Feature

Getting Admitted to a College

Naveed M. Rahman

COLLEGE', remember how you felt about the word when you were just a child, in your early school life, when the whole of the universe meant nothing more than your home and your school? Sure you do! It meant a bigger world. Well not as big as your parents but certainly way bigger than your own. And you looked up to it with earnest yearnings as you knew, even back then, that it was going to be your next big through. And I am quite sure that most of you will be able to relate to me when I tell you just how I felt when I got into a bigger class every year. Say when I got into class four I looked upon the class three students as toddlers, born yesterday, and brutally, inhumanly snatched from their mothers' wombs, where they rightfully belonged, overlooking the fact that I used be in class three merely a month and a half ago. Nevertheless time kept rolling and the class kept getting bigger and so did my world. The difference is you knew exactly how and when your class changed, but not how and when your world did. One day it just hits you that you are not a child any more. It is then, you have begun to take things less passionately, and you have to start taking things more seriously, things that seemed fun as grim and deadly. Even when you have learnt the ways of the world and seen much of its ugliness and even when you have lowered your expectations from life. It is not enough even when you get admitted to a college and felt like it was just another inevitable step, yet you find that your idea about college and what it stood for really has not changed. Though the thing called studies knocks you down quite often, though you know there will be quite a lot of tough times after college, times when you will wish that the merciful ground beneath your feet will be less merciful and swallow you alive, you feel its sweetness, you savour every drop. Because you know there is nothing sweeter than moments of contentment that you earn with your own hard labour. You are a college student now. Enjoy your moments now, because they are only there to last a short while!

International Youth Day 2009 celebrated

SOUTH Asian Youth Society (SAYS) and American Center, USA embassy Dhaka, jointly celebrated International Youth Day 2009 at Archer K. Blood American Center Library of American Center. There were around 55 participants from NSU, DU, AIUB, BRAC, NDC, Holy Cross and other public, private universities and colleges. On the occasion, Catherine Hallock, Cultural Affairs Officer of American Center, was present as the Chief Guest. Shamimul Islam from DU, the General Secretary of SAYS, welcomed the participants, followed by a lively presentation on SAYS explaining the objectives, vision, mission of SAYS by Towfique Ahmed from NSU, President of SAYS. Later, the executive director of SAYS, Shamir Shehab from NSU, discussed about some of his experience on youth activism and the importance of youth engagement with social activities to address the challenges that Bangladesh is facing and is likely to face in future. He also briefly talked on International Youth Day theme of 2009 that is "Sustainability: Our Challenge, Our future". In the question and answer session, the participants raised many thought provoking questions concerning different social issues. Catherine Hallock answered those questions and emphasised on leadership and capacity building of the Youth to overcome those challenges. She also welcomed the Initiative of SAYS to raise awareness among students on different social issues and youth involvement to address those issues.