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10 lessons learnt after the end of first semester

By Niharika Dabral November 18, 2016

It is that time of the year when everyone is busy photocopying notes, pulling all-nighters to settle a decent score in internals and getting submissions done just before the deadline. From easy-going days, it looks like college has suddenly transcended into a war zone- clearly, the honeymoon period is over. The semester flew away way too fast and while I’m still trying to grasp how that can be, I have to admit that I find myself wiser than I was a few months back. I’ve learned a few hacks which I wish someone would have told me before.

Here are 10 tips I learned by the end of the first semester, that can make college easier.

Maintain your finances– With College comes independence and with that comes responsibility which includes finance management. It may seem harmless to spend 30-40 bucks here and there on multiple kiosks dotted around the campus, but these seemingly small spendings will turn you into a broke while you will be cluelessly wondering where all your money went. Hopefully, the demonetarization scheme is making you a better budgeter.
Prioritize- With too much going around, it’s important that you prioritize your life. Whether it is society rehearsals, assignments or socializing with friends, make sure one thing isn’t eating up all your time.
Wear whatever you want- If you want to get all dressed up or simply want to live in sweatpants, it doesn’t matter. You can do whatever you want.
Participate and involve yourself– College is about thriving and not merely surviving, so participate and get involved in different sorts of events, public meetings, festivals, seminars and sign up for internships and volunteer. Sometimes you’ll be successful and sometimes you’ll end up making a fool out of yourself, but ultimately you’ll gain experience and that counts.
Swear by these essentials-

– Always keep your Metro card recharged.

– Don’t forget the headphones or else the 20-minute metro ride will feel like an eternity.

– Deodorant is very important. You don’t want to be that smelly kid.

Be friends with the Class Representative– If you want to request your professor to change the extra class timings or want the notes that the teacher floated to be photocopied first, the friendship with dear old CR will come handy. Besides, if you are a busy person and don’t happen to attend classes regularly then the CR will be the most reliable person to update you about the classwork.
Use the college resources- Make the best use of libraries, online database, computers, scanning and printing facilities, bus pass, massive open online course (MOOC’s) and of-cause the Wi-Fi. You will be surprised to know how much you can avail for free!
Go to college no matter what- We may convince ourselves that by missing one day we will catch up on all the reading and complete the pending work. However, going by my experience I can tell that it’s not going to happen, so it’s better you attend the college and at least get the attendance.
Lean to function alone– Okay so college is mostly about friends and togetherness, but sometimes you have to ride solo, so be prepared. It shouldn’t bother you to sit by yourself in the cafeteria or attend some seminar alone. Being alone doesn’t mean being lonely and you must learn to enjoy your own company.
Sit back and relax- It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the negativity, sheer boredom or workload in college. You may feel that you’re not good enough. In that situation, it’s important that you sit back and relax before all the stress gets on your nerves.

Niharika Dabral

[email protected]

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DUB News

Auto Strikes Paralyse the Last Mile Connectivity for Students

By DU Beat October 16, 2016

Travelling by autos is an integral part of college’s commuting process for a large number of students. Be it door-to-door travelling or as a connector between metro station and the college. These autos usually operate on a sharing basis and drop you at your college gate for a small fare of Rs 10-Rs 30, acting as a crucial medium of last mile connectivity.

However, with app-based cab services like Uber and Ola, the business of these auto drivers seems to be in jeopardy. Especially with Uber giving promotional discounts of up-to Rs.50, a large number of students have started taking these cabs instead of the autos.

These cabs are air conditioned, the drivers do not demand more or less than the meter-generated amount, they do not refuse going someplace else just because there is traffic and you can find a cab for yourself anytime and anywhere by just moving your finger on your phone – giving students plenty of reasons to use these cabs.

Therefore, the auto-rickshaw associations, feeling threatened, decided to have strikes and demanded the government to ban these app based services in return. Besides this, these associations weren’t even letting the cab drivers enter many of their areas leaving the last mile connectivity system in a mess. As a result, the students could neither get an auto nor a cab. Many of them were even seen walking miles or asking for lifts to their college.

The idea of going on a strike doesn’t seem to be justified from the consumer’s perspective as this entire thing is all about evolution of business. The one who provides better services at lower prices, survives in the market. Even though India is a mixed economy, the transportation sector has already been opened for private players and besides that, their operation, too, would be well-regulated by the government making sure they do not exploit the customer. For instance, surge pricing by Uber and Ola was asked to be removed during the odd even days.

Thus, the possibility of getting these app based cab services stopped seems quite bleak. Still, it’s for the time to tell how things would unfold. Meanwhile, students should be prepared of standing at the metro station and being absolutely clueless about how to reach college.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Aditya Narang

[email protected]

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QWERTY

Tech for Freshers – Part 2

By DU Beat August 10, 2016

Last week, we came out with an article which laid out the most common base technologies, whether hardware or software, that you’ll essentially require to make your DU experience smoother and more exciting. While that list catered to the necessities, this one, ‘Tech for Freshers- Part 2’ caters to all your temptations.

We begin by mentioning the loner in the hardware side:

1. Bluetooth Speaker

This invention purposefully solves the problem of frequent requirement of loud music at a cheap cost. Whether you are on a department trip or a birthday party of one of your friends, a Bluetooth Speaker can ensure that you never go out of the supply of loud music. Oh and did we forget to mention? You can force your choice of music on others too.

Source: i.ytimg.com

And the better part of the software side:

1. For Dating Needs:

Tinder, Badoo, TrulyMadly, Lovoo – Gone are the days when love in college life meant love in the college campus. Like many other things, finding love or dating has changed for the 21st century. If you don’t find connections in your college, the tech cupid will help you find one using these apps.

Sources: Tinder icon: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tinder&hl=en
Badoo icon: https://badoo.com/
TrulyMadly icon: http://trulymadly.com/
Lovoo icon: http://www.appsforpc9.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lovoo_logo.png

2. For Transportation Needs:

Uber, Ola, Jugnu – Even though the Delhi Metro will serve as the main source of your transportation, there will be times when your actual destination won’t be a walking distance from your ‘nearest’ metro station or when you’re carrying luggage that you can’t drag in the metro, especially while visiting NCR. These apps will help you get around the city at affordable rates.

Sources:Uber icon: https://2q72xc49mze8bkcog2f01nlh-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/New-Logo-Vertical-Dark.jpg
Ola icon: https://naushad.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Ola_Cabs_Logo.png
Jugnoo icon: http://www.businessofapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/jugnoo_app-copy.png

3. For Shopping Needs:

Flipkart, Amazon – Local markets are where you’ll do most of your shopping but at times, you’ll need stuff that’s just not available there. These apps will help you get that stuff right at your doorstep.
Paytm – As we get more technologically equipped, exchange of paper money moves towards obsolescence. Paytm wallet is the largest e-wallet in the country and has recently started to root its way into local markets. The day is not far when you’ll paytm the local paan wala for a cigarette or a chewing gum. Paytm also lets you transfer Paytm cash to your bank account for a small fee.

Sources: Flipkart icon: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Flipkart_logo.png
Amazon icon: http://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/amazon.png
Paytm icon: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/42/Paytm_logo.png

4. For Event Needs:

Bookmyshow – Cinema will have a very big space in your college life. Sitting in the canteen after bunking classes gets redundant and boring after a while. At one point you will want to move out of the college and go someplace else. This app will help you find the movie or play of your choice that you and your gang can go to.

Sources: Bookmyshow logo: https://in.bookmyshow.com/job-listings/wp-content/themes/bms-listings/images/logo.png

5. For Fashion and Styling Needs:

Wooplr & Roposo – The first impression you impart on your peers is made by the way you carry yourself and your clothes. There is no doubt that fashion and styles have their own social bonuses. These two apps will help you stay on top of all the latest trends and new ways to expand your wardrobe.

Sources:
Wooplr logo:https://res.wooplr.com/image/upload/h_120/assets/website/icon/wooplr.png
Roposo logo: http://www.biifund.com/wp-content/uploads/roposo-transparent-500×250.png

6. For Food and Beverages Needs:

Zomato and Swiggy – Someone has rightly said – “You are what you eat”.
Don’t take it literally. It doesn’t mean that you’ll turn into a potato if you eat one. Food and choice of food can really define your personality. Also, in your journey as an undergraduate, you’ll encounter many moments where you’ll find yourself wanting to eat at places different from your regular ‘addas’. Zomato will help come in handy at that time. Swiggy is for times when you’re hungry and lazy, and want your food delivered to your doorstep which is not served by a fast food chain such as McDonalds or Pizza Hut.

Sources: Zomato icon: http://logos-download.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Zomato_logo.png
Swiggy icon: https://2q72xc49mze8bkcog2f01nlh-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/pune/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/09/swiggy-logo.png

Therefore, with this, we wrap up our list of a general tech guide for all students stepping into the university. Since every student is different, there are some apps which are better suited for some than others. Also, since the needs of a student are ever expanding, new techs are always emerging, both, on the hardware and the software/application fronts. Do let us know if there are some other essential technologies that we’ve missed out on.

You can also check out some other apps in this article which would help you sail through your college life and make it much more memorable.

Image Credits: Featured image- natashascrazylife.blogspot.com
Others- As cited above, respectively.

Kavach chandra
[email protected]

Srivedant Kar
[email protected]

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DUB Speak

From the Editor’s desk: New slate, blank page, and similar

By Shubham Kaushik August 6, 2016

I’ve always loved beginnings. New years, new days, new notebooks – everything. In the constancy of life and living the same old, beginnings offer a chance for a change. If you think about it and want to give yourself an existential crisis, nothing really changes from one year to another, or one day to another. Time is a man-made concept, and is really just a bit of the old wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff. However, the good thing is that we are men (women, non-binary humans, whatever you prefer) so we do get to believe in all man-made concepts. Even if nothing really changes from one year to another and you aren’t the kind to make new year resolutions, there will still be things you’ll do differently because of it; maybe just cutting out or writing over the last digit of the year while writing the date in the first few months. That is exciting for me. It’s like the universe is trying to point out that you’ve been inertial for a while and say, “Hey, look, something has changed! Do you want to do something about it?”

So the question is – do you want to do something about it? You don’t get offered do-overs in life but beginnings are almost as good. You can’t go back and correct things but beginnings offer you a chance to make peace with things that have happened and sort of draw a fresh starting line to have another go at it with whatever changes you want to make. That is also the reason why every beginning is better than the last – you are more conscious about where you went wrong and can correct yourself if you feel that you’re slipping into the same old pattern again.

Not only do I love beginnings, I also believe that they are important. The start of something new may not colour the entire narrative but a good start sure doesn’t hurt. That’s reason enough to be excited about beginnings. If you weren’t happy with how school life turned out, you get to turn over a new leaf and leave a considerable bit of that behind. I know I did. If last year didn’t work out for you in college, you get to change things – leave societies, join societies, talk to the people you want, get new notebooks which offer the promise of blank pages which you can fill however you want, even if you just doodle all over them. But, doodle better – that’s the point.

The point is also that another man-made idea of a beginning is upon us right now – a new college year. It’s as good a beginning as any other. Whether you want to do something about it or not is entirely your choice. But what a great time for starting something! The US might get a woman President, Pokemon fans are everywhere, and Delhi rains are not a sad excuse for a monsoon. So, there are, indeed, exciting times ahead!

Shubham Kaushik
[email protected]

Image Credits: www.8womendream.com

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DUB Speak

How Jaadu, a service provider changed my life

By DU Beat August 5, 2016

Jaadu –

Hello, everyone. I am just another student in the crowd of thousands who has recently joined Delhi University. While I imagined college to be all hap and happening, I wasn’t really aware that things in this city were going to be that difficult to manage. There are countless things I get stuck with every day, and initially, I did feel like packing my bags and heading back to my hometown, but the universe has its way to fix things.

And for me, that fix was Jaadu, Duh. No Koi Mil Gaya reference here.

Jaadu, a personal butler service came to my rescue when I was first loitering around in colleges for admissions. The second cut-off list was just out, and my phone had no internet access to check the same. But, right there and then, I saw a pamphlet at a desk which read about Jaadu. They claimed that they could do anything and everything you wanted by simply leaving them either an SMS or a Facebook message. Immediately, I left Jaadu a text message and asked them to send me the cut-off list of the requisite college for specific courses. They greeted me well and sent all that was required in less than 10 minutes. At first, I was skeptical about their service, but no this was real, and it was happening.

At another instance, I sent a Facebook message to Jaadu asking if they could help me with the cheapest cabs available from my location and to my surprise, there was a cab waiting outside exactly 15 minutes later. No need of having multiple apps, no need to enter into irritating conversations with drivers, and no hassle at all.

After the tedious admission procedure, I was all fueled up for my PG hunt. We knew nothing about the place, so we had no idea where to go and search for the ‘good’ PGs. All I did was message Jaadu about my requirement which was basically finding an affordable accommodation, close to my college. After half an hour or so, there were pictures from 4 different PGs perfectly matching the requirements with their respective locations. Honestly, I didn’t have to pay all the PGs a visit; I totally loved the first one and finalized it right there and then. I soon realized that I would need Jaadu as long as I live here.

A few days later, I was doing extra hours at college; you know the kind of excitement you have for your first assignment. Now amidst all the taxing work, I completely forgot that I had to take my medicine. Immediately I messaged Jaadu and they were there in less than half an hour with the medicines I ordered. I also ordered a glass of lemon juice, which they fetched from the nearest juice store. Yes, they did charge me a convenience fee this time, but it was a bare minimum. This is how sorted my life had become.

Oh, and you have to hear this one out. I was really hungry at 2 in the night. Now my PG’s have really strict timings. But I hardly had anything to worry about, because Jaadu was there. I placed my order of a huge grilled burger and some chocolate Brownies and nom nom; it was there, in roughly 40 minutes. This is definitely not bad if you are looking for midnight bytes.

The story doesn’t end here. Last Sunday was my mom’s birthday and I had already selected a Westside kurta but had no idea where I would find the store or the post office here. So I sent Jaadu the pictures of what I had selected and gave him the postal address. And my work was done the very next day. My mom was delighted to see the present and asked me how I managed to do all this and all I said was.

“Maa Jaadu 😉 “

Yes, I did have to pay the amount in advance which I very conveniently did for they had gained my trust and love.

I am now a loyal customer, always seeking their help every now and then.

And so I say, it has helped me, it will help you.

You can SMS them at 9818884394 (Thank me later) or check out their Facebook page here

Image Credits: https://web.facebook.com/jaaduinc/photos

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DUB Speak

The many issues faced by College Students

By DU Beat July 31, 2016

A college student has many definitive issues that almost all college students feel. Given below are a few such issues. Read on and let us know if you relate to any of them.

Perpetually broke

If you’re a college student, you are bound to be broke. One of the biggest issues which almost all college students face is handling and dealing with finances and the going gets even rougher when you live away from home. No matter what ensues, no college kid ever has had enough money at any given point of time to go all out and spend on themselves without thinking of all the other expenses they have and doing a mental check of finances. Whenever the cash gets low, the thinking gets irrational. “Was it right to spend Rs. 30 on that rickshaw ride? Honestly, I could’ve just walked!”
Being politically, socially correct at all times

We’ve all heard the fact that when you enter college, you step into the real world. In college, you meet many new people from different walks of life. Diversity gets a whole new meaning and you realise just how different people can be from each other. In a situation like this, it’s almost impossible to not offend anyone with a joke you crack or a casual remark you pass. But, that’s just how you learn to survive outside the four walls of school.
Time management

College life is so much more than just unit tests, exams and assignments. You have societies which literally suck the life out of you, internships that exhaust; which you have to straddle with academics. Time management is apparently something almost none of us understand or master. One often finds himself/herself perpetually complaining about never-ending work, sleepless nights and time that almost never is enough. The key is to not put your feet into too many boats at the same time and prevent yourself from reaching the burnout phase.

Socialising

A very important aspect of College is friends. There are school friends who you have to keep in touch with, new college friends who you have to get to know better and deal with everyday, society friends, tuition mates, long lost friends and just friends left, right and centre. And there’s so much to do with them! Attend events, attend the best fests in town, explore the city, go to the famous hangout places and go to the not so famous hangout places. And that’s when the conflicts and problems arise because no one knows how to hangout with everyone and visit every place and cross every item off the bucket list and handle regular college stuff, all at the same time. (Prioritisation is the word.)

Feature image credits:
www.sovhealth.com

Akshara Srivastava
[email protected]

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DUB Speak

The Pros and Cons of Joining a College Society

By Tooba Towfiq July 31, 2016

Delhi University provides a wide range of extra-curricular activities for its students. Each college has its own societies, which compete with the societies of other colleges, time and again, across the academic session, especially during the fest season. After having spent two years in college, I can safely conclude that one of the most common queries of every fresher is usually about the societies of their college. Apart from being utterly fascinated by a plethora of societies to choose from, they also get vulnerable to various other confusions, such as:
Which society to join? How important is it to join a society? How many to join? If at all, should one even consider joining a society?

Therefore, following is a summary of some first-hand experiences of those students who have been, either extremely active, subtly active, left the society or never been a part of one at all during their college years.

Pros of Joining a Society:

1. Societies can be very helpful in many respects. You might join a society because of a certain skill you possess or something you like to do very much, for instance, dancing, debating, singing, writing and the like. It helps you keep in touch with your passion and even to further enhances it. Delhi University societies compete on a very well-trained level. As a result, they add plenty of exposure to your skill and experience. A lot of societies also encourage untrained students to be a part of them.
2. Societies are extremely competitive which helps one chisel out the best. Most of the growth that one experiences is because of such challenging and competitive environments.
3. Exposure along with interaction is also a plus for joining societies. One gets to meet students from other colleges, make friends and learn many new things. Fests, which are jam packed with competitions, also bring together different people and facilitate interactions. Outstation fests, in particular, are an absolute delight for most.
4. If you plan to take up some activity as a career option later, one must certainly look out for the college society of the same.
5. These societies also keep you busy after bursting the bubble of an exciting college life. In fact, they also help bring in the missing charm of a college, which one often anticipates.
6. They also add to the grace of your resume. People who have participated in extra-curricular activities are seen as competitive, efficient and disciplined individuals. This not only gives one an edge in interviews, internships and jobs, but is also an expected and welcomed improvement in one’s personal growth.

Cons of Joining a Society:
Where joining a college society may prove to be extremely beneficial, even then, a lot of people end up quitting a certain society. This is because of many reasons:

1. If you are not genuinely interested in a society, you might end up loathing your decision because of the intense competition. However, that also really depends on how much you can struggle from your side.
2. In addition to this, college societies take up a lot of your time. The practice sessions are mostly rigorous, especially for dance and theater societies. This can also affect your studies and ultimately your academic scores. During the fest season, society members hardly find any time to attend their classes. They juggle between a lot of different fests and competitions and often miss out on important lectures.
3. One of the most common reasons for people to quit societies is because of some form of ‘politics‘ as it is called, that goes on among them. Juniors often accuse seniors of their misbehavior and partiality, if any. However, this is not entirely true. Usually, each society (mainly, dance, music or drama) prepares only one composition per year. After some time, performing the same dance, music or play gets rather monotonous and boring. People thus also, complain about losing out on creativity in the process of focusing on only one composition.

What to do?

1. Experience gives me an authority to claim that one must avoid joining two active college societies simultaneously. In most of the cases, practice timings would clash and one will have to make a choice between them, eventually.

2. There are some students who have not joined any societies at all and have done incredibly well in their respective fields. Therefore, joining a society is definitely not necessary.

3. When solving the dilemma of joining a society or not, ask the right questions while thinking about this:
How active is the society? How is the work environment? Is it going to help me grow? Am I passionate about it? Will I be able to cope up? Is it relevant to my career? Is my passion enough to help me go for it?

4. Do not worry about society politics. Most of the freshers find it difficult to get along in the beginning, but after a while, society members end up being extremely close. The team almost becomes your family in most cases.

5. It is okay to avoid joining a society if you are not sure about it. College is full of opportunities and you will never run out of things to do. Interning during summer or any holidays can be a great alternative that you can choose. If you are extremely passionate about a certain activity, know that your love for it is enough for you to hold on.

6. Know thy priorities. Do not make your priorities suffer. Keep in mind that because your college life has just begun, everything will seem fancy at first. Remind yourself then, that nothing is really fancy. In fact, it will only get tougher with time. Do not get over excited.
Clam down! And now, you can choose what you want to choose.

Image credits: Vegh Daswani for DU Beat

Tooba Towfiq
[email protected]

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Admissions 2016

DU Freshers- What to expect from college?

By DU Beat July 30, 2016

First of all, you made it. Congratulations. That’s bright enough! Second of all, Delhi University is going to be everything you imagined. Okay not everything, but it’s going to be nothing less than three maddening, crazy and heartening years for you! But before you stop reading and start texting with anticipation and excitement, let us (your humble seniors) clear some of your misconceptions.

What to look out for:

Jam Packed Social Calendar: Of the many things students will need to sacrifice this year, their social life is not one of them. With the new found freedom, the newbies can now go have a ball with their new found friends!
Better societies and awesomer fests: As ECA and sports activities are as important marks, fests and societies will get a boost and improve drastically. With the fucchas working even harder to prove their mettle, it’s safe to expect each college putting up a grand show!
College protests: As the hand of the ABVP and NSUI still looms large over DU, most freshers will be witness to their spectacularly conducted and overly dramatized protests. With political connections, there students will definitely try to bring the house down.

Busting Some Myths:

Ragging: Contrary to the common belief of – ‘Tu kyu kar rha hai? Fucche se karwa lenge!’ DU isn’t exactly a frame out of 3 idiots and you will definitely not have to perform crazy stunts or walk around pretending to be James Bond just because a senior told you to do so. With strict anti-ragging laws, your worst nightmare should be cranky teachers and definitely not your seniors!
The Ladies/ The Studs: For all those who stayed single to find their soul mates in DU, you’ll be waiting some more time. Contrary to popular beliefs, the girl’s colleges are not a pond of budding super models. And not all boys look like they were ripped off magazine covers. They too are humans, give them some credit for looking perfectly human and not like porcelain dolls.
Equality Among Colleges: Okay so you’ve probably been expecting this all the way, but suddenly your best friend from the other college will become ‘them’ and your newly found united college buddies will be ‘us’.
Completely Fudged up Timelines: If you had been cursing your friends, family, associates etc. for not being punctual all this time, you are about to experience a whole new level of procrastination. The University declares results exactly a month after its due date, if you’re lucky. Be glad that’s the only thing the university does. And if you have any other issues to sought with the administrative department, then god save you!

By Raghav Chopra ([email protected]) and Akriti Gupta ([email protected])

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Top Picks

The many firsts of college life

By DU Beat July 25, 2016

College is the beginning of a new phase of life. You leave the often claustrophobic (read protective) environment of school and home and move into the ‘real world.’ As you get busy with admissions, moving out of home, moving into a hostel and then with the general life in this entirely new setting, here are a few a few milestones you pass as you meander through the three years.

1. First elections

Quite a lot of universities have a well formed political base with strong student unions. Delhi University has an extremely active political environment and a student union which remains in news throughout. As a fresher, you are literally thrown into the vortex of student politics when college begins as different political parties persuade you to cast your vote for them in the elections and campaign around day in and day out. And for most of the students, these are the first elections they witness, albeit on a smaller scale. Enjoy the elections; make an informed choice and most of all relish your first experience of taking part in your very first elections.

2. College Fests

The Delhi University fest season is crazy. The season which begins in February has each college organize a festival which involves a series of extra- curricular activity competitions, lip smacking food and a hectic line up of events. The fests also see a myriad of artists performing on star nights to close the fests. This year, Delhi University saw artists like Salim Sulaiman, Farhan Akhtar and many more perform. The fest season is like one never ending party and something that every fresher waits for with bated breath.

*Image Credits: Chirag Sharma for DU Beat*

3. Freedom

College gives you a taste of unrequited freedom, a way to get away from the shackles of the protective environment of home and school. For many students this freedom is very new, something not a lot of them get to experience very often. Bunking classes is easier in college and helps students to explore the city and what it has to offer. It is often in college that many students realize their love and passion for travelling and exploring the unknown. I for one can vouch for that!

4. The home away from home

Relevant mostly for outstation candidates, the home away from home- the PG or hostel experience is something the majority experiences for the first time. The mess food is a struggle of its own kind and the deadlines are often infuriating. But the PG/ Hostel life has so much to teach! For one, you become a pro at handling your expenses (keeping in mind the amount of times you have to order in.) Accommodating and adjusting are not words but virtues that you add to your skill set.

Image credits: Gettyimages/ Hindustan Times

Featured image credits: bestofpictures.com

Akshara Srivastava

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

Course vs. College: What should you prefer?

By Lovleen Kaur June 23, 2016

Amidst the enormous cut-offs and high degree of competition, the common dilemma that arises in the minds of most aspirants is choosing between the course and college of their choice.

While the brand value of a popular college may lure any student to settle for a less preferred course, the long term results may not prove to be desirable. According to experts, the stress factor, indecisiveness, fear of judgement or family pressure may push a student towards a door that he/she shouldn’t really open. It’s important to know that the curriculum is the same in each college, irrespective of their ranks. Even if the percentage secured isn’t enough to get enrolment in the desired college, there are still high chances of maintaining a good academic record in another one. The reason lies in the obvious fact that we tend to perform better in our areas of interest. College alone can’t help in establishing a successful career. While there is always another chance to go for a preferred college after this degree, the short term decision of choosing a less preferred course may lead to cluelessness and failures after the graduation period.

However, it is also important to note that in case of professional courses like engineering and law, good colleges open doors to better amenities and placement opportunities. Facilities like a well equipped library, labs, quality ambience and Internet access may provide a healthy competitive environment and help in personality development. For those who’re more into co-curricular activities, more opportunities in the form of societies and activities may be provided by some specific colleges. Also, for those who’re unsure about their course preference, taking a better college may prove to be more advantageous.

At the end of the day, it’s up to the student to decide what’s best for him, considering his strengths, weaknesses, interests, passions, dreams and aspirations.

Lovleen Kaur

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