What your DU degree can teach you about life
This week still has me recovering from the culture shock induced by the shift to college. In school, not wishing teachers was considered the equivalent of calling someone's baby ugly. Very touchy topic. On the other hand, greeting professors in college corridors evokes a variety of expressions. Shock, disbelief and amusement. They're not to be blamed of course. They've only adapted to the tradition of amiable greeting from students being an exception rather than a norm.
I could go on about this for ages. But there is a more pressing issue which demands attention. The gap between one's expectations from the selected course and the reality. Experience from the last few days of college has taught me that course content of a subject is very different from what one usually expects of it.
Take English for example (because that's the only one I have to offer, with my limited insight). A variation of expectations and opinions from hopeful aspirants and relatives seems to suggest that the course is often seen as a 'language course'. That it aims at the improvement of grammar and writing skills. While improvement of reading and writing abilities is a process that may take place on the side, it's not really the point of focus. To put it simply, it involves the reading, analysis and interpretation of literature. Not really the fluff that it's often made out to be.
While on the topic of reality not meeting expectations, I've been talking to a few friends who aren't very happy with the courses they've taken up. Many wish to shift but are afraid of the ridicule they may face. A sincere plea, please don't let random persons' opinions hold you back from doing what you want. One may have made a mistake with choosing a certain course, but that shouldn't be reason enough to rot there for the next three to four years. No reasonable person expects teenagers, who've just left school, to make all the right choices at the first go. It's important to ensure that one doesn't end up being sad middle aged adults, who hate their jobs and live life from weekend to weekend.
On a less grim note, travelling in buses is proving to bea pain. The sardine packed environment ensures that all concept of personal space is destroyed. This alsoserves as a very helpful glimpse at the overcrowded public spaces in India. But that's not the only serious concern. The sudden lurches at every start and stop constantly throw the standing passengers off balance, which often leaves one being used a safety net by the people behind. (For God's sake people, I'm a human being, not a trampoline).The system of CBCS is still unfolding, so there's not much to report on that. Hopefully the coming weeks will shine some light on this issue.