Skip to main content

Arbitrary: A list

It was late one night and I was trying to sleep for quite some time, but to no avail. I then got bored of trying and decided to do something to kill time till I felt sleepy. Well, what I did was nothing constructive. I just made a list of a few things I like and dislike on campus. Here they are:  

What I don’t like:



  • The fact that some people watch those stupid regressive soap operas and those highly melodramatic reality shows that run on our Indian cable channels. It is the last kind of entertainment that I would personally have. I’d prefer anything to these, even sitting idle (though that rarely happens).
  • The fact that people (not all) on campus know whether or not Deepika Padukone is back dating Ranbir Kapoor, but not for eg. that 76 CRPF jawans were brutally massacred by Maoists in Chhattisgarh. Basically, the fact that many people on campus follow only page 3 news, but hardly know what is going on in and around the world. They are living in a small world of their own, oblivious to everything around them.
  • The fact that very few girls actively participate in sports of any kind. Had it been otherwise, I would have got to watch sports on TV and would have been spared the hassle of having to find live streaming links and wait while it buffered.
  • The fact that people are interested in others’ personal lives sometimes to the point of annoyance. Gossip is the most popular form of entertainment on campus.
  • The stink on the stretch of road behind the Organic Chemistry dept. leading to the tea board due to the overflowing drain.
  • The cigarette smoke that fills the air right outside the tea board next to the stairs leading to the subway.


What I like:

  • Love the greenery in the campus. It is one of the best places to have long walks.
  • The space outside the main building is my favorite spot to sit and chat with my friends. Some of my non-IISc friends have actually started complaining that the main building is the only part of the campus that I take them to and I am yet to show them the rest of the campus even though they have visited IISc several times. :-P
  • The 20% discount on books in Tata Book House throughout the year. I’ve bought so many books already that I think my room will become a mini library by the time I finish my PhD.
  • The Gymkhana. Love this place.
  • The fact that time spent in the lab is interspersed with visits to Prakruthi/Tea Board. :-P
  • The independent life that I lead here and the fun I have with my friends.
  • The Rhythmica shows and the Voices newsletter. 

Well, the likes outweigh the dislikes any day. Simply love IISc!! :))

xxRS


P.S. This was in the drafts section for many months. Wasn't sure if I should post this. Well, posting it on an impulse now.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A letter to the "smart" students

To the students who think they're so smart that they can fool the instructor: Sorry to break this to you, but no, you're not fooling anybody! In fact, you are the fool if you think otherwise. So, let me tell you something that might shine a light on your otherwise dead brain. Learning is a two-way street. If you want to learn, I am willing to teach over and beyond what is expected of me. I will still teach even if you don't want to learn because that is my job. However, like they say, you can only bring the horse to the water, you cannot make it drink.  When you leave the class, I notice. When you talk, I notice. When you don't bring a notebook or a pen and pretend to be attentive, I notice. So, to reiterate, you're really not fooling anybody. I frankly don't care. I am happier teaching a small class of students who are sincere and want to learn. In fact, that's better for me. As then, we are in sync and I don't have to worry about the distractor
8 comments
Read more

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: A book review

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee My rating: 4 of 5 stars Pachinko is a story spanning four generations of a Korean family living in Japan during the tumultuous 20th century that saw the annexation of Korea by Japan and the two world wars. The story of the family is pretty tragic. They deal with poverty, discrimination, suicide, forced imprisonment, all consequences of war and hatred from Japanese. What I liked about this book is that it tells you a lot about what happens when people are displaced and try to make a new place their home in the time of war and chaos. I admit my ignorance in that I had never heard of the term "Zainichi" which literally means foreigners living in Japan. The Zainichi even though born and raised in Japan are not considered Japanese citizens. They were made to choose between North and South Korea after the Korean war of the 1950s even though they have not known any country other than Japan. These people have faced a lot of discrimination and negativ
Post a Comment
Read more

Tribute to Kankan Sir

Prof. Kankan Bhattacharyya was an eminent scientist and I'm sure his students will tell you about all the ways he trained them to become scientists. However, my interactions with him and memories of him are more of  a personal nature. I first met him in February 2019 right after I joined IISER Bhopal to begin my independent research career. In the dining hall of the Visitors Hostel at IISER Bhopal, there was one person who was the loudest, constantly cracking jokes, teasing people and taking the conversation forward. I was introduced to him, i.e, Kankan Sir, by one of my colleagues there and he immediately involved me too in the ongoing conversation. He was that person who instantly made you feel at home. Every day following this first interaction was a joy as he was constantly the life of the dining hall. Everyone  used to be clustered around him. He was such an enthusiastic person and so full of life that it was infectious. He also, in his own way, constantly tried to motivate us
Post a Comment
Read more