. From internalising a sense of power to complementing the range of your dress and providing protection from the extreme weather; hats are a wonder accessory to spring your personality to life, so pick out and wear a hat this day which screams you!

16th January- National Nothing Day

A day of sitting idle intellectually is one of the dreams, and the Americans seem to have carved a National Nothing Day to provide them with the liberty to officially disregard honouring or celebrating any event. Ironically, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on the third Monday of January which means that one-in-seven January 16th’s will fall on the same day as National Do Nothing Day!

19th January- Popcorn Day

Bread is incomplete without butter, and movie days are left unsatisfied without popcorn! A day celebrated to salute the white balls of addiction; January 19th is marked as the National Popcorn Day, while the National Popcorn Month falls in October. Curious, isn’t it?

20th January- National Cheese Lover’s Day

Cheesy fries, cheesy popcorns, cheese shining in its glory; sounds all degrees of appetising! January 20th officially celebrates the love we harbour for cheese, so put on the extra comfortable pants to indulge in everything cheesy. Fun fact: there are more than 1400 varieties of cheese!

23rd January- National Handwriting Day

A throwback to times of school when your handwriting seemed to serve various purposes. With the National Handwriting Day, people are implored to resort back to the good old days to explore the purity and dynamics of the manner and disposition of writing!

31st January- Backwards Day

As the name resonates, the last day of the month has been reserved for the art of including rearward aspects in our life. From wearing the back of the shirt in the front to trying and writing backwards, all activities canvassing the period of this day should defy from going straight!

 

Image Credits: goinghometoroost.com

 

Saumya Kalia

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