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The Stolen Sixth Semester: Woes of a Final-Year Student

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Read the words of our Editor-in-Chief for one last time, before she graduates, as she complains about her stolen sixth semester.

I remember last year, around this time, I was preparing for the farewell ceremony for my seniors at DU Beat- my phone would blow up with some 250 random messages on WhatsApp, endless calls discussing the venue, theme, gifts, and what not. At that time, I didn’t actually understand what the final semester meant to my seniors because I was too engrossed thinking about how life and work would be without them being around. But I also had the settling feeling that I would know when time comes.

Cut to 2020, the last semester of my college life as an undergraduate student, sitting at home, writing this article, and thinking about where my last semester went. I think of the stuff I would have been doing with my college friends and my team at this wonderful organisation.

However, I have always believed ‘expect the unexpected’ and I think that this is the only thing that is keeping me sane in such uncertain times. As kids, most of us might have experienced an unsettling feeling when somebody would snatch out a lollipop from our mouth. This is exactly what happened to our final semester.

Having said this, I would not talk only about the sad situation we are in. As a graduating student, a host of memories flash in front of me right now- the day I got admitted to the University of Delhi(DU), the day I met my college best friend, and the day I joined this organisation.

The three years of my college life have been the most challenging, yet the best years of my life. From being a student coming out of the protected cocoon of school life to graduating college with confidence and an identity, this is what these three years have made me. As college students, we are stuck with assignments, internals, submissions, deadlines, placements, societies, and endless preoccupations.

The nationwide lockdown gave me enough time to introspect and surprisingly, all that mattered to me during this difficult time were the people. I realised that my college life was not only defined by a degree or my friends, but also the security guard of my college who would wish ‘Good morning bacchon’ every morning, the canteen staff who would talk about their families, and the housekeeping staff of the college who would smile and wish me luck before every exam.

I wish I could get to relive all this one last time because I didn’t know that the chai I had on 6th March in my college canteen was the last cup I would have with my college friends while Ravi bhaiya (college canteen staff) talked about his Holi plans. You know something impacts you a great deal when you are unable to write about it without being cheesy and clichéd. It’s a faux-pas I’m willing to indulge in for the sake of honesty.

As much as I have talked about the final year students, I would also like to talk about the juniors. They are also the ones who hope to give their seniors the most memorable days of their college life. The end semester is also a reminder that they have become older, and are now themselves seniors. It’s a nostalgic time for the third-year students but what we often forget is how overwhelming it is for the juniors as well.

Dear Delhi University, the batch of 2020 will miss their last fest season, internals, college parties, night stays, bunks, submissions, and the last lectures and yes, they will miss you too- a place which gave them friendships, lessons, and lots of memories.

Feature Image Source: Anoushka Sharma for DU Beat

Anoushka Sharma

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DUB Speak

Bucket List for DU’s Third-year Students

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For those of you who have entered your last year of college, stop procrastinating and live your college life to the fullest before it gets too late. 

From preparing for competitive exams and sitting for placement cells to having an existential crisis about what to do next, third year can be very busy and stressful. However, this is also the last time you might get to do the cliché college stuff and have fun with people who have become your close friends over the past two years. Who knows what might happen after college; so live in the now and here, and have a wholesome DU experience.

Image Credits: Justdial
Image Credits: Justdial
  1. Visit cliché DU hangouts- Places like Kamala Nagar, The Ridge, Hudson Lane, Sarojini Nagar, and Hauz Khas Village are the centre of student life in DU. A hub of students, frequent popular eateries, street shops and nightclubs are here and life as a DU student is incomplete without having visited these places. Tom Uncle’s Maggie Point, Kuremal Kulfi, and Sudama ki Chai are also must visit joints for a complete DU experience.

    Image Credits: Fuccha
    Image Credits: Fuccha
  2. Join a college society- DU is known for its vastly talented and diverse societies. Whether you are into classical dance or slam poetry or filmmaking, whether you want to be the next M.F. Husain or the next Beyonce, chances are that your college will have a society that you can join to not only better your skills, but also share your interests with likeminded people and make friends with people outside your class. It’s never too late to pursue something that you are passionate about but for third-year students, this is your last chance to join a college society and win laurels during college fests.

    Image Credits: Adithya Khanna for DU Beat
    Image Credits: Namrata Randhawa for DU Beat
  3. Take part in DU fests- One cannot possibly have had a full college experience without having engulfed themselves in DU fests. Full of cultural events, competitive competitions, food stalls and, most importantly, Pro Nights, the DU fest season is an entity in itself. Fests like SRCC’s Crossroads and Hindu’s Mecca are highly popular and must be attended (i.e. if you can get the much sought after passes). Outgoing third-year students should get all that they can out of their last fest season.

    Image Credits: Anushree Joshi for DU Beat
    Image Credits: Anushree Joshi for DU Beat
  4. Give voice to your opinions- College is an important part of one’s life, especially for personal development. DU provides us with an opportunity to form independent thoughts and express our views to others on our terms. DUSU elections are an important part of DU and so is student activism. This is your last chance as a conscious and aware college student to take part in protests that you believe in or maybe even start your college political career by entering DU’s complex political sphere.

    Image Credits: Anushree Joshi for DU Beat
    Image Credits: Anushree Joshi for DU Beat
  5. Explore Delhi’s student-friendly fests and events- Delhi is a beautiful city and one must visit Old Delhi and other historical places in the city, but Delhi is also home to many annual fests and events that are student-centric. Whether you are a Marvel and DC geek, a self proclaimed art critic or a 24/7 foodie, Delhi has something or the other always going on for you- from Delhi Comic Con to Delhi International Jazz Festival, from India Art Fair to Horn Ok Please. As a DU student, especially if you are an outstation one, you must take advantage of living in a multicultural metropolitan while you still can. Further education or great job opportunities might take you away from Delhi next year.

    Image Credits: DU Beat
    Image Credits: Ayush Chauhan
  6. Just take that trip- You know that Goa or Kasol trip that you have been planning with your friends since the first semester? The one that you have been postponing, again and again, cause of some reason or the other? Ya, that one. Well, you’re in your third year now, so it’s now or never. The year is full of long weekends and two semester breaks, so fix your itinerary or better yet, be spontaneous and just take that one college trip that you have been talking about since forever before you seize to be a college kid!

Feature Image Credits: Adithya Khanna for DU Beat

Juhi Bhargava

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To-Be Third Years, Your Sanity is Significant

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Read to know about the third year’s mental and physical pressures, and what you should do to prioritise your mental sanity over every aspiration for perfection.

If someone asks me about my experience in the last year of college, my usual reply starts with “traumatic,” “stressful,” and ends with a “Thank god! It’s ending.” As much as I talk about my course being an absolute mismatch with what I had expected, it would be grossly unfair to make these incorrect statements. Rephrasing my earlier assertion – the University of Delhi (DU) has taught me everything I need to know, but my course contents. In this “everything” I found umpteenth life lessons that no school or professor could have taught me. The biggest, and possibly the most crucial, piece of information here is a simple remark – ‘nothing is more important than your mental sanity.’ A kind senior of mine reiterated this sentence enough times for me to remember for a lifetime, and I thank her for this.
This statement held the most importance for me when I was about to begin my third year in college. Right now, with college society elections around the corner, most second-years are filled with the same crippling anxiety and fear. Many have already started prepping for entrances, while others have begun campaigning for the respective position they wish to take up in the next year. For those who emerge lucky, the moment when they are elected to take up the position of responsibility of their choice becomes one of the most fulfilling memories of their college life. A fresh hope of leading the society to newer heights is ignited, and they embark on a journey of success and failure in equal measures.
In this quest to fulfill the supremely high expectations of seniors, we imbibe from them a culture which embraces perfectionism, and we develop a work thic which strives to follow procedure in a similar fashion as they did. Oftentimes, we become so invested in an association that we give priority to it over everything else – friends, family, and sometimes even our career. This blind faith in the mechanical workaholic culture and putting precedence of the society over everything is, sadly, toxic.
In this system, where graduating seniors urge their juniors to work harder and take the society to newer heights, no one utters the words “take care” with equal emphasis, or usually leave this bit in the post – script. No one says it often enough, that we need to prioritise our career and health over everything else, and that an all – consuming behaviour by virtue of heading a society or an institution is problematic at the behest. Many end up micromanaging most of the work, which leads to a toxic work environment, not only for them but also for those peers who wish to learn.
While it is important to do justice to the position one has been elected to, it is a different ball game when that individual has to juggle society with marks and all the other baggage that the third year comes with. Third year is not easy for most, and acceptance of this is the only way forward. Anyone who says otherwise is either blessed with god – gifted abilities or is simply bluffing their way out of everything. Third – year is an important juncture, which has many minute yet important decisions, and a lot of us do not possess the luxury to fail academically and rely on our parents as a back – up.
Despite all this, it comes to an end, which is when the realisation of taking unnecessary stress because of “that one error I missed out from editing” or “that one prop that I forgot to place” comes into the forefront. I am glad I had a senior who reminded me to not take extreme pressures and enjoy my last year in college alongside the work. Hopefully, more seniors can be the same guiding light for a junior who is about to take up the same, seemingly intimidating role they once held.

 

Feature Image Credits: NDTV

 

Vijeata Balani

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DUB Speak

For the Seniors Lost in a Tide of Freshers

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The beginning of the year brings with it countless pieces of advice for the first-year students. From where to eat and shop to how to ace society auditions, there’s no dearth of literature to help guide the fucchas through this tumultuous time. What inevitably ends up happening during this time is that the second- and third-year students lack any sort of guidance as they attempt to navigate the remainder of their college lives. So here we are, doing our bit to ensure the seniors aren’t left out.

Let’s start with the second-years. With barely anything to lose, this batch is the most relaxed of all DU students. Having gone through society auditions and having dealt with the hectic trauma of internals and attendance woes, second year students are inherently wiser and calmer. While it sounds great at first, this laid back attitude can often get the better of them. Case in point: yours truly. My second year, especially the fourth semester, was a whirlwind of non-academic activities. Attending debsoc sessions and covering fests for DU Beat provided me with legitimate reasons (read: excuses) to skip class on an almost daily basis. With deep regret, I confess that if I could go back and do it all over, I’d prioritise my lectures over my cosy bed and a boring fest. So there you have it – don’t relax too much, or you’ll come to regret it.

For the third-years, as much as it pains me to say this – think about your future. You don’t want to end up in a pile of tears when the fifth semester ends, when all your friends have already applied to foreign universities and you still aren’t sure about what you want to pursue further. The task is daunting but necessary – take out some time, maybe an hour each day, to do substantial research for your future plans. If you want to continue your education, look at all possible options – foreign universities, Indian universities, DU. Find out whether the admissions are entrance-based or merit-based. For foreign universities, it’s essential to have a variety of documents which you’ll need to have ready well in advance. If, on the other hand, you want to work straight out of college, keep an eye out for job opportunities. Try to intern as much as you can. Be proactive and work quickly to avoid those pangs of guilt when you later realise that you could have accomplished so much more had you just started earlier. And, of course, give it your all when it comes to DU – actually study for your internals, go to all those crowded star nights, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

So the next time you feel smothered by freshers-related content, refer to this for an insight of what to do and not to do as a senior!

 

Feature Image Credits: Equinox 

Vineeta Rana
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Campus Central

DUSU protests for failed third year students, University to look into the issue

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Members of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) staged a protest at the North Campus of University of Delhi on Wednesday after the announcement of the results of the third year students not clearing the exam took to the news. Slogans demanding “Third-year students be promoted” rang outside gate number four of the university, as many students gathered to demand that they should be promoted, despite failing.

A number of third-year students failed in their practicals and in turn, failed to clear their third year. The students claimed that they were not informed that they had to pass individual components of a course in order to clear a subject, and hence their failing in the course was ‘unfair.’ Members of DUSU claimed that they had received applications asking for help from as many as 2000 students, most of whom had failed the practical component of a subject in their fifth semester: At least 700 applications from B.Com programme students who failed in practicals in Computer Applications, students who have had issues in Music, B.Com (H), and Statistics (H).

“I had scored 36 out of 45 in theory, and seven out of 15 in internals in Computer Applications which are both above the passing grade of 40%. Even my total score of 56% was above the passing grade. However, they said I have failed the subject because I have scored only 13 out of 40 in my practical exams. I was never told by my teachers, or my college, that I would need to pass theory, practical and internals separately to clear the subject,” said a B.Com programme student of Laxmi Bai College.

Meanwhile, DU officials have said that a committee had been formed to look into the issue and will check if the students have been misinformed. Relevant steps will be taken to resolve the issue.

Feature Image credits: www.hindustantimes.com

Radhika Boruah

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The ever-changing emotions and many moods of a third year student

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“Knock,knock!”
“Who is there?”
“Your final year of college.”

Where is the punch line, you ask? There isn’t any, my friend. Because believe me, when the third year of college comes knocking at your door, it is no joke.

The last two semesters of college are an emotional roller-coaster ride, where your life will constantly swivel among emotions of joy, anxiety, ambition, depression and nostalgia. These emotions will be felt at varying intensities at different stages, thereby dividing your last year of college into the following four phases:

PHASE 1: NOSTALGIA and DEPRESSION

When you start your fifth semester, the realisation of being a senior and having just one more year of college to look forward to dawns on you, sending you into a mood of reminiscence. You start looking at every aspect of college through the memories you’ve lived by it. So every nook and cranny will remind you of a beautiful moment, etched in your mind for eternity. The canteen will bring to mind those joyous moments spent bunking lectures; old professors met near the staff room will remind you of boring/interesting lectures; the sports field will remind you of the fun-filled fest season and so on. Waking up to the fact that time has literally flown by and that you have just one more year to relish college life, will, send you into a downward spiral of depression.

PHASE 2: SELF-DOUBT and ANXIETY

Even before you can nurse yourself from the depression, you’ll be handed yet another blow, this time on the academic and professional front. Suddenly, everyone you meet will ask you just one question: what next? Most of us have no clue. And before you know it, you’re swimming in the deep, dark sea of consternation.

PHASE 3: AMBITION and DRIVE

You’re half-way there now, and start gaining some sort of clarity about the future. This lucidity is further encouraged by college placements. As you sit for multiple companies and profiles, your motivational drive gets a good boost. You feel this sense of maturity, a feeling and realisation that you’re all grown up now and must shortly set foot into the big, bad world. This phase does wonders to your self-esteem and confidence. In a way, your curve begins to peak.

PHASE 4: BITTER SWEET JOY

You can see the finish line. By now, you’ve either got a job in hand, or have cleared entrances to fortify your higher education opportunity. All the fests are over. Your farewell is coming up and after that, you will take the last set of collegiate exams. Now is when you begin to experience a bitter sweet joy. Bitter, for all that you’re going to leave behind; yet pleasantly sweet because you’re about to enter another stage in your life.

Finally, as you bid adieu to college life, you hark back to the three wonderful years that have gone by. These years, as they say, may never come back. Yet, to have them safely and securely placed in a precious corner of your mind, heart and soul, is in itself, beautiful and cherish-worthy.

Image credits: collegecandy.com

Kriti Sharma
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DUB Speak

Third year blues: Where did these three years go?

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It’s the third year of college, with the last few days left. It’s the time when you are flooded with questions like, “So what are you doing after college” or “Placements ho gayi”?  Days fly by and you still can’t seem to find  an answer to such questions.


This is how college life goes. You enter first year, with ideas afresh and goals set. Second year comes with rejections, low marks and assignment deadlines. By third year, all you care about is getting your favourite spot in the canteen or in deciding how to maximize your enjoyment constraint to the attendance limits.


College, college, college. Where did these three years go? Did it go in practicing in ECA for the upcoming college fests? Did it go in deciding how to study ‘smartly’ for the exam? Did it go in waiting for magi in the Nescafe rush? Did it go in waiting for maggi to come back? Did it go in helping a friend get over a bad break-up? Did it go in the DUSU election buzz? Did it go in planning late night parties in Hauz Khas or did it go in deciding where to buy booze from? Did it go in copying assignments or running behind teachers for attendance woes? College happened and all of this happened too.


It’s strange how everything seems to have ended so fast. It still feels like 2013 when all of us were busy checking cut-offs, rushing to Delhi, standing in those long queues for submitting the fees. It still feels like yesterday when adjusting in a new city and environment seemed like the toughest task ever. It still feels like the time when managing your own budget made you seem like an adult.


There’s a lot of nostalgia but you are forced to look forward. To decide what to do,  where and why to go.  Take a step back before you get a panic attack. Everything will be fine like it always was. You’ve got to decide your future but you don’t have to lose your mind. Didn’t your favourite actor AKA SRK once say, “Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.”  You are still left to do wonders which you will. You just have to be a little more organized.  And hey, in these last few days, enjoy a little more. Laugh a little harder because soon this would be history.
Ishita Sharma

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Here’s why you haven’t started studying yet

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If you’re scrolling down your newsfeed filled with guilt and wondering why this is all you have been doing for the last two hours and/or what you’re doing with your life in general then you are not alone.

With Diwali over, the preparatory leave already underway, admit card distributions days away there are literally no more excuses left to tell yourself, this IS the time to study and the reason to why you still haven’t started depends on just where you are in the course of your college life.

 

  • First Year
    No semester is harder to study for then your first. Let’s face it recovering from the boards and the trauma of the twelfth grade takes a lot longer than seven months and the first few months of exploring college, taking selfies and socializing doesn’t really help one get into a study mode. Add that to the “it’s okay, it’s just college” thought that has been playing in your head all week and you end up wondering why you aren’t on a road trip with your friends or taking a well-deserved nap considering you have successfully made it to Delhi University (seven months ago)
  • Second Year
    If you’ve had a very successful first year then it’s time for a well-deserved break, kick back and relax you’ll manage somehow or some way. If on the other hand you had told yourself all summer that this will be the year to change things and still cannot get yourself to get out of bed and open your books then you have officially hit a sophomore slump. If all you care about is surviving college for another semester well then you probably know that the concept of backs and failing no longer applies in which case all you have to do is just ensure you show up on the day of the exam.
  • Third Year
    You’ve given up. Having been to college this entire semester just to either give presentations or submit assignments you probably don’t have any desire to go give the exams either. Moreover, if you’ve been convincing yourself all this time that the dedication, hard work and zeal that enabled you to ace the boards more than two years ago will come back at some stage, well it’s your last year and it’s still not back yet so chances are it’s probably gone for good. So just do what you can to get through the next month and count the days till the fest season commences once again!

In conclusion it is officially the time to set an alarm, fix the old coffee machine, open those dreaded books and somehow salvage what’s left of this semester. So stop reading this and start studying if you haven’t already.

Image Credits: 9gag

Shraman Ghosh

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Jobs vs Master’s: The Third Year Dilemma

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For every third year student, the next few months are bound to be hard. Most of them are stuck in a dilemma about whether to pursue their Master’s degree or take up a job. This decision is critical as well as highly difficult. Adding to that, this decision is extremely subjective as well. Here are a few points that’ll help you decide:

 

  • Corporate Firms and MBA

It is common for commerce students to look for a job right after their graduation. There are certain reasons behind it. Some do it for work experience before doing an MBA, some enjoy working and they never do an MBA and some start their own businesses. For people working so that they can get some significant experience on their resume, their choice is stable (provided their resume is strong) and it will help their employability after their studies. Some IIMs demand work experience during interviews. For people who end up never doing a Master’s degree, things can be dodgy, unless they have the ability to reach to the top positions in a firm. But there is quick money if this is the choice.

 

  • Academics

In case someone is interested in an academic profile, a Master’s is a must. It is better to complete a Master’s course as early as possible. This is primarily because qualifying tests for academics such as NET and JRF are only open up to a certain age. Adding to that, one will not be eligible to teach unless they have a Masters degree.

 

  • Civil Services

This is a pretty subjective area. For people looking for State level exams and General Services, a graduation is sufficient for applying for a civil services exam. However in case someone is inclined to apply for an IES or ISS profile they require a Master’s degree in Economics or Statistics. Hence a Master’s is a better option in this case.

 

  • Civil Society

This is also a pretty subjective field. The profiles here are very vast. Every profile requires a certain qualification. For high level research openings a Master’s is definitely required. However for a data entry or survey position a graduation degree is generally sufficient but it depends on the organization.

 

  • For Scientific Research

This is quite obvious. A Master’s degree is necessary to pursue a career in scientific research, preferably followed by a PHD.

 

Ishaan Sengupta
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The perks (or not) of being a 3rd year

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Do you ever suffer from the common case of mild hysteria coupled with pangs of self derogation and just a tiny dash of “all-hope’s-lost”?

Well, then you’re probably a 3rd year student at any one of the colleges across Delhi University. But brace yourselves, for the waves of nostalgia that’ll wash over you in the final months of your life as an undergraduate are about to hit you, and hit you hard.

How could a poor soul deal with all of this at once without any sort of guidance and yet be expected to come out of it with flying colours (read marks)? We know it’s a stretch and that’s why we decided to help our brothers/sisters with a little sense of direction on how to go about this mammoth task.

  1. If you’re currently buried under a huge pile of projects/assignments/tests that need to be submitted within the next few days and the only way anywhere seems down;
    • Do not panic. Take deep breaths and try to organize the work and get a strategy in place even if you eventually end up not following your game plan. It just feels good to think you’re growing up.
    • For once, pay attention to the work and don’t just mindlessly copy from the nerd in class. This might be your last chance to take away something from three years of graduation.
  2. If the entrance exam results are driving you up the wall because you know you deserved more than that girl who didn’t even study;
    • Blame it on your bad luck. Tell everyone around you how you burnt the midnight oil trying to crack this one and how it was unfair on God’s part to put you through this. Not only will it help you get over the pain, but God might just take pity and turn your luck around.
    • Don’t depend solely on God’s benevolence and make alternative plans. Just because you didn’t clear this one entrance doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. Be open to alternative avenues and a little exploration.
  3. For if and when nostalgia hits you;
    • Throw a get-together/party/picnic that’ll be the best memory of the three years past and the one story that you’ll tell your future generations proudly.
    • Accept that it’s almost over, tell the people around you that you’ll probably miss them and snap out of it. There’s no better way, honestly.

Disclaimer: These are general life rules and not written in stone. Try and mold them according to your needs/situation. The least that Delhi University teaches its students is ‘jugaad’.

 

Surya Rajappan
[email protected] 

Image source- www.anxiety.com

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