What are the things you wish the ‘Student Life’ section on colleges’ websites told you before admission?
How much of class time do you actually have to attend? Is there too much or little of discipline? Do you have enough theory and practical sessions? Do you meet the right peers? Is the hostel any good? Can you count on the canteen? Is the faculty as good as they say? What more do you learn there besides academics? And the main question – Do the students actually think they made the right choice?
At SCMC, you meet a plethora of personalities. Some engineering (and other courses’) dropouts; people who’re making mass communication the new normal. Some people with a little work experience who’re not afraid to start over. And of course, people who’ve come directly after 12 th grade – some who can’t wait to get out of the house, a handful who actually have an idea about what they want to do in life and others who chose this because they didn’t want to do anything else. The point is that this is a place where creative minds collaborate and you learn through others’ experience more than yours. The people you meet at SCMC are your biggest asset. You’ll be intimidated at first, but if you rise above it, you’re a challenger.
You can safely enter this space not knowing enough about ‘the industry’ because each day, you’ll unfold a new chapter about media and its various streams. You gradually begin to realise where it is you actually fit but give yourself enough time and be curious. While you’ll have your favourite faculty members, trust most of the others too for a lifetime of rich on- field stories. Be courageous to sometimes, skip your lessons and attend other specialisations’. It is a flex to sit in class and not have to worry about notes.
SCMC does have its name in attendance requirements and discipline, yes, but you’ll eventually either make your peace with it or learn a way around it. When you’re sitting in a class and getting attendance for watching a film, it might seem the coolest on-campus experience but it’ll be balanced with a statistics class down the line. College life is all about giving you highs and lows, isn’t it?
Hostel life is another part of this experience. You’ll gradually learn to differentiate when to safe up for the canteen and when to eat in the mess but honestly, sometimes Peter Donuts will be the only viable option. Tip: do not miss the Chole Bhature days in the mess and the fried rice in the canteen.
Each person has their own experiences at SCMC, not all glamorous and not all disappointing at the same time. Stepping out into an unexplored city, amidst strangers can be daunting but when you discover ‘your people’, it’s a journey that you’ll back at forever. Do not lose out on the new chances because you’re trying too hard but also do not get carried away by the opportunities that await you at a given moment. Think, consult and act. Explore inside of class as much as you would outside. Share as much as you’d like to know. Listen as much as you’d like to talk. Create as much as you’d like to critic.
YUGIKA MITTAL
Alumni
