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BACK TO “ONLINE SCHOOL” TIPS!

I have always considered the day we got our holidays for a winter vacation to be a “big day” instead of Christmas.  Winter holidays have always been special to me as that is the only time when everyone is officially on a holiday. Since Christmas is one of the few holidays that is celebrated worldwide, everyone gets a chance to be with their family and the holiday mode is turned on for quite a few days. 

However, as we know that all good times come to an end these few paradise-filled days also end with the beginning of the new year. We are again expected to go back to our normal lives- some return to schools or colleges and some go back to the office. 

I personally used to look forward to going back to school as we used to see our friends after a long time levelled up a different kind of excitement in me and all the holiday blues used to disappear. Now, all thanks to the pandemic we have lost that chance also. Thus, the holiday blues do not go in this case but we still have to sit for classes.  

It has almost been more than 2 years that I have been pursuing the online curriculum and below I am sharing some tips that you may find helpful on the first day of online classes cause missing them is not an option, we still require that attendance after-all. 

#TIP 1

Wake Up Early–  Yes, that is at the beginning of the checklist as it is important to be early in order to be in time for class. Most classes start at 7:30 or maximum at 8 am so according to me we must be an hour early.  It helps us to stay stress-free for the rest of the day and also enhances our organizational skills. 

#TIP 2

Have Designated Workplace –  When it comes to tedious hours of classes and work, it is always better to do it in a specific place. It is important to have a learning environment as it gives you the vibe and also gets you in the mood to study.  We get our work done faster if we do it in our specific place as our brain associates with it faster.  We must choose our effective place before online classes begin, it can be anywhere but preferably in a place that has a strong internet connection. 

#TIP 3 

Eliminate Distractions-  All distractions need to be eliminated as it is already easy to be distracted in an online class.  All important or required materials should be with you during class while revising a material, we must work on a routine so that we can give a proper amount of time for each subject.  TV must be turned off and social media should not be used during classes as they are the source of maximum distractions. 

#TIP 4

Take Breaks – Frequent breaks must be taken as it helps us increase our productivity. I usually take about a twenty minutes break, I listen to some soothing music or grab a snack. 

At times when there is a gap between classes for a considerable time, I go for a walk as that helps my mind to be fresh and I can process the information that is being taught in classes more effectively. 

#TIP 5

Be Optimistic – These are tough times and times like these are not predictable but one thing is for sure and that is it will come to an end.  Thus, we should be grateful for what we have and think of the advantages that we have from online learning and last but not least, we must look out for those things that motivate us to grow as an individual and a student. 

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3 Most Influential Gadgets

3 MOST INFLUENTIAL GADGETS
Gadgets are an integral part of our lives. The gadgets we daily use are computers, mobile phones, televisions, etc. Life would have been very tough for us without these gadgets especially in today’s times when everything has been shifted to an online platform.
I being a student can relate to the essence of gadgets as it has increased the accessibility of study materials for me. Other than that digital gadgets reduces time on studying and comprehension processes.
Today, I am going to elaborate upon the 3 most influential gadgets of all time:

1.) Motorola Droid – Motorola is an internet and multimedia based smartphone that used to run Google’s Android operating system. It was launched on November 6, 2009. With an extremely rapid battery charging, the smartphone can charge 60% in 30 minutes. Other than that, it has excellent camera features with high density and pixel resolution and supports almost all connectivity like Bluetooth and WiFi. This indeed came like a blessing to people in 2009 and it is still used by some people till date.
It’s estimated price is 36,00 INR.

2.) Iphone- Iphone was a gadget that changed the world overnight . The craze of buying an iphone is still there almost after 14 years of its launch.
Keeping aside the craze , the iphone really stands out in some aspects the main one being that it provides extreme security. If the phone is lost , it takes a super skilled hacker to open it , thus with such high security Iphone does hold an influential position among people. The other advantages of Iphone over other phones are its resale value is always high and payments are more convenient and can be done using Apple Pay. Iphones also have a family sharing feature which enables a full family to share purchases.
These features have made Iphone one of the most used phones in the world.

3.) VCR- Before Netflix and Amazon Prime , people had a much innovative thing and that was VCR “Videotape cassette ” . VCR was an extremely popular gadget in the early 2000’s. It basically invented the idea of ” home theatre” . My parents have often told me about the thrill of finishing the exams in college and then going to a shop to rent a VCR and the getting to know that , their favourite movie has been rented already. VCR cassettes are still used by some families. Through VCR people have watched over a million of movies over the past few decades.

Thus, according to me these 3 are the change-makers when electronic gadgets are considered.

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CSMUN- MY FIRST TIME AS A DELEGATE!

MUN, also known as Model United Nations, is an international conference where students usually from the age group 14 and above play the role of delegates of respective countries and solve real-world issues taking into account the perspective and the foreign policies of the country that they are representing. It usually continues for 3 days and 8 sessions.
I participated in my first MUN on the 19th and 20th of June. It was the CSMUN organized by College Source. It was their first edition and was sponsored by Pioneer, Vedic Maths India, Vivaron, and Sat n Paper. We had 2 days and 4 committee sessions.
Since I was a first timer in this MUN , I required some time to understand the concepts and the research procedure. I was representing the country Austria and was a part of the Committee UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) . Our topic was to discus the ongoing situation between Israel and Palestine. To be honest, this topic is complex as the Israel -Palestine conflict is amongst the world’s most enduring conflict and it has been going on for more than seventy-four years. It becomes more complicated when you have to take sides. Since I was the Delegate of Austria, I had to give the USA bloc more preference , which meant that I was on the supporting side of Israel. After quite a lot of research and thought I decided to maintain a neutral stance as in that way I would have the scope to speak for both sides. As of the country I was representing , in the present it does support Israel as they think that Palestine resorted to violence towards Israel a few months ago. But earlier it always had maintained a neutral stance and had extended their support to both the countries.
Other than the above what I really enjoyed was researching about the topic as it gave me a new perspective of both Israel and Palestine and the other countries who are involved in this conflict. I learned many new things about how the different committees and the respective organs of the United Nations function and their respective powers. In the UN, the security council is the most effective and powerful organ , while the general assembly passes resolutions and does an in-depth discussion about the same. Some of the topics that we did an in-depth discussion in the committee were “ Elimination of the Hamas Militant Group” , “The viability of the Two state solution”, “Legalities in the conflict”, etc. These were really heavy topics and a lot of research were required for it but I really enjoyed doing it. I got to know about things that I had never known and the root causes of the conflict.
This MUN opened me to many new things and helped me to enhance my public speaking skills . It also taught me that it is a very tough role to be a delegate in the General Assembly as a lot of hard work is required to convince the Chair and the other delegates to vote for your motion. But I guess it is a tough job to have people on your side in life also, right ?
I really enjoyed being a part of the First edition of the CSMUN and I thank College Source and the sponsors of the MUN for this wonderful opportunity that I will cherish forever! .

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Lockdown 2.0 – WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU SHOULD DO TO KEEP YOURSELF GOING?

Lockdown is back again and we all can agree that we feel the same way we felt back in 2020. The only difference from last year is that we are more careful and prepared this time to face the virus, and also now we have vaccines .  The situation is also much worse than it was last year, everywhere we are getting to hear only depressing news and in such a situation it is very normal to feel very down and demotivated.  But as we know life doesn’t stop for anyone and up’s and downs are a part of our live but at the end,  we must have the courage to pull back ourselves together. 

So here are 4 ways I feel you can keep yourself motivated and happy in these difficult times :

  1. Read Books : As someone once said that “books are our best friends”, this phrase is becoming true day by day. In these days when we want to travel, we don’t have to do anything, we can just open a page of our book and travel the world. Along with killing time and enhancing our vocabulary , reading books give us a peace of mind. Reading books also positively affects our life in many ways , like it strengthens our brains , reduces our stress and it also helps to increase our concentration.  I am an avid reader and I at least read two books a week and I urge others to reduce their screen time and read more books !





Pic courtesy : https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/hard-to-read-books-lockdown-anxiety_in_5ed104cfc5b6fe25da3cb7a0
  • Spend Time with your family – As we all know from our experience in last year that these lockdown times are the best times to spend quality time with our families. In these times , you get to understand your family better.  You should try out different things with your family and those things which might have been impossible to do during normal days like playing board games, watching a movie together or baking a cake!  Also catch up with distant family members and close friends .
Pic Courtesy – https://foodwithiron.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-spending-time-with-family
  • Europe,2019
  • Meditate & Exercise  : The most important thing in lockdowns I feel is to make time for yourselves. Meditation helps us to reduce stress and helps to improve our emotional health.  Staying mentally and physically healthy is also important during these times, one should maintain a healthy exercise routine and go for half an hour walks or cycling in the garden as spending time with the nature also gives one a peace of mind.
45 minutes walk is a must for me everyday!
  • Maintaining a Healthy Diet : Maintaining a healthy diet is very important  as we tend to eat a lot of junk food in these days. Earlier, we used to have a fixed routine for everything including our eating schedules but now I don’t think many people follow that routine and neither the eating schedules. Occasionally, ordering food from outside is okay but doing that everyday leads to health problems and now the situation is so bad that the hospitals also won’t admit anyone without a Covid test.  So, to be on the safer side we should always eat healthy. Some of the healthy dishes that one can try out are : Banana Coconut Idli, Roasted makhana with dry fruits, peanut butter sandwich and many more! You can check out more dishes at – https://www.shawacademy.com/blog/easy-healthy-recipes-at-home-during-lockdown/ . Some of the healthy dishes that I made with my family in the lockdown are Mango Kheer , Kashmiri Sooji and along with that I also had fresh fruits!!
Fresh Fruits!!!
Mango Kheer!!

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How To Make Reels?- The most happening feature of Instagram.

HOW TO MAKE REELS ? :  Simple steps to make Instagram reels for beginners             

Reels are the newest and the most happening feature of Instagram now days. It is their take on the popular TikTok which was banned in India last year.  Reels are basically short multi-clip videos that can be recorded up to 30 seconds with audio, effects and new creative tools.

According to Instagram, “reels in Explore offers anyone the chance to become a creator on Instagram and reach new audiences on a global stage.”

So, lets learn how to make the most happening feature of Instagram. Below are the simple five steps to make reels on Instagram :

  • You must download the Instagram app from the App Store or the Play Store. All those who have Instagram in order to use reels you must update your Instagram app to the latest version.  Then scroll down 4-5 times in the search section until you see the reels option.
STEP 1
  • Then you have to click the Instagram stories camera and select the reels option and then select an audio which can be a popular song or an original audio of another user. You can also use your original audio by simply recording the video.  If you are using a song you can also select a specific part of the song to use in the reel. 

Note: If you have a public account your audio can be used by other users.

STEP 2
  • After selecting the audio, you have to record the reel by pressing the capture button it has to be  up to 30 seconds maximum or you can also use any video from your gallery which is 15-30 seconds long.  Reels can be recorded in a series of clips one at a time or all at once, or by using video uploads from your gallery. If you are recording you can select Instagram effects for the video like done in stories.   You can use GIF’S or stickers or hashtags and text on the reel. Also if you want the text only to appear at the beginning or at the end of the video you have to set the slider so that it only covers the first few seconds of the video or the last few seconds of the videos.  After recording the video or adding it, you have to click “preview”.
STEP 3
  • After you click preview your whole reel along with the audio will show and you can add a caption, hashtags of your choice and edit the video thumbnail.  You can also add a cover of your choice from the camera roll and tag your friends and family.
STEP 4
  • The last thing you have to do is select where you want to share the reel. If you have a public account the reel can be shared in a dedicated space in Explore, where it has the chance to be seen and discovered by the wider Instagram community. You can also share your reel with your followers by posting it to your feed where it will appear under the new reels section.  When someone views you reels, they can see the song , hashtags and effects you have used in the reel. But if you have private account , reels will only be shared to your feed and your audio will not be shareable with users who don’t follow you.
STEP 5

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WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF INDEPENDENCE IN OUR LIVES?

Independence means “ free from any force that was binding upon us”. At least to me it means this.  I think independence is one of the most important aspects of our lives. We all must agree that we are all truly blessed that we are a part of an independent country where our opinions matter and our existence hold a value.

It is very important to be independent in today’s world as to be honest everything depends upon our capability these days. Whatever we do on our own there’s a bit of independence attached to it. That’s why after doing things independently we tend to feel a bit proud. For example, when we get a new job or receive our first salary, we feel proud of ourselves. Have we ever sat down and wondered the reason why? It is because we are finally independent. Of course, this is the last realization we all have, or we do not realize at all. But in our subconscious mind we always wonder the reason for us to be so happy? Well, the above is the actual reason. Independence is nothing without being independent.

As I mentioned earlier that we all are very lucky to be born in an independent nation , there are some countries that do not have this privilege. In fact, even we did not have this privilege few years back. I feel this privilege is very important, but we do not value its importance much. Now the reason for us not valuing this opportunity is because we take it for granted and do not understand it’s importance.  But I feel that it should not be taken for granted at all. We do not imagine the consequences of being backed by an external power as some of us have never faced it and we do not know the consequences of it. But our previous generations understand it as they can compare the scenario’s now and at their times. Independence and liberty give us so many opportunities that they have not even experienced in their childhood. Our and their childhood is different. When the British used to rule over us there were so many restrictions that people had like they could not go to the schools, restaurants and hotels they wanted to. Without independence, the country is as rigid as a rock.

Thus, we must all thank our stars for being lucky enough to born independent and we must all understand it’s essence and value it’s importance.

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Online Writing Competition on the topic :” Imagine the concept of time dissipated. Your favourite feminist icon has to survive in modern age mayhem. Can she get through? Write about her day among the Gen Z”

The world still remembers the valour and fearlessness of Rani Lakshmi Bai, who played a prominent role in the Rebellion of 1857 to defend her kingdom Jhansi which she wanted bequeathed to her son as his hierarchal right and which, the Britishers in guise of doctrine of lapse wanted to usurp.

 I imagine this favorite feminist icon of mine in present times as a woman who is stuck in a difficult marriage where she is berated by her in- laws as they refuse to accept the hierarchical rights of her adopted son.

In 1857 when the Doctrine of Lapse was introduced which did not recognize the queen’s adopted son as the rightful heir , her motherly instincts took over and she fought tooth and nail for her son. The same happened in this 21st century too – while adopting a son the queen did not face any resistance as adoption is a  common practice nowadays, but indirectly the queen faced resistance from her family as they were not comfortable with an adopted child being their family’s heir.  However, the queen decided to stand on her own feet and provide for herself and her son . She was a skilled designer but after marriage she couldn’t work properly due the restrictions imposed on her by her family, but now she had the willingness and the reason to focus on her career.  With no one on her side , she set up her interior designing company and soon she had many clients and was capable of handling  her and her son’s expenses.

Across generations we thus see the maternal instinct remains the same and so does the societal norms. Time and again mothers have stood up for the right of their children and persevered to give them a better future against all odds.

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A Short Write up on my favorite Academic Interest !

I always had a fascination for social sciences, especially history. History was my favorite subject since childhood. Studying about old buildings, how they were used in the past, the lives of the royals, queens etc., is very interesting to me.  History teaches us how our ancestors lived and many details about their lives. History is a very integral part of lives as it is present in our everyday lives., whatever we do in our lives the next moment it becomes history. Through history we come to know how we are here and how things are related to our lives.  For example, could the World War 2 be prevented if the League of Nations did their job effectively. What interests me is that the reasons why the league could not carry out their job effectively, what were the hurdles that they faced.  I find History very interesting also because learning about famous and everyday people, events, stories, and the successes and failures of people, nations, civilizations, and organizations can be important and meaningful for our present lives.  It provides us with data that was used in the past to regulate the lives of the people and create laws.  I find it very delightful to learn about how people and societies behaved in the past.

I love history as everything in our lives has a history, what happens at this moment becomes history the next moment, History gives a perspective to our lives and gives us the reason to look forward to the next day.

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The Country India

India is one of the most diverse countries in the world. We are known for our culture , traditions , food and the ethnicity within us. With uttermost pride we tell people that we are Indians and while we tell somewhere in our hearts, we feel a sense of belongingness . Now at that moment none of us really understand the reason for that feeling but later we realise that India is country that has always taught us to be  united like brothers and sisters. No matter what hurdle comes we must not look back and fight it as “INDIANS” . That is the reason we have that feeling.   It is the teaching of our national leaders, our freedom fighters and our forefathers. They have taught us to be strong yet not assertive. Non-violence and satyagraha were an eminent part of our nationalist movement.

Gandhi ji whose birthday we celebrate every year ,  had played a major role in for our independence.  He had emphasized the most on “ non-violence”.  He had taught us never to be violent as situations worsen if we bring in violence. He had stopped a major movement “ The Non-Cooperation Movement” as somewhere there was a scene of violence.  This meant that he was extremely honest with his words. He expected us Indians to follow the path of  “non-violence” and abide by “ahimsa” .

Over the years I feel that we have let down Gandhi ji badly. My reason for saying this is that , there have been numerous mobbing . kidnapping , communal riots , country wide riots and most importantly violence towards women

In the 21st century , standing in the year 2020 , I feel India always finds a reason for violence. Sadly, most of the things in this country cannot be done by peaceful means , whether it is a meeting in The Rajya Sabha or it’s a disagreement over an issue.  Violence must take place. It is sad to see that we have forgotten the teachings of our national leaders and we are leaving no chance to disrespect them.

I am emphasizing now on the most on the violence towards women.  It is not an uncommon thing in India. India has become one of the most unsafe country for women.

There are numerous rapes that are being held every day. Not one week goes without a rape in this country.  The most sad part of this whole situation is that these rapes are covered and no light is put in these cases.  There is a common belief that women will be “ put down in the society “ if the news of the incident is publicized. Due to this societal pressure the victims get traumatized and refrain from saying anything. This is the reason why we are not aware of the numerous number of rapes that take place in our country , especially the ones in the rural areas.   I feel that this is a practice that we need to stop. Women must learn how to speak out and give their miseries a voice. If any person is wronged they must have the courage to speak out. This is the learning that we have got from our forefathers. They spoke out when the British wronged our country and due to their efforts we are an independent country.

I have always believed that India has the power to change also and also to bring the change. But it is not going  to be possible if we , the citizens of India change ourselves.

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We All Belong Time

 

It is rightly said that “ we all belong to time “ . This is because time is a very integral part of our everyday lives.  I strongly believe that if a person does not give importance to time , eventually the person will lose its importance in everything else.  I consider myself to be an extremely pedantic person and thus, I was always particular about not only time but also everything else around me . However, I do have some grudges against people who do not value time. There are people who always take things in their hands at the last moment and then obviously struggle with the task.  It beats my logic to understand that if a person is  getting an opportunity to achieve something and do something in a better way , then why back off? As I strongly  believe that if time isn’t given to a particular thing , it can never turn out to be up to the mark.

In other aspects, there are certain things that we can do only one time and it is our duty to cherish that time , as we do not know if we will see a “ tomorrow” soon or will we ever see it. For example, if a group of friends meet at a place, they should cherish every moment of it as no one knows what will happen next. That is why “cherishing of time” very important.  The reason I feel that every moment that we are spending should be cherished is that because there are few things that catch our attention at a certain time only. No matter whatever the thing is, it can have a great impact on some of us. I am saying this from my personal experience.  Also, when we look back, we realize that how beautiful the times that we just let go.  Also, sometimes we realize that we have missed out on certain things which were important,  but we did not value it.

As the saying goes, “ tough times don’t last, but tough people do”.  I completely believe in this saying as  certain times makes people tough .  Anything in the world can be controlled except time. Time is like an unbeatable river that never seems to stop and wait for anyone and it will never stop , even a second extra and so yes, we all belong to time, there’s nothing beyond it.