Off to a good start
Familiar place
The girls of the pre-university college of Mount Carmel never shy away from the camera and they’re all a bunch of confident young women, waiting to explore college life, in all its facets. There’s always a rush for admission to this college and sometimes, the lists extend beyond the limit.
The first day at college began with an orientation programme. There were no long and boring speeches. It was designed to be short, crisp and to the point.
The Carmelites always begin a new year on a good note and to this effect the orientation programme had well-known counsellor and educationist Phyllis Farias talk to the students about freedom, discipline and how to strike a balance between the two. She spoke at length about the peer pressure and offered tips on how to handle it in a sensible way.
The fresh batch of students were treated to an array of cultural activities the college is popular for. The Indian Dance Association, Western Dance Association, Indian Music Association and the Western Music Association took the students through some exhilarating, foot-tapping numbers.
The freshers say that they chose the college for its academic excellence and the freedom it offered to the students on campus. None of the students had any fear or anxiety. Most of them were impressed with the courses that the college had to offer.
Every student looked forward to being associated with the culturals at the college. “The college helps the student strike a balance between freedom and academics. And there’s no ragging, that’s the best part about being on this campus,” says Shruti a first-year arts student.
Shreya Hegde from Shimoga confesses that it was a shock for her when she first came to the campus. “The place is lively and I am told that there’s never a dull moment on campus. I hope to make the best of the two years on campus,” she says. The freshers were taken for a tour of the college campus by their seniors who were more than willing to help them.
S V Padmalatha, head of department, English says during the first few weeks, the teachers walk around the campus just to ensure that there’s aren’t any cases of ragging on campus. “The students are briefed about the college culture, its fests, rules and regulations.
They are also told not to use their cellphones during class hours. Most parents explained why they wanted their children to carry the cellphone as they go for tuitions after-class hours and the parents want to ensure that they their children are safe,” says Padmalatha.
