Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Author

Prachi Mehra

Browsing
Cultural Festivals

Fest Look Book

By

With so many fests coming up, one wonders what are the new trends to follow and what are the fashion no-nos.
Fests are an essential part of college life, especially in University of Delhi where the season starts in the month of February and goes on till April. Some of the most iconic fests- Hindu College’s Mecca, Sri Venkateswara College’s Nexus, Miranda House’s Tempest, and many more are events that every DU kid looks forward to. In the freezing winters our options of what-to-wear seem less than the what-not-to-wear. And with Instagram setting high standards, are the ‘winter looks’ something an average student can recreate?
But fret not, here are a few easy-to-create and yet trendy looks to make a style statement, this fest season:
The Blazer Look
The first look is a chic outfit which can make you look fun-but-professional in a few simple steps. The model pairs a simple black tube top and a classic plaid bottom with a bright white blazer. Another glam look is the black casual tee with black jeans paired with a contrasting turquoise blue blazer. These contrasting blazers add an extra oomph to your usual look making you fest ready!
The Over-Sized Sweater
This look can never go out of style! You can wear a solid grey, over-sized sweater and accessorise it with a black, knitted visor cap. With so many fests lined up, planning outfits every weekend can get hectic, this look is super cute and comfy! Adding bold red lipstick helps you turn on the glam, effortlessly.

Winter Dresses
Why should winters come in the way of your quest to pull off the perfect fest look? Here are three ways to slay, the right way! First is an iconic, full sleeved, dark red winter dress partnered with a grey leather jacket. Second is a winter classic olive green colored, full sleeve dress paired with a fur jacket which adds to the wholesome look. Complete the look with your favorite thigh-high boots! Third is an oh-so-essential beige, without sleeve dress, complimented with a pastel colored coat and matching heels which will help you nail the minimalist vibe at the next fest.

The Denim Dream
Here are 2 looks you can try to dazzle in denim. The first is a simple black, high neck with a denim skirt, black stockings (yes, they are in fashion!) and black knitted visor cap, super easy and cute! The second is a denim jacket and denim skirt, paired with a black bodysuit. The big hoops paired with both outfits are back in fashion and really flatter the classic denim on denim style. This look can help you rock the retro vibe.

Trendy Co-ords
Co-ords are a trend which have created a stir and are our must-haves. The model adorns a peach co-ord, you can also accessorize this look with statement gold jewelry to get an edge and nail the Coachella vibe. This is a chic look and can set you apart from the crowd.

Animal Print and Leather
The first outfit is a simple red, full sleeved top partnered with a short black leather skirt and thigh-high black boots. The second look is an animal print top, black leather skirt and black stockings. In the third look the model adorns a simple animal print dress. The bold black lip adds the flair to your usual leather outfit and helps you channel your inner Safiya Nygaard.

The standard of fests in DU is on a high, with performances by The Local Train, Zaeden, Prateek Kuhad and many more. These outfits are classic, casual and can add fire to your usual attire, giving you more confidence to go out and slay the fest season with the perfect look!

Feature Image Credits: Fantasy Linen

Shivani Dandwal

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Beyond the Obvious of Delhi University Colleges

Martyrs’ Day: A Day of Tribute

By

Martyrs’ Day is celebrated on 30th January to pay homage to the valiant freedom fighters who fought for our country’s independence.

Martyrs’ Day, also known as Shaheed Diwas is a day to commemorate the dead soldiers’ valour and bravery who
fought against the British colonial rule. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 30th January in the year 1948 before
the sunset during the evening prayers. Since then, this day is celebrated as the Martyrs’ Day to pay tribute to
Mahatma Gandhi.

A ceremony is undertaken by the leaders of the nation, The President, Prime Minister, Vice-President along with the armed forces. The citizens of the country pay their tribute by remembering and acknowledging the soldiers with a two-minute silence at 11 a.m. All of us as school students have memories of dedicating this silence to those martyred souls. Artists across the country showcase their respect through their art. It is also a day to honour the sacrifices and
unknown battles of the armed forces and their families.

The University of Delhi (DU) had its own role to play in the freedom movement. Ramjas College disguised and housed Chandra Shekhar Azad, helping him evade the British. A number of radical revolutionaries graduated from St. Stephen’s College. Leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, and Subhash Chandra Bose motivated the youth in Hindu College. DU contributed effectively as a unit and foundation in the Indian opportunity battle. Amid the Civil Disobedience Movement, they set up the national banner on the flagstaff in grounds. Indeed, even the
school structures filled in as concealing spots for radicals and facilitated vital
gatherings.

But the onus of freedom does not lie on the heads of popularised soldiers and fighters only, it lies on every citizen who rebelled in his/her own way. The onus is on that mother who single-handedly raised a son only to
see him martyred, those parents who infused nationalistic ideals and values in their children, that businessman
who put his nation above his profit and protection, and those unsung and unrecorded heroes whose names
failed to go down in history.

Napolean Bonaparte has rightly said, “It is the cause, not the death that makes the martyr.” The nation’s current and futuristic progress stands on the foundation of the dead freedom fighters. These martyrs sacrificed their lives to ensure that the future generation is no longer chained in the clutches of slavery.

Feature Image Credits: JestPic

Prachi Mehra
[email protected]
Anoushka Sharma
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Beyond the Obvious of Delhi University Colleges

Why is the Citizenship Amendment Bill Evoking Protests in NE?

By

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 on got approved on 8th January by India‘s Lower House of Parliament that would grant residency and citizenship rights to undocumented non-Muslim immigrants. Why has this Bill suddenly come under the lens?

The North-East people have been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 for the past couple of weeks. Before we get behind the reasons for it, let’s try to find out what is the entire fuss is all about.

The aforementioned bill, which has been introduced in the Lok Sabha aims to amend the existing Citizenship Act of 1955. It says that people who have illegally migrated and are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis, Jains, and Buddhists from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, are automatically eligible for citizenship and will be granted residence. It provides citizenship to those who have been forced to leave their countries and take shelter in India because of religious persecution or fears of persecution. The Bill also says that those migrants who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, cannot be deported or imprisoned.

Under this amendment, the wait time for citizenship is also reduced. The bill reduces the time to 6 years from 11 years for citizenship for the people from different religions and the countries.

Now, what is the Citizenship Act of 1955? According to it, an illegal immigrant is identified as the one who enters the country without proper travel documents and it also includes those people who do possess valid documents but stay beyond their permitted time period. They are prohibited from acquiring Indian citizenship.

The Assam Accord of 1985 is also an important part of this entire issue. The people of Assam, led by the All Assam Students’ Union, demanded the identification and deportation of the illegal immigrants. Also, illegal migrants who had entered Assam from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971, were to be deported. This accord was an agreement between the central government of India and the students’ union. The NRC (National Register of Citizens) update exercise that started last year was conducted in line with the Assam Accord. This ongoing NRC-updating process will be badly affected if the bill gets passed. So, once the NRC exercise would be done all the people who turn out to be verified illegal immigrants will be deported back.

Now, you may ask the reason behind all these hunger strikes and effigy-burning.  All the North-Eastern states either share the border or are in close proximity to Bangladesh. Most of the immigration to India happens from Bangladesh. This substantial rise in the number of immigrants became a serious issue for the indigenous people of the North-East.  And so, many different tribal regions made laws that restricted the immigrants or any non-tribals for that matter, from buying land or staying in their land indefinitely.

Secondly, the Bill only mentions granting residence and citizenship to Hindu immigrants and not Muslim immigrants. This raises serious questions about India’s claim of being a secular state. It violates Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality to all persons, citizens and foreigners. Differentiating between the people along religious lines, especially when it comes to citizenship issues, would be in violation of the Constitution. 

At this point, you can’t even believe that the government wants to protect the persecuted. This is evident in the way the central government handled Rohingya Muslims.

There is another loophole in this. According to a Wire Article, there is confusing terminology associated with the bill. First, the bill seems to term minority religious people as migrants, when the matter isn’t as simple as one would imagine. A significant of them are refugees, not migrants. The word migration refers to the voluntary movement of people from one place to another, primarily for the purpose of better economic prospects. On the other hand, seeking refuge is an act of involuntary, often enforced shifting of people from one place (or nation) to another, due to situations like war, ethnic cleansing, etc. The concerns of the refugees are mainly based on human rights and safety, not economic advantages. The purpose of the introduction of the Bill, as stated by the government, is to provide shelter to vulnerable, religiously-persecuted people whose fundamental human rights are at risk. But here, the correct terminology is most important, because the laws and policies for migrants and refugees are completely different.

The thing we need to keep in mind before we take into account everything, giving asylum to refugees on humanitarian grounds and providing permanent citizenship to them are two very different things. The government needs to think wisely on such a sensitive issue.

-Disha Saxena

–[email protected]

-Image Credits: The Sentinel

 

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

DU to Introduce New Courses for Academic Year 2019-20

By

DU has declared new courses and increased the number of seats in colleges as a measure to increase higher education opportunities for aspirant.
The University of Delhi (DU) has announced an introduction of 30 new courses in approximately 20 colleges as a part of its curriculum for the upcoming academic session 2019-20. These will be at both undergraduate and post graduate level. These courses are currently available at some other colleges in DU. This decision was taken at a meeting of the Delhi University Academic Council (AC) on 17th January 2018. In addition to this, the council is also set to increase the admission intake by 232 seats in existing courses at two colleges. The number of seats in BA (programme) at Hansraj College has been increased from 40 to 200 from the next academic session. Also, the number of seats in BSc program at Aditi Mahavidhlaya has been increased from 55 to 80. The college will also admit 50 more students in B Com (H) from the next academic session.
The list of new undergraduate courses to be introduced, and the corresponding colleges are as follows:
• BA (H) in Bhimrao Ambedkar College
• BA (H) in Economics in Dayal Singh College (evening) and Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
• BA (H) in Philosophy in Hasraj College
• BA (H) in Psychology in Laxmibai College and Bhaskaracharya College
• BA (H) in History Dyal Singh College
• BA (H) in Political Science in Bhimrao Ambedkar College
• BA (H) Hindi Journalism and Mass Communication in Jesus and Mary College
• BSc (H) in environmental science in Vivekananda College and Indraprastha College for women
The list of new postgraduate courses to be introduced, and the corresponding colleges are as follows:
• MA in English in Shri Gurunank Dev College
• MA in Hindi in Sri Venkateswara College and Shaheed Bhagat Singh College
• MSc in operational research at Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies and Keshav College
These are welcome changes, as the increase in availability of courses at more colleges will open up more diversified avenues for students from the upcoming academic session.

Previously, there was a huge difference in the number of seats available and the number of applicants, which acted as a deterrent for many deserving applicants. These changes will ensure that a larger number of students are able to enroll, decreasing the propensity of those being left behind.
These courses were first approved in September 2018, and finalised during the 2nd January 2019 Academic Council meeting which was adjourned till 17th January 2019. The decision had faced unprecedented delay owing to multiple external management related factors at DU. According to Mr. Saikat Ghosh, Member, Academic Council, “Approval of new courses in the Academic Council took a backseat due to the heated controversy on the UGC Regulations, especially on the issues of Contractual Employment. Many new courses have already been approved by the AC’s Standing Committee on New Courses. But they cannot be implemented unless they are formally approved by the larger AC and EC. The B.Voc. and M.Voc. courses approved under the National Skill Qualifications Scheme have not even been approved by the Standing Committee as the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences is still deliberating on them. This slow movement by the University is harming the prospect of these new courses.”
This move is going to ensure more opportunities in higher education, and Du needs to deliver in terms of quality of education, especially amid the current dissatisfaction and unrest among the teacher community regarding their employment terms.

Feature Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat

Nikita Bhatia
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Events

The Last Day of of Jijabai Achievers Award, Oragainsed by Shivaji College's WDC

By

ghazal performance by Dr. Radhika Chopra, who lit the whole hall with radiance and lightened the mood and the ambience with her amazing and melodic performance. This marked the end of the 10th annual Jijabai award ceremony, who promised to return next year to recognise more people who are working to make this country and its women move forward. Feature Image Credits: Shivaji College Haris Khan [email protected]]]>

Keep Reading
By
Events

The Last Day of of Jijabai Achievers Award, Oragainsed by Shivaji College’s WDC

By

The second day of the event on 16th January 2019, began with the 3rd technical seminar of the four seminars on Gender Parity: Issues and Challanges, titled “Barriers of Entry for Women in State and National Politics” which was to be a seminar conducted by Dr. Gilles Verniers, yet due to some problems the Doctor had to cancel and the day started with the fourth Technical seminar, titled “Media from Women’s Perspective” chaired by Ms. Pamela Philipose and Ms. Navika Kumar.
The first speaker was Ms. Kumar, who is the Managing Editor, Politics at TIMES NOW. A post graduate in economics, she has equal command in covering economics as well as political issues. She initiated her talk with asking a simple question, “Are we seeing enough gender parity in jobs?.” She talked about how there are more women in reporting but not in editing or other technical jobs in the media field. There is scope for gender parity and the glass ceiling that had been holding women back has begun to crack, but the final push needed to break it is still missing. She continued to give the example of the parliament, the apex institution, which is the core of empowering, hasn’t empowered women, talks of 33% reservation for women seem futile and unachievable. On a better note however gender parity in the classroom has become better, the HR ministry research has shown that in higher education women are taking bigger strides and it is men who are falling behind. She invoked and praised the new woman of India, who doesn’t hold back. She also however criticised the research nos. as skewed because they only look at women in urban centres where as the majority of population and women are still in rural areas where change Is yet to come. She finally ended with an example of a problem that she herself had to go through, of women having to prove themselves after coming back from maternity leaves or women having to prove themselves to be as good as any other male anchor and raising the voice that men and companies need to help women going through childbirth not make life harder and provide necessary benefits.
The second speaker was Ms Philipose, she is one of the most respected names in Indian Journalism at present, working as an Editor at the Indian Express. She started her talk with a personal experience about the condition and need for proper washrooms in all organisations for women. In India there is a 4-1 ratio of male is to female in the media field jobs. This changes how news forms. The people in power in India decide what is news and hence there should be an equal representation and parity. Not just women but other people from disadvantaged people like dalits and tribals etc. Who are outside of this sphere. She urged us to ask ourselves “Whose voice is being representated?” Some powerful people controlling the narrative and some powerless people who are being ignored. She then moved on to detail some stats that being, difference between women media personnel in urban (50-50) and district areas (2.5% women only). She then further discussed the issue that Ms. Kumar had discussed that of women should be entitled to some benefits like maternity ones. She told us about the first question that she was asked when she went for a job interview in the 80’s “You just got married will you be having children?” A company will have to invest more in women if they need maternity needs and benefits. It’s slightly better now as men are also slowly and slowly partaking in child rearing and care as well. Management cutting down on security and benefits increases the risks on women she said, to prove this point she gave examples of the Indian TV journalist who was shot when going back home at night 2 o clock, a Mumbai photo journalist subjected to gang rape by a large media house. When women speak out, they cross a red line. Gauri Lankesh was killed because she spoke out and expressed her views. Rina Pongum was shot because she dared to write about mining contracts in North East. Raksha Kumar reporting from bastar would always be asked that as a woman does she know anything? she doesn’t even know how to carry a gun how can she report from a conflict zone. Most common form of abuse is abuse of authority and most of these oppressors are male.
She talked about a silent pact between different media house heads that they don’t show oppression in each other’s organisations aren’t shown, and that’s how these oppressions are invisibalised. She took a moment to commend the “Me too” movement that became a milestone in taking the fight back and gender parity. Social media became a tool to help women speak out while being anonymous as well. She also told the audience about the magazine from Bundelkhund ‘Khabr Lahriya’ talking about women oppressions and storied etc. Government had to act. Mainstream media is having to catch up with social media. Smartphones have become empowering to those who are oppressed. She also lay down a slight warning about data as the new oil, which will fuel the next wave if information revolution that is Artificial Intelligence. She finally addressed the issue of the sticky floor that holds the women back from even reaching the glass ceiling let alone breaking it. She ended on a high note however by saying that “Women have also shown that they can negotiate in the public space understanding the risks and building partnerships.”
At around 2 o’clock for the Jijabai award ceremony, awards were presented by the principal Dr. Shashi Nijhawan to men and women who are working to improve the ground condition of women and empowering others around them. This year’s winners were:
1. Dr. Shyam Sundar Paliwal
2. Vidya Nambirajan
3. Sister Annie Jeasus
4. Lakshmi Menon
5. Dr. Manish Gupte
After the awardees were presented with their awards, the day finally came to an end with a ghazal performance by Dr. Radhika Chopra, who lit the whole hall with radiance and lightened the mood and the ambience with her amazing and melodic performance. This marked the end of the 10th annual Jijabai award ceremony, who promised to return next year to recognise more people who are working to make this country and its women move forward.

Feature Image Credits: Shivaji College
Haris Khan
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
News

SRCC Professors Get Called by the Government to Edify RBI Recruiters

By

Around two to three professors from the paramount DU college will be on their way to Mumbai in April to instruct newly recruited officers who will join the RBI cadre, in the ‘Application of Fundamental Micro – Economics’.

Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce which successfully held its Economics summit was contacted by the government agencies to send professors to teach and help the new employees of the Reserve bank of India on basic Micro – Economic concepts.
The nation’s no. 1 college for studying economics shows its astonishing stature as it was selected from amongst thousands of options to send two to three professors (who, not decided yet) in the month of April to Mumbai for a 5 – day program. During the duration of the programme, new officers who shall have joined the ranks of the RBI office will be guided and lectured by them in the concepts of micro economics like ‘Demand’, ‘Supply’, ‘Inflation and ‘Depression’.

The principal of the college Dr. Simrit Kaur told The Indian Express, “Since people who are not necessarily economists join the RBI, we were invited for this consultancy programme with them. We have been told to send teachers who are rich in applying these basic theories, which is a requirement for their operations. This will hopefully take the form of a series of training programmes, which will depend on feedback we receive. It is a big honour as an undergraduate college to be invited by RBI for such a programme.”
People who get recruited by RBI come from various different backgrounds like MBA, PGDBA, PGPM, PGDM, and postgraduate degrees in economics and commerce. Some of these recruits don’t necessarily have the understanding of economics needed to function efficiently hence such a plan has come into action.

College authorities said that this is the first time the institute will work with the government in training its employees. Dr. Kaur further shared that various other similar programs are also in the pipeline with the Memorandum of Understandings yet to be signed.

Neither the College Principal nor faculty members were available for a comment.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Haris Khan

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Around the Campus

Death Note: Remembering Rohith Vemula at North Campus

By

Three years on, the suicide that sparked a rebellion is still being remembered with the wounds of inequality and misuse of administrative power, still fresh and burning.

Just two years ago on this day, Rohith Vemula passed away, his life ending with a noose. This was not just a plain suicide of an Ambedkar Student Association (ASA) student facing discrimination because of his Dalit identity but, as many described it was more of an ‘institutional murder.’ What drove Vemula to suicide or was his death already planned and then made to look like a suicide? Such questions and speculations dominate debates since his death in 2016.

However, what can’t be ignored is that Vemula’s death along with the powerful letter he left behind, surely created a new age of rebellion amongst the youth against caste-based discrimination and University administration.

Commemorating his third death anniversary, a series of talks and marches embraced the University of Delhi’s North Campus.

It started with Youth for Social Justice organising a remembrance meeting for Rohith Vemula followed by a Young India Padyatra from Arts Faculty to Vishwavidyalya Metro Station. It was concluded with a candlelight march at 6 pm from Vishwavidyalya to Arts Faculty.

In the afternoon hours of 17th January, a remembrance meeting for Rohith Vemula was held by Youth For Social Justice at Arts Faculty. Speakers and professors from all over the colleges of the University of Delhi were invited to speak on Rohith Vemula’s suicide which happened three years ago at University of Hyderabad. The Chief Guests of the event were Rajendra Pal Gautam, Minister of Social Welfare, Government of Delhi and Professor Manoj Kumar Jha, Member of Parliament and Department of Social Work, DU. At the meeting, the speakers spoke extensively about the institutional discrimination and systematic oppression Dalits face in central universities and the lack of SC, ST, and OBC teachers in reputed institutes of the country. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Savitribai Phule were remembered and slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’ were raised by the crowd present there. Rohith’s last letter was also quoted a couple of times by the speakers highlighting casteism and elitism in a university space.    

Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat
Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat

As the evening hours set in, a candlelight march was held by Students’ Federation India (SFI). The participants first walked from the metro station to the Vivekananda statue in the Arts Faculty complex. They stood with candles in their hands while a few volunteers stood in front of the statue, honouring Vemula’s legacy.

Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU beat
Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU beat

 

However, it is ironical that in Hyderabad, Vemula shifted from the SFI to the Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA) as he found the former to be a body showing some amount of classism, something which Vemula was strictly against. However, this can be heard as speculation too as different sources have been building different narratives since his death.

“Yes, he had his own issues with SFI back then and SFI itself has had issues with the ASA.” Akhil, an SFI-affiliated student from Zakir Husain Delhi College, remarked. He continued by saying, “However, what we need to appreciate is how his institutional murder led all the fronts to change for the upliftment of lesser communities to come together. His death was unfortunate for this country, but it strengthened us and will keep on driving this revolution. In fact, a few months after he passed away, SFI and ASA came together as a coalition and won the Hyderabad University elections.”

After a few moments of silence, the marchers walked back to the Arts Faculty gate and planted their burning candles to the ground. Gathering in a circle, they shouted slogans invoking the immortality of Rohith Vemula, Bhim Rao Ambedkar, and several other pioneers of this movement.

Whatever outcome comes out of this current political scenario with caste-based discrimination still prevailing, notions of patriarchy being challenged, and reservation still being a heated theme in our Parliament, Vemula and the many others who died in this struggle, their legacy will continue to impact the youth.

‘People may dub me as a coward. And selfish, or stupid once I am gone. I am not bothered about what I am called. I don’t believe in after-death stories, ghosts or spirits. If there is anything at all I believe, I believe that I can travel to the stars and know about the other worlds…’

-Rohit Vemula in his death note

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat

Shaurya Singh Thapa
[email protected]

Disha Saxena
[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
Life at Delhi University

A DU Beat Guide on Flying Past this Semester

By

The advent of a new semester is synonymous with fun, more activities, and more opportunities, but it is also marked by stress, pressure, and piling workload. The key is to manage both of them efficiently, and emerge scratch-free on the other side.

A few tips and tricks that need to be kept in mind to meet your goals, and have a successful semester:
1. Attend Classes
Sleeping in, and skipping that 8 a.m. class will be tempting at times, specially during winter when leaving your blanket and getting dressed is a difficult task. Avoid the temptation. Besides gaining new knowledge by attending classes, you’ll also receive vital information from the professors about what to expect in tests, changes in due dates, etc. An increase in attendance means an increased involvement in classwork, thus you won’t be clueless for upcoming tests, internal submissions, and examinations. It also shows your professors the initiative that you are taking, which proves helpful while asking for recommendations. Keep an app or a thorough record of your attendance as a reminder of the number of classes you have, or ought to attend.
2. Organise Yourself
College life is a mixture of social and academic happenings. Don’t tip the balance too far in either direction. However for that, you’ll need a proper organisation method. Get yourself a planner, mark important events date wise, take a note of the number of hours each task entails, and come up with a rough schedule. Plan your study and outing time
in advance, an advice which becomes especially important in the even semester with the number of tests increasing rapidly. Working out a schedule is imperative to enjoy as well as not lag behind in your work.
3. Put In Your 100%
Some students start better than they finish. The ‘fizzle out effect’ is pretty common, which means students put in little effort in the beginning of the semester. However, most courses are ‘backloaded’, that is they need you to put in the effort and make submissions towards the end when most people have already given up. It is essential to distribute your workload throughout the semester to retain the zeal, and spirit one has in the beginning.

4. Stay Healthy
In order to function efficiently and stay fit, it is essential that one takes good care of their health. The semester being
short, strenuous, and full of activity, can affect your health massively. Eating healthy is important, along with cutting
down on junk food, midnight cravings, and exercising regularly. Above all, eight hours of sleep every night must not be compromised with.

5. Stay Positive
It is imperative to have the right sort of attitude in order to succeed and do well. It means trying to see the silver lining, staying confident, believing in yourself, accepting your flaws and shortcomings, and dealing with them with a cool head. It is essential to stay positive, and place a firm belief in your capabilities, to not only do well in academic life, but in daily life as well.

Feature Image Credits: Musings of Jackie Dana

Bhavika Behal
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
auburn umbrella

Auburn Umbrella: Morning Rituals for Healthy Skin

By

This winter, ensure you have a healthy skin by following these morning routines!

 Who doesn’t love a healthy and glowing skin? While the cosmetic industry has tarnished the idea of a good skin by incorporating the ideals of our complexion to be white or light, a healthy skin, on the contrary means to have a well hydrated skin with an even texture, to prevent environmental damage. It is pivotal to look after our skin, especially in this day and age with the growing concerns of pollution.

Here are some of the morning rituals one should observe and try on a daily basis, to make your skin more immune and susceptible to the changing weathers.

  • The blissful union of honey, lemon and water

It is one of the most common and easily prepared things, and you should definitely start your day with it. Drinking honey and lemon mixed in hot water kick starts your metabolism and ensures all the toxins are flushed out of your system. Lemon has oil controlling qualities and hence aids in removing the excess oil from the skin’s surface. It is a good drink to improve your immunity as well.

  • Lemon Tea

A slight variant of the above concoction, this drink is divine in taste and purpose. It gives you the Vitamin C kick in the morning. Try adding honey instead of the sugar in the tea to ensure you have a healthy sweet variant in the morning.

  • Curd and Honey

It is a healthy and fulfilling snack in the morning. It is a perfect and ultra tasty combination to achieving a healthy skin. The two provide exfoliating properties that give you a glowing skin and an even texture.

  • Enjoy the season’s fruits and vegetables to the finest

Indulge in carrot and orange juices, eat them fresh or simply take them as your go to meal. The more natural intake is increased, the better the toxins will drain down the system. Besides, having juice in the morning really wakes you up and tries to put the jump into your blanket and sleep state of mind at par!

  • Goodbye to chapped lips with Mustard oil

While this sidelines more as a night time ritual, but applying mustard oil on the belly button or navel is a good way to ensure waking up to a moisturized skin. It is a great way to prevent the constant chapping of lips. The navel is the most important part of the body, being the meeting point of a lot of nerves. Massaging the belly button with mustard oil, hence is a great way to ensure you take care of the nervous system as well!

  • Saffron Tea

Winters are not complete without enjoying the luxury of saffron. This expensive spice imparts exceptional benefits for the skin owing to its anti-bacterial properties. It aids acne prone and dry skin and daily consumption of saffron tea ensures a glowing skin as well!

Another variant of this ritual is drinking hot saffron and turmeric milk before bed every night.

  • A good diet!

It is everything that happens in the internal which reflects on the external. While face packs and cosmetic products remove the exterior problem, the roots stay unaffected. The key to a good and healthy skin is a good diet. Consume a lot of fiber, in the form of fruits and vegetables, have sufficient water and eat fatty foods or junk in a controlled amount. A conscious effort towards skin care is pivotal!

  • Ensure proper exercise

Sitting in the house or simply working all day long is not an ideal lifestyle. We all need some work out activity from time to time. All of us have extremely busy lives, but even sparing a mere thirty minutes to health and fitness in a day proves sufficient. A morning session of running, jogging or even yoga is a good step to ensuring your path to fitness.

  • Identify your skin type what suits your skin best

Use moisturizing and skin care products which really suit your skin. Depending on your skin type, it’s essential to invest in skin care which really suits your skin the best.

Almond oil works as a good toner and moisturizes the skin. You can use that or almond based products, if it suits your skin.

  • Stay hydrated

Winters don’t really entice us to drink gallons of water, however, staying sufficiently hydrated is a must. Water is a key essential and helps in increasing energy, regulating complexion and flushing out toxins. It also helps in boosting the immune system.

Hence, these winters, stay protected and give your skin the best treatment ever!

 

Feature Image credits: Stylecraze

Avnika Chhikara
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By