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Tussi Ja Rahe Ho? : Bidding Farewell to College Societies

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Bidding farewell to college is like bidding farewell to a sense of stillness amidst the chaos in your life. What’s even more difficult is sometimes bidding farewell to the societies within these spaces, which is perhaps way more difficult for the juniors left behind.

Disclaimer: Readers might be left with a bittersweet feeling in their heart and might shed a tear or two, so proceed with caution.

Dear Reader,

As we close a chapter on the batch of 2024, turning the page on perhaps the most personal part of our college lives – our societies – might be even more painful. As an anxious, scared, and confused college student, the author found comfort and solace in one such society, and as a second-year student, she finds it even harder to say goodbye to the senior who made college feel like home. Friends’ Corner, the Mental Health and Counselling Cell of Hindu College, became a warm cup of chai during the rain for this author, and its president, Suangouding Guite, became the rainbow after the rain. Some might say his infectious smile, quirky one-liners, and him saying “period” after every sentence just helped them feel comfortable and safe in an otherwise overwhelming college space.

You know when you’re anticipating that your drink might be too hot or too cold, but when you take a sip, it’s the perfect temperature. This happiness, satiety, and comfort were what I got when I first interacted with Gouding. He, along with our seniors Soham and Varnika, made an amateur at society work like me, feel appreciated, and feel at home, and this society soon became my comfort space.” – says Vidita Verma, a second-year English Literature student at Hindu College.

In conversation with DU Beat, Gouding, a third-year sociology student and the president of Friends’ Corner, shared his experience at FC and how bidding farewell to this space feels personal.

For me, bidding farewell to Friends’ Corner is more like closing a chapter on my life, to the important and beautiful people and memories that make FC, as it became a part of me in these past three years, which I don’t want to let go of. I want FC to be known for its safe space, open conversations, and belongingness, which allow others to be vulnerable, and I hope I was able to create that legacy. This space became synonymous with Hindu for me, and this goodbye just feels personal. It was a society I joined for its safe space and open conversations about mental health, as it won’t really fetch you any CV points, and I stayed because it allowed me to be whatever I wanted to be and to feel whatever I wanted to feel, as it exists for others to grow and for them to learn from.” – Suangouding, president of Friends’ Corner, reflected. 

We’ve all had our fair share of uplifting and disappointing moments, intertwined with promises that sometimes fall short but are cloaked in sweetness. College societies have brought us together in unexpected ways, fostering beautiful connections for some and challenging experiences for others. The author did find herself in a pickle while writing this piece as she has been a part of the healthier and less emotionally daunting side of college societies, or rather has been quite lucky with the people, particularly the seniors she met, but a student from South Campus College who wished to remain anonymous remarked about its dramatics society.

I happened to have worked with seniors who would rather throw you under the bus for the sake of asserting their dominance. Favouritism, selective targeting, and insensitive manipulative behaviour, are some of the qualities they’d be passing onto their juniors. My seniors honestly sucked, and I’m more than happy to be bidding them farewell.” – they reflected. 

Performing Arts societies in DU might be known for their (valuable) experience, hectic schedules, overwhelming work, and hierarchies, but despite their generalised perception, they do end up becoming free and homely spaces for students, and we might meet seniors who make it just that.

In conversation with DU Beat, Manya Mallika, a third-year Physics student from Hindu College, opened up about her fruitful tenure at Masque, the English Theatre Society, not just as its co-director but as a first-year student who joined the society through online inductions during the lockdown.

After coming to Delhi after an online semester, the only people aware of my presence were in Masque, which initially seemed like just another college club. Despite finding other ways to engage in theatre, Masque somehow provided me with an identity in college, where I could be myself, through its lack of hierarchy and uniting people through their love for theatre rather than fear. I stayed because I felt a sense of belonging, and some friendships just stayed. My biggest realisation here is that human beings are prone to making mistakes; we are all flawed in some way. College should be a time of exploration, learning, and growth, and being patient and kind to others and ourselves. Remind ourselves to take a deep breath, as we’re all going to die anyway.” – Manya discussed. 

An anonymous first-year student from Hindu College, in conversation with DU Beat, bid a heartwarming farewell to their senior at Aria, the Western Music Society.

Priyansha (Yuhu) is a special person, not just for me but for the entire Acapella team of Aria. While being a great leader with her management and communication skills, she is a softie who cracks quirky jokes with her nasal voice, lighting up the mood of the entire team whenever we lose a competition (and that’s every time, lol). She built a family within a society, and while I wish her well for her dazzling future, bidding her farewell feels bittersweet as it’ll be very difficult to fill the void left behind by our very own Yuhu.” – they remarked. 

Anvesha Tripathi, a second-year Economics student at IPCW, shares how La Cadenza, the Western Music Society, ended up being the biggest and most exciting part of her college life, mostly owing to the seniors that she found there.

My seniors at Cadenza were nothing short of supportive, understanding, kind, and so unabashedly funny that every doubt vanished the second I walked into the practice room and helped us navigate this crazy circuit. One senior in particular stands out though: Ashna Dongre, who is a vision to look at and an absolute honour to be around. Every second I spend with her is enriching and leaves me either smiling or laughing my guts out. She is an absolute breath of fresh air on dreary days. I have sought in her love, support, and a simple shoulder to share my burdens with, and practice without her will feel incomplete, and so will the rest of my time at college.” – Anvesha said. 

It is said that first-year students enter DU with dreams in their eyes and passion in their hearts. Amidst the pool of batchmates, unspoken bonds, and sometimes fragile friendships, a lot of us struggle to strike a bond with any of our seniors in our respective departments. But lucky are the ones who end up discovering that friendship, solace, and guidance in that one senior in a society. An anonymous first-year student found such comfort in a senior at Vivre, the Film and Photography Society of Hindu College.

I learned a lot from them, and it’s definitely hitting me now that I have to bid farewell to them. It’s going to get hard for me because I don’t have a lot of friends or people I hold close to my heart in the second year. There’s one senior in particular, who I’m perhaps the closest to in the entire college. This is my person, and I hold them very close to my heart. Saying goodbye to them is going to break my heart, and I don’t want to think about it. What makes it sadder is that they are also leaving Delhi, so I might not see them ever.” – the student commented. 

S. Bangshing Panja, a third-year philosophy student at Hindu College, shares how bidding farewell to his college and his society might be hard, but it’s time for him to make space for others.

Although societies haven’t become synonymous with Hindu, there’s definitely a bittersweet feeling in my heart while waving goodbye to the safe spaces I found in the North East Cell and Aria, as they have been a huge part of me. The kind of legacy I’d like to leave my juniors, especially in the North East Cell, is that we should not be ashamed or scared to take up space. We are here in such a competitive institution, and we are here for a reason, and that makes us equal to everyone else. We just have to prove ourselves visible to the world, the people around us, and back at home. It’s sad that I have to say goodbye to them, but it’s about time. I’ve been here for three years, and I feel I have to leave in order to make space for others to come and feel the same things I felt and share the same friendships I’ve shared.” – they shared. 

Dear reader, while navigating the whirlpool of emotions college life at DU sometimes (certainly) pushes you in, some of us manage to find that one society and that one senior who just becomes your lifeboat. Bidding farewell to these small spaces within college that have become synonymous with home is difficult, to say the least, for the third years and the juniors left behind with a void in their hearts. How does one even journal such complex emotions and bittersweet memories in mere words? But I sincerely hope our words did justice to those feelings. Here’s a toast to the batch of 2024. We are forever grateful for your warmth, resilience, and comfort.

Read Also- Natural Selection: Unpacking Diversity in DU Societies 

Featured Image Credits: Sukriti for DU Beat 

Gauri Garg

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Campus Central

When “Fun” Crosses the Line: Casual Harassment in College Societies

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TW// Harassment

You must have heard lately about serious cases of harassment in a few DU societies. College officials took action by banning members and even societies. While DU takes pride in providing a ragging-free campus or in taking swift, decisive measures to stop ragging, what often goes unnoticed is the casual harassment perpetrated in the name of “fun” that has turned into a “trend” among college societies.

The dancing society at Sri Aurobindo College was recently banned after some juniors complained about alleged physical and verbal harassment by the society’s president and ex-president. A similar incident occurred at the FilmSoc of Sri Venkateswara College. The college administration implemented rigorous measures in response; these incidents called the campus’s safety into doubt. While the Vice-Chancellor proudly assured the newly admitted batch of a ragging-free campus, what frequently goes unnoticed is the casual harassment that occurs under the pretence of “fun,” especially during society recruitments. 

DU takes pride in providing a ragging-free campus and strict disciplinary action against perpetrators. However, one of the most significant gaps in this “ragging-free campus” is how individuals perceive or understand “ragging.” Most people consider ragging to be a serious form of harassment, but what people need to recognise is the major problem of casual harassment, which is frequently carried out under the guise of “fun” and is becoming a trend in DU societies, particularly corporate societies.

One of the worst examples of this may be found during recruiting interviews for college societies. Most of these societies hire new members following a series of stages of selection and sorting that include form completion, tasks, and interviews. All of these things are largely carried out by core members of these societies. Interviews are an important phase in the recruitment process. These interviews serve as a breeding ground for such harassment.

I was asked to propose a flower vase during the interview.

-A first-year student at Kirori Mal College

Freshers are asked to dance, sing, propose to one another, to a senior, or to any random object during interviews by seniors. Freshers are required to perform this while being secretly recorded. The majority of these “tasks” have little to do with the skills necessary to be part of such societies. This is a recent trend that has emerged in college societies, particularly in corporate societies, where seniors engage in such behaviours intentionally or unintentionally. The majority of those involved in these activities believe it’s “mazak” (joke) and should not be taken seriously. They advise that juniors see this as a joke because it is “a way of bonding.”

 My friend, who is a core member of a society, showed me videos of them asking juniors to dance or propose to each other. She was laughing and pointing out how they made juniors do these tasks for interviews while they were being recorded. I asked her if they asked the juniors’ permission before recording. She replied,- ‘arre mazak mai kiya ye sab’. When I explained to her that this was wrong, she understood the mistake she had made.

– A third-year student

What they fail to understand is that this isn’t something that everyone is comfortable with. For juniors, mocking them, filming them, and circulating these videos without their permission can be traumatising. This type of ignorance comes with a certain level of privilege. Many DU students come from small towns and villages. It is not an easy road to DU, especially for female students. Most of these students lack the precise skill set that college societies want, but they join to learn and gain experience. Mocking and filming them could drive out these students from such settings, causing serious problems, particularly for female students. 

Because of safety concerns, most parents from smaller towns and villages do not send their daughters to DU, and discovering videos of their daughter being posted on random groups might result in them being refused access to offline campuses. For these reasons, these students are compelled to remain silent and tolerate the humiliation.

Not only that, but in certain college societies, especially film societies, “romantic or sexual relationships” are used as a deciding factor for position. Since the old core members determine the new core members in most societies, a member’s romantic or sexual contact with old core members determines whether or not they will be elevated to core positions.

All of these events or incidents are hidden from administration since most individuals do not consider them to be problematic. As a result of the seniors’ lack of understanding and awareness, college societies are becoming increasingly toxic and unsafe. These aspects also contribute to the segregation of students, with only “privileged” students dominating the majority of these areas. While awareness is crucial among seniors, it is also the responsibility of administration to look into safety issues in societies and educate juniors about these issues during orientation.

Read Also: Unveiling the Culture of Toxicity in SVC’s FilmSoc

Featured Image Credits: Nopany Institute of Management Studies

Dhruv Bhati
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Arts & Culture

Bazinga: DU to Create Inter-College Societies

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University of Delhi (DU) has introduced an inter-college society system, in an attempt to tackle the divisions within the Varsity.

DU’s Extra Circular Activities (ECA) and Sports Committees have launched the Delhi University Collegiate Culture Circuit (DUCCC) with newly formed inter-college societies. This initiative was collectively taken in the Executive Council (EC) meeting held on Saturday, 26th October. The two day long EC meeting witnessed long formulated debates on both sides of the matter. A certain level of hierarchy along with team esteem exists in all the societies of DU, and the scheme may not play out well there.

Many college students have expressed their disagreement with the decision, as they believe it will create segregation instead of belonging. Amaal Kumar, President of Natuve, dramatics society of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, said, “We spend each day of our college life with our society. Now with that gone, it takes away our convenience as well as bonding. It should also be noted that when you’re in the same college, you face similar issues, and are around people with same teachers who understand your society needs. Now all of that will be gone.”

However, the decision has been taken to do away with the college elitism that exists in DU. Ramesh Ray, the ECA Committee Chairperson, said, “This will do away with the resentment among students that has been created out of years of competition, and bring feeling of community as a whole among students.” The DUCCC has been set up to look after the many changes this decision will bring. Allotting areas for practice and scheduling the practice time of inter-college societies will be taken  up by this newly formed committee, along with the matters of society elections, and dealing with  administrative work.
The official announcement has been made on the DU website and thereby, the scheme will be initiated after the upcoming fest season of January to March, 2020. The campus has received this news with contrasting opinions; many feel a loss of identity to be not known by their college society names. Some others feel this will give an opportunity to meet students from all walks of life.

Karan Thapar, member, Vurbum, the western Dance Society of Motilal Nehru College, said, “This
is a great step. The barriers of college, location, and seclusion will be broken with this. It will be great to see a Hindu College society member with a member from Ram Lal Anand College to perform, united by their art.”
Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only to be appreciated and not accepted.

Featured Image Credits: Hitesh Kalra for DU Beat

Chhavi Bahmba
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Campus Central

When You Are Not in Any Society

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Imagine not joining any society in college: would things be different? How would you make friends or create experiences? See college life from the eyes of someone who is not in any society!

The University of Delhi (DU) is prestigious for several things, including its societies and co-curricular activities. Societies are sought after, and the students look forward to joining these. Students in these societies are deeply passionate and spend hours every day practicing before and after college, going to competitions, missing classes. With so much time spent in one place, it is inevitable that you find friends and create experiences there.

But it is unfair to generalise these experiences; for many students, college is simply being able to have the gift of time and freedom. They can invest these wherever they want. They could miss a class or attend all, they could make friends slowly and organically from their own class or simply stick to their school friends, and they could make spontaneous plans after college because there is no practice or spend hours talking in their usual favourite spot in college. College fests are a fun time as they get to attend it with their college friend circles.

A common factor that all students who were not in any society talked about was the commitment that societies demand. The practices during college, missing of classes, hectic schedule, extra work, and drained energy every day were reasons to not join. Although they also struggled with notes and assignments, and not all of them attended every single class or kept 100% attendance, but they simply prioritised academics or a better mental and physical health.

Sumati from Kamala Nehru College comments, “I am pursuing Psychology without having studied psychology in school, so I had a tough first year and I only wanted to invest time here. I agree societies help people live college life to the fullest, but they can also put a huge burden or stress.”

Sanyukta Golaya of Indraprastha College for Women commented, “When I joined college, I was never quite as interested or inclined towards societies, the way I was towards my course. I was very clear that any time that I had after my classes would be spent making detailed notes and reading up for the lectures, I had the next day. I didn’t care whether not wanting to be involved in society work made me come off as a bore- I freely choose what I wanted to do with my spare time, and till date, I’m very content with my decision. I’ve managed to make friends, I’m happy with the way I’ve turned out in college, and I couldn’t be bothered whether others believed it to be ‘productive’.”

This perfectly brings out the false ideas of productivity that exist today. Contrary to the popular belief, these people are also able to pursue their passion outside of college through dance or music classes, writing for student magazines, going for MUNs, etc. Many of them find a way to hone their skills and follow their passion without investing their energy in any college society.

Being someone in the debating society, I know that a society can grow on you and you cannot imagine a life without it. Upon speaking to several students, I realised how life in its absence is also very special. Very few students said that they found college boring and, finding college life dull or lonely, they now look forward to joining something next year and the experiences it will bring. Others also talked about the perspective that having observed college for a while and settling in, they now felt ready to join something. But all students were happy with the choices they made, the effort they put in academics or outside and with the routine they chose in college.

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat

Shivani Dadhwal

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Arts & Culture

Stereotypes about College Societies

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Most of us are quick to judgments, especially when it comes to certain inner circles. Let’s see some stereotypes about college societies, and unveil their truth value.

When we newly join the University of Delhi, societies are something every student looks forward to be a part of. We all have that one society we aspire to be a part of, because of the love for the activity or the people or because of the name that it has. But what are certain misconceptions about the DU societies?

Fashion Society-

Fashion societies are one of the most sought-after societies in DU, but they are often seen as individuals who are completely involved in fashion and all aspiring to be the next Gigi Hadid. While there is nothing wrong to aspire about making it big in the fashion industry, not all students want the same. “I joined the fashion society because I have always been interested in modelling and make-up. I never got an opportunity to actually do something in either of them when I was in school and I was lucky enough to find it in college,” says Jhanvi Jolly, a student of Sociology in DU. It could simply be an interest or a hobby. The members comprise of make-up artists, bloggers, designers, and many more talented individuals who spend hours working on their coordination, music, and outfits to bedazzle everyone with their performance.

Debating Society-

People often perceive these members as born debaters, with excellent general awareness, and get intimidated by them. As someone who never debated in school and had below-average general knowledge, I think it is safe to say that those ideas are certainly not true. But it is no doubt that once you join the Debating Society, these are skills you develop and learn. You put in rigorous effort and hours of dedication to learn the techniques and tricks. Awareness does bring certain confidence and the ability to see the several nuances in what people say, and that ultimately reflects in your personality. The persona of these people intimidates one to shy from even going and auditioning for this society, but these are merely false perceptions, and almost every debater will tell you how they felt the same.

Dramatics Society-

DramSoc kids are usually stereotyped as loud and thundering all the time. It is believed that this society is just a stepping stone for a possible gateway for becoming an actor, or to do theatre in the future. While a few might truly have these ambitions, it is unfair to put everyone in these brackets. For some, this activity is a passion but not a profession; it is the energy and the passion that drives them to put in extraordinary amounts of effort for this interest.

Dance Society-

Popular perception trivialises the amount of efforts put in by Dance Societies. Often seen as students unnecessarily investing too much time as “it is just dancing” or, on the contrary, believing it is too demanding, this society has people intimidated or averted. The former is very much a lie as the standard of performances by DU students has reached a new high, this society requires to tremendous amounts of effort in the choreography, training, rehearsals, outfits, and to finally perform it with complete zest. The latter stands true for every major society and should not prevent one from pursuing their passion.

Writing Society-

This is one of the underdogs of societies, and it sadly is not given the same awe as others, but this underrated response is not something it deserves. Writing society is often seen as a place where introverted and highly philosophical people go, who can only express themselves through writing. Contrary to this belief, all kinds of people join the writing society- shy or outgoing- they are silent workers who do not get a ramp or a stage to perform but, through words typed on a laptop or written on a sheet, win several competitions and contribute to college magazines.

Quiz Society-

Common ideas about these people are that these are nerds or UPSC aspirants, who mug up information and lack in social skills. While this society focuses on growth of a student in terms of his or her awareness, these people are no different than you and me, except what gives them thrills is working out an answer through hints provided. It is a fun hobby and can feel very rewarding.

Image Credits: DU Beat

Shivani Dadhwal

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Campus Central

Why You Should Join a Performing Arts Society in a College

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“… And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”John Keating, Dead Poets Society

The basis of art and aesthetics can be routed through human indulgence in social backgrounds. Oscar Wilde’s famous quote is an exploration into the same idea, “Life imitates art, or art imitates life.” It is a matter of perception then, which part of the quote resonates with you. But we can never know for certain, for the perception changes with time. In college, the best platform is given to you, to test the truth in all claims of art – performing or fine. In college, we walk in with interests and desires, and by the end of it all, we feel a surge of joy that derives from our acting in favor of our passions. But everything comes with effort. More often than not, this effort is exhausting, and hence we fail to register its worth. What we don’t realise is that this effort is what makes all the difference. To observe your personal transformations, the best choice you have in college is to participate in a performing arts society.

Western music, Indian classical music, western or classical dance, drama, fashion, choreography, debating and fine arts, a whirlpool of societies are open to students. Emphasis is always laid on having the interest, the skill is developed with time. Many students join societies in colleges that don’t require a lot of their time. It is terribly true that more people join societies that don’t require a lot of effort; because a certificate comes easier that way. We must realise that a society is more than a certificate. It is an experience. For instance, my classmate did not appear for the final round of selection of the drama society in my college because it requires your unwavering attention. She said, “I wish to focus on my course, societies are secondary.” It will not be sensible to refute her argument completely. In its entirety, college becomes more than the course. Your subjects will define you, but your choices and explorations will leave an impression.

Every performing arts society has certain rules and regulations that the members must comply with; and not without reason. Music requires you to avoid certain foods that can harm your vocal chords, and riyaaz (practice). Drama requires as much discipline as it requires dedication. Dance requires constant perseverance, and pains. For this, all these societies require you to practice; and for that, you need to give at least 3-5 hours a day to the art. You will need to sacrifice a lot of “fun” with your classmates and a lot more classes. You might not be allowed to take leaves from the practice sessions, and might even have to stretch your longing for home, because you will have to practice even during holidays.

You will miss out a lot. But you will gain more. Going out to perform in fests and events, spending time with your passions, and with like-minded people, you will learn more than you could ever have hoped for. You will most definitely find yourself in this chaos. And that’s your biggest takeaway from this.

We are always told to follow our dreams. In school, many of us participated in a multitude of activities. But as age becomes a multiple of 10, most of our hobbies become mere words in our CVs. Life is too short to do everything. We need to learn from others too. We need to learn always. That is the purpose of living. But what is living without love? Finding your passion, and then working on it, to perfect it with time and become better every day, that, I bet would be enriching! And it is only true that you don’t have to find time for things you love, they find you. All you have to do is to respect this art, and to learn to find your anchorage in it. Time management is for other tasks, this art requires you.

Some people call dreamers fools. Maybe we are fools because we believe in our dreams; because we know that every dream has a life. What it needs then, is a being, where it can become alive. It needs us.

 

Feature Image Credits: Mahi Panchal for DU Beat.

Kartik Chauhan

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DUB Speak

The Other Side to The Story: Are Societies Always Learning Hubs?

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College societies are regarded with huge importance for giving exposure and bridging the gap between academics and fun. But is the end result always worthy of the effort? We probe into the matter.

Three months of time is enough to decrypt the nitty-gritties of college workings and to figure out which societies one wants to prioritise and which one wants to miss. Usually, freshers are told by their beloved seniors that the precursor to a happening and exciting college life is joining multiple societies, something which is baseless and definitely not a necessity. Why is it so, that the reason why Delhi University is so sought after, tantamounts to nothing by the end?

College societies are portals to the real world, they provide the right extent of exposure and push students to pursue their passions positively. While most performing societies work all-year round to put up a successful production or composition, it’s the academic societies that are abundant and pique interest of all students. Academic societies provide a much needed relief to many from hectic practice schedules and offer a platform for like-minded individuals to converse and deliberate on topics that interest them. Oftentimes, these societies are regarded with utmost importance as many conduct several rounds of recruitment and grill interviewees to the core. The international organisation, Enactus, is one such example of an academic society which foresees immense applications and has the potential to drive change through devoted hard work. Therefore, what matters is the effort taken and milestones achieved in terms of experience gained and lives affected.

Unfortunately, from a year’s experience of working in various academic societies, my learning outtake has been next to nil. While Enactus has established itself as a force to reckon with, other similar societies have had mixed responses. The obvious undercurrent for joining a society is almost always CV enhancement, something which ends up irking the very job interviewers it was meant to impress. Learning takes a backseat, and constructive criticism gets lost amid the mindless events churned out. The primary focus shifts to gathering footfall at an inter-college event over encouraging society members to learn from relevant examples. Interested students who joined the society because of the initial good impression, face the brunt and eventually get used to the farce.

It does not matter how many societies one is a part of – what bears fruit is what you learn from your time in one and how you see yourself growing further there. Fancy titles and exclusive posts matter little in front of all the learning that one can gain from discussions and knowledge shared. Exposure demands context; without purpose any society can fall apart. An Entrepreneurship Cell without any members interested in entrepreneurial pursuits is what results in a culture of lackluster learning. Prerequisites like ensuring likes on the Facebook page or forceful volunteerism hamper the effectiveness of this wonderful medium. The number of societies that focus on developing members is definitely rising, but so is the number of societies that solely aim to organise a few events the entire year and call it a day. A shift from the growing CV culture to knowledge-sharing can happen only if the person is in a position acknowledge this and members are willing to change from years of established patterns.

 

Feature Image Credits: Kuulpeeps.com

Vijeata Balani

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Campus Central

Enthusiasm of College Societies Taking Over!

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Admissions are almost over and college societies have started their recruitment process. The freshers, ever so willingly try and make it to the society they wish to be a part of.

Most of the admissions have now been done and dusted and students are getting more familiar with their college. Another eventful phase of admissions is now slowly fading away and freshers might be getting an idea as to how their next year is going to be. They have all waited long enough and worked rigorously to be in the university they once dreamt of. And college societies are something everyone looks up to. Apart from academics, everyone wants to do something more and college societies offer them with the exact opportunity.

All of us have our personal interests and hobbies. Some like to dance while some like to act while some like to write and so on. And once we step into DU colleges, we are acquainted with the various societies based on different fields that are run and sustained by the students themselves. From theatre to entrepreneurship, there is a society that coincides our interests and provides us the platform to work in that area. Be it organizing a college fest or performing in a national level competition, DU societies offer it all.

One cannot simply let go of the chance to have a possibly wonderful experience and doing something extra. This enthusiasm of students, particularly freshers show up once the society recruitments take place. And it is the month where all the societies look for recruitments. Tens of desks are set up with posters or flex that read out the society name with a few guys all sitting with a pen and a piece of paper sit all day long. Hundreds of curious students enquire about the work and functioning of these societies and register themselves as an applicant. Seminar rooms and halls are always booked throughout the week where various societies conduct their orientation. Students carrying their bags rush into these halls in order to get a seat before it’s all full. One can peek in these rooms and see the entire crowd listening to the society members talking about their society and experiences.

Students miss their classes in order to attend a GD or a PI or maybe give an audition to showcase their potential and hopefully be a part of the society they look forward to. Round tables have students around them debating over issues or giving their opinion on current affairs. Everybody tries to convince the interviewing panel that they will be a good fit in the society. These interviews can either be smooth or be very grilling. Some come out of it confident while some have disappointed faces reeling after having a tough time during it. It all happens. It always does.  This little one month phase is the defining phase for hundreds of these students who apply to be a part of societies. This phase is what will somewhat determine how their next year is gonna be.

The intensity of the recruitment process is natural given the scale these college societies cover. They provide an insight of their respective fields and serve as the perfect platform for willing students. Particularly in DU, various societies are very active and are extremely objective oriented. They help in nurturing the aspiring and inculcating interest in others. They help the students develop themselves. And the curiosity to be a part of these societies is evident in the way students apply in them. And it won’t be wrong to say that this aura of enthusiasm is the key to the successful functioning of DU college societies which has resulted in creating a college society culture like no other.

 

Feature Image Credits: DUB Archives

Karan Singhania

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Hans Raj College

For Food lovers – The Culinary Arts Society, Hans Raj College

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The ingenious commerce students of Hans Raj College bring to DU a first of its kind Culinary Arts Society!

A society refers to a group of people who come together on the basis of certain shared interests. Understood in this context, a college society plays a vital role in the life of a student. It not just provides a retreat from mundane academic pursuits, but also gives an individual a perfect platform to exhibit his talents, engage in meaningful interactions, form everlasting friendships and further explore his field of interest and specialty.

Small wonder then, that we at Delhi University take our societies very seriously! In fact, DU colleges are full of all kinds of societies: from the traditional to the extremely whacky, we’ve got them all! Keeping this culture alive,this year, two second year BCom Honours students from Hans Raj College, Aseem Jain and Ananya Gupta , co-founded the ‘Culinary Arts Society’(CAS). The drive to start such a society came from identifying the burgeoning craze for food and food lovers in DU, along with the increasing inclination of students to work in the hospitality and food industry after graduation. The scope of this society is multi-fold: a) to provide a forum for foodies to express their love for food, b) to promote healthy eating among GenY, c) to encourage students to look at and take up lucrative food-related careers, and d) to monitor, control and correct the standard of food served at the college cafeteria.

The CAS became a registered society on 21st July 2016. It is under the charge of Mr. Animesh Nasker, a professor from the Economics Department. At the helm are the two co-founders, followed by a team of eight core-members. The society is open to recruiting students from all courses from the first and second year. Interestingly, the society also has collaboration with the NGO ‘AHAAR Foundation’.  The NGO, another initiative of the co-founders of CAS, aims to provide ‘food for all’. Aseem Jain shares, “The modus operandi of ‘AHAAR Foundation’ is simple, yet effective. We take the surplus food from restaurants and distribute it among the needy.” To this, Ananya Gupta adds, “So we are essentially making optimum use of resources, because restaurants tend to throw away unutilised food at the end of the day. By creating a link between the surplus and deficit, we are helping both the commercial food establishments and the underfed and underprivileged.”

The Culinary Arts Society is planning its first official event, a charity bake sale, in the last week of August, at Lover’s Point, Hans Raj College. After this, they plan to hold a food festival in the first week of October, at the sports ground of Hans Raj College, where Indian Cuisine and popular World Cuisine will be displayed. To supplement these mega events, CAS intends on holding year round seminars and conclaves, where topics under discussion would range from informative, like ‘Merits of Eating a balanced and healthy diet’ to fun and frivolous, like talks by renowned chefs, food entrepreneurs and food critics and bloggers.

To keep up with the activities of CAS, keep watching this space!

Featured Image Credits: Ananya Gupta, Hans Raj College

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

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Arts & Culture

How to deal with ‘I feel like a nobody in college’ syndrome

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Yes, it’s the first week of college. Yes, it’s nothing like you imagined. Yes, you do feel a little lost. Here’s a revelation: you’re not alone.

Typically, the first few months of college require loads of patience from your end. And every senior who looks well settled in her/his place right now has been in your shoes at one point of time. Everyone may seem like a ‘someone’ right now but no one walked in to college all popular and confident!

So while you’re still in your ‘figuring out’ phase and are getting depressed over the fact that you’re just one of the crowd, here’s how to deal with the ‘Nobody Panic Syndrome’:

  1. Join a society: College will offer you a society for whatever suits you the most. As clichéd this advice may seem, you’ll bear the fruits eventually. By the time the first semester ends, you’ll realise that not only your teachers identify you as a member of that society but also your friends and peers from different departments.
  2. Chisel those conversation skills: The first few months in college will bring you the friends that’ll stay with you for a lifetime. Talk about chicken, Big Bang Theory, Sky-diving, exploits in parking lots; whatever sails your boat! It’s easier than you think because everyone is as awkward and confused as you are.
  3. Hanging out should be a priority: Go out with your peers, explore areas in and around college. This should be your top priority (side note: even more important than attending classes!). Not only do you get to know about the food you’ll survive on the next couple of years, you’ll bag loads of memories.
  4. Associate yourself with activities outside college: You want to be a go-to and contacts person? Know your business outside college too. Capitalise on your skills and be open for new ventures. Join organisations that work outside the ambit of your course.
  5. Most importantly, make your presence felt: Don’t want to feel like a nobody? Participate in fests, volunteer for department and college work. Keep up that enthusiasm; you are being slyly observed, you don’t know it!

 

Arushi Pathak
[email protected]

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