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Things to Keep in Mind Before Taking Admission in DU

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Dear Aspiring Students,

Here is a list of things I feel you should keep in mind before taking admission into the University of Delhi (DU).

  • ADMISSION PROCESS

The admission process for DU seems tiring, laborious, and everlasting. Trust me, it is. After carefully filling in the forms, wait and have the patience for the cut-offs to come out. Keep in mind your favorable course and calculate the Best of Four (BoF) percentage accordingly. Keep all your documents ready and extra photocopies as well. Upload all essential documents on your Email ID’s and Google Drive for it to be easily accessible in case you forget something. Keep extra passport size photos and Aadhar-card copies of your parents and yourself. Read the UG Bulletin of information available on the website and check if you are applicable for any of the quotas. Keep dates in check (I had marked my calendars), stay in touch with your friends and peers, help each other and support each other.

(Read the DU UG Bulletin 2019-20 here: Click) 

  • EXPLORE

Going for admission procedure to colleges once the cut-offs come out takes time. It might take you a whole day, in the Dilli ki Garmi to get your admission done, and you might have to do this more than once, after subsequent cut-offs come out and you upgrade to different courses and colleges (I did it thrice). You might get tired, but don’t sit in one corner waiting, scared and anxious. The college you go and visit will most probably end up being your home for the next three years. So, explore the canteens, the gardens, the classrooms, the staircases, the markets nearby, the metro stations and bus stands. Familiarise yourself with the environment. It helps in the long run. Take a good company with you, take friends and family, take loads of food and make a picnic out of your admission visit. Make it as fun as you can, as it will be your first experience of being inside the college you will call your own for the next three years.

  • COURSE VS COLLEGE

Many of us don’t score high enough to get our favourite courses and colleges. So, once the cut-off comes out, it becomes a hysterical decision, to chose which course to pursue, and from which college. It will end up in a series of heated discussions between you, your family members, and your well-wishers, and constant visits to websites like collegedunia to read about the ‘scope’ of different courses. Your father will suggest one course, your mother will suggest another college, while you will be at the center of this dilemma, choosing your career just after finishing off with boards (I felt like taking a year-long vacation to decide my college). But in the midst of all this, keep in mind that while making this choice, you might end up losing your preferred course or college or even both, but in the end it won’t matter because once in college, you can helm the journey of your college years to follow the awaited dream you had. You can take your preferred course as an elective and earn a minor degree and participate in different colleges all over the DU circuit to make friends in your favourite college. Although, this decision should be taken with the utmost care, but in the end, you will never regret giving up on one particular thing, because the college life will reward you with so many others that you will be filled up to the brim with happiness and satisfaction.

  • LIFE AT DU

The life at the University is not what you might be envisioning right now, it is not all fun and games, but it is so much more. It is exposure and experience, new friends and families, perspectives and politics, fests and euphoria, academics and attendance, and crowds and metro. It is the flavour of chai that burns at your tongue, and sleepless nights you pull off to finish that one academic paper. It is commuting in an empty metro early in the morning to reach your college on time for an extra class, for it to get cancelled. It is crying, curled up in your bed missing your families, small events and birthday celebrations back home. It is managing the month end with minimal finances asking for udhaar because you are broke. It is also listening to your favourite songs non-stop in the long metro rides, reading your favourite authors or academic papers, it is also celebrating the small festivals you miss back home with your newfound family at college, it is also the breath of relief when you see your parents face to face on a skype call and it is also filling your tummy up with freshly-made Maggi on days you don’t like the PG food. It is a rollercoaster of freshness and it is going to be a beautiful journey!

All the best, students! Make a good choice without any regrets, and enjoy this time to the fullest, you will surely miss it once it is over.

Regards,

Sakshi Arora

 

Feature Image Credits: Saubhagya Saxena for DU Beat

 

Sakshi Arora

s[email protected]

 

 

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DUB Speak

The Problem of Plenty

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As someone who has dreamt of living an independent life to get one step closer to his ambitions, shifting near the campus was a big deal for me. But as they say, with great power comes great responsibilities, I began succumbing to the responsibilities. The problem of plenty is real, and here’s why.  

Suppose you are living a life of comfort, following a flamboyant and careless lifestyle, eating anything recklessly, sleeping at odd hours and then one fine day you suddenly feel a prickling pain in your chest. The pain doesn’t go away, it persists, for a day or two and is mildly affecting your consciousness. You wake on the third day and the pain comes back again. You go and see a doctor and it’s your liver! It has been deteriorating for a while now. The physician hints at your sedentary lifestyle and absurd eating habits for the situation. You regret, you repent, you cannot accept the fact that you have succumbed into a chronic disease at such a young age. Though it can get worse with time, the relieving part is that only if it’s not controlled or managed well. Your liver will get back on track if you undo the effects with a disciplined and healthy lifestyle. Now, out of scarcity of option you willingly or unwillingly have to follow a better lifestyle.

If you are wondering why the medical situation of a careless youngster is being discussed here, then let me tell you, this careless youngster is me and probably you or a friend of yours. Let me clear the ambiguity first. I have used this analogy to illustrate the “problem of plenty”. A situation 11th-hour lovers must be familiar with.

Now, allow me to associate this problem with my decision to shift near the campus in order to concentrate on my college and academics. The most relevant argument a student gives to their parents or guardians (or at least I did) while persuading them to allow relocation to a flat or PG near the campus is that it will save the time lost in commuting daily from home to college and back. The other argument is generally the availability of a student-friendly environment in a flat or PG near the college. Subsequently, one also thinks about having a typical bachelor’s experience. In hindsight, a student comes with hope and determination to lead an independent life for the next few years.

And then comes the problem of plenty. The problem of plenty roots within the luxury of abundance. The abundance of resources, time and affinity. Just like “you” took your abdomen for granted and got marred by a deadly disease, I got marred by the assurance of resources and time.

Once I left the comfort of domestication and set foot out in the real world, I saw a lot of opportunities, experiences to seek, and things to try. A distorted sleeping cycle, untimely eating habits, eating whatever I got at hand, etc. became common practices. Exploiting the freedom I had was the foremost task my mind was alluded to do once I got out of home. Now, I could dare to miss classes on a regular basis and still sleep in peace, unlike my home where my parents would have ranted out their frustration had I missed classes so frequently. And academics – you remember the 11th-hour lovers I mentioned initially? I became that student inadvertently.

But then, the grass is always greener on the other side. When I see it from another perspective, I realise the vast amount of experience I am extracting at such a young age. I am maturing as a person, learning to tackle emotional and mental upheavals, discovering the value of every teardrop I shed. I am making friends who I am sure will become family to me if I hold on to them.  And if with great responsibility comes with great power, this independence, this abundance is nothing but power to me!

 

Image Credits: Adventure In Adventure Out

 

Priyanshu

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

Physical Wellness in College Students

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In their college years, students pay no attention to their physical wellness which has hazardous implications in future. Here’s delving deep into the subject and discussing the changes one needs to bring in their lifestyle to improve their physical health.

College years can be some of the most stressful years for a student- both mentally and physically. You are overburdened with academics, society activities, friends and social life, and so much more.

In such a scenario, students, more often than not, forget taking care of themselves and pay no attention to their physical wellness. Several unhealthy habits ingrained during college years often deteriorate their health which become the root of health issues later in life.

How often do you prefer eating out over cooking for yourself? Do you also spend the most amount of your day sitting in front laptop completing your assignment or well, just binging shows on Netflix?

During college years, students, especially those living in hostels, find themselves involved into unhealthy eating habits like eating junk food very often, binging on unhealthy snacks during midnight study sessions, heavy dependence on caffeine among others. Excessive intake of such unhealthy high-on-calorie food items leads to problems like obesity.

There’s also a considerable reduction in the number of physical activities performed by college students as compared to when they were in school. Lack of any compulsory physical exercise like sports in college gives students numerous reasons to never leave the comfort of their cozy beds and go out in the fresh air. Physical lethargy leads to mental lethargy, robbing students of concentration and an active mind.

In conversation with DU Beat, Sakshi from Kamala Nehru College (KNC) said that she didn’t remember the last time she played any sport during her college years. She also added that regular intake of junk food and soft drinks have become the norm of college life.

This decline in attention towards physical health is worrisome, for it may have several hazardous implications for students.

Thus, it’s quite important for college students to become aware of their daily physical habits and to not ruin it further every day. Small changes are key to bringing about a major change in one’s physical lifestyle.

Prefer cooking at home over regularly binging junk food outside. Try healthier snack options during your late night study sessions. Get up from your bed and chair every hour, take a walk outside in the fresh air, and give your body some physical movement like sports and exercise. Simran from Gargi College said, “I have started exercising daily in my hostel itself due to lack of time to go to the gym. It helps me feel rejuvenated and healthy.”

Engaging in sports brings an individual not only physical benefits but they also leave the person mentally fresh and energised. Dharna Bothra from KNC said, “I feel extremely active and energised not only physically but also mentally after playing sports.”

So, put your phones down, get up from your beds and take a long walk outside. Do your physical health a favor!

Feature Image Credits: Northern Lights College

Shreya Agrawal

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Vivekananda College Denies Admit Cards to Students with Low Attendance; Clashes follow

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Clashes between the students and administration broke out at Vivekananda College Friday as students with low attendance were denied admit cards. The administration is allegedly manhandling the students, the teachers not signing the medical certificates, and the Students’ Union, too, is being uncooperative. 

 Violence broke out in Vivekananda College on Monday when the students whose attendance fell short were not given admit cards. These students also went on a hunger strike from the 30th April to the 1st May.

On 25th April, a list had been circulated, which mentioned the names of students whose attendance was lower than 67%. It also said that these students were not applicable for receiving admit cards unless they presented a medical certificate. The students’ pleas to the administration went unanswered, so they resorted to violence, breaking the windows etc. of the college.

The strike finally came to a halt when the officiating Principal, Dr Hina Nandrajog, met the students. Priyanka, the President of the Students’ Union, said that the Principal agreed to accept medical certificates for the fifth and the sixth semesters. According to our sources, many teachers have refused to sign the medical certificates saying that it is ‘unethical’ and they might lose their jobs if they do.

The detained students haven’t been allowed to enter the college in the last two days, security forces have been deployed to stop them from coming in. A new rule dictates that the students must be accompanied by teachers in order to enter college premises. According to the protesters, the teachers have stopped answering their phone calls.

“Students have protested and a hunger strike also happened but the admin remains unshaken. Now she (the Principal) has banned our entry in the college and there is police force to stop us from entering our own college. We are the ID card holders of the college and still, we are not allowed to enter…(sic) So, I guess that isn’t fair. Though we have short attendance, I guess the principal should listen to us and provide us with a solution rather than just declaring that we need to repeat the session,” said a detained student who wished to stay anonymous.

For many students, the semester exam begins on the 6th of May, and for some, the looming fear of repeating the session hangs in the air. “Some people could have genuine issues and some students have financial issues and cannot repeat the session at any cost. What about them? I do understand the rules of the college but there is a solution if the principal is fair enough,” added another student.

Priyanka denied the allegation that students couldn’t get their medical certificate signed. “They stirred up violence in the college, they protested, I asked them to calm down but they didn’t listen. They must be polite with the teachers and respect them; nothing can move forward otherwise.”

The protesters, on the other hand, claim that the Students’ Union has barely shown any support.

“They didn’t work for us all year, they don’t even come to college these days, they told us that they need to study for their exams and stayed home while we were being manhandled by the administration and the police. How do we trust them?” added another detained student.

“I waited outside the college gate in this heat for hours today, they wouldn’t let me in,” said a detained student “I don’t know what options do we have left anymore, we wrote applications to the principal, Dean of social welfare and the Vice Chancellor of the university. We are awaiting their response.”

Speaking to DU Beat, Sidharth Yadav, State Secretary, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Delhi said, “Students from various colleges are suffering because the university is strictly imposing the requirement for minimum attendance but have ignored the prerequisite condition of the minimum number of classes in an academic year. ABVP has taken up the issue in various colleges like Vivekanand, Ram Lal Anand, Ramanujan, Janaki Devi Memorial College, Jesus and Mary College, amongst others and we are fighting so that students don’t suffer. The strike by the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) had suspended the classes for a long time and so the students are at the suffering end. Few colleges are even not accepting medical certificates or are not acknowledging ECA certificates. This is a sad state. We demand that either university should have organised tutorial/remedial classes or there should be relaxation to the criteria.

In a video posted online, protesters are seen banging against the big black metal college gate in a fit of rage, they swing it around in hopes to break it open. In light of the same, many from both the teacher and the student community are of the opinion that it was the protesting students who were in the wrong. “These students have very low attendance,” says Bhavya, a student of Vivekananda College. “After being denied the admit card, they resorted to violence. Windows were shattered and they were abusing our principal, after which the principal decided to call the police. A friend told me that the protesters tried to disrupt the practical exams last week. Their behaviour towards the administration was completely unacceptable and wrong.”

The President ensures that most of the students will get their admit cards by Monday; however, the protesters remain doubtful, their future uncertain.

Shakti Singh came to the college on 7th May, broke open the gates along with the protesters and barged into the Principal’s office. Even after repeated pleas of the students, Nandrajog refused to budge from her decision to not grant admit cards to students with attendance of less than 67%.
The protesters even sat in front of her car to block the way, but were forcibly removed by the police. They are thinking of moving to the HC with a case against her.
Today, 8th May, parents of the students will come to the college to have a word with the Principal.

Image Credits: DU Beat

 

 

Jaishree Kumar

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Smart ID Cards Proposed for DU Students

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The standing council of the admissions committee of Delhi University (DU) made a proposal for issuing ‘smart’ identity cards to the students in the coming academic session.

Dean of Student Welfare, Rajeev Gupta, chairperson of the committee, said that such cards, once approved, would help bring uniformity and was an attempt at improving the overall infrastructure of the university. The cards are said to be integrated with health centres to help students avail their facilities. They might also help in keeping real-time record of the entry and exit of students from colleges.

As the cards would become operational only in July when the new academic session for 2019-20 starts, the University can have sufficient time to set up the necessary infrastructure required for its implementation, The Hindu quoted Rajiv Gupta, Dean of Student Welfare and Chairperson of the committee as saying.

DU Beat spoke to Rasal Singh, Professor at Kirori Mal College and member of the committees. He gave us some insight into the same.

Objectives: The card is expected to bring uniformity. It will have the DU logo on one side and the college logo on the other. It will also carry the University registration number which is given to every student when they apply to DU.

Features: The nitty-gritties have not been finalised but some of the ideas include integration with the libraries to keep a record of books issued by students. It may also serve as an identification card that can be used to rent bicycles from metro stations and be integrated with metro or bus passes. Apart from this, it will serve as a regular college ID card.

Challenges: Whenever there’s a new policy or idea, some difficulties do arise. That might be the case here also, but that can be managed.

Current Status: The meeting took place on 18th April. There is consensus on the card. It is expected to be rolled out from the next academic session.

 

 

Image credits – DU Beat Archives

 

Prateek Pankaj

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Campus Central

Importance of Developing Emotional Quotient in College

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Here’s why developing emotional quotient in college going students is extremely important.

School years are the formative years of one’s life which makes an individual ready to go and face the world outside. But, it is college years which makes him/her able to surpass the bottlenecks of life and make him/her workplace ready.

College and workplace environment pose a series of difficult challenges in personal, academic, and professional aspects of one’s life. Handling those challenges require not only one’s technical acumen but also emotional intelligence. Ability to tackle all the problems without losing calm, analysing the situation objectively, and resolving conflicts are some of the important skills to possess if one intends to work with a large set of people.

Thus, developing emotional quotient (EQ) in college students becomes extremely pertinent. Emotional intelligence forms the juncture at which cognition and emotion meet, it facilitates our capacity for resilience, motivation, empathy, reasoning, stress management, communication, and our ability to read and navigate a plethora of social situations and conflicts. All of these skills are what drives one towards growth and success. No wonder, EQ is the seventh most important prerequisite while hiring people for a job.

College life comes with its own set of emotional challenges and to smartly sail through them is something not everyone is capable of. Working in a team and leading one can become extremely challenging if one doesn’t have emotional intelligence high enough to understand oneself and others, or resolve any conflict that arises.

If you think that EQ comes with maturity and experiences, then you are mistaken. EQ can also be developed consciously through training. University of Delhi has also recognized its significance and has introduced soft skills in its curriculum as a skill enhancement subject.

It is important for an enhanced awareness towards the importance of development of emotional quotient among students along with other academic and technical skills.

Feature Image Credits: Corporate Finance Institute

 

Shreya Agrawal

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DUB Speak

A Checklist: Things to Do Before Graduation

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As college comes to a close, here is another cliché checklist about things to do before graduating. Don’t fail this checklist by our Associate Editor, even if you failed your New Year resolutions because you get to graduate only once.

This list is not based on expert advice; neither should it be the ultimate measure of doing college right (as if #goals on Instagram were not enough to make us feel inadequate). Here are a bunch of things, outgoing students should do in April:

–    What is more impossible than a Goa trip? A mass bunk. Execute a successful one before the last working day.

–    Refer to page seven and visit the touristy spots near campus one more time (or even better, for the first time). Don’t forget to use #wanderlust.

–    Channelise all your krantikaari (rebellious) vibes and attend a protest.

–     Pick a quiet day to sit in the library and just read. Experience the quiet solitude as you finish the assignment; it’s quite meditative. Some people say that on a lonely day if you press your ear against the bookshelves, you could hear them whispering.

–    Reflect on the conflicts you had in college, be it with any society member, a classmate, or a faculty. Analyse what happened and try to resolve it. But, most importantly, if you don’t find a closure, then let it go. Recall the hurt, anger, guilt for one last time, and let it evaporate.

–    Scribble your initials on a college desk, and if you are feeling more adventurous, then make graffiti on campus walls (inspiration: Free G.N. Saibaba). Don’t get caught.

–    Visit Central Library, University Stadium (there is a free gym with treadmills and the usual works), and spend some time around the VC lodge.

–    Sample canteen food. Remember the suspicious – looking dish that you have been avoiding? Order it now.

–    Click pictures of your college in the morning light, during the golden hour, and post 6 p.m. Capture your friends, college pets, and yourself. Catalogue the mundane sans the filter; these pictures will be precious later. Don’t click it for Instagram, do it just for the memories.

–    It is the final semester; sort your reading material.

–    Attend a full day of classes (including the 8:30 a.m. lecture) and actively participate in every lecture.

–    If you don’t dress up extra in college, then when will you?  Hence, unleash your #OOTD genius and dress to impress.

–    Tell your crush you like them #AajKuchToofaniKarteHai (#LetsBeCrazyToday).

–    Lay your outfit on Sunday night, declutter your college bag, and for once, be excited for Monday.

–    Write a letter to your college, department, society, or anyone. Lay bare your thoughts and feelings.

–    Graduation is inevitable, and life is only going to get real from now on. Rather than waiting for the withdrawal symptoms to hit you in the face, start the process of letting go already.

–    Forgive yourself for not being “productive” or “good enough.” What made you think you could survive college without breakdowns and disappointments? Overconfidence – that is the answer. College is a coming out of age experience for many of us. It is the first time when we get drunk, take responsibility for ourselves, and bargain for freedom. In this process, we make several mistakes (or worse, we assume to have made mistakes). As long as you learn your lesson, it is fine. Early adulthood is tough already, so congratulations on making it to the last semester. In the words of Frank McCourt, “You have to give yourself credit, not too much because that would be bragging.”

 

Afterthoughts: For some of us, it is a shame we can’t just admit that college was dreadful and that one can’t relate to the nostalgia. We would rather dump the farewell, get that degree, sell our books, and leave. A quick goodbye, ta-ta!  Well, we can do it by all means; yet regardless of how uneventful these three years were, everyone deserves to have pleasant memories. I wish you would give this phony checklist a chance.

Feature Image Credits: Saubhagya Saxena for DU Beat

Niharika Dabral

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Campus Central

Ramjas College administration: will Not accept Articles on Politics

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The administration has put out a notice asking students to refrain from sending articles on political themes.

In a recent move by the Ramjas College administration, articles with political themes will not be accepted for the college magazine Anand Parvat but rather, students are encouraged to submit ‘generalised’ writings instead. A further notice was sent clarifying that students may send the article on any topic but, which stated that, “students should however take precautions that the Election Commission of India has issued certain guideline to give views on social media in light of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections”.

The move apparently comes after the February 2017 clashes in Ramjas which erupted after Umar Khalid was called for a seminar organised by the literary society and the department of English.  Repeated censorship and systemic silencing in Ramjas has been condemned by the students.

“I don’t understand how can academic space be divorced from the political and read in isolation, that too in a college like Ramjas, whose walls smell of resistance and dissent. I find it very immature and undemocratic on the part of the administration to issue such an arbitrary notice.” said Yash Chaudhary, a third year statistics student.

Dr. Vinita Chandra, an associate professor at the Department of English who was previously a faculty advisor to the student editorial board remarked that this was the first time in Ramjas’ history where the magazine was brought under the staff council, “the money for the college student magazine comes from the students…College magazines, like school magazines, are meant to provide students a platform to express their creativity and their ideas about college life and the world they live in. It is not meant to be an academic journal. An administration that thinks it needs to censor its students and is afraid of allowing them to speak is truly out of touch with young people and needs to look into the reasons for its mindset.” she added.

The drastic move has also brought about resistance from the students. The Students Federation of India (SFI) plans on organising a protest on the 18th of April, 2019 in the college premises against the administration. Resistance follows Ramjas in uproar on social media and posters in college as the administration remains mum on the move.

“Well, the kind of censorship being seen in a space like Ramjas only further reiterates that there isn’t a better time to serve your country by writing politically, and keep fascism at bay” said another student, who would like to remain anonymous.

According to a Hindustan Times report, magazine convenor G. Chilana said that he had received complaints from various departments about the notice. “We are not sidelining any department or subject. We just want students to write more on academic issues rather than about any political event or ideology which has no relevance for the magazine. They should understand this,” Chilana said.

 

Image Credits: DU Beat archives

Jaishree Kumar

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Campus Central

Fest Season: A First Experience

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Massive crowds, endless music and celebrations, food, and fun; fest season in the varsity was a delightful time, with its own moments of ups and downs.

“For the longest time, having lived around the North Campus since childhood, I had heard a lot about college fests. We could hear the music at our home, the roads jammed because of crowds, hundreds of students seeking shelter in the cafes of Hudson Lane. I had anticipated a great time for my own first-hand experience and truly, the hype lived up to it all!” An excited first-year student from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) exclaimed, reminiscing the good time he had at Crossroads – the annual cultural festival of SRCC.

The fest season is, undoubtedly, one of the most exciting times on campus. Seeing as how it has almost come to an end by now, some of us have been left asking for more. Amidst the glamour and celebrations, there is a sense of connect that builds up between people. From charged dances to singing songs together at concerts, we all come closer. And it is these moments that some of the fondest memories of college life materialise.

Having observed most of the major fests in campus; from Reverie to Mecca, spread over almost two months, there was one thing that remained constant. Despite all the problems due to huge crowds and corresponding unruly behaviors exhibited by some people, there was a lot of joy that hit at the end of it all. “And that is what matters,” said Atima Bakshi from Hindu College, “To feel this sense of togetherness and joy with the right people.”

Truly, with the right company, enjoyment multiplies manifolds. Even as fests have become spaces for interactions and connections and celebrations, there is a lot that is awry about their organisation that needs addressing. For instance, dealing with some uncontrolled fanatics who barge into crowds; inebriated and wild. Fests have not been entirely joyous for a lot of people. There have been reports of people indulging in inappropriate behavior during fests. It is almost right to claim that fests have been given to celebrate cringe-worthy displays of power, usually by drunk men perpetrating toxic ideals of masculinity.

Every college union attempts to invite the most famous artists to their fests. This year saw performers like DJ Chetas, Guru Randhawa, Jassie Gill, Vishal-Shekhar, and Jubin Nautiyal with various other bands like The Local Train and Indian Ocean. This pursuit for the most famous artist becomes an invitation to a more rowdy crowd. Although the central idea is to invite the participation of maximum people, it is undermined by how poorly the crowds are managed.

For everyone who witnessed these fests for the first time, certainly the experience has been an amazing learning opportunity. Undoubtedly, it was an absolute joy listening to The Local Train’s tracks, or dancing to Vishal-Shekhar’s peppy Bollywood numbers at Crossroads and Mecca, respectively. But it was also a study in tolerance.

The idea of the fests wherein all colleges and their respective societies and departments conduct so many interesting activities, allowing an exploration into a plethora of talents of students, is also commendable. In the highly commercialised food stalls and high-end designed posters and merchandise, it is good that a space for art and aesthetics is retained.

Street plays, dance performances, fashion shows, singing competitions, or fine arts’ events and exhibits captured the spectators in stunning displays of aesthetics. Hansraj College’s Swaranjali to Hindu College’s Alankaar, or Gargi College’s Enliven to Miranda House’s Tanz – every respective society in their respective events presented perfections. The hard-work and efforts put in by students throughout the year were made absolutely apparent, with the performances only improving successively from Reverie to Tempest to Mecca.

As it was a first experience for many of us, it was also some people’s third and final time celebrating companionship and love and joy at a concert in their college. “This season has always been a blast. It is so difficult to believe that it has finally come to an end. But I feel that despite my third year, this was a first experience and it was superb. So I guess we could call this a first too!” said Bakhtawar Iqbal from Hindu College as he exited from the scintillating Vishal-Shekhar concert at his college, one last time.

There is some simple yet elevated joy in this season; something that I felt so strongly, something that I cannot wait to feel again. What about you?

Feature Image Credits: Saubhagya Saxena for DU Beat

Kartik Chauhan

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Arts & Culture

Netflix: A Market of its Own

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The current generation seems to be getting too engaged with the virtual world of web-series and movies. How has it really affected us, as a generation?

Netflix was launched in India in the beginning of 2016, and though it has not been earning any profits until now, it has managed to become a part of the daily lives of the people who have used it. This article aims to look into the various effects that the coming of Netflix to India has had upon the generation of today.

  • The addiction

Not only has Netflix seeped into our lives with trendy shows and movies, but it has become a part of us. There are shows that have created their own set of fan-base (like Sacred Games, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Riverdale, etc.) and have come up with multiple seasons, only to hook the audience to their respective screens. Where on one hand, it has opened up multiple possibilities for creative minds to explore the realm of filmmaking and content-writing, it has also – in many ways – taken the form of a habit in the present generation.

The association of millennials (especially Indians) with web series and movies is an interesting thing to explore and analyse. A recent study in psychology has shown that the present generation is showing extremely high levels of stress and anxiety. Watching shows online relieves us from this stress, lifts us from our stressful lives, and gives us a glimpse of the world that we yearn to live in. When the casual watching turns into an activity the day seems incomplete without – that is hard to tell. A teacher from the English Department of Daulat Ram College expressed her concern regarding the same by saying, “I’m concerned about sleep deprivation and a neglect of important responsibilities in millennials, which stem as a result of binge-watching the series available on Netflix and other such platforms.” There have been cases of video addiction in recent times where teenagers were reported to be going crazy if they were not allowed to watch something.

  • The procrastination

A second-year student had this to say about procrastination and Netflix- “Both are- to a great extent- proportionate.” This sums up the whole argument of how once one is absorbed by a series, it is difficult to let go of it and, by extension, it results in procrastination. Another second-year student expressed how once when she started watching a particular show, she just couldn’t stop herself as she was overwhelmed by the feeling of getting over with it, and this feeling was intertwined with a fear of spoilers.

It is overwhelming indeed, when the mystery keeps one going incessantly and to a point where it’s hard to tell if we are controlling Netflix, or if Netflix is controlling us. This is exactly where the capitalist approach of the times comes in. Our procrastination is governed by a platform that is basically feeding on our own money.

  • Peer pressure

A major issue in today’s time of Game of Thrones, Sacred Games, 13 Reasons Why, etc. is that one tends to automatically feel left out if one has not watched the shows and the friends cannot stop referring to/talking about it. Subconsciously, we are inclined to think that there is something wrong with us, we are lacking something, or are behind when people all around us make constant allusions to virtual scenarios we are too distant from. It is only natural to think in that way, but at times it compels you to follow in the same old, worn out trend of watching a show just so you can relate better with your peers. The real question to ask here is: what is your relationship based upon, if it depends solely on what somebody else thought about something and how they interpreted it?

The ‘moving with the mob’ mentality has sadly seeped into our brains, and we have been victimised into mere objects for the capitalism-driven world. It is now up to us to decide if we want to step out of it right now, or let it take control of our time and being.

Feature Image Credits: TODAY

Akshada Shrotryia

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