Feature

Star Campus our Experience

Nazia Ahmed
To be frank, as one of the guardians I get sentimental on the first birthday of Star Campus!

In this one year, we, the Star Campus crew, became an indispensable part of the Daily Star family. Our 'elders' have been there to guide this little baby with words of wisdom and the occasional free food or treat. So many doors opened. We got to meet new people and see them more closely; we got to be a part of many amazing new events and so much more.

I would personally like to thank Sabrina (Star Lifestyle) for pointing out my mistakes and teaching me the essentials. Thanks to Jamil bhai, Sadia apa, Badrul bhai, Aasha apa and everyone from 1st and 2nd floor to make us feel at home. Thanks to Shagor bhai for bearing with my late submissions and his colourblind layouts. And last but not least, our Shahnoor bhai for trusting us with Campus and teaching us the basics, without which I never could have made it this far (sorry for the late Thursdays!). It's been a wonderful year and we look forward to a future full of innumerable possibilities and success for Star Campus.

Tazmia Islam Nion
I have learned a lot this one year as I worked for Star Campus. I have enjoyed the recognition and respect of my friends and batch mates, even the elders, as I approached them with my assignment. They have always extended their hand of cooperation. I am indeed grateful to them. I have worked on some cover stories and gathered valuable insight on various issues pertaining to campus life, academic and extra academic activities as well as hall life.

I feel that my association with Star Campus has given me confidence to interact better with strangers. Thanks Star Campus.

Mahdin Mahboob
The first time I heard about Star Campus was during my stay in the USA last year. It was a completely new magazine from 'The Daily Star' and my father mentioned it over phone to me. I checked out the first few editions online and surely and inevitably fell instantly in love with it. After returning to Bangladesh in mid-August, I wrote my first article for Campus 'SAUSLI 2006 An experience of a lifetime'. After that, I wrote many more articles, about events in my University (BRAC University), about the different Universities and Colleges in USA and various other topics.

Many months and many articles later, I was offered a job at Star Campus when a vacancy was created there. I gladly accepted, and from May 2007, became the Copy Editor of Star Campus which required me to edit the many different types of articles that came into Star Campus every day. Editing itself is a very thought-provoking job. The articles that come in have all sorts of qualities and all sorts of ideas. Bringing all of them to a standard version does get challenging at times. But I did not restrict myself to editing only, I started covering lots of events as well and that is where the main fun remains. Although my job does get very demanding at times, given the fact that I am a fourth year engineering student as well, I still love it because of the general working atmosphere and the wonderful people I work with. Shahnoor Wahid, the Star Campus Editor is almost like a father figure to me being a very good friend at the same time. He is always willing to understand and takes the pressure of me during my exams and projects at the university. I have excellent colleagues in the form of Feeda, Nazia, Towsif, Shayera, Saushan and Shagor. Although Shayera, Saushan and Towsif work in other sections of the newspaper, they do write in our magazine quite regularly and all of us have become good friends over time.

All in all, it's a really wonderful experience working here at Campus, one that I will cherish forever. I wish Star Campus a very happy First Anniversary!

Feeda Hasan Shahed
I came to know about Star Campus last year seeing a poster at Dhaka University. When I discussed with my elder brother Faheem about it, he told me that I should think of sending one or two write-ups as well. His student Arif Ashraf Nayan was already in the Star Campus Team with whom I developed a very soothing friendship in a short time. I saw the first edition at home, which my brother bought. I was somewhat attracted to it and felt that if I could have been with Star Campus from the very first issue!

My first write-up that went to the Star Campus was a feature. I wrote about the feelings students usually have after any exam ends. It was titled 'Ah! The exams are over.' By God's grace, the reaction from various quarters was positive enough to motivate the Star Campus editor for asking me to continue!

In my next article, I tried to highlight my Finance department in DU including teacher-student opinions. That was how I got started as a writer. I took interviews of the students about their feelings and expressions and experiences from their student lives. I wrote report-based stories as well as features on diverse academic issues concerned with universities around.

Several months later, one day I was offered to work for the Star Campus team. Without any hesitation I joined as a Star Campus reporter. I have been fortunate to write a series of cover stories known as the Spotlight in the magazine.

Now that Star Campus is celebrating its one-year anniversary, I wish it a very Happy Birthday. In fact, I feel like I am enjoying my own birthday!