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In an undertaking where ability and the character counts, diversities accepted and promoted, and facts held precedence over comments, I learnt the best lessons of my college life, for life.  

Back in 2016, a day before Valentine’s Day,  an array of the surprise addition to new WhatsApp groups and welcome messages from strangers marked my joining of the largest campus publication of India. Little did I know then that this small attempt to get an internship experience will end up being the love of my college life. This experience which constituted a major learning adventure in my college life will be treasured forever.

Three years is a very ‘small time’ to have spent in the newspaper, which has built up a legacy of ten years, but having worked, grown and later led the paper as its associate editor in the final year, I can speak with certain intimacy of acquaintance about the values the paper has held for years. Facts, ethics, credibility and liberal values have always remained the guiding principles of the paper, the baton which I hope the upcoming batches will uphold with care. In these years the paper has largely widened its reach among the student community through various social media platforms, amidst this growing amalgamation of digital technology and journalism where the ethical lines are becoming thinner, the newspaper has been successful in upholding its values.

Being caught amidst sudden riots during covering a protest, contemplating over societal norms during covering a street play competition, watching democracy function even in the small spaces of classrooms and colleges where students fought against issues like discriminatorily high fees for girls hostels, tireless coverage during the popular admissions session, organising the first on ground event marking the ten years anniversary of the paper are those small bits of larger professional experience that I was privileged enough to receive. Meeting Deans, university officials, student leaders and students, listening to their side of the story and yet adhering to non-partisan reporting is something I have learnt in the past three years. Teaching the same to the youngsters who joined the team during the past year will always be remembered as the best part of the time I spent here.

Meeting the best people in the University because they were all on the same team has been the most rewarding so far. Meeting excellent academics who travelled abroad for their masters and offered their invaluable advice can be credited for the success of my study abroad plans. Seeing juniors from colleges joining the team and then falling in love with the paper, young writers taking up reporting assignments, colleagues turning into the best of friends and this heady journey of getting inspired to turning an inspiration have been exceptional.

J P Scott, the longest-serving editor of the ‘The Guardian’ often believed the press as an institution that can take authority into account and can turn things around for a better society. And I believe that I have worked to the best of my ability to ensure the same during my time here.

Wishing the very best for the future to the new kids.

Signing Off

Srivedant Kar

Associate Editor 2017-18

 

Chaahe jo tumhe poore dil se, Milta hai woh mushkil se
Aisa jo koi kahin hai, Bas vahi sabse hasin hai

In 2015, one sunny afternoon, eating in the college canteen, a colourful newspaper in the hands of many students caught my eye. I applied to work there, got selected, and that decision of sending a very nervous and grammatically unsound email changed my life forever. That newspaper was DU Beat. Cut to two years hence, when I was bestowed with a leadership role and was given the post of the Associate Print Editor, I never thought that the newspaper that I recall as my first memory of DU Beat would become my baby one day.

Like the line I quoted above, my journey at DU Beat has been like a movie. It had a powerful plot that built my way to the future, a story with a purpose, individuals and characters who I fell in love with, and a heartwarming ending that brims with emotions I will fail to express here. Just like a movie is memorable because of its characters, my time at DUB gave me the chance to know and work with some of the finest correspondents, photographers, and designers. Working here gave me friends I will cherish for a lifetime and it gave me a family that I know has always got my back. But like all movies, my association with this place had its own ups and downs.

While I had my share of achievements and fun by writing some popular Bazingas (some of them were believed to an extent that we got in trouble sometimes), political pieces, took some unbelievably cool interviews and attended outstation fests (a shoutout to my Mood-I mini family), my leadership role most of the time didn’t allow me to write as much as I would have wanted to. The pressure that comes with this responsibility sometimes got the better of me and left me frustrated, stressed, and sometimes even self-critical. But my time here can never be replaced and the experience can never be recreated. My college life and DU Beat were pretty much synonymous. DU Beat gave me an identity. The sense of association, love, respect, and adoration that one develops for this place and its people is a feeling that not many get to feel in their college life and I feel blessed that I was one of the few lucky ones who got to experience the magic of this place firsthand.

From allotting articles, solving doubts post midnight over WhatsApp, making the Print layout to heading Print meetings every Monday, unlike the rest of the world, I developed an unusual liking for the most hated day of the week and always looked forward to it. I am terribly going to miss the 200+ notifications on the 60+ WhatsApp groups, I am going to crave the feeling of being able to put up an urgent post on all the social media handles and then see it trend and get likes, I am going to miss the feeling of using my DUB ID and toggling between multiple social media platforms and mixing passwords each time. Most of all, I will never have an excuse to skip awkward social gatherings and ignore my friends saying, “I have DUB work.”

Riya’s journey at DUB

 

In life, one must always have something to look up to, something to look forward to and something to chase and in my case, for two consecutive years, DU Beat filled all the blanks. Not being able to work here anymore is going to leave a void in me that is never going to be fulfilled, it will leave a thirst that will never be quenched.

 

But as Shakespeare rightly said,

All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts

 

In my entire college life, DUB was my world, my stage, and I guess I played my part. It is time I make my exit.

Wishing the new office bearers all the very best. Keep our baby growing.

 

Signing off

Riya Chhibber

Associate Print Editor

2016-17

The most difficult goodbye you ever say is to your family: the family that moulds you into a person that is ready to face any obstacle head on. No matter how hard you try to prepare yourself, you just cannot come around to say it to them. And when the moment is finally there, all you can do is stand and admire how beautiful your family is, reminiscing all the beautiful memories you’ve gathered with them.

My three years in DU Beat have been the most awarding and inspiring years in life. The slightly scared enthu-cutlet, as called by her seniors, who begged the HRs to let her be a part of her dream team at DU Beat within the first month of joining college; is now graduating as a proud Associate Editor of the same. My college life has been all about DUB- the source of all of my happy memories. From coping with deadlines to drinking games at DUB parties, DU Beat has been every happy memory I have of college life. I’ve seen my mentors becoming my friends, my friends becoming my guides and my juniors becoming family. If given a chance, I’d redo all of it with as much affection and effort, if not more.

I have always boasted about being the oldest member of the DU Beat Editorial team. And very proudly so. But being the oldest member comes with its own responsibilities- people look up to you for everything, everyone expects you to be the know-it-all. I have, not once, felt these expectations to be a burden and responsibilities to be unrealistic. DU Beat has pushed me to challenge my limits and strive for the best performance I can bring out of me.

I walked into this organisation as a fresher looking for a purpose. I couldn’t be happier that I chose DU Beat, more importantly, DU Beat chose me; to design my college life into the enigma that it is today. I have made friends I know will last a lifetime, I’ve learned from people and experiences. The perks, you bet, have been nothing less than a plate full of Vanilla Oreos. Standing inside the barricades with a press card hanging around my neck has to certainly be the best incentive DU Beat gave me. From getting all close up to star performers to being pushed and shoved and stomped upon in stampedes, it’s been a pleasure.

There are a lot of emotions I am experiencing right now. Knowing that I won’t have a 100 messages in my phone from DU Beat groups, leaving 60+ WhatsApp DUB Groups, not getting to make the Web Layout every week, not having to reprimand correspondents and copy-editors to adhere to the deadline and most importantly, not having DU Beat next to my name.

Will I get through this? I’m not sure. But DU Beat has made me into a person who sure can deal with these emotions amidst all possible challenges life decides to throw at me. And to cope, I certainly have some informal DUB WhatsApp groups to hold on to and I am willing to be the creepy stalker of DU Beat on Facebook. Whatever keeps me close to this family.

Words will fall short in explaining the gravity of DUB in my life. And so, is it a goodbye yet? Well, it will never be. DU Beat shall always occupy the most comforting spot in my heart.

 

Signing off,

For the last time,

Arushi Pathak,

Associate Editor Web (2016-17)

DU Beat