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/
54,000 students take admission in Delhi University every year. But are they all of the same kind? I don’t think so. Here I take a look at the very many facets of this unique species called “fresher”, spotted only in and around the DU campus!
(1) The “rag me!” – These freshers are the ones who come to experience the quintessential Delhi University life. They are so interested in trying out everything that is “so DU”, that they even want to be ragged! I encountered one such fresher during my college orientation; she actually stood up and told her seniors, “I want to be ragged. Shall I do a dance number?”
(2) The “chilled out!” – These types of freshers are not even remotely scared of their professors. They never submit assignments on time, their course book probably wouldn’t show signs of human touch and their short attendance would probably be excused with an easy medical certificate. They believe that college is a place where one should just take it slow, and they certainly are in no hurry to end the post-boards-enjoyment-break.
(3) The geek and nerd – The type of freshers who their college studies seriously are the ones who are mapped in this category. The only problem is, a bit too seriously. They’re always found in the library or with a professor, trying to gain an even higher level of expertise in their respective skills. No doubt, the Sheldon Coopers of DU excel in academics and are likely to get placed in a good job, but some amount of fun wouldn’t cause any harm, would it?
(4) The “I will try for every college society” – These kinds of freshers are exactly the opposite of nerds. They take every ounce of advantage that DU’s vibrant ECA circuit provides. They will audition for almost every society, and try to participate in as many activities as the college allows them to be in. They make their presence felt and are usually quite popular in their respective colleges. Probably a rare sight in classrooms, their professors might not recognize them if they ever enter the classroom (if they get a break from rehearsals that is).
(5) The social activist – This category of freshers usually comprises of the ones who aim to join politics in future. They are rarely involved in extracurricular activities, but try to make the most of student unions, organizations, Parliaments. They aim to make it to ABVP or NSUI, and hope to become the DUSU president in their final year.
(6) The “trying to fit in” – This division of freshers try hard to fit in and gel with the crowd. But at times, their efforts become a wee bit over-the-top. They will shop till they drop. Looking for the trendiest bags, tops, jewelry and other stuff that comes with a “popular in DU” tag. However, after some time, the excitement wears out and people come back to the evergreen jeans and tee combo.
See what category you fit into and tell us!
P.S. in case you’re wondering what category I belong to, I’m a mix of category 3 and 4!
Picture credits: Additi Seth]]> 
PHOTOGRAPH: Sapna Mathur[/caption]
A day that begins at 8.45am and ends at 4pm with back to back classes is not what one has in mind when they picture college especially if they have grown up watching Karan Johar movies. It takes about a week into college to realize that one has been tricked by their mother as the 12th std. board exams are definitely not the last time one has to study with superior concentration.
For an outstation student settling into a new city, a new college can be tiresome. Parents, friends, distant relatives and the media don’t leave any stones unturned in making sure that you arrive in the rape capital of the country armed with a pepper spray and a prejudiced mind.
The stereotypes people create precedes them; contrary to popular belief the favourite hobby of men in Delhi is not rape just like the conversation in a girls college and more specifically LSR doesn’t always revolve around hair, shoes, boys and nail paint. Surprising as it may be male bashing and feminism are not compulsory concurrent courses offered in our curriculum.
Jokes about the sexual deprivation of the students of LSR which were once only a feature of lunch time conversations of college students have now become a part of stand-up comedy acts of Vir Das. Ironically, LSR students find these jokes equally amusing. The lack of testosterone in college leads to women dropping all their pretensions (almost). Thus, the sight of women dressed in their snow man printed pyjamas soaking up the winter sun while sipping on some hot chocolate is not an unusual one. It is hard to fathom that these unglamorous pyjama clad girls were once the inspiration behind the Punjabi rap song ‘Kudi LSR Di’ by the Triple Aces.
Touted as one of the best colleges in the country, the atmosphere at LSR is a competitive one. In throes of self-pity students often think of the college as a ‘military boot camp’ and imagine their over achieving classmates as hamsters on steroids running an endless race. But it is these very people who constitute the mystical ‘magic of LSR’. When existential and economic crisis seem to get the better of us it is these people who come to our rescue as we try and find catharsis in mulling over about our fleeting woes together. The differences in our personalities, ethnicities and interests brings us together as we try to find our individual niche in the protective bubble that is LSR.
Living in Delhi and studying in LSR are both acquired tastes. Sure, the winters are harsh and the curriculum is taxing but they both grow on you with time. There is a method to the madness in this city and in this college; all you have to do is discover it in the process of discovering yourself.
Pragya Lal
