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New Semester Blues

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The beginning of a new year is  followed by a whole new semester to look forward to. New semesters can be a lot of fun, but extremely demanding and confusing at the same time.

Right after the New Year has been welcomed, and the party shoes have been carefully taken off and kept back in the cupboard for another year, the new semester begins without much of a wait. The semester break granted seems too short, and the idea of getting back into the grind is almost painful. Sleeping seems like the best option, the cold only aggravating the situation. The freshers are now well-acquainted with college life, and do not seem to harbour the same kind of curiosity, the sparkle almost completely lost from their eyes now.

New semesters also mean the arrival of the much-awaited fest season. The usual college hopping to check out the happenings, pestering your friends from SRCC or LSR to get you passes to their fests, skipping classes to go to North Campus from South Campus.  Students who are a part of a society might find their hands full, as this is the busiest time of the year for extra-curricular activities. The various cuisines, exciting games, attractive people, and engaging performances, create an enchanting atmosphere. People from all over the country come to attend the brilliant shows put on by Delhi University colleges. No expense is spared to make fests the brilliant affairs that they are. 

However, competitions of various kinds, fests, after-parties, and the unnecessary bunking of classes eventually comes to an end. What follows is a feeling of emptiness, and a general glooms overcomes the same people, and buildings, which were once covered in gold streamers. Once individuals and institutions are striped of their decorations and party-faces, getting back to a routine becomes a task. The good old blues, associated with mundanity, kick in, and the anxiety of existence slowly creeps back in.

One finds themselves short of attendance at the end of it all, be it society or a non-society member. Academics take a backseat, and one may find themselves cursing their decisions during end semester exams, for not being more vigilant. Moreover, it doesn’t help that the semester is shorter. The duration might not seem like a huge problem at the beginning, but towards the end, when the end-semester pangs set in, you would be wishing for more time.

The only piece of solid advice here would be to relish this time as much as you can, since you are only young once. Managing your time efficiently during this period, is also imperative, along with the ‘fun’ part. After all, attending lectures, and learning new things, can also be as much fun as dancing till dawn to EDM. The goal lies in defeating the ever-present semester blues, and facing each day with as much zeal as possible.

Too many things packed into five months would just fly by in a wink and one does not really want to be seen wishing for lost time back.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Indian Express

Anoushka Singh

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Uncategorized

Do Marks Really Matter?

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Contrary to the popular opinion among the youth that marks don’t really matter, the truth of the situation is that, marks do matter, and even if they do not define your entire life and career, they do certainly help in getting an individual one step closer to their desired goals.

Class 12th boards are a stressful period for parents and students alike. Months of mock exams, tuitions, and hefty amounts of money are spent on preparing students for the most important school level exam in India. A whole new industry is booming as a consequence of the average Indian parent and student stress. The competitiveness of exams has increased as a consequence of shortage of seats owing to the increasing population. The coaching industry is bearing its ugly head at every level of education. Lakhs of students burn the midnight oil to get that extra edge over their counterparts, in a bid to outbid the best for a seat in prestigious institutes like the University of Delhi.

Saying that marks don’t matter is a stretch, especially considering the amount of preparation that goes into making students ready for any exam at any level. If marks truly did not matter, the coaching industry would perish, and the country’s stress levels would plummet. With a population as large as a country like India, a basic criteria which comes even slightly close to fair selection are marks, where performance decides results. Not to say that the marking system and whole education system is not flawed in various ways, but so far it is the closest thing to fair that is considered for entry into college and work.

Point in case marks do help get you into your desired school, college, or even work place, they are the sole criteria in terms of segregating the deserving from the undeserving, those who work hard, versus those who don’t, according to Indian societal standards.

Another argument supporting the concept of marks is that, saying marks don’t matter, disregards the months or even years of hard work put in by lakhs of students in colleges and schools across the country and even the world. The sugar coated world that exclaims that “marks don’t define you” is letting you down easy, with an attempt not to hurt any feelings. In practical life, a student with good marks is unlikely to say that marks don’t matter, whereas those with sub par or ‘bad’ marks is more likely to say the controversial phrase.

The college coaching industry is second to the school, and competitive exam industry, but equally big, and expensive. The end goal of these institutions is not to impart knowledge, but rather to help students attain a certain number of marks. The main question we grapple with, as a society is the question of knowledge versus marks, are we teaching students something new, or merely how to attain marks ?

In a system where marks serve as the deciding criteria for most important life decisions, completely denying their value is unreasonable. Until we move forward as a nation to create fairer ways to determine individual talent, aptitude, and ability, marks do matter.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Times of India

 

Meher Gill

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DUB Speak

Nutrition for Students: A Narrative of Neglected Health?

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Courtesy of a hectic schedule,  many students fail to prioritize their health and reduce it to a secondary concern. In recent times, we have witnessed disturbing trends of unhealthy Blood Pressure levels, Diabetes and stomach infections among students. Here, we explore some healthy foods that would help keep you up and active all through the drudgery and toiling that studying in the University of Delhi (DU) necessitates.

Milk, Yogurt and Eggs

Low-fat dairy products can be extremely beneficial. Rich in proteins, Vitamins B and D, these foods offer nutrition on a budget. Vitamin D is imperative for the healthy growth of your brain. With the flavored variants of the aforementioned products so easily accessible, the required tastes can be incorporated to your own liking. Eggs are again, rich in proteins. A couple of eggs daily will improve your stamina.

Oats

It being possibly the most nutritious breakfast option, Oats are whole grains digested slowly by storing the energy for a long time.  Moreover, it also provides vitamin B and fiber as well as potassium, zinc, and vitamin E, all of which are substantial to maintain a healthy brain.

Dry Fruits and Nuts

All nuts offer you brain fuel in the form of protein and both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Almonds help in improving retention, as is widely known. Walnuts on the other hand, are proven to be helpful in enhancing deductive reasoning. But in the sweltering heat that Indian summers offer, stick to only a palmful of nuts since eating nuts in excess may cause some problems.

Dark Green Vegetables and Beans

Spinach (shoutout to Popeye(s) out there!), broccoli and sprouts provide you with folate, an important element that improves the functioning of the brain. Beans also, for that matter, offer you magnesium, Vitamin B, protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. Rich in antioxidants and omega-3s, kidney beans are highly recommended. So, bring on the Rajma–Chawal (a popular vegetarian dish consisting of kidney beans served with boiled rice).

Fruits

Finally, yet importantly, fruits are easily the best sources of all nutrients. It is no wonder then that the saying ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’  has gained such wide currency. Fruits are low in fat, sodium, and calories and none have cholesterol. Fruits are sources of many essential nutrients that are under-consumed, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid). Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Also, due to the easy accessibility of fruits around the corner of your Paying Guest accommodation (PG)  or in the markets, these become very feasible nutritionists. Bite into an apple or a banana or a pear and you are instantly charged. Come winters and the season of oranges, the citric kings can be the ideal basking-in-the-sun food.

The mounting assignments, notes, reasoning and writing will leave you exhausted! But the idea of prioritizing your health should never be secondary. Give yourself the nourishment you need and also, the proper sleep. Keep yourself active and exercise too. Go out for a walk or a run daily. Do not skip meals at all! Keep true to a balanced diet, replete with pulses and the like. Follow simple diet plans, and you will never be left swooning, at least not due to starvation!

 

Feature Image Credits: gethere.fitnessfirst

Kartik Chauhan

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Campus Central

 A Guide to Fighting Apprehension and Uncertainties About Your Course

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As your initial classes begin, so does your fear and anxiety regarding your course. While having second thoughts about the chosen course is a common phenomenon amongst students, knowing how to maneuver through these doubts and uncertainties is important in order to extract the most out of the three years’ undergraduate programme in the University of Delhi (DU).

As the alarm clock resounds and a new morning invites you, your drowsy self gets up and gazes into the mirror. While you attend to your routine morning activities, your mind is shrouded by a cloud of perplexing thoughts.  College is the arena which beholds the foundations of your career. Hence, it is natural to feel minor pangs of anxiety about your chosen course and worry about your compatibility with the same.  However, you must not stress about these apprehensions,  since these are mere insecurities which will fade away very soon.

Every course offered by DU has significance, so don’t get jittery or plunge into a confused state of mind based on assumptions that your chosen course is not adequate or not good enough. Exhibit some gratification. Queuing up for admission in the sweltering and oppressive weather of Delhi to secure your seat in DU is an achievement in itself! Then why do these unwholesome thoughts come into your mind and engulf you in a bout of uneasiness? It is because you haven’t received clarity of your course yet.

The best way to acquire greater clarity would be to undertake some research and understand what exactly your subject of choice entails and what it has to offer.  You may also look for opportunities like internships associated with your field of study to get better insight into the same.

Here are a few points to bust the insecurities:

Research Extensively on Your Course

Thanks to the age of the internet, you will be able to gain access to many websites providing you the information required to conduct an extensive research on your course and the career prospects emanating from it.

Coordinate Your Future Plans With Your Course

Since it is your first year in college, don’t be too hard on yourself. While you don’t need to be ascertained about what you want to pursue in life,  you must start structuring basal ideas about how you can connect the offerings of your course to your areas of interest.

Experienced Faculty Across All Courses

If there’s one thing which makes Delhi University so great, it is the amazing and supremely qualified faculty brimful with years of experience and unparalleled expertise. Your teachers will be able to do away with your qualms once the classes begin and you delve into your syllabi.

Time Heals Everything

Last, but surely not the least, give some time to your course and to the other changes that you have encountered. As Leo Tolstoy would say, “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” Give it time as it is an inherent aspect of human nature to invariably take time before  adapting to something unfamiliar. So don’t be under the impression that you’re the only one skeptical about your course.  Once you take a few deep breaths, you will soon be able to comprehend what a privilege it is to get to spend three years in one of India’s most prestigious universities.

 

Feature Image Credits: Eflux Conversions

Avnika Chhikara

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Campus Central

Things To Do When You Encounter College Life for the First Time

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We are often very busy worrying and preparing for the first few days of college. In the process, we tend to forget some things that can enhance our experience as we step into our college for the first time. Here are a few of those reminders:

Take a Few Pictures

It is understandable that when one first encounters life as a college student, one’s priorities are really different. But it is a good idea to take a few pictures here and there, during the day. Not only will you thank yourself for it later, but you might also want to remember what you wore on day one, or perhaps recreate a similar photo at the end of your college life. It is an important phase of life and you would want to capture it a little.

Build Strong Networks of Contact With Seniors

It is good to build contact networks with people who can help you expel your confusions and doubts on the first few days itself. The seniors are generally very enthusiastic to invite the freshers and are mostly willing to share what they know with them. It will be all the more productive if you can exchange numbers with the Union Members of your department in college and ask them to coordinate a small interactive session between your class and the seniors’ classes.

Be Presentable

The first impression is not always the last impression, but it is important. Be yourself and do not overdo anything. However, at the same time, try to be presentable in how you look and what you do. You will feel confident if you look amazing on day one itself. Besides being on time for college, you must also be presentable in the way you treat people.. While maintaining your politeness,  you must also be bold in whatever you do. This will help you interact with like-minded people and maybe even create some good friends!

Understand That Everyone Feels Similar to How You Feel

You need to remember that you are not the only one feeling confused, apprehensive, self-conscious and even excited! Everyone around you feels the same way. They are as desperate to make friends, as excited for what the future holds and as confused about how a college functions. You are not alone and the confusion and uncertainty settle after some time. You won’t even be able to discern when your college would become home to you. Before you know it, you would be laughing with your friends about all the insecurities and first impressions you had of each other on day one of college.

 

Feature Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Khyati Sanger

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Campus Central

Delhi University to Introduce Online Attendance Management System

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University of Delhi (DU) held a training programme on 13th July 2018 for principals, teachers, and time-table convenors.

The teachers of the University of Delhi have been asked to mark attendance in ‘real time’ digitally, as opposed to the practice of marking it after classes get over. Presently, the marking of attendance in Delhi University is done manually on registers, and is updated digitally at the end of the month. Following the commencement of the new academic semester, the above mentioned system might be re-vamped into a more modern arrangement. The new system in-talks in the varsity is set up through the university intranet, however the teachers are concerned about days when a certain class is conducted outside the classroom or adjusted for some other day, as often times the lectures do get cancelled or rescheduled.

This development comes to us post a training programme being conducted by the Computer Centre of Delhi University for the introduction of the Attendance Management System (AMS) for colleges. The workshop witnessed principals, time-table convenors and in-charges in attendance.

A time-table convenor told The Indian Express, “We were told that this system has been prepared entirely by the university. As per my understanding, the teacher has to take his/her attendance online in the class and the system will only work in the campus.” The colleges were told that for now, it was not “mandatory”. But looking at their presentation, it seemed like it can be introduced anytime this year,”

A time-table convenor on the condition of anonymity told the DU Beat correspondent in a telephonic conversation that, “The system does not seem flexible and accommodating towards the way the lectures are actually conducted in the colleges.

The AMS system was implemented last year on a pilot basis in four colleges and the Delhi School of Journalism. The efforts to digitise attendance will be prioritised and expanded within more colleges of the University.

Attendance has always been a concern for the students of DU, and has often created contention between the student body and the college administrations due to the fact that many students are detained from examinations if they do not match the 66% attendance criteria. This year, many students of Miranda House, Faculty of Law, and Aryabhatta College were detained, which led to severe displays of protests from the students of the mentioned colleges. Law students even took the university to the court after they were detained for not having enough attendance.

Certain teachers allege that the AMS system is just a way to monitor the teachers attendance as opposed to the students. They claim that this initiative that is being branded as a “positive reform” for the students, is actually just a way to keep tabs on the teachers of the University. They also raised their concerns over how the AMS will come into practice when they take their students out for educational trips to libraries and historical sites in their lectures.

The Vice Chancellor of DU, Professor Yogesh Tyagi told the Times of India, “In order to bring transparency and primarily help students keep a track of their attendance, this system is being planned so that students don’t fall short of attendance.”

Bhavya Banerjee

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Small Screen

Web Series: A Breath of Fresh Air

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“Did you watch Baked?”, “Did you complete The Girl in the City series?”, “Oh my God, The Tripling is so amazing”. This is the age of web series and the concept is pretty new to India because it all kick-started in 2015 but we are all abreast of it. Web series are a relief for the millennials from the boring, typical and content-less Indian TV shows. In fact, not just youngsters, middle-aged people like mine and your parents are entering and traversing the era of watching shows on YouTube and other media platforms.

With the advancement of technology and availability of smartphones with everybody today, these web series are our escape with their varied and relatable content. We, the millennials, cannot while away time sitting in front of our TV’s waiting for our shows to begin every night at 8 p.m. or that movie to air at 9 p.m. because we are busy chasing our dreams, conquering the world, breaking stereotypes, and having the best time of our lives so we entertain ourselves with these thought-provoking series readily available online. They easily fit into our busy schedules because an episode doesn’t last for more than 20 minutes.

We connect with the shows because the characters are funnily clumsy (just like us), real, and flawed. Web series like Man’s World and Ladies’ Room shatter stereotypes, and All About Article 377 brings issues of transgender people to the limelight. Issues like sex are no longer relegated to the fringes with Sex Chat with Pappu and Papa. The millennials are woke in the truest sense with the issues of the world and don’t shy away from writing about them.

Raabiya, a student of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College contributes, “I no longer like to watch movies now and that is because of web series. It’s a movie but with episodes, so it doesn’t feel like a chore. Moreover, since web series are being produced by the new generation, current issues are often taken into account. Interestingly, I realised that I was transgender while watching a web series. While watching All the Women, I somehow realised that that’s where I want to be.”  Shows like Permanent Roommates, The Tripling, Pitchers, Haq Se, The Trip, Little Things, Rise, and Official CEO Giri empower the audience in certain ways along with the comical elements. Muskan Sethi, a student of Jesus and Mary College comments, “I feel that these series are breaking the rut that the Indian soaps have created, the way they break away from the patriarchal mindsets and bring a fresh take on the 21st century lifestyles.”

The TRP ratings have immensely dropped with the advent of web series and their popularity has multiplied to the extent that Bollywood celebrities like Irrfan Kan, Naseerudin Shah, Priyanka Chopra, and Said Ali Khan wish to be associated with this revolution and bring more content with them. Companies like TVF, Y Films, Arre, and ALT Balaji are great platforms of opportunities for creative talents. These organisations have provided jobs to numerous upcoming artists and who are now famous even without their ‘big breaks’ in Bollywood.

These web series have come to our rescue when Indian television shows and Bollywood have disappointed their audiences and there is still a lot of scope for exploration, creative scripts, and ideas that need to see the light.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Yellow Sparrow

Prachi Mehra
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Fandom

Tinsel University: Cultural Icons of DU

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From theatre artists to filmmakers to photographers, the list of remarkable alumni associated with the University of Delhi runs into volumes. The article focuses on some such names for whom the university played a crucial role and who continues to inspire its students.

While researching for this article, I bumped into some surprising names I had no idea were part of the University, a humbling reminder of the generations of history that this place has kept hidden. While we have all heard of Shahrukh Khan’s Hansraj and KMC being called the “Bachchan College”, there are many others in the field of entertainment and arts who used to walk the same corridors as we do today. Here is our not-so-comprehensive list of notable alumni in such (and allied) fields:

  1. Deepa Mehta: The critically acclaimed director who shot to fame because of her films like Fire (1996), Earth (1998), and Water (2005) is an alumnus of Lady Shri Ram College for Women in philosophy. While some have called her a transnational filmmaker, Mehta’s films have often broken boundaries such as Fire, a fierce lesbian love story that hit a whirlpool of controversy with its release. The film stars Nandita Das, a Miranda House alumni and Khulbushan Kharbanda, a Kirori Mal graduate.
  2. Rohit Bal: A leading fashion designer in India, Bal hails from Kashmir and is a graduate in history honours from St. Stephen’s College. The city also saw him starting his career with his brother Rajiv Bal in 1986. Today, Bal’s collections are sought after all over Bollywood and many celebrities like Arjun Rampal, Kareena Kapoor, and Shilpa Shetty have walked the ramp for him.
  3. Anjolie Ela Menon: Veteran painter and Padma Shri awardee, Menon is a graduate in English honours from Miranda House. She is now considered one of the leading contemporary artists of India, her paintings beings showcased in major collections all over the world.
  4. Anurag Kashyap: The gritty, “director of the masses”, is an alumnus of Hansraj College. Kashyap’s films such as Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and D (2009) have been both commercial and critical successes pushing him into the limelight.
  5. Manoj Bajpayee: National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee studied in both in Satywati College and Ramjas College, immersing himself in the campus theatre scene during his college days. As he told Times of India, “Those three years of DU were life-changing for me. I went from someone who could not read the front page of the Times of India to reading George Bernard Shaw and Shakespeare.”

 

Feature Image Credits: 24 Update News

Sara Sohail

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DUB Speak

A Three-Step Plan For Effective Self-Improvement

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Read on to find out how to make an efficient and simple plan to be a better version of you through the practice of self-improvement.

Self-improvement is an intimidating process that is often perceived as a short struggle rather than long-term metamorphosis. Read on to find out how to go about it in a simple way-

Seek emotional stability:

Whoever you are and whatever you do, you are a result of millions of years of evolution and have been made and raised with love and care. Respecting yourself, your emotions, your insecurities, your fears, and every part of you is the first step to be emotionally stable. This would be the most difficult part of your transformation plan, years of negative thought processes and social conditioning is not easy to get rid of. Maintain a journal where you consistently pen down you emotions, without fear of judgement and with absolute candour. Embrace honesty as a virtue and communicate openly, even if others may not want to hear it. Being authentic in a world where almost everyone portrays a façade gives an irreplaceable sense of pride. Most importantly, respect yourself for who you are; that will effectively help you become a happier person. Have a healthy emotional relationship with yourself and with others, which should include respect, kindness, and forgiveness.

Engage in a physical activity:

Irrespective of your fitness levels, make time to engage in some form of physical activity daily. This advice has little to do with your physical appearance or how you feel about your body. Go for a run, take a long walk, play a sport, dance, keep moving daily. Channel the physical strength of your body and marvel at the beauty of its fluidity every day. Your body is a wonder, a piece of art that you have absolute control over. Relish the experience of running until you are out of breath, spent, and exhausted. Exercise by its very virtue, be it playing a sport or going for a jog regulates our emotions and gives us a passage to express our angst in a healthy way.

Focus on your long-term goal:

Most college students are devoted to multiple societies and NGO’s while pursuing a full-time education. These additional commitments require long hours of dedication. This makes one feel like they are being pulled in too many directions at the same time. As a result, most of us end up compromising on our academics which can lead to a long-term setback. Therefore, allocating a window of time that you would dedicate to academics, or whatever your primary long-term goal in life is and working on the same religiously during that time, will help you with bettering yourself as a person.  The number of hours you need to dedicate to this would vary from course to course and is subjective to your individual capacities and needs. This time period should be fairly realistic in nature and should be followed strictly. Try incorporating it into your schedule at a time when you are most likely to be free, say early in the morning. Once you are doing what you are primarily supposed to do, whether it is studying for GMAT, entrance examinations, or recording music in order to learn music production, you would feel more in control of your life and therefore happier in general.

Most importantly, in this entire process of self-improvement, do not forget to love all versions of yourself. Seek growth but do not forget to live in the moment and celebrate your gifts and form meaningful bonds with people that reinforce this kind of positivity. Choose to improve yourself not because of hate and disgust for your current self but out of respect for your ambitions and due to a desire to be better in the future. Happy growing!

 

Feature Image Credits: Embracing Money

Kinjal Pandey

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DUB Speak

Budget 2018’s Focus on Education

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The Union Budget for this fiscal year was announced on 1st February 2018. Here is a look at all the aspects concerning the student varsity of India.

Economists and critics have had their opinions about the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s last budget before the 2019 elections. Let us look at how education fared in Arun Jaitley’s last budget which mainly focuses on the agricultural sector.

1 lakh Crore will be invested in RISE (Revitalisating of Infrastructure and System of Education) till 2022 aiming to improve the state of quality education and infrastructure of such institutions. Similarly, Eklavya schools will be opened in areas of more than 50% tribal citizens. The real question is whether this money will be fully utilized in these missions or will the future generation of India still grapple with low standards of education in its government schools. According to studies, the quality of education in the already established government schools is abysmal and students often drop out.

18 autonomous Schools of Planning and Architecture will be made in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and National Institute of Technology (NIT) across the country. In the latest Prime Minister Fellows Scheme, 1000 B.Tech students of premier institutions will be selected to pursue their PhDs from IITs and IISs. They would be provided with handsome fellowships and be expected to teach in high schools for a couple of hours every week. This scheme would help scholars having  limited means improve their job and future prospects. A Railway University will also be set up at Vadodara, Gujarat.

12.56 Crore rupees have been allocated for scholarships for students with disability. Government teacher training will also be provided to improve the quality of education in government. schools. The focus and benefits for startups are likely to create more jobs in the economy.

The government’s decision to reduce Employees’ Provident Fund from 12% to 8% is not an intelligent move as it decreases the employee’s retirement money as well as interest that could have been earned. No focus has been paid to construction of more medical colleges and availability of easy student loans.

The budget is not inclusive of all students and does not benefit them equally. The students’ votes would depend on how well the government performed during these past four years overall and how well it helped boost our economy. The economy is a vital tool in the functioning of any country, considering the fact that approximately 50% of the population is below the age of 25, the economy must cater to students due to abundance in numbers.

Feature Image Credits: The Financial Express

Prachi Mehra

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