"I am on a journey with a mind full of thoughts to make a change. . ."

A Thoughtful Journey | Maanini Jayal

It was not just a normal routine day. I walked out of my old college with nostalgia and inspiration as I had met my professor to discuss about my research.

With a random aspiration to become the principal of the college, I headed to Tambaram railway station. On my way to the platform to board my train, I saw this man dragging a huge heavy suitcase through the last few steps of the platform. 

Initially, I was hesitant to help as I thought it would be too heavy for me to carry, and I was wondering about his difficulty to drag it.

My stereotypical mind popped out to question his strength as a man. Before I could change my mind and help him, he landed it. He had another bag which he was struggling to pick up. When I helped him to pick it up, I discovered his little physical disability in his right leg and hand.

I walked along with him asking him if I should help him to carry it along. He didn’t mind me much as he looked worried.

He asked me, “Where is the train that was here? They announced it was here. Where is it?” with much anxiety.

I asked him about the timing for which he said, 5: 05. But the time was 5:12 when he reached. I showed him the time and said the train must have left, unable to help him.

I walked past him with a heavy heart thinking about the incident that happened in my life.

My husband, the pregnant me and my ailing father-in-law reached the station an hour prior the journey.

As my father-in-law cannot climb the steps my husband went to enquire about a wheel chair. He was directed to fifth platform to get one.

After a while, he came running asking for my ID card (he forgot his wallet) as it is available only for those with an ID. The wheelchair is to be returned in the same fifth platform to get the ID card back. I and my father-in-law are waiting at the entrance anxiously as it is getting late.

My husband comes all wet with sweat and a wheel chair. I, carrying a few luggage, and my husband pushing the wheel chair take the longest route through the rail tracks and rough paths to reach the platform as there is no provision for easy accessibility for elderly or the disabled.

With great ordeal my husband left my father-in-law in the eighth platform and ran to return the wheel chair while there was only five minutes for the train.

Both of us wait there for him perplexed as the train reach.

Hopeless, we sit there looking for his arrival.

I see him coming running asking me to board the train while he managed to board with my father-in-law through the other door.

Unable to believe the fact that we are in the train, I call him to check if he is really inside. I come to the other side wondering about the people crowded around both of them. With a gut feeling that something has happened, I walk towards them.

I cry out loud seeing my husband bleed from his toe. I for once thought he was caught between the train wheels. People were helping him out but I couldn’t bear seeing him in pain and the blood that was split on the floor.

He had jumped through the tracks to catch the train while he hurt his toe in iron fence. We were grateful that people in the train helped to call for medical support and he was given first-aid at Chengalpet station.

We got down in our relative’s place as he needed stiches and treatment as quickly as possible.

I still wonder how he bore the pain for eight hours. Later, he had around eight stitches. Our journey was terrible but always thankful for the people who helped us.

I regret that I didn’t help that person today.

And, I write this to tell you not do the mistake that I did. Please, be considerate and helpful to people no matter who.

If someone had helped him with the luggage, he may have boarded the train. He was just ten minutes late. I can imagine the difficulty he would have faced to drag it all the way from the first step with his disability.

And if the station had the provision for easy accessibility for wheel chairs and the elderly, my husband wouldn’t have gone through that pain.

I am on a journey with a mind full of thoughts to make a change. . .             

What if Hamlet did not know the aftermath of his actions?

‘What if?’ | A Lovely Literary Take on Hamlet

S. K. Vishnu Prasath, II BA English

A small glimpse into the greatest Shakespearean tragedy HAMLET -

Hamlet maybe a nobleman for the audience but for Ophelia, is he a good man?

Who on earth would betray his love and kill her father?

But Hamlet can be justified for his action as he was suffering from hallucinations and voices haunting him day and night.

But does that compensate for the death of Ophelia?

What if Hamlet did not know the aftermath of his actions?

What if Hamlet never thought that Ophelia would drown herself?

So here I present a snippet from the inner self of Hamlet, not as a prince but as a lover.

My Ophelia, this is for you

What it feels like to let my love die?

How cruel it is to let my love die , not in this cruel physical world but losing the magical emotion from my mind too.

There lie the worn out letters and flowers you sent me.

Now, with my hands stumbling to pick up a feather left behind in my terrace and my heart taking refuge in your memories life seems really hard.

But after all the pain, there lies the truth, the hidden truth,

Ophelia, you are the knife I turn inside myself; that is love.

That is love.

Pic: Video snap shot from a lovely videoshort created by Vishnu Prasath & Priyadarshini

The bottom line to all these statements is just two phrases – “Getting it...”

Taking Notes ✍

[vis-à-vis Voice Recordings & Screen Shots]

By

Dr. Maria Preethi Srinivasan

Head, Department of English

Queen Mary’s College (Autonomous)

Chennai, TN

The rat race has its own avatar in the academic world.

Anxiety to acquire knowledge characterizes certain types of behaviour.

“Sir, May I have your ppt?”

“Sir, Your lecture was great. I recorded it!”

“I took screenshots of all the ppt slides!”

“I took a photocopy of the whole book!”

All these sound like familiar statements. Don’t they?

The bottom line to all these statements is just two phrases –

“Getting it”.

When the photocopier arrived, the act of photocopying an academic article, gave you a sense of fulfillment/completion, because you “got the material”.

When the android phone arrived, you could “get it” by recording/taking screenshots as the person was lecturing.

It might be offensive to label the act of “getting it” as aggressive behaviour.

But, pause for a moment to LISTEN.

Yes, we stopped “listening” long ago: listening and making notes: and while we listened, jotting down our own ideas in boxes in the lecture notes.

Making notes from a book one was reading was a skill that one acquired.

As a novice you felt like copying the entire book from the first word to the last: everything was well-written, thought-provoking and new.

But you matured as a reader and shelved anxiety.

You read and re-read and got the gist of what the writer was saying and gave up your amateurish desire to copy lines.

You zeroed in on the noteworthy/quote worthy parts of the text you were reading.

Then came a time when you realized that you grew because you made notes of what you were reading/listening to and somewhere along the way you attributed that growth to “listening”, “reading” and “writing” being cognitive processes.

So, it’s time to get back to first principles, though the devil may allure us with his “devices” (I mean gadgets like the android phone).

Poem on 'Postcolonialism'

Postcolonialism is like an endless poem

And though “post” is meant to indicate “what happened after”

The field of study is about colonialism as well –

About imperial authority and about “knowledge” that makes for “power”.

So while it interrogates “colonization”,

Postcolonialism celebrates resistance.

Acknowledges hybridity,

Examines historiography,

Decentres imperialism,

Foregrounds “difference”,

Decolonises discourse,

Walks hand in hand with Poststructuralism and Postmodernism,

Empowers the “other” who is on the margins,

Makes SILENCE and ABSENCE a PRESENCE,

Vows to dismantle racism, patriarchy and the parochial,

Doesn’t succumb to the creation of binaries –

Black and white, settler and native,

Centre and margin, “Euro” and “ethno”,

Master and slave, man and woman,

Postcolonialism

Navigates discourse by signposts like

Hegemony, Subalternity, Abrogation and Appropriation.

Truly pluralistic, with its emphasis on “Literatures”, “Feminisms” and “Englishes”,

Postcolonialism is in essence

A liberating intellectual engagement.

- Dr. Preethi

How to Pursue a Medical Administrative Position [Guest Post Exclusive]

If you are looking for a career change and are interested in medicine then a career in medical administration may be what you are looking for. The first thing you need to do is understand what medical administration entails. Medical or healthcare administration is a specific field which involves the maintenance of relationship within a medical environment such as clinics, hospitals and health centers. As with anyone who works in a hospital or medical center, such individuals are considered to be health care professionals. Medical administration encompasses a wide range of different tasks. These include the management of different departments to ensure a smooth-running establishment, the analysis of different hospital policies, taking care of finances and dealing with accounting. There are also some medical management professionals who are going to specialize in specific areas of the industry.

Certification

In order to be qualified for medical administration it is pertinent to get a bachelor's degree within the field. While it is possible to be certified with such a degree, this is not always going to be enough. Many people consider the standard credential to be a Master's degree. As a result, it is

5 Ways to Succeed in the Online Classroom (An Exclusive Guest Post):

Taking courses online is a wonderful option for students to enhance their education without having to go the distance, literally. Typically, online courses get a reputation of being ‘easier’ for students, however come end of the term some students find this to be false when grades are released. Before you log on, check out these 5 ways you can succeed in the online classroom:

Treat it like a normal class: Before signing up for an online class be sure that you are completely dedicated as much as you would be if you had to attend a class in a physical location. Just because online courses tend to be up to the student on far as ‘attending’ the class, students can get behind. Treat your online class like a normal class, set up daily times each day to log on and work on the course. Just because it’s online doesn’t mean it is any different than an actual class you attend in person. 

Communication is key: It is vital that you keep an open and active relationship with your professor and classmates in your online course. You do not have the ability to go visit and have a one-on-one, face-to-face with your professor when you need help in the course, so be sure that you make the effort to communicate. Email tends to be the best form of communication for professors and students, for several reasons like you can save emails and go back and reread them.

Use all resources: If you course requires having textbook, notes and to use online tools, doing so. Some students that they can get away with not purchasing a text book since the class is online and a lot of information can be found on the web. Follow your professor’s suggestions and get all the resources you need to do your best. With that said, having a personal computer and high speed internet is considered a strong resource for the course. 

Avoiding distractions: Because your course is online it is so easy to get distracted. With social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, logging on to your class can get tricky. When you start up your computer, refrain from opening any distractions and start with the class first. Spend the allotted time needed to complete tasks and study, and then allow yourself to play online. 

Location: Where you log on counts more than you think. Find a quiet and comfortable environment. If you are home, try you bedroom at a table or a desk and shut the door. If you are in public, find a library to work in. Coffee shops are popular with online students but tend to be more of a disturbance than a convenience because of the constant chatter and people watching.

Author Bio

This Guest post is by Christine Kane from internetserviceproviders.org. She is a graduate of Communication and Journalism. She enjoys writing about a wide-variety of subjects for different blogs. She can be reached via email at: Christi.Kane00@gmail.com.

Pic courtesy: UBC

Be A Better Writer: Three Considerations - An Exclusive Guest Post for our Blog.:

As a composition teacher, I discovered that my students were most frustrated by assignments that failed to give them some sort of context in which to situate their own writing. Too often they felt that academic writing was isolated and irrelevant. As a result, they had been writing rather uninspired essays in order to simply earn a mark. Certainly they had a solid understanding of writing; however, that solid understanding had also somewhat limited their potential to grow into better writers.

What follows are the three considerations I often shared with my students in order to help them better relate academic writing to the greater activity of their lives. I hope these considerations may be of some use to you as well.

1 Consider Your Purpose

Of course, you write in order to earn academic credit, but that’s not the only reason you write. You must also keep in mind that you write in order to explore an idea, to communicate an idea to an audience, or to persuade someone that your idea is worthwhile. If your professor asks you to analyze a speech, then your purpose is to show him that you understand specific rhetorical techniques and can explain how those techniques operate by using textual evidence. If your instructor asks you why grammar is important to the study of language, then you must compose an argument and support that argument with reasons and evidence.

Each prompt requires a certain task, and your writing must match that task with a certain purpose. Think of your purpose as a student: to improve as a critical thinker. Writing aids you in that purpose.

2 Consider Your Audience

As you complete your assignments, try to think of the audience for whom you write. Try to think of an audience that’s more specific than a general academic audience. For instance, your professor makes up part of your audience. As do your classmates. These people participate in a learning community, of which you are an active member, so thinking of them as an audience makes sense.

The knowledge that these people--with whom you often interact--will read your essay should help you write honestly and carefully. And such awareness will help you in the future when you put your communication skills to use in your career.

3 Consider Your Genre

While many genres of academic essays share similar characteristics, you’ll still want to consider how genre affects your writing. Return to the examples I suggested earlier. Both a rhetorical analysis of a speech and a persuasive essay on the importance of grammar make arguments in some way; however, how they do so--what expectations of genre they meet--will vary. A rhetorical analysis will heavily rely upon extensive quoting and interpretation of textual evidence, while a persuasive essay might use many kinds of evidence in order to appeal to an audience. If you turn in a rhetorical analysis with few quotations excerpted, most likely you have not done enough to achieve your essay’s purpose.

This guest post is contributed by Olivia Coleman, who writes on the topics of online colleges and universities. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: olivia.coleman33 @gmail.com.

Guest Post [Exclusive] for our Blog by an Established Writer:

Useful Tools, Sites and Apps for Student Writers:

The Internet is overflowing with sites designed to help student writers increase skills and productivity. Unfortunately, sifting through all of these options can be time consuming. If you need tools you can depend on and access instantly, bookmark this list of useful writing sites.

Brainstorming:

Jott - Writers on the go will love this free web app that turns voice messages into text messages. You simply call a phone number, record a message, and relax as Jott turns the recording into text and sends it wherever you want it to go.

ThinkFold - ThinkFold is a free web tool that provides an interactive outline to organize ideas. Groups and individuals can create an outline, rearrange ideas, and see changes automatically.

Innovative Tools - The Brainstorming Techniques Resource Center by Innovative Tools is loaded with articles, software, tools, and techniques for brainstorming.

Mindmeister - This free web app allows writers to create a mind map to better visualize brainstorming ideas. Writers who choose to sign up for the free version are able to share and access their ideas from anywhere, as well as see group changes in real time.

ThinkGraph - ThinkGraph is free downloadable software that allows you to place your thoughts into 2D Concept Map. The map creates a visual illustration for student writers to place and organize thoughts.

Reference and Research:

Encyclopedia.com - Encyclopedia is a free online encyclopedia and dictionary with pictures, facts, videos, and other helpful research and reference resources.

Allreaders - This website is a great resource for finding books based on various criteria. Writers can use Allreaders to search for books with specific characters, elements, plot lines, settings, and themes.

Internet Public Library - The IPL is the online equivalent of a local public library. The site offers reference materials, subject collections, books, magazines, newspapers, and an index of useful websites.

Writing Tools and Instruction:

The OWL - The OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue University offers more than 200 resources for students who need help with academic and creative writing.

Writer's Digest - A superb site for writers of all levels, Writer's Digest helps students perfect writing skills. The site offers resources, advices, tips, and a writing community.

Dartmouth Writing Program - The Dartmouth Writing Program offers an excellent online writing guide for students. This website gives you step-by-step instruction on the expectations writers will see in college.

Writing Fix - Writing Fix has many features to help students improve their writing, including plot ideas, lessons, and writing techniques.

Zoho - Zoho is a must-have suite of free productivity apps. Specific Zoho programs that would be useful to student writers include Zoho Writer, Zoho Docs, and Zoho Notebook.

Grammar and Editing:

Autocrit - Autocrit was created to find weaknesses in manuscripts but will help any writer improve their draft. This resourceful tool can find overused words, slow pacing, and dull sentence structure.

Grammar Girl - Mignon Fogarty, a.k.a. Grammar Girl, makes editing fun by delivering short, weekly podcasts with simple tips that are easy to remember.

Bartleby - Bartleby offers many free reference books online. The site's English usage texts are especially useful for writers who need help with grammar or editing.

Daily Grammar - Daily Grammar provides daily lessons and workshops to help everyone improve their grammar.

SparkNotes - This resource is known for study guides, but has many other helpful tools for students, including a comprehensive grammar guide. The guide offers information about common errors, style, and usage.

Guest post from Karen Schweitzer, the About.com Guide to Business School. Karen also writes about online colleges and universities for OnlineCollege.org.

Guest Post on Free College and University Courses Online..:

An increasing number of colleges and universities have begun providing free and open educational resources for self-learners around the world. Some schools, such as Yale, Carnegie Mellon, and The Open University, offer entire courses. You don't get college credit or a degree when you complete a course, but you do get the opportunity to enrich your life with knowledge. Here are a few of the 20 free online courses you can try today:

Greek Mythology - The University of Washington offers this free five-part course on Greek Mythology to self learners around the world. The course includes readings, quizzes, and other online learning materials.

Nineteenth Century Europe - This free history course from the University of Massachusetts introduces students to the political and historical culture of Nineteenth Century Europe. The course includes lectures, assignments, and required reading.

Literature I and II - Designed specifically for online students, this free literature course from Western Governors University is split into ten self-study modules. The course covers a wide range of topics, including poetry, fiction, and drama.

Modern Poetry - This free online course from Yale College contains all of the material used in the campus-based course taught by Professor Langdon Hammer. The material is delivered through recorded audio and video lectures. The course concludes with a final exam.

English 1010 - The free English course offered online through Utah State University introduces students to academic writing. The course includes readings, assignments, and a free online textbook.

Guest post from Karen Schweitzer who writes about online colleges for OnlineColleges.net

Guest Post (Exclusive) - by an established Feature Writer..:

Students and Stress – Tips to Overcome Problems

Tragedy can hit any one of us; troubles don’t discriminate when they choose to appear on our horizons; and depression is a worldwide phenomenon. So you know what I mean when I say that college students are also prone to personal (or other) problems and that these four years are not just fun and games as most people would have you believe. It’s hard enough to deal with trouble when you don’t have any major responsibilities; what’s harder though, is to tackle stress, depression or sadness when there are exams around the corner, assignments with deadlines looming, and papers to be completed in a short time.

You’re not really mature when you enter college as a freshman, and though you may gain some wisdom over the four years you spend on campus, it takes a really strong person to overcome personal difficulties and focus their attention on their lessons. And that is why we hear of dropouts, suicides, and other behavioral problems that seem to affect college students with alarming regularity. There’s a lot at stake if you’re unable to cope with the stress that comes with troubles and difficulties – you don’t get to complete your degree and your dreams of the career you’ve always wanted go up in smoke. If you’re beset by problems that seem insurmountable, here are a few tips to help you cope:

Talk to someone: If you’re too wound up, if you’re breaking your head over an unsolvable problem, it always helps to talk it out. Choose as your confidante someone close to you, someone who will understand, someone who will support, someone who will not judge. A solution may or may not arise out of the conversation, but even if one doesn’t, at least you know you don’t have to go it alone. Loneliness and depression are the main causes of most dropouts and suicides on campus.

Throw yourself into some activity you love: If you’re brooding over a love affair gone sour or your parents’ divorce (problems that you have no control over), you must learn to forget your sorrow. And the best way to do this is to drown yourself, not in drink, but in some worthwhile activity that soothes your troubled mind and calms your frayed nerves. Sport is an excellent mood elevator; it boosts your adrenaline and gives you that feel-good factor. Grab a racquet and hit the tennis courts, put on your jogging shoes and see the sun rise as you run through campus, or join your football team for a few work-outs. You’ll feel sweaty and tired, but you’re going to be more at peace with yourself.

Take stock of your situation: If you’re in this mess because of your own mismanagement, then you must see how you can put things right. If you’re lagging behind in your lessons and assignments, if you’ve been partying one too many nights, or if you’ve incurred debt that’s hard to repay, you must begin to make amends, immediately. In for a penny, in for a pound – is not the mantra to follow here; rather, you must cut your losses and do the best you can to remedy the situation. Concentrate on getting your grades up; stay up nights to catch up on assignments; and work another job to chisel away that debt you owe. Remedial activity by itself has a cathartic effect, and you’re bound to end up feeling good about yourself.

Stick to a schedule: Finally, no matter what happens, no matter how upset or disturbed you are, don’t turn to alcohol, drugs or any other addictive substance. You’re only making things worse. Instead, stick to a sensible routine of healthy food, regular exercise, working at lessons, and sleeping at least 6 hours each night. A routine helps you return normalcy with its sheer mundane nature. Besides, you need to make sure your health is not affected because of your mental worries.

Remember, you must focus on the reason you’re in college – to earn a degree that will open the doors of opportunity once you leave campus. So to stay on track, learn to deal with stress effectively.

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This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of the online teaching opportunities. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com

A Guest Post Exclusively for our Blog by a great Writer...:

Dear Students, I reproduce below, a challenging article on Preparing for the Job Hunt, by an expert in the field, Heather Johnson, who has written the following article exclusively for our site. Wish you happy reading.

5 Ways College Seniors Can Prepare for the Job Hunt...:

Your senior year is going to be a lot of fun as you and your friends wind down a turbulent four years and get ready to go into the real world. There are going to be so many things going on that thinking about your career and where you’ll work once you graduate is an easy thing to avoid and push to the back burner. If you thought getting into college was competitive, wait until you enter the work force. It’s crucial that you utilize the skills you’ve acquired in college and apply them to your job hunt. Here are five tips for you as you consider your next move once graduation has come and gone:

Write a resume that highlights your education. Start out by coming up with your objective for your job search. Combine your educational background with the type of work you are seeking. Make mention of any internships you’ve had in the field you aspiring to join. This is your chance to put your education to work for you.

Open up your network. The friends you make in college are more than drinking buddies. You’ll all graduate and enter different fields but you should maintain contact with them even if they’re not great friends because fellow alumni love helping each other get jobs. Start networking online as well through Facebook or other medium; just be sure to take down any foolish pictures of you when you weren’t exactly thinking through all your decisions.

Assess your skill set. Figure out what your skills are and what type of job they’d fit best. Consider your interpersonal skills; should you be working with customers or be more behind the scenes. Your communication skills are heavily weighed by employers.

Go to the career center. Consider how much money you and your parents have poured into your education. Your college has a career center with highly trained professionals that are trained to help you figure out your career path. They will help you with your resume and can help you expand your network.

Hone your interviewing skills. The job interview can be a scary experience but it doesn’t have to be that way. Work with a friend that is entering the same field and quiz each other with applicable questions. Remember that you aren’t just answering questions, but should show that you’re actively listening by coming up with follow-up questions of your own.


This guest post is written by Heather Johnson, who frequently writes on ITT Technical Institute Online. She welcomes your comments and freelance writing inquiries at: heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.