Kaalrav-ing Behind the scenes...!! #1st_year's-p.o.v

Written by: Rajashri Pegu(1st yr)
Edited by: Yashraj Chettri
Photographs by: Akash and Shreyas

So it’s time for the students to show off their skills! Be it advertising, financing, acting, dancing, singing, debating, painting, eating, cheating, chatting, screaming, demeaning, loving, fighting.....you name it, and it’s all there! Where? At the much awaited college fest of SMIT- Kaalrav! Now, this would not have been very hard to guess! It is all about fun embellished with learning experience when it comes to organizing a successful college festival .If you say college festivals are all about the fun, frolic, dancing, eating, chatting, meeting new people from other colleges, participating in events, star performances and all that, just hold on. Let’s take a step back. What takes to bring in all these components in a fest? What goes on behind the scenes?

Given that almost every college these days hosts its annual festival, students from various disciplines of different colleges across the country speak about what takes to make a fest ‘good’, ‘unique’ and ‘laudable’. Arranging a fest ranges from planning a theme, to fixing the budget, managing sponsorship, inviting guests, performers, arranging events and a lot more. The task is unquestionably not a one-day match. Given that most colleges follow a credit system, missing out on a single class means losing out on a considerable grade point. Yet, students manage to put up a great show despite this firmness in class timings. It basically shows the dedication and the enthusiasm of the students, which obviously, is more apparent in freshmen like me. I was a part of the hospitality committee and though it didn’t include the glorious labors of the decoration committee, I liked my job quite well (much to my surprise, considering my social skills, or lack thereof). Now, the soft skills required there seem to go in contrast with the technical education I’m gaining right now in this college.

So basically, choosing to a play role in a college festival, which don’t essentially go hand in glove with my degree, challenged me out of my comfort zone and enabled me to acquire a different skill set. And it applies to everybody! Having a blast at a college festival and enjoying yourself now has a new meaning.

Talking of adults, the way the organization of fests, in general, has changed over time has mixed reactions. While the whole idea of students going out there, interacting with the big shots of companies to get sponsors and take up the responsibility of organizing a huge event is awe inspiring, the whole idea of students sometimes misusing the power acts as blots on the otherwise beautiful picture. Our college fests have undoubtedly seen a complete overhaul from being just another “school-type-fete” funded by the authorities and attended by a meager few to mega star studded events, high on oomph and life!

Here, a completely off track point that needs to be brought to notice is the security arrangements at fests. Every college has its own security policy. While some are kind enough to let students enter with their college identity cards, some believe in the policy of “prevention is better than cure” and do not let students enter without a pass. Well, I refuse to comment on this. All, I want to say about this is, as long as both the parties (security men and students) do not spoil the taste of the cake called fests, we have no complaints.

Ending on a rather festive note, for we are all in the mood for some fun, here is what I want to say — During the times when our morals and ethical values are going through a complete overhaul, we do not know what to hold on to and what to discard. All we know is that we can go with the flow and see where it takes us.