Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak, Author at DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

How should institutions founded on the notion that female-only spaces are vital, respond to and incorporate transgender students?

Sehba (name changed on request) joined a girls’ college affiliated to the University of Delhi (DU) in the academic year 2016- 17. Born as a female, he never identified with the gender he was assigned at birth. He underwent a gender affirming surgery when he was in his second year of college. While he has had to struggle with the transition and guarded acceptance from his family, the college administration has made matters worse by threatening to cancel his admission. Four months into the gender affirming surgery, the status of his admission and continuance in the college is shrouded in doubt and uncertainty.

The questions revolving around this issue have wider connotations which have confounded admission officials at women’s colleges of DU in recent years. Should transgender women be allowed to apply? If so, how far into the gender transition process must an applicant be to be recognised as a woman? The transgender rights movement has now gained visibility, thereby challenging the existing institution of single-sex education in India, which has always been a largely heteronormative space.

Just how many transgender students, if any, are attending women’s colleges in DU remains unknown. Many colleges won’t disclose such information citing privacy concerns. Notwithstanding this, there has been a rise in the presence of transgender students in girls’ colleges across the country. With this increased visibility comes backlash that materialises in harassment against trans students.

When asked about the steps taken, if any, by college managements to prevent harassment of transgender students in girls’ colleges, Professor Arunima Roy, said, “We as an institution do whatever is in our capacity to provide counseling to the concerned students and figure out a suitable arrangement for them. However, the situation becomes tricky since the varsity has not issued specific guidelines regarding the admittance of transgender students in girls’ colleges.”

When DU Beat asked a graduate from Miranda House, Harshita Gujral, whether trans students should be allowed in a girls’ college or not, she responded in the affirmative and said, “Trans people are equally deserving of the kind of rights-centred environment that women’s colleges provide.” However, another graduate from the same college, Panchi Kalra, said, “Giving such status to trans people in women’s colleges would ultimately undermine the institutional mission to empower women.”

Women’s colleges of DU have long offered women a sanctuary from certain aspects of discrimination they face in the wider world. Now, these colleges have to decide whether or not to broaden their horizons of feminism, after all, intersectionality is everything.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak
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DUSU Elections 2018

Tete-a-tete with NSUI’s Presidential Candidate Sunny Chillar

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak September 11, 2018

On Monday, 10th September 2018, DU Beat conducted an interview with the Presidential candidate of the National Students’ Union of India in context to the Delhi University Student Union Elections to be held on the 12th of September 2018.
Here are some excerpts from the interview.
Question: What is your plan for establishing accountability in the Delhi University Students’ Union?
Sunny: I will do my best to get the tag of ‘Institute of Eminence’ to DU so that we become entitled to get INR 1000 crores from which each college will be entitled to get INR 8 crores, and each student will, in turn,
be entitled to INR 75,000. The second thing on the agenda is a subsidised ‘chattra canteen’, a ten-rupee thali. The third thing on the agenda is to bring back the 62,600 laptops that were issued during the four-year programmes. These laptops should be re-issued to the students. Even if we don’t win the elections, we will continue to work
on these issues.
Question: How do you plan to provide a thali for a mere price of INR 10 to the students?
Sunny: Taking example from Amma Canteen of Tamil Nadu, NSUI has decided to provide the students with a INR 10 thali. The Amma Canteen offers more variety in terms of food than we are planning to. The subsidy will come from the INR 1000 crore budget which we hope to get after getting the tag of Institute of Eminence. A thali at such a low price is required because students from different backgrounds study in DU and it is important to provide them with equal opportunities.

Question: What is your take on the issue of the privatisation of higher educational institutions, especially the University of Delhi?
Sunny: The fee structure in DU is not transparent. I am a student pursuing B.A. (Hons.) Sanskrit from Shivaji College. The fee structure of any two colleges of the University is not similar, there is always some disparity.
For example, the fee structure of Shivaji College and Dyal Singh College for the same course is different. These are some indicators that show that the University is moving towards privatisation but we are making efforts to bring transparency in the fee structure.
Question: How inclusive is your party politics in terms of minority representation?
Sunny: We have ensured representation from the Scheduled Caste category in our panel. Leena is contesting from this category for the post of Vice President. In the coming years, we will be focusing on the representation of the minorities from regions like the Northeastern region of the country. We do not wish to make DUSU all about ‘jaat-gujjar’ elections. We wish to create an environment where each and every community is equally represented and enjoy equal rights.
Question: Which trick enabled you to campaign within a mere budget of INR 5000, the maximum that a candidate is allowed to spend on campaigning as per the Lyngdoh Committee?
Sunny: We are getting help from our family, friends, and relatives. The cars which you see on the road are of our friends, supporters, and family. No extra money is spent on all this. It’s within the budget.
Question: Littering in the campus has become a trend in DUSU elections. Manifestos of political parties and pamphlets are seen everywhere, on the roads, in the college campus and also on the walls.
What would you like to say on this issue?

Sunny: The paper used in printing the pamphlets is recyclable paper. We are controlling the wastage of paper. We are not pasting any posters, hoardings because six democracy goals have been assigned by DU and based on them, we are pasting our posters. It’s just the beginning. By next year, we hope to control all the waste created during the elections.
Question: Since the last three years, the None Of The Above (NOTA) option has gained attraction among DU voters. Why do you think this is happening?
Sunny: The main problem is the fight between the Left and the Right. They are not fighting for the issues of the students. Student issues should be taken care of, but when this doesn’t happen, students prefer the NOTA option.
Question: The tiff between Mahamedhaa Nagar and Kunal Sehrawat on the installation of sanitary pad vending machines was in news recently. What is your take on this?
Sunny: The DUSU office works on the collective decision-making process of the four office bearers. Even if a single person denies or objects to a certain decision, everything is re-worked again. It’s like the Parliament where everyone gets an equal say. The initiative of installing machines was mentioned in our manifesto last year. Mahamedhaa took a certain advantage of this. Though she worked hard for the installation, the credit cannot only be showered on her. Kunal Sehrawat has played a very important role in bringing this change. We fulfilled our promises we had made to the students.

Question: Miranda House saw buses outside the college gate today. On enquiring, we got to know that they have been arranged by NSUI for a movie screening. So don’t you think this is unethical when it comes to campaigning?
Sunny: No, I don’t think it’s unethical. Even as kids, we used to go on school picnics. We are not doing it for votes. This is just like a picnic for the students so that they can get a day off from their busy and hectic schedule. Not only this, we have noticed that the students are also interested in going out to have fun.
Question: What are the achievements of the NSUI led DUSU in the year 2017-18?
Sunny: We completed most of the promises we made to the students like installation of sanitary pad vending machines, and access to the library 24*7. We also put a stop to the metro fare hike till 2020. We also
fought for concessional metro passes for students studying in DU. So, yes, it was a fruitful year.
Question: Which element differentiates you from the other contenders for the post of President?
Sunny: I am not comparing myself with others. I am just focusing on trying to improve myself every day. I am not sure whether I will become the President or not, but one thing I am sure of is that I will work for student welfare and improve myself.

Feature Image Credits: The National Students’ Union of India

Anoushka Sharma
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Campus Central

No Presidential Candidate for Miranda House Students’ Union

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak September 6, 2018

In a rather sorry state of affairs for the Students’ Union of Miranda House, University of Delhi (DU), no one is contesting for the posts of President and General Secretary while one student each filed their nomination papers for the posts of Vice President and Central Councillor.

The Miranda House Students’ Union will not have either a President or a General Secretary for the academic year 2018-19. The Union will only consist of the Vice President and Central Councillor, who are interestingly running for their respective posts unopposed. The reason? No one else wished to run for the Students’ Union.

At the outset, it might seem like there is a lack of initiative from the student community of the college. However, questions have been raised about the availability of information regarding the process of filing the nomination papers and other nuances of applying to the Students’ Union. Ayushi V., a third-year student told DU Beat, “How is it possible that no one is standing for the highest post in the Students’ Union? The truth is we were not informed about how to apply for the Students’ Union. The notice boards did not contain the timeline for filing the nomination papers and no message was circulated about the same.”

Priyanka Choudhary who filed her nomination for the post of the Central Councillor said in her manifesto reading, “Main Waade Nahi, Iraade Lekar Aayi Hoon.” (I’m not here to talk about promises. I’m here to talk about my intentions). However, when asked about the exact duties of a Central Councillor, her answer did not seem to satisfy the audience. Vanshika Mishra, a second-year student of the college told DU Beat, “This student is so ambiguous in her statements. It is just sad that we don’t have a choice but to accept them as our representatives.” Notably, Priyanka had stated in her speech, “A vote for me is a vote for you.” Ironically, it is dubious whether the students will find scope for a ‘vote’ here since Ms Choudhury is running unopposed.

Snimar, the only student who filed her nomination for the Vice President’s post, was asked whether the fact that she is running unopposed will affect her position or the influence that her position wields. While she did not answer the same in specific terms, she told DU Beat, “Since I am not sure about the level of competency of the student who is running for the post of Central Councillor, I will request the Principal to appoint volunteers who will work for the Union.”

When the DU Beat correspondent approached a senior member of the college administration, Mr Jagdish Prasad, and asked him how the college union will function with only two members, he hesitated to comment and simply stated, “We will find out a way.”

Asmita Kashikar, the former Vice President of the MHSU said, “I think it is really sad that no one is standing for the post of President this year. I believe it is mostly because of the attendance issues. But also, during our tenure, we removed the foundation of any form of corruption for the national student bodies in our college. That is why they couldn’t come up with any candidate that they could support.” She concluded on a positive note, “Let’s hope that these two candidates who are standing do justice to their posts.”

While this situation in one of the most reputed and politically active colleges of DU is displeasing, can it entirely be blamed on the student community? Allegations have been made regarding a serious lapse in the discourse of information about the Students’ Union applications. Can student politics in the college retain its democratic character when students are deprived of a real choice in choosing their representatives? Only time will tell.

Feature Image Credits: India Today

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak

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A Beginner’s Guide to Photography

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak August 31, 2018

College gives us space to acquire different skills. Students are extremely enthusiastic about trying their hand at new things and exploring their skills. One of the most tried-out and deceptively easy-looking hobby for students is photography. You may or may not have made it to your college’s photography society. But don’t worry, DU beat brings to you a whole bunch of ways through which you can click professionally and finally get your hands on your camera’s manual mode.

Exposure Triangle

The Exposure Triangle consists of the three basic elements of the camera: Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO. We use these three in different combinations according to the type of photography.

Aperture

Aperture is a hole or an opening in the lens. While pressing the shutter release button of your camera, a hole opens which allows the sensor of your camera to catch a glimpse of the scene you want to capture. The Aperture that you set determines the size of that hole. The larger the size of the opening, the more amount of light gets in and vice versa.

We use f-stops to measure aperture. Aperture also helps in determining the depth of field. Depth of field determines how much your image will be focused. A smaller aperture is used to get larger depth of field. This is used in landscape photography where all the elements of the frame should be in focus. A larger aperture is used to get shallow depth of field in which a part of the frame is focused.

This picture was clicked in large aperture to create shallow depth of field, and hence the image is brighter. (Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat)

The same picture, when clicked in smaller aperture, results in less background blur and the image is not bright enough. (Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat)

Shutter Speed:

Shutter speed is the length of time your camera shutter remains open, exposing light onto the camera sensor. Basically, shutter speed allows the camera to capture a frame with different speeds. High shutter speed means that the shutter will close fast resulting in shorter duration of time in which your camera shutter remains open. Less amount of light enters, so the picture is not so bright. Similarly, more amount of light enters in the case of low shutter speed as the shutter remains open for a longer time. High shutter speed is used to freeze motion while low shutter speed is used to create motion blur and light paintings.

High shutter speed used to freeze motion of animals. (Image Credits: Saubhagya Saxena for DU Beat)

Low shutter speed used to create light paintings. (Image Credits: Saubhagya Saxena for DU Beat)

ISO:

ISO is the artificial light created by the camera’s sensor. Low ISO will create pictures with lower brightness and lower noise while high ISO will create pictures with higher brightness and higher noise.

Low ISO picture with less exposure and less noise. (Image Credits: Adhitya Khanna for DU Beat)

High ISO picture with more exposure and more noise. (Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat)

The following infographic will help you understand aperture, shutter speed and ISO in a better way:

White Balance

Another important element of the camera is white balance. White balance is used to adjust colours in the picture so that the picture looks more natural. White balance also defines how white the whites are in the photo. There are seven white balance presets in a camera which adjust the colour according to the lighting. Some of them are:

Daylight (Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat)

Shade (Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat)

Cloudy (Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat)

Tungsten (Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat)

White Fluorescent Light (Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat)

You can notice the different colour tones in each of the presets. You can also customize the white balance through bracketing.

Metering

Metering is how your camera determines what the correct shutter speed and aperture should be, depending on the amount of light that goes into the camera and the ISO.

Most of the DSLRs have an integrated light meter that automatically measures the reflected light and determines the optimal exposure.

There are three common metering modes in the cameras:

Evaluative (Canon) or Matrix (Nikon) metering: This kind of metering takes the complete exposure in count. This is used in landscape photography where you want all the elements of the frame to be perfectly exposed.

Centre-weighted Metering: Center-weighted Metering evaluates the light in the middle of the frame and its surroundings and ignores the corners. This is used when we want the centre of the frame to be perfectly exposed and not the entire frame.
Spot Metering: Spot Metering only evaluates the light around your focus point and ignores everything else. It evaluates a single zone/cell and calculates exposure based on that single area, nothing else. When your subject occupies a small part of your frame, it is best to use the Spot Metering Mode.

Source: AllEars

Click as many pictures as you can, play with your camera, participate in different competitions. As the famous photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson had said, “Your first 10,000 photographs are yourt worst.” Keep clicking!

Feature Image Credits: Saubhagya Saxena for DU Beat

Surabhi Khare

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A Guide for Brothers with a Tight Budget this Raksha Bandhan

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak August 26, 2018

The Indian festive season has kicked off on Sunday with Raksha Bandhan. Raksha Bandhan in Sanskrit literally means “the knot/bond of protection”. On this day brothers take a pledge to protect and take care of their sisters under all circumstances, and the sisters pray to God to protect their brothers from all evil. The rakhi signifies the bond or the knot that sisters tie on their brothers’ wrists.

Brothers usually give cash or other gifts to their sisters on this occasion. The biggest question for all brothers in such a situation is what to gift their sister. While girls are said to be more sensitive and thoughtful when it comes to buying gifts, boys are said to lack the essence in this department. To make life easier for those brothers who are running on a tight budget this festive season, here is a list of some budget-friendly gifts that are also easily accessible:

Power Bank

If your sibling already has a smartphone, you can get her something that will help keep the device fueled. A good power bank can go a long way and it would come in handy, especially if your sister is a college-going student.

Organic Tea Combinations with Detox Products

Organic tea and detox products are the new ‘health’ trend in India. If your sister is a fitness freak and likes taking care of her body, gifting her teas infused with diuretics, laxatives and stimulants would make her happy, besides keeping her energy boosted and strengthening her immune system.

Smartphone Case

A smartphone case is an accessory that would help keep your sister’s phone secure from drops and falls. You can even get the phone case customised with an aesthetic design or an assortment of images of your sister.

Movie DVDs, Posters, and Merchandise

If your sister is a cinephile, you can buy her a set of her favourite movie DVDs or maybe take her out for a movie night. Besides, you can also buy her posters of her favourite movie stars or merchandise of her favourite movies

Headphones

If your sister has to commute often-especially in the metro-and loves listening to music or is a T.V. series fanatic, she would not like anything more than noise cancelling headphones to make her daily commute bearable. Out of all technology-related materials, this is comparatively cheap and easily available as well.

Running Shoes

If your sister trains in the gym or likes taking long walks, you can gift her a pair of cross-training sneakers. You can also buy them online, which will allow you to save quite a lot of money. But just ensure that you buy a pair of the right size.

Bags

From clutches to handbags, bags have always been a must-have possession for both college-going girls and working women. Make sure to do your research first before picking a bag for your sister. If your sister is a college student, you can gift her an elegant tote bag that is both useful and beautiful at the same time. If she is a working woman, gift her a bag that is large enough to hold all her essentials.

Feature Image Credits: Times Now

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak
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DUB Speak

Pros of Volunteering with an NGO While in College

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak August 25, 2018

The social service sector is a fast-growing one, with thousands of new nonprofit organisations coming into existence every year. Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) serving various pertinent issues have become a common occurrence, especially in the subcontinent’s bigger cities.

Until a couple of years ago, the concept of ‘nonprofits’ was mostly correlated with foreign organisations working in third world countries. Growing awareness and the emergence of big Indian companies paved the way for some of the earliest home-grown nonprofit organisations. Its widespread media coverage and the youth’s growing demand to help their fellow citizens have made nonprofit organisations the most favoured amongst college students. Choosing the right NGO, or in fact, making the decision to work for any NGO at all may seem like a daunting task. To simplify the same, here is a list of pros of working with a nonprofit organisation while in college:

A Novel Experience

Working for any form of nonprofit organisation can be a new, and sometimes intimidating process. If you lack prior experience of working for a non-governmental association, keeping an open mind is important. Depending on the NGO, you may get opportunities to work in remote villages, multinational companies, foreign countries etc. Meeting people from various walks of life as well as working for the welfare of those in need can prove to be a new experience altogether.

A Career-Changing Tenure

Many people find themselves falling in love with the prospect of helping other beings during their tenure with nonprofit organisations. Some may convert this new-found passion for helping others into a career and choose to continue working with these NGOs or get professional degrees, thereby gaining easy access to the world of social service.

A CV Booster

Having a snazzy Curriculum Vitae (CV) in this competitive job market is a must, especially for those looking for employment for the first time. People partake in several summer schools and competitions throughout their school and college lives. However, adding social service or even heading nonprofit organisations that come under the National Service Scheme (NSS) in colleges can add luminosity to your CV. It sets you apart from many, allowing your CV to champion over the others’.

An Edge Over Your Competitors

Modern-day Universities stress a great deal on the requirement of social service hours. They prefer applicants with at least some social service work in their academic career, over those with none. It highlights how socially responsible a student is. Foreign universities may even list social service as a mandatory requirement for entry to various courses.

Delhi has a number of nonprofit organisations on offer for those interested in an enriching experience. The Smile Foundation, Goonj, Teach for India and Circle of Animal Lovers are a few amongst the many organisations that give people of all ages a chance to help make the world a better place.

Feature Image Credits: Teach For India

Meher Gill
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Campus Central

AAP’s Student Body to Make a Comeback to the DUSU Elections of 2018

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak August 24, 2018

The Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) is all set to make a comeback to the University of Delhi’s (DU) scene of student politics this year.

The Aam Aadmi Party’s student wing, the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), will contest the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls, to be held in September 2018. The announcement was made by Labour Minister Gopal Rai on Monday, at an event at DU’s North Campus. CYSS President Sumit Yadav, along with AAP MLAs Ajesh Yadav and Pankaj Pushkar, was also present on the occasion.

Mr. Rai was the Chief Guest at the ‘Talk of the Country’ programme organised by the CYSS, where he reminisced about the revolutionary spirit of students and youth which played an integral part in bringing about positive change in Indian history. He advocated the aim of the CYSS to steer student politics in DU towards a positive direction.

After their infamous debut in 2015, the CYSS had decided to boycott the DUSU elections citing that the ‘Lyngdoh Committee Recommendations’ were not being followed at the University. These recommendations are a set of guidelines regarding eligibility criteria of candidates, transparency in expenditure during elections as well as the barring of candidates from re-contesting, irrespective of whether they’ve won or lost in the election.

Notably, many quarters of the varsity are apprehensive about the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) approach to politics and means of exerting influence. They are of the belief that the students at DU have grown accustomed to expecting freebies, such as free food coupons and movie tickets along with extensive traffic jams caused by party campaign vehicles, in the eve of the DUSU polls.

The entry of CYSS could either be a breath of fresh air in student politics at DU or it could simply remain as an instrument to which the people would attribute the success (or lack thereof) of the AAP in New Delhi. Regardless, the build-up to the 2018 DUSU elections is intense, and perhaps it holds promise for change.

Feature Image Credits: Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti

Nikita Bhatia

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DUB Speak

Blocking the Writer’s Block

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak August 15, 2018

Here are a few things to keep in mind if your ‘writer cells’ are diagnosed with the disease called ‘writer’s block’, a particular phase where our head feels like a blank void or a trash-filled dustbin.

The dreaded condition of writer’s block might be nothing but a myth for some writers but for many others, it is as real as global warming. So, call it writer’s block or give it another label, as writers, we all have a particular phase where our head feels like a blank void or a trash-filled dustbin. In this phase, we want to write something but we don’t know where to start. The left side of the brain might be brimming with creative prompts but you still end up with crumpled papers and empty MS Word documents.

Is Writer’s Block a common phase? What can be done to fight it? Let’s explore a few things to do during this time.

Take a Pseudo-retirement from your Struggling Writing Career

To write something new, you will have to come up with something new. However, if you can’t think about something new, then take a break. Ensure that you don’t overthink because such forced mental hunts for ideas can only make matters worse. As an escape mechanism, allow yourself to be distracted for a few days. Sleep, eat, socialize, do anything that makes you feel like you have retired from your writing career (even though writers of our age hardly have a proper ‘career’). If you’re still confused on what to do, just take inspiration from the theme song of the series ‘Phineas and Ferb’ excerpts of which go like, “Building a rocket or fighting a mummy or climbing up the Eiffel Tower. Discovering something that doesn’t exist or giving a monkey a shower.”

Act like You’re the CIA (but with some constraints)

The Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin once remarked, “I love the sound of smart people arguing with each other and I want to imitate that sound.” Whatever we write is mostly inspired by or based on the people around us or the city in which we live. If you are running out of inspiration, then go to a shop or take the metro and try eavesdropping on random people’s conversation. Obviously, if a conversation is too personal, don’t delve or stalk regardless of how interesting their characters or stories might seem.. I would recommend you to restrict yourself to a healthy amount of eavesdropping on pretentious college students or Whatsapp addicted aunties.

Binge-watch Films on Writer’s Block

There are few great cinematic gems on writer’s block which might brighten your mood as you will feel that you aren’t alone in this ‘block’. Some feel good hipster-themed films about lonely and confused artists searching for inspiration can also be helpful. For instance, ‘Her’ and ‘500 Days of Summer’. Starting from ‘Ruby Sparks’ and ‘Adaptation’ to ‘Stranger than Fiction’, there are many good films to watch if you are looking for relatable characters who are exasperated with life. On the other hand, there are some films on the extreme manifestation of writer’s block, like ‘The Shining and Secret Window’ where the writer goes full bonkers. These thrillers would also make you feel better in that it will give you the consolation that at least you have not been diagnosed with such extreme forms of writer’s block.

When in Doubt, Write on Writer’s Block

As writers, we are looking for new challenges. So instead of adding ‘Writing is my life’ and ‘Wordsmith’ to your Instagram bios, it will be better if you up your game. If writer’s block is troubling you, why not fight it by writing on writer’s block itself. Think about the different ways in which you can face this challenge. You can write a poem or a story on what writer’s block is to you, how is it affecting you and so on. It might not be your best work but at least at the end of the day, you will have a few words instead of a blank page.

Feature Image Credits: A Writer’s Den

Shaurya Singh Thapa

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EXPENSES INCURRED WHILE LIVING AWAY FROM HOME

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak August 8, 2018

Expenses for every out-station student are what Justin Bieber is for every girl he dates: Injurious and Harmful. For the freshers of the University of Delhi (DU), here is a listicle of things you would be spending money on if you are staying away from home, whether in a Paying Guest (PG) accommodation or in an apartment on rent.

Traitor PG Owners

PG owners of Delhi are disloyal role players. Before you get admitted to their PG, they will lure you with promises of “one fruit with dinner every day” and the “best security” available. As such, they convince you to pay insane amounts of money for abominable accommodation. PG owners may charge anything in the range of INR 6000 to INR 20,000. If your college fee is INR 13,000 for the entire year, your PG might charge you the same in one single month.

Miscellaneous Things You Don’t Realize You Are Spending Money On

Although they might look insignificant, miscellaneous things such as toothpaste, shampoo sachets, sanitary pads, and detergent occupy a large portion of your monthly budget. From buying bed linen to buying an umbrella, the most arbitrary of chores can prove to be strenuous for your wallet.

Food

Even if your PG provides you food thrice a day, you would soon develop a thousand problems with it. Sometimes you wouldn’t like the dal and at other times, you would think the chapatis are too shriveled, thereby prompting you to order-in food every now and then. The food ordering and delivery companies such as Swiggy which operate 24*7 only add to the ever-escalating expenses. Besides, if for some perplexing reason, you do like the food at you PG, college life wouldn’t allow you to make time for it. Going out with friends, classes ending late, and tempting food trucks outside your college create a menacing hole in your pocket.

Traveling

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. had hiked the metro fares twice in 2017 and in case of certain metro lines, had doubled the same. Thus, even if you strategise that you wouldn’t be expending on traveling, that is one resolution that breaks quicker than your trust in Dharma Production’s portrayal of selfless liaisons and altruistic romances. Moreover, if your PG or flat is at a considerable distance from your college, then you would have to earmark at least INR 2000 to spend on traveling by autos and rickshaws.

Expenses Incurred While Living In A Flat

You would have a universe of expenses to deal with when you start living in a flat. Although rented accommodation is usually cheaper than PGs, the overhead costs of living in a flat are sizeable. From paying the electricity bill to buying gas cylinders, from settling your domestic helper’s bills to getting a plumber to fix the kitchen exhaust pipe, the accompaniment costs of living on rent would be almost equivalent to the rent itself.

Course Study Material

It is an irony in life that while not everyone studies in college, everyone does buy the course study material. The reading material might as well lie untouched in your table for months, but they do occupy a substantial amount of space and your monthly budget. The course in DU is extensive and there is an abundance of sources which you can refer to while preparing for the semester examinations. As a result, students end up buying piles of xerox copies of study material, even though they might not actually use them.

Feature Image Credits: Small Business Trends

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak

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DUB Speak

The First Class: An Account of Anxiety and Apprehension

By Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak August 7, 2018

The conception of the ‘firsts’ is raised to a pedestal and glorified by any young adult who is about to join college. There is a great deal of anticipation associated with your first day at college, but it’s your first class with the new people and the new mentors that get your heart racing. Do you relate to it? If yes, read on.

As you walk towards your first class, the hot rains of July would most likely be enveloping the lush, green gardens surrounding the campus. However, with the sweat-beads materialising out of your body, you almost overlook the beauty of the rains and rush to find your way in the big, daunting world you stepped into. The clock strikes 8:30 a.m. You realize that you’re 15 minutes early to class, but so is everybody else. A succession of thoughts engulfs your mind. You think, “Are all these people always this punctual?”, “Am I not serious enough?”, and “I’ll never get to sit on the good benches, will I?” A hundred more questions like these exasperate your awkwardly-smiling self, and dance to the tune of your misery.

As the lecturer enters the class, you ascend to greet in unison, almost hoping for her to miraculously know everything about you just by the way you wish her a good morning. As the introductory class begins, your notebooks are out. Your heart thuds in desperate anticipation of a mind-blowing revelation in the first 10 minutes of your college life. Nothing like that happens. Instead, you use your pen unnecessarily to scribble down the words being uttered by the authoritative figure before you who is moderating a gradually opening discussion.

The experience of your first class generates a wave of profuse sentiments. All around you, hands are raised, beliefs questioned and stereotypes defied. All the new phrases, all the new names, and all the newness in general makes you feel awfully overwhelmed. For a good while, you’re in awe. You’re nervous. Your feet are tapping. Your eyes are twinkling. You feel privileged. But on the other hand, there is also a giant cloud of formidable emotions making you feel alone, scared and home-sick.

Everybody tells you that it’s going to take some time to adjust to the bout of change, to take it easy and that it will be more than okay in just a little while. However, you know in your heart that surviving this is going to challenge your mental health and strength. With time, the heavy-seeming assemblage of incomprehensible emotions will hit you in the face stronger than the heat of July ever could. But before that happens, you won’t have the opening to narrate survival stories and say, “Hey, I survived change. I changed for growth.” Your first day might be the epitome of pleasantries or a dooming quiet. Nevertheless, you must remind yourself that nothing is fixed yet. The other person is not your best friend in the whole wide world and this day would not determine the rest of your life in college. Before you comprehend it, you will be a part of it all. Don’t forget, you’re not the only one.

Feature Image Credits: brilio.net

Anushree Joshi

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