Entering college is like plunging into the deep end of a swimming pool without a life-preserver. You find yourself floundering and sputtering, searching for a way to understand the classes, the timetables, the people, the faculty, and even yourself. The first couple of weeks feel like a whirlwind whisking you high up into the skies of clubs and activities and events and sports, only to dump you back down on the ground with a bunch of undone readings and a world of assignments. You might find yourself wondering “What do I even do?” Here’s an answer to that question – you do whatever feels like it fits. And to find that out, here’s a list of four things that I personally enjoyed doing in my first year!
1. Movie Nights at the OAT: The Open Air Theatre, like its name suggests, is an auditorium open to the skies. Every weekend, the Film Club puts up a movie screening – usually one of the latest movies that you’ve probably been hearing about on social media and over the news. It truly is a novel experience, to simply find a space to sit on the stone steps lining the giant bowl of the auditorium, lean back, and feel the cool night breeze on your face as you watch the movie play out in front of you. My first movie night was where I met some people who went on to become good friends of mine, so give it a go! You might just be surprised by how people who share interests can come together.
2. A Walk Around the Heritage Centre: The Heritage Centre is housed on the ground floor of the Administration Building, and is often filled with fascinating displays about the history of the institute. The first exhibition I attended was about the graduation function over the years, and since then it has switched around to highlight different aspects of life on campus. Along with this, you can find a map of the places to see on campus, and also watch a fun video about the journey of the institute from its inception to now. It’s a truly fascinating peek into the past of the campus that you will spend the next few years of your life in.
3. Walk to the stadium: The Manohar C Watsa stadium was my favourite place to go for a walk. Open, free, and sunny, it felt like a whole different world from the tree-covered roads just outside. I could spend hours on end just walking along the track with my friends, and still feel like I had the energy to keep going. When you find yourself bogged down by work and don’t really have the energy to actually go exercise or do something else, I would highly recommend just going for a walk in the stadium. You don’t have to actually talk to anybody, but you still get the feeling of being around people, old and young. You’ll find yourself in a better mood, facing your work with ease.
4. Hang out in the Department Library/RSL: I’ve met some of the most interesting people from different batches simply because I went to the department library in between classes. Not only is there the added advantage of air conditioning, there’s also the interesting conversations that start up because someone noticed something and wanted to talk about it. Never underestimate the power of a student who wants to procrastinate – you will definitely end up having the deepest conversation you’ve ever had, simply because you both wanted to avoid an assignment that stared at you accusingly from your laptop screen. You may also end up doing just the opposite and get a whole lot of work done, because nothing beats procrastination more than being surrounded by productive people.
It’s startlingly easy to allow yourself to stay cloistered in your room, sinking under the weight of the academics that brought you to Insti. It’s also ridiculously easy to lose sight of everything that happens on campus, because there’s always something or the other happening. But you will never be able to figure out what works for you if you never try. So it’s as easy as this: take a step outside of your hostel, take a deep breath, and walk.
Walk to the nearest department building, walk to OAT, walk to the stadium, and you’ll find a campus bustling with activity – a whole new world waiting for you to just explore it. It’s a world filled with people with a myriad of experiences that you can learn from, and a kaleidoscope of learning and laughing and living. I hope your time on campus allows you to find not just the people who will become an integral part of your journey here, but also yourself.
Welcome to Insti!
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Edited by Yatin Satish
Article 19 