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Sri Sidhvi Dindi

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It’s natural to admire your favourite celebrity or even a beloved TV show character. However, just this easily this admiration can sometimes cross the line into obsession, where the lives of these public figures begin to dominate our own. At what point does our curiosity blur into invasion?

In the digital era, we often perceive celebrities as intimately connected to us, despite the apparent unattainability of their glamorous lifestyles. We develop parasocial relationships with them to bridge this emotional discomfort, seeking a sense of closeness. This phenomenon has been amplified by the rise of social networking platforms, which have blurred the lines of intimacy. The documentation of celebrities’ lives on these platforms feels remarkably relatable, constructing a facade of authenticity. Through the conversational features prevalent on social media websites, audiences experience a heightened sense of closeness to celebrities, even though these celebrities may not be aware of our existence.

Loneliness holds a significant influence over our engagement with parasocial relationships. It triggers a compelling fascination that draws us deeply into the lives of celebrities. This fascination often begins when we sense a void in our own lives, an emptiness amidst the monotony of our lives. In response, we turn to the lives of celebrities in search of emotional intimacy, hoping to infuse our lives with excitement and connection. Due to this, we inadvertently project our insecurities onto these celebrities, elevating them to a pedestal of flawless perfection. What escapes our notice is that the images of these celebrities are meticulously curated by their extensive PR teams, carefully sculpting a facade that conceals their own complexities and imperfections.

Reality TV extensively capitalise on parasocial relationships, offering viewers a glimpse into the seemingly “intimate” lives of celebrities. This exposure fosters a sense of closeness and approachability, despite the conscious understanding that their lifestyles are vastly different from our own. Over time, this proximity blurs the boundaries of our social realities, leading to an unconscious feeling of ownership over these celebrities. We may start to believe we have ownership in their life decisions. It’s essential to acknowledge that celebrities should not be exempt from ethical standards but also possess the autonomy to lead their lives beyond constant public scrutiny.

The power dynamic in the music industry accentuates this phenomenon. Artists often draw inspiration from their personal experiences, leading audiences to develop a sense of ownership over what an artist chooses to reveal. Speculation about the behind-the-scenes aspects of an artist’s life becomes common, and we tend to construct narratives that satisfy our curiosity. For instance, Taylor Swift’s personal life has been intensely scrutinized by the media over the years, with numerous speculations about her relationships and feuds, despite her choosing to address these topics mainly through her music.

In 2020, when Olivia Rodrigo’s hit song “Driver’s License” was released, there was a surge of speculation surrounding the heartbreak anthem. Many people began to assume that the reference to “the blonde girl” in the song’s lyrics was connected to the love triangle involving Sabrina Carpenter, Joshua Bassett, and Olivia Rodrigo. This connection led to some individuals taking the matter quite personally, with Sabrina Carpenter and Joshua Bassett even facing death threats as a result.

In a more tragic and extreme scenario, Christina Grimmie, a singer who rose to mainstream prominence through her YouTube music covers, fell victim to a fatal shooting during a meet and greet with a self-proclaimed “fan.” These instances represent the dangerous consequences of fans who overstep boundaries, infringing upon the basic rights of celebrities and even harbouring a disturbing sense of ownership over their lives.

However, despite the dangers, parasocial relationships play a pivotal role in the journey of celebrities toward mainstream success. Public relations teams meticulously craft and nurture these connections because such bonds are fundamentally essential for artists and public figures in these industries. Relatability has become a critical expectation for all celebrities; they are anticipated to exhibit a sense of authenticity and connection with their fans. However, striking the right balance is crucial; it cannot appear too manufactured as if they are making an excessive effort to be relatable.

These expectations frequently impose a heavy burden on celebrities, blurring the lines between their personal and public lives. They grapple with the sensation of being accountable to millions of their followers. The paternalistic and controlling nature of this relationship sometimes extends into intrusive territory, leaving celebrities with limited autonomy in their decision-making over their own life.

The complex world of parasocial relationships highlights the evolving nature of our connection with celebrities in the digital age. As we seek intimacy and relatability through these relationships, we must grapple with the boundaries between genuine connection and curated persona. The power dynamics at play underscore the delicate balance between our desire for closeness and the rights of celebrities to their personal lives. In this era of hyperconnectivity and ever-evolving media, perhaps it’s time for us to closely analyze the effects of being chronically online and navigate such challenges through a grounded lens.

Image Credits: iStock

 

Sri Sidhvi Dindi

[email protected]

 

On 7 August 2023, the first round of seat allotment for UG admissions have been released with over 87% of UG seats secured by students, with Hansraj College witnessing the highest number of registrations. The second round of seat allotment will be released on 10 August for the remaining vacant seats.

In the first round of seat allotment under the CSAS portal for securing UG admissions at Delhi University (DU), the maximum admissions were secured at Hansraj College, Ramjas College and Dyal Singh College. The list was announced on 7 August 2023, with over 87% of UG seats already secured by students. Kirori Mal College witnessed the highest number of total registrations with 1,61,533 registrations followed by Hindu College with 1,58,548 registrations and Hansraj College with 1,57,162 registrations.

According to the data released by the CSAS portal, a total of 85,853 students secured UG admissions at DU. However, 62,008 students paid their fees and secured their seats at DU, among which 53% are female students. 12,733 students have chosen to freeze their allotment with 40,701 opting to upgrade.

The list of vacant seats has been released on the official websites at du.ac.in and admissions.uod.ac.in. The second round of allotment commenced on 7 August 2023 with the display of vacant seats. Students who have opted to upgrade will be given the option to re-order their higher preferences from 7 August to 8 August 2023.

Most of the seats are filled. Only in science courses, around 10% of admissions are left. Earlier, it would take us at least four lists to arrive at the seat scenario that we are witnessing now after the first list”, Manoj Khanna, principal of Ramjas College mentioned in regards to the admission process.

The second round of seat allotment will be declared on 10 August 2023. Selected students will have to accept their allotted between 10 August to 13 August 2023. The third round of seat allotment will be notified by the university. However, depending on the number of vacant seats available for admission, the university may announce additional rounds.

Colleges will be required to approve the online application from 10 August to 14 August 2023. The last date for the online payment of fees by the students is 15 August 2023.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Sri Sidhvi Dindi

[email protected]

 

 

 

The accessibility in communication has blurred the lines between formal and informal forms of communication. With information available to us at our fingertips, there’s an expectation to be constantly online and updated. There’s no excuse to not do so since notifications buzzing around us. However, what is the cost of information influx?

Ping. You just put your phone down and were about to take a moment to yourself to break away from the constant influx of messages and notifications. However, you just heard the high-pitched sound that itches you increasingly until you can’t control yourself and finally give in to your urges. Before you know it, the muscle memory of your fingers swiftly types your passcode, and you have finally accessed WhatsApp. No worries, though, since it was just your friend reacting to your previous text. Since you have already made an effort to open WhatsApp, you might as well casually scroll through a few unread messages. There is, however, no such thing as casual on WhatsApp, and you are now obligated to reply to those messages because you might as well do it now.

Many of us are chronically online due to the demands of accessible communication. Even subconsciously, we constantly crave stimulation because we are accustomed to how conveniently we can access information. Getting updated is considered the bare minimum in keeping up with today’s globalised world. Notifications play an important role in ensuring you are on top of all your commitments and updates. In some ways, notifications ease communication for us because we don’t have to go the extra mile to get updated. WhatsApp groups are synonymous with a college notification board as they are the only way to get crucial updates on any developments in regard to your classes and societies. Notifications are a necessity to survive the fast-paced nature of college. However, just as easily, they can become an overwhelming source of anxiety.

There are several mechanisms to reduce the impact of notifications. For most of us, it is keeping our phones on silent mode and returning to our phones at our convenience. However, since our phones are perpetually glued to us, the silent mode feature is almost redundant in shielding us from our notifications. However, you may mute your notifications which prevents notifications from even appearing on your home screen. As most of us are acquainted with, blindly muting our notifications often has repercussions on our professional and personal lives.

Turning off all my notifications hardly ever works for me. I just feel like as college students we don’t really have the luxury of just muting all our notifications because the messages that we receive from college often require our immediate attention. Even when I choose to get back to messages at a convenient to me, I’m bombarded with over 50 messages from different groups and it creates even more stress because I have to go through all those messages to make sure I didn’t miss out on anything important,” a first-year student discussed.

The first come, first serve basis is how opportunities are grasped in WhatsApp groups. Even a 30-second delay in response can lead you to lose an opportunity. This is exactly where the pressure starts to arise with notifications. There’s an inherent need to constantly be available and be the first person to take hold of such opportunities. Although showing initiation may appear to be the bare minimum form of showing commitment, over time the constant influx of messages and notifications takes a toll on your ability to respond. The continuous notifications eventually cause lethargy and you lose track of keeping up with important developments.

“I remember the first day of college when all of a sudden I was added to so many groups and in those groups there were links to other groups. Official groups, unofficial groups, opportunity groups, and students of 2025/26 groups. It was so overwhelming trying to keep up with all of it because you are new to college and you are already stressed enough and you don’t want to miss out on important updates. I remember I joined a group a few hours later, and the entire CR elections had already been conducted and I had absolutely no clue about it,” a first-year student observed.

In the interest of professional commitments, somehow personal commitments take a back seat. In the wake of keeping up with emails and WhatsApp messages, answering texts from your friends and family may seem trivial. Due to this, your personal relationships suffer as you may not actively contribute towards staying in touch due to the lethargy that accompanies meeting your professional updates.

I have all my groups from college pinned. Since there are over 25 of them, I hardly even see messages from my friends because there is always something going on in my college groups. And they are very important and if I don’t get back to them in a few hours, I’m usually tagged. It becomes so draining trying to keep up with all this that I just completely forget that I haven’t even replied to my friend who texted me 2 days ago” lamented a student.

The urgency that accompanies notifications often is fueled by an intrinsic need to be available and immediately deal with the issue. Over time, just the mere sound of a notification can cause a wave of anxiety due to the urgency it creates. They can also be very overwhelming especially when the group chats are spammed with messages that compel you to answer them immediately. In the process, you start disassociating yourself from your surroundings and remain stuck with the updates and commitments. Due to the accessibility of your presence, answering texts carve away your relaxation time and blur the boundaries between your priorities.

Especially with utilizing multiple devices, we are even more charged with notifications. Our laptops, phones, iPads and Tablets are constantly buzzing with notifications from all sorts of social media applications. Although disconnecting from the chaos of our devices is intimidating, protecting our mental peace is much more crucial. Sometimes we may miss catching up on our emails and texts but instead of feeling guilty about it, we need to assert boundaries and compartmentalize our priorities to preserve our sanity and peace.

Image Credits: Macworld

Read Also: https://dubeat.com/2017/09/30/in-the-age-of-phone-fare/

Sri Sidhvi Dindi

[email protected]

In a meeting held by the executive council, the university is all set to introduce B. Tech courses for the
academic year 2023-24 from August. Three courses will be offered with an intake capacity of 120
students for each programme.

Starting in August, Delhi University (DU) will offer engineering courses for students to pursue for the
academic year 2023-24. The courses will range from B.Tech degrees in Computer Science and Engineering; Electronics and Communication Engineering; and Electrical Engineering. The total intake capacity of the students will be 360, consisting of 120 for each program. Admissions under the B.Tech course will be conducted on the basis of JEE scores Mains score. The course structure, credit distribution and syllabi for the first two semesters have been finalized by the executive council.

On Friday, 9 June 2023, in a meeting presented before the executive council, the new course structure received approval. Earlier in April, the Ministry of Education also approved the introduction of 72 teaching and 48 non-teaching posts for the new programmes in April.

In 2021, a committee had been deliberately set up by the University to introduce new courses.

“The committee held several meetings in the last one-and-half years and systematically deliberated upon various issues within its terms of reference to facilitate the initiation of the three BTech programmes under the Faculty of Technology in the emerging subject areas of computer science and engineering, electronics and communication engineering and electrical engineering,” an official stated in reference to the report submitted by the panel.

The committee suggested adequate infrastructural facilities for the classrooms and laboratories be
arranged until the Faculty of Technology building is fully functional.

“The committee authorized the vice-chancellor to decide upon the space and other essential physical
infrastructure for initiation of these B. Tech programmes,” the report stated.

The course structure is designed in such a manner that a minimum 50% weightage will be applicable to the major area of study with a maximum of 65% weighable. The rest will be applicable towards the minor area of study. In accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP), students will be provided with multiple exit options. A student who has successfully completed one year of study and earned the requisite credits will receive a certificate. Two years of successful completion of the required credits will earn the student a diploma and three years of successful completion along with the required credits will earn an advanced diploma. Students who have successfully completed the required credits for four years will be awarded a Bachelor’s in Technology degree.

In line with the introduction of new programmes, the executive council approved the introduction of the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) for the academic session 2023-24. The ITEP will replace the current Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) programme.

Read Also: https://dubeat.com/2023/06/06/du-to-introduce-three-b-tech-courses-from-this-academic-year/

Featured Image Credits: Devesh for DU Beat

Sri Sidhvi Dindi
[email protected]