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If you’re a student who has studied in India or is currently studying here then, you are one of the many thousands who are asked to decide their career path when they’re only in 10th standard. The choices given are the usual Science, Commerce, and Humanities with little or no scope for the student to choose together a group of subjects which might belong to different streams. For example, if I am a student studying History, I cannot opt for Business Studies. Under these circumstances, choosing a course may prove to be a challenging task.

As a result of this, and many more shortcomings of our regressive education system, the student ends up choosing a stream after being influenced by family/friends, lack of research and no knowledge of the repercussions of such a misinformed decision. Then, the real battle begins. The student who thought Maths was all about surface, area and volume is soon introduced to Integration and the one who thought Chemistry is all about balancing equations is made to study topics like Organic Chemistry and P Block.

After these two difficult years of school, one thing is certain, that even if you might get confused about what you really want to do in the future, you get to know what you don’t want to do. Suppose, if you struggled through the years and didn’t like the subjects, it is only obvious that you don’t want to continue studying them throughout your college life as well. Now, this is the crucial point. Because of the pressure we feel, and our constant thinking of what others will say, we don’t want to raise our voice to show how dissatisfied we are. We are completely okay with repeatedly failing at something we’re not good at, rather than taking a difficult but necessary decision to recognize that this is not our calling.

Here is where I come in the picture. Through this article I am going to tell you how many of the people I know (Including myself!), are pursuing careers completely different than the streams they chose in their 12th standard and trust me, we’re happy.

I had a 10 CGPA and ended up choosing a Non-Medical stream with Computer Science. I never took any coaching for IIT and soon realized that I don’t see myself being part of the race to become an engineer. I focused on CBSE and thought DU is my calling. Today, I’m pursuing English (H) and I like every bit of my course. After having studied formulae and equations for so many years, this course was refreshing. The University provided me with a space to build my personality and even after my graduation, I can take up any field ranging from Law to MBA. So, my decision gave me freedom as well as time to explore myself.

I have friends from a science background who are now doing Law from National Law Universities. I know people pursuing Psychology in spite of having come from a Commerce background. So, basically, it all boils down to ‘What do you want to do with your life?’

Take college as a fresh start or a clean slate. Forget the pressure that people are putting on you. Research about the different fields, and realise what you want to do. Introspect. It is okay if you took a different stream in school. Ask yourself, what would you rather do- change your career prospects now to mark a stable future or change it after 5 years of struggle?

Image credits: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-

Introverts may perceive college experiences differently from extroverts

According to Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, “Introversion-along with its cousins sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness- is now a second class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology.”

Your college experience is likely to vary drastically from that of your peers’ based on your individual personalities. More so if you identify as an introvert in a society that applauds extroversion. While you ride on the roller coaster that is college, remember that individual experiences in college are subjective, and need not conform to a set standard of what ‘college life’ should or should not be like.

Here are some ways an introvert perceives life in college-to convince other introverts that they are not alone, and to give extroverts a glimpse of what it feels like to be at the other end of the spectrum.

“Where’s the party at? I’m running in the opposite direction!”

Introverts are not particularly fond of forced interactions or excessive external stimulation. Therefore, large crowds of noisy people, drinking and dancing to loud music, would make an introvert intensely uncomfortable. This implies that the parties, which most people think are integral to college life, are not where you will find introverts. Invite an introvert to a party and they will immediately think of a 101 imaginary reasons not to show up. They would rather spend their evening indoors, pursuing their favourite hobby, or spending time with a few close friends.

An escape plan is always on our minds

If we do show up at that society farewell/celebration of the annual play production, we have already thought of a plan to leave 10 minutes into the event. Trust us to come up with the most innovative, loophole-less excuses.

“Why don’t you talk more?”

This is a phrase that an introvert encounters every other day. Introverts do not enjoy small talk ergo, they will say nothing unless they have something significant to share. Susain Cain puts this in the most lucid way-“In school, you might have been prodded to ‘come out of your shell’- that noxious expression which fails to appreciate that some animals naturally carry shelter everywhere they go, and that some humans are just the same.”

Introvert 1

It is sometimes an internal tussle to be part of college societies

This probably applies to every extracurricular activity in college. Introverts may be faced with the dilemma of wanting to do something productive with their time in college, yet not wanting to subject themselves to too much social interaction. This leaves an introvert with two alternatives-exclude themselves from such activities entirely, or participate to a limited extent. The introvert might be the person in the society who will enjoy the work, but not show up to the meetings, celebrations or parties.

However, despite the above, college is also the space where introverts find acceptance. For most of us, college is that secure environment where one is allowed to be whoever they want to be, no questions asked. The interests you pursue and the paths you choose are entirely your own and judgement is very easy to ignore. An introvert is given the freedom to selectively participate in society activities or hang out with just a few close friends. While your teachers or parents might force you into activities you do not enjoy in school, college allows you the space to make your own decisions and come to terms with your personalities, among others who are coming to terms with their own.

Featured image credits: theawkwardyeti.com and buzzfeed.com

Abhinaya Harigovind

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Nearing the last leg of my last semester in college, my days resonate with echoes of the words ‘farewell’, ‘future plans’, ‘what’s next’ and the like. While I happily dodge such questions by humorously stating that this is an erroneous question to be put to a final year student, at the same time I realise it is indeed a prominent query and justifiably so. And that is when the reality dawns on me. After having the time of our lives, we have to graduate and abandon the routine of running late for lectures, finishing assignments at the last moment, and turning up to internal examinations thoroughly under-prepared.

And here’s what it is like when you know you’re about to graduate from college and into an uncharted territory – it is scary. I can’t think of a better way to put this. It is scary to say goodbye, knowing full well that as all the friends venture out to pursue their own plans, staying in touch might be difficult after all. It is scary to think of a new setting, a new role that you’ll be playing.

And most of all, it is scary to make decisions that are supposed to define your life. There hasn’t been a thunder storm, there hasn’t been any epiphany – how are 50,000 students supposed to have the defining moment of their lives simultaneously? It is scary when everyone expects you to have figured out your career plans, your goals. It is scary to think of the impending farewell speech you have to give in your department/society farewell. It is scary to think of all the goodbyes you’ll have to say, and pretend to be okay with moving on. It is indeed the practical thing to do – brace yourself for the life ahead, and move on.

But, it is also important to know that it is okay if you feel emotionally drained at the end of it all. It is okay if you think it will be unbearable for a while to not wake up with your roommate. It is okay if you think you’ll miss the thrill of bunking lectures on a whim. It is also okay if you think you will not miss much of college where you practically missed one lecture to prepare for the next. It is okay if you will miss everything so much that you’re taking a year off. It is also okay if you will miss none of this. It is scary to let go of the things and people you hold so dear, but it is still okay. It is scary to lose the one reason to meet your friends every day. It is scary to look back at the three years that have passed by and think about how you could’ve done so much more. It is scary to look back and think that you’ve lost so much time and of the numerous different ways you could have spent your undergrad days.

It is so scary that even this article which wasn’t intended to be a tear-jerker, ended up being one.

Kritika Narula

[email protected]

Indraprastha College for Women hosted in its first ever edition of Troika, a three-day festivity. It brought a mélange of events, from Panel Discussion to Kavi Sammelan to Stand-up Comedy and Battle of Bands during a period of three days from 28th January to 30th January. Troika has been introduced this year with the echo “Teen din teen rang, Kavi vicharo Aur gayak ke sang.”

Radhika Dua, the college treasurer explains how Troika is a precursor to the annual fest Shruti, “Troika’16 is first of its kind inter-college festival of Indraprastha College. As its name puts forward, it’s a three day event organised by the Students’ union to encourage fellow students to exhibit their talent and gain some food for thought. Additionally, Troika is also an opportunity to foster relations between students of different colleges and interests. The idea behind the event was devoted to creating a platform for students to enjoy, experience and explore. Troika is just a trailer for our annual fest Shruti.
The festivities were ushered in with a riveting and engaging panel discussion on the topic, “Impact of Dating Applications on Youth”. Attended by a packed audience in the college auditorium, the Panel discussion was moderated by Suanshu Khurana, Music Correspondent/Critic, Indian Express.
The other panelists included Shalini Evelyn Shah, Head of English Editorial, Ratna Sagar, Manish Malik, Director, Manifest Training Solution and Aakanksha Maheshwari Sewani, Head of Knowledge Management, Microsoft, who is also an alumna from the same college.

Photo by Shivani Malik
Photo by Shivani Malik

The panel discussion brought many facets and quirks of modern-day dating. While some remarks made the audience double up with laughter, some serious questions were raised. Followed by a Q&A session, the discussion was engaging with the right amount of scandalous remarks and controversial comments to make the audience fire up questions like bullets.

Wannabe Anonymous after their performance, Photo by Shivani Malik
Wannabe Anonymous after their performance, Photo by Shivani Malik
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Wannabe Anonymous

The first day ended with a stand-up comedy act by Wannabe Anonymous, a first of its kind Stand-Up Comedy community started in Delhi by Siddharth Singh and Prakhar Maheshwari. They made all the right jokes, from  mocking the burning topic of modern dating to cracking meticulous jokes about the idiosyncracies of the college.
The Second day’s highlight was Kavi Sammelan, which saw participation from colleges like Hansraj, Hindu, Kirorimal, CIC, SOL, among others.

 

Photo by Shivani Malik
Photo by Shivani Malik
Photo by Shivani Malik
Photo by Shivani Malik

The first prize was bagged by Manju for her poem Mazdoor, while the second prize went to Nidhi Kumar Jha from Kirori Mal College. The judges for the event were Dr. Sanjay Seth and Mr. Pranjal Dhar.
Troika culminated in Battle of the Bands on the third and the last day of the round of festivities. The last day saw performances by Slaves of Rock, The Hindu College Collective, Alanwesha, Ricochet, Hightime, Zhankaar, Chapstick and Rubberband and Playtime. Playtime from Hansraj College bagged the first position, while Hightime from Kirorimal College came second.

Sanchita Makkar, the President of the Students’ Union, says it has been a successful endeavour, “We wanted to increase number of events and level of participation in our college. These three events  in troika were a mix of experience,enjoyment and learning. We wanted to give a different experience to students of all colleges.”

All Image credits: Shivani Malik

Kritika Narula
[email protected]

 

This time arrives every year, when all book lovers excitedly queue outside the gates of Pragati Maidan, waiting to treat their eyes and minds to an abundance of books and all things literary.

As is evident, we are talking about Book Fair (one that happens in the month of September is Delhi Book Fair and the one in January-February is the New Delhi World Book Fair), but why restrict it to the hardcore readers? While there’s no gainsaying the fact that the halls are a haven for readers, the fair also holds  the promise of making the non-readers fall in love with reading.
And as a student, we need to absolutely pay a visit to the fair at least once. Once is enough to make you return every time.
Here’s why:

1. Wide variety

The book fair houses a multitude of books, from novels to educational books, to comics. You name it and the fair has it. As college students, it is necessary for us to read more than just course books, and reference books for preparation of entrance examinations.

2. Cheap Bargains

Last time I visited the fair, I managed to lay hands on books for as cheap as ?20. It just takes some sorting and searching, and you can save a lot of money, and still get to own a decent collection of novels and non-fiction books.  And since college students are always broke, this seems a good way to save up.

3. Book launches and author meetups

The book fairs have, from the past few years been a hub for author meet-ups, book signings, panel discussions and book launches. This makes them the intellectual arena for literary exchanges and fangirling.

4. Stationery fair

The book fair is almost always accompanied by a stationery fair. Who can appreciate stationery as much as students do? Beautiful diaries, pens, folders, notebooks, among other things, all under one giant roof.
Featured Image credits: Newberry.org
Kritika Narula

One of the many perks of being in a society is travelling for outstation festivals much different from that of regular Delhi University fests. Most common being the festivals of Indian Institute of Technology`s (IIT), Birla Institute of Technology (BITS) and Indian Institute of Management (IIMS). These trips are definitely lifetime experiences filled with fun and memories.

However, there are a set of emotions and thoughts that every participant goes through on these outstation trips. So here is a list that follows it.

Travelling in sleeper class

You may have passed judgments on people you meet in college who confess of never having taken an auto or a metro in their life but traveling in a sleeper class of the Indian railways is some serious public transport case.  Most trips are budget restricted so AC three tier is usually not an option and flights almost never. It’s a definitely a first time experience for many, eased by the comfort of company and fun.

That feeling of adulthood

As you are laughing and having a good time, a terrorizing thought comes across your mind. ‘I think I forgot my costume’, ‘I think I forgot my instrument’, and almost always, ‘I think I forgot my college ID card’. That nagging feeling of having forgotten something gets you worked up, making you imagine of alternatives in case it turns out to be true. Most often than not, everything is in place but no matter how prepared you are, these questions always pop up. Travelling with a college society forces you to take care of yourself and your belongings.

Accommodation

After travelling in a sleeper class you seem prepared to challenge any hardships in life but you start doubting that when you come across the accommodation arrangements. A Servant quarter, dorm, hostel rooms, just anything and everything becomes accommodation with lined up mattresses. In case you are lucky you may get a comfortable place otherwise it is a constant struggle for using the bathroom and charging ports, not to forget sleeping on vintage mattress.

Late nights

Soon you realize that the campus never sleeps. At many places competitions run through the night with events at odd hours such as 2:30 am and 4:00 am. People are on the roads chatting, singing, dancing having a gala time, its 24×7 party out on the streets and sleep is for the weak

Competition and Exposure

In festivals of above-mentioned institutes, participants come from all over India bringing in eclectic forms and variations. It makes you realize the kind of competition out there and exposes you to innovative ideas and methods. It’s a learning experience and an opportunity to recognize your standing in the league.

Exploring the city

Going for competitions to places such as Goa, Mumbai or Bengaluru, the fun extends beyond the campus to the sights of the city. Indulging in local food, clicking photographs and trinket shopping make it all worthwhile. This is also the time when you bond with the members of the group and get to know each other that is otherwise missed out on regular college days.

Outstation trips naturally match you up with your kind in the group, on the basis of sleeping, eating and partying patterns. Its purpose becomes more than the competition you came for. It becomes the memories you create, the first-times and the last-times, the games of ‘Never Ever Have I’ and ‘Truth or Dare’.

College trips are times that bring excitement and glee every time you recall them and going to one with a purpose just makes it better!

 Image credits: http://yourstoryclub.com/

 

College changes a lot of things and it also understandably changes the way you take exams. Come November end, an entire batch of first years will be taking University exams for the first time. Despite having given exams (a lot of them) all throughout school life, they are bound to feel a little unprepared for it. They should too. The preparation and pattern of a University exam is pretty different than that of a most school exams. From the perspective of an erstwhile under-CBSE Science student and current Economics student, here are 5 reasons how University Exams are different than school exams:

  1. Pace of the Semester and Syllabus Completion:

    Remember how in school the syllabus was finished weeks before the exams actually began? Yeah, that’s not usually true for college exams. You’ll often find teachers scrambling to finish their syllabus and asking for extra classes. You can’t blame them either, with all the activities and mass-bunks, the teachers find themselves with a lot less classes than actually allotted to them. For first years especially, the pace of the first semester will be tremendous. Expected to adjust to a lot of changes- new subjects and what not- you might find yourself face to face with them a lot more abruptly than comfortable, unlike the much more paced out school years.

 

  1. There’s no one book:

    For CBSE students, NCERT in Class XI and XII (and pretty much always) was The Holy Bible, The Bhagvad Gita, and every other important book you can think of. The cons (and sort of a pro) of college is that you’ll be referring to several books, all of which will be big and expensive, thus making it difficult for you to buy all of them, let alone one. Unless you’re a misinformed pseudo-intellectual like I was, you’d have embraced the photocopied relevant portions of all books (called ‘readings’). The issue with readings is that it never achieves the flow or uniformity of a book. Each author uses different symbols for different variables and asks you to refer to previous chapters for concepts which portion isn’t there from that same book, leading to a little bit of confusion. The advantage is that the same concept is explained in a number of ways and since you know the relevant books, you can look them up in the library and refer to the one which works for you the best. College exams, or any exam, at the end of the day, are about your concepts.

 

  1. The amount you’ll care about them:

    I don’t know about you but I took exams way more seriously in school than I do in college. Whether it’s about a change in perspective, priorities or having found things more important than academics (internships, societies, social work and others), your college life won’t revolve around your studies unless you very consciously want it to. You’ll study for exams as you should, but you will feel a difference in the motivation you have for studying. The reason for this could be anything from lack of interaction with your teachers (which served as a motivating factor for me during school) to lack of time.

 

With the semester exams not that far away, it’s imperative to dust off those books and sharpen pencils for a few weeks of toil, no matter how well or little you studied throughout the semester. To first years: you got this. It’s not that tough. Spend your time studying rather than freaking out about it. To us seasoned not-first years: another semester, another exam season. You’ve got this figured out now. Stick to what works, change what doesn’t. See you on the other side!

Featured Image: vox.com

 

Shubham Kaushik

[email protected]

 

 

As I slogged my way through the tedium of class XI and XII, my ambition to study in one of Delhi University’s prestigious colleges was a constant source of motivation. All I wished was to hop right out of school and into college. College, to me, symbolised liberation. The burning desire and hope for brighter prospects helped me tide by many difficult moments of low self-esteem, fatigue and pessimism.

It’s a simple concept, really.The idea of studying in college has been glamorised to an ad nauseum degree in our movies, songs and literature. Collegiate life has always been painted in rosy hues, making it look like all fun and play. So vehement has been such enforcement that even before one enters college, one forms multiple mental images about it. And more often than not, these images can be extremely deceptive, false and misleading.

So yes, I was a little disappointed when I walked into college on my first day and no one rolled out a red carpet in my welcome; or that the canteen was not full of good looking boys. The teachers weren’t cool and trendy (no Sushmita Sens in my college,unfortunately) and the girls weren’t dressed like they had walked out of a fashion magazine. In retrospect, I realised that college after all, is not the optimum amalgamation of Riverdale High (Archie’s Comics), St.Teresa’s (Student Of The Year) and East High (High School Musical). College is a pretty raw and serious deal.

One year in college and I have come to know college life for what it really is. Here are my musings:

1. When elders tell you to study in school so that you can enjoy college, they’re just baiting you. Maintaining good scores in college is important and that means you must maintain your academic rigour.
2. Professors aren’t necessarily cooler than teachers. Even though professors are more lax than teachers, some professors can be daunting and nagging, perpetually handing out assignments and tests.
3. Even though you don’t have to wear a uniform, you have to be quite mindful of what you wear and when you wear it. People like to judge.Never let yourself be voluntarily victimised.
4. Friends made in the first semester may not remain friends in the second semester. Group dynamics are subject to frequent changes. This happens because in the first semester, you’re too new to gauge people’s true personality.
5. The festival season is great, but not as sensational or stunning as you’d hoped.
6. No matter how many amazing eateries might be in around your college’s campus, sooner or later, you’re going to tire of all of them.
7. Once you’re in the University, your college name hardly matters. The importance of the name of your college is one of those things that outsiders make a big deal out of. But for a student or teacher in University, you’re just like any other university student.
8. College societies require time, commitment and dedication. And they’re important because they shape your college life. Thus, be heedful about the society you join.
9. College is not the destination; it’s a pit stop along the journey. Don’t let it be your end all. Keep improvising on yourself, use your experiences to develop your personality and don’t settle easily.
10. Don’t let college life strip you off your ideals. Be true to yourself and your values. These are the things that will set you apart from the rest of the world later on.

Feature image credits: learnmoreeveryday.wordpress.com

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

 

Graphic Credits: Siddhant Sharma

The news of Delhi University introducing PTM’s at college level has left students from both North and South campus bewildered. While there are also those who think of it as a good decision taken by the authorities.

This week, Juxtapose gives all you students a chance to raise your voice either, for or against this major decision. Follow the link and start posting your views!

 

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The official freshers party of English (Hons) students of Hansraj College took place on September 7. The theme of the party was “The Chronicles of Harry o ween” giving freshers an option to dress in themes of “Harry Potter”, “Chronicles of Narnia” and “Halloween”. Every fresher was asked to introduce themselves, and explain about the character they portrayed. The ones who did not follow the theme were asked to enact scenes of Bollywood movies and dancing (eg: ek chutki sindoor from Om Shanti Om). This was followed by the talent round. Meghna and Rishabh (both first years) did a ballroom dance and Vaishali performed a martial arts sequence. “It was fun. The freshers were very cool and sporting. We all danced our energies out, seniors danced with us too”, says Baruni, a fresher. Vaishali and Karan were titled Miss and Mr. Freshers respectively. “We had put in a lot of effort for this party. We’re glad freshers liked it”, says Drishti, a second year student.   Picture credits: Additi Seth]]>