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A Heavy Valediction, Signing Off: Anagha Rakta, Head of Web 2017-18

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In September 2016, I was late on the deadline for my application, and I had almost begged the then editor, Shubham Kaushik, to give me an extension (which she very generously did). One and a half eventful years later, things have not changed a lot. My copy editor had to chase me for about a week to get me to write this farewell note (courtesy: my habit of never keeping up with deadlines). But procrastination and my routine of leaving everything for the last minute is not the reason for this delay. The thing is, my time in DU Beat will officially be over after this piece, and I don’t think I will ever be ready to say goodbye (courtesy: my closure issues).

Apart from the family I have found at this place, that I am attached to almost at an unhealthy level, this place has given me a platform to become a better writer and discover my love for social media management. Not just that, I have become a more efficient team member. When I joined the team, I was very apprehensive about collaborating with people or letting others edit my writing – but today, I have learned to trust my team more than I trust myself, and delegate responsibilities and duties with faith. Over the last year, my team became my support and my priority, and somehow being the Head of Web didn’t seem so difficult and stressful with them by my side.

In the last three years of my college life, it was this very place, that the highlight of it all – from attending more meetings than classes, losing sleep over incomplete work, and being occupied with deadlines, DU Beat took up most of my free time and creative energy, and I didn’t mind it one bit. Being a part of this organisation has given me a sense of belongingness, and has made me realise my passions, so I could work harder and harder towards my goals. Today, I can proudly say that DU Beat was the best decision I ever made and I can only hope that my career in the future is as giving as this experience was.

I don’t think I can ever thank this place enough for giving me the kind of opportunities, exposure, experience, knowledge, and skills, but the best thing I’m taking back from it are the amazing people I have had the privilege of working with. DU Beat has some of the most talented and brilliant minds from the University, and they will continue to inspire me long after I have left this place.

Signing Off
Anagha Rakta
Head of Web 2017-18

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An Odyssey of Personal Development And a Sad Goodbye: Hitanksha Jain, Head of Photography 2017-18

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Looking back at my journey, getting a chance to work with India’s largest campus publication was beyond my imagination. I started as an introverted and nervous first year photographer, who was skilled enough to make it to the team, but had very low self confidence to acknowledge the fact that I had a skill a lot of people admired. The people I met here made me realise my potential and also taught me many wonderful things. I knew I could always count on this team to have my back and if I were to mess things up, they would be there to fix it.

DU Beat has reached great heights and I feel grateful to be a part of this journey. My tenure as the Head of Photography was nothing less of a rollercoaster and I would do it all over again if I could. We spent four months organising Mushaira, handling the stalls, and I can proudly exclaim that I would spend another four just to get over the feeling of achieving what we did. Taking photography to another level and introducing videos into the weekly functioning of the team was also something we achieved this year. We have the most talented people in the world working with us. I would urge everyone to come and join the team because the kind of exposure, support, motivation and encouragement we get in this organisation is amazing. In my opinion, everyone should be privy to this life changing experience.

I would like to end this erratic farewell note by mentioning that I am extremely thankful for what I achieved on a personal level as a photographer, and then as the head. I worked with people who made me want to work harder and dream bigger to then strive to achieve those dreams.


Hitanksha Jain
Head of Photography 2017-18

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Bidding Goodbye with a Tinge of Sorrow: Saim Akhtar, Head of Marketing 2017-18

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The fact that journalism has emerged to be one of the most challenging professions of recent times is a well accepted reality these days. Surprisingly though, thanks to the highly efficient team, DU Beat (DUB) emerged triumphant against the face of the anti-liberals as it always valued students’ interests the most, and made it its priority.

Be it dealing with clients for marketing and online publicity, or meetings with international commissions; the remarkable group of Heads and the dedicated team of workers undertook each task responsibly and delivered near perfect results. Brainstorming sessions, building networks for widespread coverage, coupled with hours of interaction with the beautiful souls of DUB has made it extremely difficult for me to part with this family, which has helped me evolve both professionally and socially.

I feel delighted to see the baton of independent student journalism being handed over to the next set of capable young individuals, and wish them luck for their upcoming endeavours.

 

Saim Akhtar

Head of Marketing 2017-18

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A Journey of Growth and Countless Memories, Signing Off: Abhilasha Gandhi, Head of Media Operations 2017-18

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Almost 2 years ago when I was going through random posts and memes on my Instagram feed, I came across a post that essentially changed my life. The post read, “DU Beat is hiring new Human Resource Managers.” But more than that particular line, what I noticed was the line above it that said, “You don’t need to be a professional to join us, but you might end up becoming one.” And so I did.

As I read the E-mail informing me that I was recruited, I was overcome with this feeling that the journey ahead was not going to be easy, but it was definitely going to be worth it. From then, my daily life became all about WhatsApp groups, emails, spreadsheets, and random people texting me at odd hours for work. A year later, I was given the position of the Media Operations Head, and with it, came bigger responsibilities. I was hardly keeping up, I made huge mistakes, but every time I thought of giving up, I had somebody from our lovely team picking me back up and giving me the strength to keep going at it.

Each and every day in my tenure at DU Beat (DUB) has given me something to learn, remember, and cherish for a lifetime. These 2 years have been the most overwhelming and fulfilling times of my life. It has transformed the frivolous girl that I was, into a much more sensible, responsible, and thoughtful person. I would say that there is a long way to go still, but DU Beat made the journey easier, by giving me a group of remarkably supportive friends, who turned into my family. I would not wish to, but I can only imagine what my college life would have been if I was not a part of this organisation. Parting ways from DUB will leave me with a huge void in my life that I might never be able to fill again. I am thankful for this journey, I am thankful for DU Beat.

 

Abhilasha Gandhi

Media Operations Head 2017-18

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Bazinga

Bazinga: Kirori Mal College Cancels Farewell For its Graduating Batch

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In an unprecedented development, Kirori Mal College (KMC), affiliated to the University or Delhi (DU), has cancelled its farewell for the graduating class of the academic session 2017-18.

DU Beat was informed about this recent development through an official circular from the Chairman of the college, Mr. Srivedant Desai.

In the circular dated 23rd of April 2018, Mr. Desai has noted, “In a show of support for the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) strike against the new UGC guidelines, the Kirori Mal College Teachers’ Association (KMCTA) in collaboration with the college Students’ Union has jointly decided to withhold every form of celebratory activity within the college premises indefinitely. All department and society farewells along with the college farewell for the graduating batch henceforth stands cancelled.”

While the motive of this decision is aimed towards just dispensation, the same has been criticised by various student quarters of the college. Directing strongly-worded criticism again the Students’ Union, President of the Western Dance Society, Karan Pandey, remarked, “We support the teachers in their struggle again the UGC guidelines, the 30-70 percent formula. However, it was wrong of the Union to take such a decision without consulting with us. The democratic character of the Union would be eroded if the students’ representatives continue to take reckless decisions.”

A group of final year students from Botany Honors and History Honors have decided to demonstrate against this decision, by organising an indefinite hunger strike. The group of protesters, consisting of about 130 to 150 students from the two departments, have occupied the area in front of the entry gate. Mallika, a student protester, told DU Beat, “We have spent 3 years of our lives in this campus. Right from when we were freshers, farewell was something that we all looked forward to. An entire montage of conflicting emotions, ranging from nostalgia to happiness to reverie, would be associated with the word “farewell”. But now, there would be nothing to commemorate the three years spent here. Today, we are protesting against the sheer lack of sensitivity displayed towards our emotions by the people in power.”

Adding on to Mallika’s remarks, Nikhil, President of the department of Botany Honors, said, “We will not move an inch from here until the decision is revoked by the KMCTA and the Students’ Union. If they had pledged to serve our interests when they occupied those positions of power, they must stick to their commitment.”

When the correspondent approached the college Principal for his remarks, he refused to comment on the same. When prodded further by the correspondent, he said, “At this point of time, I wouldn’t want to make a statement on this highly sensitive issue. I will surely revert back to you within a day.”

However, no reversion from the Office of the Principal had occurred since.

In a phone call conversation with the correspondent, the President of the college, Sandeep Samal, responded to the criticism by saying, “Look, we understand that this step is a rather controversial one, and no one expects the final year students to suffer. But until and unless we join in the teachers’ struggle and force the Varsity administration to pay heed to their demands, the DUTA struggle will not make much headway. It is only through real sacrifice that we will see real outcomes.”

As the students go their separate ways, some towards the job market and others towards higher studies, is depriving the graduating batch of 2017-18 of one final day as young, carefree students justified? This conflict of interests between a noble cause on one hand, and the students’ interests on the other, is expected to take a heavy toll on the already fragile nexus between the teachers and students of this significantly “political college”.

Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only to be appreciated and not accepted!

 

Feature Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

10 Things a Graduate Has to Say to The Class of 2018

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Here’s a list of 10 things that graduates want to share with the to-be graduates, the batch of 2018, to help them out with love and life!

It’s that time of the year again when the walls of every college echo of nostalgia and memories worth of the past three years, when there are goodbyes and farewells, a lot of tears, celebrations and dreams for what is yet to come. During this time, it’s natural for any final year student to feel excited, nervous, scared, insecure, unsure, ready and confused. To help them a little and guide them a bit out of college, DU Beat spoke to some graduates and asked them for advice to make it out of college and into the real world. Here’s a list of 10 things that they’d like to say to the graduating class of 2018:

1. It’s okay to be unsure

It’s okay to feel confused and nervous. It’s okay if you feel that you aren’t ready yet and it’s okay to feel lost. This transition from college to a job, or postgraduate college or a different city or country isn’t an easy one. It takes a while to break from the routine you’ve lived in for the past three years but know that it’s okay to not have everything figured out just yet. Take your time, explore yourself, gain knowledge about yourself, get some practical knowledge, write, sketch, create art and go out and experience the actual life. You’ll figure it out, take one day at a time!

2. Think of more personal ways to stay in touch with your college friends

The friendships that you develop in college are the most honest, real, and beautiful friendships. It’s hard to make this transition from the laid-back lifestyle of DU to the real world, but there’s always fun ways to stay in touch. Facebook, Whatsapp, and other social media sites sure are effective ways to stay in touch, but try and think of more personal ways, like sharing a song every week, trading playlists, themed parties, old-school tradition of posting letters. Make sure that you join the alumni network and stay in touch with even those with whom you didn’t interact with much.

3. A diploma doesn’t mean the end of your learning

Even with a diploma in your hand, never stop the process of learning. Make sure that you always have a learning state of mind, even at work. Your growth always depends on your continuous learning, and when you start working, start working as a student, ask questions and work hard. Make sure you continuously challenge yourself and redefine your thinking because this is only the beginning.

4. Don’t let the world decide your career for you

Your career is one of the most important paths that you’ll ever decide and even though you don’t have to make this choice immediately, make sure that whenever you do, it is completely yours. Don’t let the world make this choice for you. Life is too short, don’t waste it on a boring job that you hate or a career path that your parents picked out for you but you don’t want to follow. Find something that you love over money, find your calling, no matter how long it takes and follow it with all your heart.

5. Learn to plan things

Ever since you were a kid, life has been planned for you. You know that you had to complete school and then graduate from college. But the road from here is uncertain and full of rocks. You have to make an itinerary for yourself and plan things in advance. You have to think three steps in advance so that you’re more prepared for what’s coming and that you can tackle every roadblock with courage.

6. Stop fretting over success

It’s okay if you didn’t get the placement you wanted, or the postgraduate college that you wanted to get in or the six figure salary. Everything takes time, and just because it is not happening right now doesn’t mean it never will. But make sure that you do not keep running after this sort of success. Understand success can be as simple and beautiful as the next sunset, if you want it to be. Take one day at a time and follow your heart, do what you want to do and be good at it, success will follow in no time.

7. Find inspiration

Always have something to look up to and take inspiration from, be it a mentor, a book or a story. Challenge yourself, create art, learn a new language, learn an instrument, write, sketch, paint and let yourself be. This transition from college to the real world becomes very taxing and stressful, it’s important for you to spend some time with yourself, understand yourself better and find inspiration to keep yourself going and motivated.

8. Take risks

Do not be afraid to take risks. Even if it is a mistake, go ahead if you feel like you should. This is the time of your life that you wouldn’t get back. You have the rest of your life to play it safe, take a chance right now. Write that book, release that album, work on your band, give that acting gig a shot, model for the runway, and make it to the big leagues. It’s okay even if what you do turns out to be a mistake, the stakes are lower and every experience matters in shaping who you will be. Do not be afraid of facing the world head on.

9. Go on a solo trip

Plan that solo trip you always wanted, explore a city and immerse yourself into the new culture and lifestyle. Interact with new people, click pictures from the trip, stay in shady hotels and click blurry photographs. Carry your camera around or take a trip without any social media. Take a break stepping into this new life and make the most of it, you deserve to.

10. Fall in love with yourself before you fall for someone else

The past three years have shaped who you are today. Be it the course you did, the societies you were in, the trips you took or the people you interacted with. College plays a big role in shaping you up as a person and believe that you’ve done a brilliant job. Before you go looking for love outside, learn to be comfortable in your own skin and be confident as you are. Give yourself the time and space that you need and love every atom of your being.

 

Feature Image Credits: B97

Muskan Sethi

[email protected]

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A Beautiful Journey at DU Beat – Aditya Rathore, Design Head (2016-17)

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I still remember the day when I was called for my DU Beat interview. After 3 continuous rejections, it actually happened. But why did I so badly want to get into DUB? Because I used to think that this organisation has rockstars in its team and damn, I was right!
Had it not been for DU Beat it might have taken me a lot more time to discover what I love doing. Thank you DUB for making my college life a beautiful journey and giving me a bunch of amazing people as friends who are passionate about what they do. Each moment spent here will be missed :’)

Signing off

Aditya Rathore
Design Head 2016-17

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Saying Goodbye to DU Beat – KS Radhika, Marketing Head (2016-17)

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On one hand where it is extremely heartbreaking to get myself acquainted to the fact that I’d never be a part of the Sunday brain storming sessions with the brightest minds from across the university or single-handedly going for meetings with top notch executives from brilliantly huge firms, it also makes me hugely satisfied to see a set of immensely talented juniors who have put in all their effort to make DUB reach new heights this year. My college life, in a nutshell, has been DU Beat. As I sign off as the Marketing Head, I look back in retrospection, at the two year amazing stint that I’ve had at this organisation with the most lovely people that I can, now, proudly proclaim as family.

Thank you, DUB. You’re one college memory I’ll cherish forever.

K.S. Radhika
Marketing Head 2016-17

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Three Years at DU Beat: A Purpose, A Family, A Constant – Shubham Kaushik, Editor (2016-17)

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Writing has never been difficult for me. I am better with words on paper than I am with words in speech. That was the idiosyncrasy that led me to DU Beat as a disillusioned first year student undergoing an identity crisis. However, as I sat down to write this Farewell note at the end of my time with this platform, I found myself at a loss for words. It’s clearly not easy saying goodbye to something that has been an integral part of my identity for the past three years.

DU Beat has continued to grow by leaps and bounds since its inception ten years ago, and it was an absolute honour to have had the chance to influence this growth during a period that saw great tumult and radical changes in the world, especially in the student community. We were at the forefront of covering important issues around the University throughout the year, including the DUSU elections and the events at Ramjas College earlier this year, and proudly stuck to our motto of ‘Freedom of Expression’.

What makes DU Beat great, apart from the fact that we are the one of the biggest campus publications in the country, is the amount and diversity of the opportunities it has to offer. Some apply looking for an internship experience, others do it for the want of a platform that gives space to their talent which their academic life has no scope for, and yet others – like yours truly – do it in search of a purpose to keep themselves engaged and energised during the course of their otherwise drab college lives. Everyone gets what they are looking for, and more. Working at DU Beat isn’t just writing articles, meeting deadlines and covering events. It is also finding yourself in unexpected situations and learning to adapt in order to come out at the top. It is on-ground, real-world experience that’s hard to come by for 20-year-old students so early in their career. It is finding kaleidoscopic minds coming together for riveting conversations who become teammates to work with and friends to depend on and meet outside of work. It is gruelling, challenging yet rewarding work, and laughter, appreciation and unwinding with a team that starts feeling like family. It was all of that for me for the past three years – a purpose, a family, a constant. By the end of your time here, you don’t realise most of the voids you came with because this place finds a way to fill them.

Out of all the things we achieved this year – from the increases in our readership to experimenting successfully with live platforms – I am the most proud of the team we’ve managed to put together. It is with a heavy heart but immense confidence that I leave this team we built in the capable leadership of Vineeta Rana, as the Editor for the year 2017-18, and Srivedant Kar, as the Associate Editor. With the satisfaction of having seen everyone in the team grow not only as journalists but also as people, I sign off from my duties as the Editor for 2016-17.

 

Shubham Kaushik

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Once a DUBster, Always a DUBster: Riya Chhibber (Associate Editor Print 2016-17)

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

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

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

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

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

Riya’s journey at DUB

 

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

 

But as Shakespeare rightly said,

All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts

 

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

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

 

Signing off

Riya Chhibber

Associate Print Editor

2016-17

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