Semester Break

Of Mangoes and Jackfruits!

Rakibul Hasan

First of all take a sigh of relief; the summer vacation is finally here! When the hasty transitions between classes, assignments and exams in the scorching heat turn the life in campus into arid deserts, the month long summer vacation in June comes in with an escape from the maddening pace of our campus lives. Whether you are a high school student, or graduating from a university, there is something magical about the famous Aam Kanthaler Chuti (summer vacation). Classes are wrapped up - an end to sleepless nights to meet deadlines, and the holiday season begins with full force. While many students visit their native villages to relish the scrumptious taste of aam (mango) and kanthal (jackfruits), that are better known as summer fruits in Bangladesh, fresh from the village orchards, students who stay back in Dhaka throughout the vacation may end up finding artificially ripened mangoes and jackfruits being sold in the roadside shops. So, not many options are left for the Dhaka dwellers, except sleeping till late in the afternoon and yawning in front of the television before going back to sleep again. Nevertheless, no student can bear the thought of getting back to mundane class scedules without some fun and excitement in the precious and short-lived summer vacation. Here are some unique ideas which students can try out to make this summer vacation entertaining:

Go Hiking: While the Musa Ibrahim craze is still on, it is time to give mountaineering a shot. Practice makes a man perfect. So, start with the relatively small hills in Chittagong hill tracts! If you are not into mountaineering then go bird-watching, join nature clubs or simply explore the beauty of nature. Whatever you may try, remember to do all these under expert guidance.

Learn Swimming: Swimming is the best form of exercise. It is not only a great way to keep you fit but is also a lifesaving skill.

Learning to swim can become fun by participating in swimming lessons with friends. There are quite a few places in Dhaka where you can learn swimming with the aid of professional instructors. If you are a student then Dhaka University swimming complex can be an ideal place to learn swimming for you, by being a student here you would get concessions in swimming course fees.

Do some volunteering: For those who are socially conscious, volunteering with some local social agency might be a good idea. There are many voluntary groups that regularly require youngsters to contribute to their effort. For example, the NGOs those work with street children or try to make people aware about traffic rules and so on. You can sign up for one of these NGOs and do your bit for the society.

Nurture a pet: It could be something as no-high-maintenance like a cat. If you have the will and the time, you could get yourself a dog, a rabbit, a duck, love birds, and such animals. You can talk to someone who knows about animals to make your choice.

Apply for a student exchange programme: By applying for a student exchange programme in a foreign education institution one could get the opportunity of visiting new countries and acquiring new knowledge. To get this kind of opportunities, students need to check out the notice boards at their college or university and also the websites of different foreign consulates in Bangladesh.

Go for a movie spree: Rent all the movies that you have been waiting to watch for months together and get down to watching them. To make it more fun, have some of your friends over along with home made samosas, khichuri or chanachur for the nearest store, hot cups of tea and fresh home made fruit juice.

Go book shopping: Get out your walking shoes and hit the streets of Nilkhet and buy the books you have been meaning to read for the longest time. It's now or never! After all, in most cases, the book turns out to be better than it movie.

Note to the wise: All the ideas stated above are just mere suggestions. If you are not into any of these things then just loosen up and try to chill out. Laugh heartily, get enough sleep, hangout with your friends and you will become all set to appear on the arena of classes and exams once again. Happy holidays everybody!