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With the new session set to start in less than two weeks, preparations have already begun to welcome a fresh new batch of students to Delhi University. However along with the orientation sessions and freshers’ parties, what cannot be forgotten is the issue of ragging. Stringent laws have been laid down to curb ragging “in all forms” and college authorities assert that they will no leave no stone unturned in penalizing offenders. This time around however, resistance comes not only from the government and college authorities, but from students themselves.

Meanwhile, DUB finds out what the students’ feel about the issue:-

“I will definitely rag my juniors. And why not? It’s not like they’ll rusticate you for the mild childish stuff!”
– Akash Kaul, *2nd year, Hindu College

”My friends and me plan to have some fun with the freshers in a healthy way. We are definitely not going to just leave them alone like our teachers want us to since that way it gets boring. I would know, since that’s what happened to me last time and I did not like it.”
– Revant Varma, 2nd year, Acharya Narendra Dev College

”I’m definitely ragging freshers, but it will just be more of a ‘friendly interaction’. Everybody wants that kind of  fun! If somebody is reluctant then s/he wont be troubled, but I would prefer it if I could get to know my juniors this way. Ragging becomes a problem only when it gets violent or is done with the wrong people i.e. people who do not want to be ragged.”
– Neeti Misra, 2nd year, St. Stephen’s College

“Positive and friendly ragging is interesting and so it’s welcome. No fun without ragging!”
– Ankita Sharma, fresher, Kamla Nehru College

“I am actually looking forward to ragging because I think it’ll be more fun than scary and this is the one chance we get to impress our seniors!”
– Shirine Tigga, fresher, Sri Venkateswara College

“I don’t want to get ragged and am quite apprehensive about my first day in college. I’m an introvert so I won’t be very comfortable doing silly things for the entertainment of my seniors.”
– Priyanka Ghosh, fresher, SRCC

According to the Raghavan committee, set up by the Supreme Court to curb ragging, offenders are to be expelled instead of being suspended as per last year regulations.

The Delhi University Students’ Union has spoken to college principals and hostel wardens.
Posters will be put up in the colleges informing students about the Supreme Court directive.

In more than 20 colleges CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor and check activities such as ragging and eve-teasing. The presence of the CCTV cameras is not to be publicised as university authorities want to take the offenders by surprise.
A toll-free helpline (1800-180-5522) for students in distress was launched by the HRD minister
Another number, 155222, will be functional within three months. Students, parents and guardians can file complaints via the Internet on [email protected] identity of the caller/complainant can remain anonymous.
Other anti-ragging initiatives include 24X7 counseling facilities in hostels and on campus with students and teachers.

Sealed complaint boxes are being set up in different colleges so that students can register their complaints without being identified.

Every fresher will find to his or her amazement and hopefully excitement that the first week of college means a constant of barrage of society promotions and recruitments.  However don’t let the volley of auditions and college activities confuse and stray you from the path of your destined society, since the society you join ends up defining the circle of people you associate with.

Delhi University societies are not just friendship circles. They rely on hard work, talent and dedication. As a society, you participate in umpteen college, inter-college and inter-university competitions. Every society of every college has its own fest, and you can rely on these to keep your nose to the grind stone all year-long. As you audition for the various societies, the harsh and apparent nit-picking during selections will only be proof of the high standards and professionalism of the societies, making it a good idea not to take them too lightly.

The prominent societies (you might have to start getting used to calling them SOCs) with a presence felt in almost every college are:

  1. THE DEBSOC: Debating ought to come easy to you to not just join but stay in this one. Arguably this society houses Delhi University’s best speakers and hence is definitely worth being a part of.

  2. THE CHOREOSOC: Involving insane amount of rehearsing, the theme-based choreography done by a lot of Delhi university colleges is something you don’t want to miss.

  3. THE DRAMSOC: It’s time you got out of that shell. Trust this society to teach you that and so much more. You might just work with people having years of experience at the NSD.

  4. ENGLISH AND LITERARY SOCIETIES: The hub of intellectual and literary discussions and activities. A must for all aspiring writers out there as well.

  5. FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY SOCIETY: For all the unconventional, or even so- called taboo movies that you missed watching and discussing, and to hone the photographer in you.

And DU BEAT: for the conscientious and prompt writer. A little bit of self-promotion never hurt.

rakhi-ka-swayamvara300Once in a while comes a show that shakes the very foundations of television sanity. NDTV Imagine’s latest reality show: Rakhi ka Swayamvar takes the cake , with icing and even the cherry on top!

Reality television never got so entertaining. The sky rocketing TRPs are ample proof of that. Detractors of the damsel in question maybe falling over themselves criticizing her as the epitome of “ PDA- public display of annoyance” but love it or hate it the show can become an absolute obsession.

As the recently single television star embarks on her quest to find true love, one can’t help but marvel at the sheer drama of this particular swayamvar. Choosing from a host of prospective grooms who range from an age of 18 to 35, the show is to culminate in a live video cast of Rakhi marrying one of these knights in shining armour. However, the “prize”, which in this case is the fair one’s hand, is not a matter of run of the mill wooing .This picky lady shall ensure the physical and mental agility of her suitors.

Whether it is the sudden transformation of the in your face item girl to the coy lass or the string of the arduous suitors going through obstacle courses to get “the moon and stars” for the lady of their dreams, the high entertainment quotient is undeniable.

A brilliant albeit unintentional comedy, the show has definitely created waves. As the inmates of the desi big brother, gear up to stupefy the small screen Indian viewers with another big bother, you are left with two alternatives. You can curl up your lip in distaste, roll your eyes and waggle your head or simply sit back switch off your brain and unabashedly watch the show for its cheap thrills.

Did you know the reality behind these DU misconceptions?

1. Fashion: Dressing sense, no bars. Wardrobe revamping for the new session? Hear, hear. Before fashionastas jump to conclusions and come up with the next session campus couture, let us make it clear for all. DU does not believe in following so and so trend predicted by so and so designers. With all due respect to national dailies, Delhi University refuses to abide by their “must-haves” and “campus fundas”, and remains the quintessential free spirited campus, where fashion is (not)concerned! Yeah, college is all about wearing what you like, whichever way you like.

2. Love-shove, et al.: Ah, Bollywood fillums, you know. I could never fathom this one, why did they (read directors, producers) always think college was this place for puppy love, candlyfloss and bubblegum chewing yuppies? I mean yes, we love love and all the other things associated, but then, there is a lot more to us than boy-meets-girl stories, for Christ’s sake.

3. Academics and DU: Do not, ever, fall into the dark with this one. You will pay, and heavily too. College is fun, frolic and fantastic, but not all the time. We study. Whoever said college is all play and no work? No, it was not always about bunking classes, like our dear celebrities so happily announce!

4. Nonsense abbreviations: K’nags (Kamla Nagar) and BTMs (read behenji-turned-mods) is understandable, but GJs? Seriously now, when did Gulab Jamuns become shortened to that? And, “fucchas”. For my life, I never heard any sadistic senior address any hapless fresher with this word.

5. Rivalry, eh? : Okay, we may have grudges against so and so college; however, it definitely isn’t as pronounced as the world around us projects it to be. Some of the best friendships are forged across the common wall, and some of the best activity/society partners are made yonder.

6. Girls’ Colleges: Guys on motorbikes circling girls-only colleges, did you actually ever see that happen? No. We are not talking about the shady Delhi-ite here, but still, this is one sight I am yet to come across in campus. Nah, college was not that romantic ever.

7. “Happening crowd”: Agreed, college is cool and hip and all that, but honestly, it’s overrated. University is a mixed bunch almost always, so we do have a fair share of wannabe Rakhi Sawants and Rannvijays. Isn’t that what going to college is all about? Meeting your (in)famous celebrities right there!

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The t-shirt slogan splashed across the media waves certainly did not fail to catch the attention of the masses, the only major difference perhaps this time being that it did not have the right to be questioned. And with these words has finally risen the once oppressed society of the homosexuals, which has taken the first step to move away from physical, mental and societal seclusion to a real, more equal world; anonymous letters of complaint and blog posts having given way to pride parades and revealed identities, and shame to confidence.

Besides, the calling should have come to us much earlier, as Britain despite leaving a section of India under 160 years of hostility and subjugation legalized homosexuality in England and Wales way back in 1967. But all’s well that ends well… or does it?

A lot of people clearly haven’t taken the High Court’s decision to decriminalize homosexuality down too well, the factors ranging from religious to personal, some even claiming it to be an irrelevant issue altogether. To this, Aditi Jain, a second year student of Gargi College says, “Tell that to the many sexuality minorities who as victims of a hypocritical, half- baked law get beaten up, harassed and/ or humiliated by the society and authorities alike.” Also, the various historical texts in India seem to defy the cause of protests staged on religious and cultural fronts. As found in Same Sex Love in India: Readings from Literature and History by Ruth Vanita and Saleem Kidwai, formerly lecturers in Delhi University, evidences of homosexuality have been found in literature going back two thousand years into history, and traces of increasing homophobia were only seen after the nineteenth century as a result of the rising influence of colonial legacy and infliction of Victorian morality with the passing of anti-sodomy laws, one example being that of heterosexualisation of qawali poetry which till before colonisation also celebrated homoerotic love.

Times have certainly changed since then. However, fact remains that acceptance of the law and the community will still be limited to the metropolitans where the luxury of approval and retreat lies directly proportional to one’s resources, slowly evaporating as it permeates to still minor places where ignorance eclipses needs. Thus; the least we can do as conscious citizens is give everyone achance to lead a normal life, the normal way. As for the people who’re still finding it hard to swallow, the fact that the act is both legal and consensual leaves nothing to be disputed about.

Besides, jab miya miya raazi, toh kya karega qazi.

Not as black as it seems…

Economic slowdown? There’s no such thing, not in India at least. While the world’s financial leaders sat amidst the ruins of their corporations, Indian business continued much as before, even showing slight increase in some sectors. Statistics show that India’s economic slowdown managed to ease and become non existent during the first quarter itself, contrary to expectations and despite the slide in manufacturing and job availability. The Indian economy grew 5.8 percent from a year earlier in the first three months of 2009 and finance, insurance and real estate expanded by 9.5 percent in the January-March quarter, faster than the 8.3 percent growth clocked in the previous quarter. This is because India’s main industries and major money sectors such as real estate managed to buoy the economy, even making progress amidst sluggish world economies. The secret to their magnificent maneuvering of difficult times however is no compliment to our economy. In fact it is just the opposite for it is the robust black economy of India which has kept our industry from getting its feet wet.

An India development report, the latest study of the black market undertaken by the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) in 1999-2000 estimated the total amount of black money in the country to be Rs 3, 54,000 crore in 1999 when India’s GDP was Rs 17, 70,000, making it 20 percent of the GDP. However this is merely the official report. Economists estimate black money to comprise almost half of the Indian economy now, their hypothesis stemming from the fact that the black money component in real estate transactions are a fairly accurate indication of the black money present in the economy, and the component is currently around 50-60 percent.

Black money enters the system for a variety of reasons, of which corruption is not an insignificant part. However quite a bit of black money is pooled in due to evasion of taxes, levies, excise and duties on the part of major manufacturing, road transport and other companies. Cash transactions, which are again unaccounted for money, make up almost half of current financial dealings, especially in the real estate, electronic goods and transportation departments.  The film industry is a regular boost to the parallel economy as are personal incomes and the various illegal industries. Even the recent elections greatly benefited the black economy, since each election produces between 10.99 billion to11.33 billion dollars of black money, as shown by a study conducted by the CMIE (Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy) in 2006. In other words our Black economy is thriving. However, this may not be a bad thing.

It is in difficult times when legal business earns a low return or the white economy slows down, that the cash economy can greatly turn the table and steady the situation. As a result of the global crash, cash transactions are on the rise, with certain sectors such as real estate even forcing buyers to deal in black money when their sources are in fact legitimate. The currency holding by people has also seen a tremendous rise, as revealed by Reserve Bank of India data, and is a direct proof of the rising cash market. Since the credit market has deteriorated, cash transactions are growing by over 30 percent and are taking hold of the economy, this change also effectively keeping the economy afloat. Commercial dealings have reverted to cash, even in case of ordinary home purchase, and as a result, even the sale of luxury items such as expensive electronic home goods has seen an improvement, as revealed by the continued growth in high end consumer durables like the LG Electronics spurt in sale of LCDs.

Black money suddenly ceased looking so black, and came as a boon to our economy. It effectively cushioned the economic crisis, simply because transactions being mainly conducted through cash, the downturn has affected only the black money which was unaccounted to begin with. A perfect example of this would be the home mortgage crisis which so severely afflicted the USA but left India unscathed. Since real estate dealings are done largely with black money on which no loans can be obtained and which cannot affect the sub-prime market, the crash in land prices did not majorly cripple our white economy.

The black market has always been posited as a problem, but now it has suddenly become a solution. While this in no way excuses the disgracefully flagrant black economy, it can at least be a reason to delay the curing of the economy. Black money need must be evicted from the system, if only to end this ridiculously embarrassing situation where the government is forced to be grateful for it. However one can hardly blame the citizens for muttering a short lived but fervent prayer of thanks for this malignant factor which saved the livelihood of many.

michael_jacksonLeaked autopsy reports reveal that at the time of his death, Michael Jackson was disfigured, emaciated and riddled with needles, stomach empty but for semi-digested pills. His ex-wife now claims that he wasn’t even the father of their children. He was neck-deep in debt and lay forgotten in a hotel, starving and broken. For all the pelvic thrusts, the shiny black shoes gliding silkily across our TV screens over and over again, the ‘Thriller’s and ‘Smooth Criminal’s, is that all we could give to him? Forget the King of Pop, forget the Dancing Legend. If there’s anyone whose loss we should be mourning, it’s Michael Jackson – the man who gave us 40 of his 50 preciously short years on Earth and got so much little in return.11 years of childhood was all he was allowed before he was thrust onto the stage by his over-ambitious father. There was no looking back after that. Music records, screaming fans and awards pushed him to dizzying heights. And then, just as suddenly, child molestation charges, gossip columns and dipping record sales sent him reeling down with a force that shattered him and from which he was never to recover. As long as he was alive, we tended to always see him as a “public figure”, to be applauded as long as he kept us entertained but to be crushed completely under a torrent of insults and criticism at the slightest indication of faltering. It’s only now, when it’s too late, that we realise he was human. It’s only now that we remember how disease and surgery may have transformed him, but what never quite changed was the warm glitter in his eyes and the shy softness of his voice.

For some, Michael Jackson died a long time ago when his music stopped creating records and controversies was all that kept him in the spotlight. But for a large majority of people, he is alive still and will continue to live forevermore. Not only through TV and internet, but through throats raw from trying to produce that perfect “ow!” and through worn shoes that never quite managed to get the moon-walk right. MJ is not dead because stars never die. They twinkle at us when the nights get dark, their light fading only to glow brighter. We love you, MJ!

Let haggling after university courses becomes a thing of the past. With social networking sites ruling the roost, let’s explore the most hankered after course these days: facebook honours. Perhaps, the next big thing, this course enjoys a global range of diligent students. Age no bar unless you belong to the insignificant little age of 13 or below. Yes you little ones, slog your rear ends of with academics. Yes this one of a kind course believes in freedom of expression. It also believes in the freedom of whining and blabbering through the most random bizarre groups, blasphemous status messages and nonsensical notes e.g. I Want to Punch Slow Walking People In The Back Of the Head and The drunken text appreciation society. Yep, freedom of expression never got better.
However, prospective students oughtn’t to think FB Hons to be a cakewalk. One has to master its rather mind boggling applications. The wide range of subsidiary subjects is also one of the reasons for its mass popularity. While Compare people and top friends take Darwin’s theory of natural selection to a different level, well thought out elaborate quizzes offer useful lessons in psychology. So move over Sigmund Freud. Could you have ever told us which Buffy The Vampire Slayer Character we truly are? Word challenge and scramble are specially designed to increase language proficiency.
The course requires at least an hour of study daily even though many students may agree it’s hardly a burden. In fact the subject matter at hand becomes so engrossing that it threatens to take over your entire life.
However, during the past year, the course matter is being repeatedly revised to make it easier for the technologically retarded. This unfortunately hasn’t gone down well with many as it makes it even more confusing than ever.
Rating: four and a half stars
* Yawn, back to twitter, mate
** Not bad enough to make one change courses, not good enough to make me attend classes.
*** I’m flunking Facebook again
****- I study, study all night long
*****- I’m thinking along the lines of a Facebook Ph .D

Just when the dust was beginning to settle after last year’s rather controversial decision to obliterate the English honours test held individually for different colleges with the university deciding to grant admission to this undergraduate course solely on the basis of marks scored in the twelfth class examination, another twist was added to the tale this year. All English (Hons) aspirants will now have a chance to sit for an entrance test in a manner similar to the one that the university had been following with the exception of last year. This has only lead to immense confusion because colleges are still divided over this issue of a common entrance test for selection to one of the most sought after courses that the university has to offer. However, many colleges will not be participating in the test. `Many top notch colleges like LSR, Miranda House, Hansraj, Sri Venkateswara college are waiting to see the modalities of conducting a common test and the individual freedom granted to colleges subscribing to this test.

An open day session was also held recently, on May 29, to disseminate information on the course and the CATE and prevent unnecessary confusion.

Although about over 30 colleges will take students on the basis of marks obtained by them in Class XII exam, a total of 12 colleges have decided to participate in the Common Aptitude Test For English (CATE).

The test, to be held on the 17th of June, will be of one-and-a- half hours duration, and will evaluate candidates’ aptitude for the B.A ,(Honours) English .course. It will comprise multiple-choice questions to assess vocabulary, grammar, language skills and literary knowledge of candidates as well as questions in comprehension and essay -writing.. Part I will test the linguistic skills, while Part II will evaluate their imaginative writing.

Colleges which have decided to participate in CATE :

• Delhi College of Arts and Commerce

• Hindu College

• Indraprastha College for Women

• Kamla Nehru College

• Maharaja Agrasen College

• Ram Lal Anand College – Evening

• Satyawati College – Evening

• Shivaji College

• Shyam Lal College

• Swami Shraddanand College

• Zakir Hussain College

• Zakir Hussain College-Evening

DU Beat Take: A test on one’s aptitude in the language , rather than the aggregate percentage, would and should weigh much more on the scale of procedure for selection. However, the university should streamline the entire procedure and pursue all colleges to participate in this exam keeping in mind that the AISSCE marks in the English language are not always the best parameter as in actuality; the course entails studies which are a far cry from what is usually taught at the school level. Something like the CATE would test the student’s aptitude for the particular course rather than mere fluency in the language. Last year , when the written test was scrapped off , we at DU Beat had protested vehemently , evening launching a petition for its return. It pleases us immensely to see this more appropriate mode of selection back in action and we sincerely hope to see CATE being adopted by even more colleges next year.

ADMISSION PROCESS

1. Application forms for the CATE are available at the office of the Department of English, Arts Faculty Building, Room number 52, University of Delhi (North

Campus) from June 1st. Each candidate for the test is required to submit at the same office, along with the completed application form, two passport-size photographs, a copy

of his/her Class XII mark-sheet and a sum of Rs.100/- in the form of a demand draft in favour of The Registrar, University of Delhi as a test fee. Students scoring at least 60 per cent in English and in the best of four subjects in Class XII can apply for CATE

2. Upon registration, each candidate will be given a counterfoil of the application form which will serve as his/her receipt-cum- test admit card as well as mention

his/her roll number for the test and test venue.

3. There will be no interviews.

4. A list of all candidates who take the test along with their scores will be made available to the 12 colleges, which will then decide the criteria for admitting students.

5. Students belonging to the reserved categories, such as SC/ST/physically handicapped and foreign students, whose admission is done directly by the university, need not appear for CATE.

6. Please note that you have to submit ONLY ONE form irrespective of the number of colleges you are applying to.

Today, we provide a more in depth analysis to some of the common dream themes that most people may have at one point in their life. It is not only fascinating, but yet another mysterious facet of dreams where people of diverse backgrounds, of varying experiences, and of different ages can share these common themes.

1.”I’m Naked!”

So you are going about your normal routine – going to college, waiting for the bus, or just walking down the street – when you suddenly realize that you are stark naked. Nudity symbolizes a variety of things depending on your real life situation. Becoming mortified at the realization that you are naked in public reflects your vulnerability or feelings of shamefulness. You may be hiding something and are afraid that others can see right through you. Nudity also symbolizes being caught off guard. Finding yourself naked at work or in a classroom, suggests that you are unprepared for a project at work or school. You may be unprepared in making a well- informed decision. If you dream that you are proud of your nakedness and show no embarrassment or shame, then it symbolizes your unrestricted freedom.

If you are prone to sudden bouts of amnesia we advise you to pinch yourself after leaving your house each morning. Just to be on the safer side.

2. “I’m being chased”

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As with most of the common dreams, they often stem from feelings of anxiety in your walking life. Running is an instinctive response to physical threats in your environment. In these dreams, you can be pursued by an attacker, an animal or an unknown figure that wants to hurt or possibly kill you. In turn, you run, hide or try to outwit your pursuer. Your actions in the dream parallel how you respond to pressure and cope with fears, stress or various situations in your waking life. Instead of confronting the situation, you are running away and avoiding it.

Disclaimer: DU Beat will not be held responsible for the grievances caused to those who decided to implement this philosophy in the oh not so appropriate REAL LIFE situations, say when being chased by a rabid dog.

3. “My Teeth Are Falling”

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Common dream scenarios include having your teeth crumble in your hands, fall out one by one with just a light tap, grow crooked or rot. Such dreams are not only horrifying and shocking, but often leaves the dreamer with a lasting image of the dream. One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxiety about your appearance and how others perceive you. These dreams may stem from a fear of your sexual impotence or the consequences of getting old. Teeth are an important feature of our attractiveness and presentation to others. Another rationalization for these falling teeth dream may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some specific situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries.

DUB Prophecy: For all you skunks out there, who do no deign to brush regularly, this dream may soon assume very realistic proportions

4. “I’m flying”

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Flying dreams fall under a category of dreams known as lucid dreaming. Lucid dreams occur when you become aware that you are dreaming. Many dreamers describe the ability to fly in their dreams as an exhilarating, joyful, and liberating experience. If you are flying with ease and enjoying the scene and landscape below, then it suggests that you are on top of a situation. You have risen above something. Having difficulties staying in flight indicates a lack of power in controlling your own circumstances. You may be struggling to stay aloft and stay on course.

Realization dawns: Alas, tragic as it may sound, it’s high time you wake up and smell the coffee. You aren’t superman, so just deal with it. See the silver lining in the cloud, for you don’t have to put on red underpants over tight leotards.

5. “I’m Falling”

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Contrary to a popular myth, you will not actually die if you do not wake up before your hit the ground during a fall. As with most common dream themes, falling is an indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life. This may reflect the way you feel in your relationship or in your work environment. You have lost your foothold and cannot hang on or keep up with the hustle and bustle of daily life. When you fall; there is nothing that you can hold on to. You more or less are forced toward this downward motion without any control. This lost of control may parallel a waking situation in your life.

Falling dreams also often reflect a sense of failure or inferiority in some circumstance or situation. It may be the fear of failing in your job/school, loss of status, or failure in love.

However we advise you not to get to carried away and walk around with your eyes closed. The bruise on your bottom should serve as a sufficient deterrent from doing that, klutz!

6. “I Failed the Test”

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To dream that you are taking an exam indicates that you are being put to the test or being scrutinized in some way. Such dreams highlight your feelings of being anxious and agitated. You may find that you cannot answer any of the questions on the test or that the test is in some foreign language. Such factors contribute to you failing this test. These dreams usually have to do with your self-esteem and confidence or your lack of. You are worried that you are not making the grade and measuring up to other people’s expectations of you. You may also experience the fear of not being accepted, not being prepared, or not being good enough. Dreams of this nature are also an indication that you are being judged and this dream is a signal for you to examine an aspect of yourself that you may have been neglecting and need to pay attention to.

Unpleasant as it may sound, the aspect in question can be the mounting study load, which many have been conveniently dreaming away. So scramble for your books, folks for with the exam around the corner, this is one nightmare you don’t want to live through!