Extracurricular Activities: Are They Wasting Your Precious Time?

30 certificates and 10 trophies later, 

what have I really achieved?

All of our lives, as children, teenagers, and young adults we have been taught how extracurricular activities are so important, and rightly so, but many times we forget (parents, teachers, and students) on where to draw the line on these extracurricular activities. It is very true that college admissions give a huge importance to extra-curricular and even provide scholarships to extremely talented students in their own fields but this is for entering into the undergrad level. Before, I go into the details of my own experience, achievements, and lessons I want to highlight a few key points.

Key Points While Considering Extra-curricular Activities

1.Time Management

I am just going to go ahead and say it. This is a real struggle. And not everyone is capable of learning at the same pace. I count myself in that category. Some people can pull all nighters or be super fast as grabbing new concepts, I am neither of those. How are all the students expected to participate equally in extracurricular activities if more than half of us are slow learners and need more time to focus on academic material, which after all is the primary reason for going to college. 

Lets me be real honest and tell you that any college needs committees and students to carry out activities, they also need an audience to see these activities and participate in the contests organized so you will be told it is 'important' for you to participate and attend these events but at the end of the day, you have to decide if it is something you really need to do and if it will bring you closer to your ultimate goal, whatever it may be.

2. Pick your strengths. Be specific. 

I have struggled with this. There are people who are truly what people call  'all rounders'.Most of us are, however, not all rounders. Pick your favorite thing that not only relaxes you but where you feel you can truly stay committed. Whatever it is, make sure you stick to it and continue it forward. When it comes to extracurricular, like anything else, practice makes perfect and you need to be the best in your game.  college.
Trying to be an all rounder is not happening and I learned this a little late in life. Jumping from debate competitions to essay writing to the joint editor of the college magazine, juggling amateur photography, anchoring college events, organizing a bunch of unrelated college events are a lot of activities that I had on my plate during my first two and half years of college life with no common goal.

3.Learn to say No.

Whether you are forced by your parents or your peers if you think an activity is not right for you do not do it. You will waste your time and energy and neither will you benefit from the activity nor will you excel in your academics. Set aside your weekly time dedicated towards your activity. It can be hard to not think about it throughout the week especially when you need to pre-plan meetings etc but learning to say no is crucial in group events. Don't take me in the wrong way. Team work is important but what is the point in grinding yourself if it is not worth your time.

The Secret To Pick, Excel, and Benefit 

At Extra-Curriculars:

First of all, you need to think and plan, on what you are trying to achieve. Is your goal to pursue an MBA after your undergraduate degree or are you going to go for core Research or something totally different like take up teaching or pursue a career in sports? Once you have decided that all you extracurriculars should automatically align with that. Now, wait for a second, of course, your interest matters. If you enjoy singing or playing a musical instrument while doing research in Biotechnology that is totally your choice, the point I am trying to make here is don't let someone else (parents and teachers included) tell you to do something totally unrelated and uninteresting to you. 

If you are planning to go for administrative or managerial positions, yes, your communication, leadership skills, team work, problem-solving skills will immensely develop through coordinated group activities at college level. Definitely, try for leadership posts! But if a lot of your future and interest works through individual-based work like creative or content writing, photography or something along those lines or you just enjoy swimming for example then there is no need to collaborate and break your head doing it.

Yes, group work teaches you a lot. I cannot even begin to explain that in this blog post. But the truth is group work is time to consume unless the leader is near perfect but the ideal situation is quite the contrary in most cases. Only a few people work and the rest enjoy the benefits of praise. Unnecessary meetings to plan events that could easily be coordinated with simple phone messages are scheduled, but wait the leaders are not crazy! No one replies to phone messages anymore. Wouldn't the world be simpler if we could effectively communicate and finish all the task without face-to-face club meetings that take up an entire evening? So basically, everyone is at fault. That's ok. But, in all of this, if you find that you are the hard working person whose efforts are going in vain then stop wasting your time and find a better outlet and a brilliant alternative for yourself. Trust me there are many!Do not nod your head next time someone tries to throw a group task your way. Politely refuse it altogether. 

It is not your job to fill the seats in the audience and increase the number of participants in a competition for God's sake. 

I realized this later. But better late than never. 

Why don't you invest time in yourself instead? Take up a sport, exercise, cook and eat healthy food, read your favorite book, sleep! Because at the end of the day when you have that endless list of college events, one after the other and numerous extracurriculars lined up on your schedule you will be drained out and before you know it your focus will shift from the task at hand, academics! 

Try Out These Student Planners And See The Difference!

This blog post is written from my point of view with the target audience of college students but if you are a parent or a high school kid, you can apply this too. High school is the time to experiment and try what you like. I was too shy back then hence the over compensation on my part for extracurriculars in college! If you are a parent, help your kid pick what they like. Do not pressurize them with a crazy schedule that steals their childhood away and leaves them unhappy trying to go to football practice when they clearly have a musical heart.

To sum up this rant of a blog post, I will tell you to honestly reconsider the time invested in extracurriculars and be very stingy with it. There should be only two reasons for an extracurricular activity: true joy or long term benefit. The ideal situation would be where you can find something that can do both. Cheers!

Disclaimer: 

This blog post is not meant to offend any college, institution, clubs or leadership positions. It is a student lifestyle hack to teach students to be smart and wise with their time. 

Think I am nuts? Here are some interesting articles I came across discussing the same topic. Check them out ;)

How To Adult: Disadvantages Of Extracurricular Activities

Classroom: Negative Aspects Of Extracurricular

Content Wise: Advantages & Disadvantages Of Extracurricular

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.

The Secret: Life-Changing Magic Of Marie Kondo

'When your room is clean and uncluttered, you have no choice but to examine your inner state'

-Marie Kondo.

I am going to start by admitting that cleaning soothes me. I have a Mild case of Monica from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. During exams if my room is cluttered and messy my brain does not work. Unorganized items laying around is 'noise' to my brain. You are going to be like what is she talking about? Well, you are about to find out. Disclaimer there are weeks when my room is a total mess because other urgent things require immediate time and attention. Haven't we all been there? That chair that holds the clothes that are clean enough to be worn one more time but not clean enough to be neatly folded into the closet. But have you ever asked yourself how we over and over again end up in the same situation when we literally just cleaned our room yesterday! 

In November of 2016, I chipped in 450 rupees so that four of us could buy our fifth friend some book. I was not in charge of the book buying. However, when I actually saw the gifts I knew those books had valuable knowledge and they did not cost a fortune for nothing. One of them was the art of tidying up by Marie Kondo. At first, I thought what could there be about cleaning that needs to be learned. Which is also one of the questions the author asks. We are always told by our parents to keep our rooms clean but when you think of it clearly are we ever taught how exactly to do it? No.

Some of the  clothes I donated.

Marie Kondo has been a sensation that even Ellen could not resist having her on The Ellen Show. The book has sold over six million copies and there is more than six-month waiting list to get Marie Kondo's personal assistance. She has managed to clearly guide the readers on the entire process, step by step on how to clean your apartment or room just once and then never again! Every year during Diwali, my mom cleans the entire house. The mistake, as Kondo points out is almost always that we decide to clean and arrange one room at a time.Example bedroom today, living room tomorrow and so forth.

The book guides the user through a process which is divided into two main steps. The first is decluttering and the second is organizing. The key is to divide your belongings into categories and to start with clothes first followed by books/papers, CDs, miscellaneous and keep personal items like photos, letters for the end as they hold a  more emotional value. Another major point to keep in mind is while doing any one category make sure you get all the items down to the very last piece in front of your eyes before you decide which to keep and which to discard. Having all your clothes at one place will give you a realization of how many clothing items you own. Kondo says that every item has its own place and time. Some clothes are simply bought and never put to use. You should only keep those that truly bring joy to you. Take every item into your hand and think about how often you use it and whether or not it brings joy to you. You shall find the answers you seek! To the rest of the items, say thank you and then donate/discard. Moreover, do not let anyone( especially your parents or sister) see what you are about to discard because they will take it and things will keep piling up in the house. Another thing to remember is that don't make old clothes into night wear! Give respect to its purpose. Similarly sort out all your books, papers, coins, CDs, kitchen appliances/utensils, medicines using the same technique.

Organizing bottoms vertically upwards!

Once decluttering is done, then comes organizing. Storage is the word that comes to mind. A whole industry revolves around smart storage options! The key is to put every item in an easily accessible place where it can be easily seen. For clothes, we usually stack them up in cupboards but here once again Marie Kondo has something new and intelligent to offer. She explains how to fold clothes vertically upwards. This helps them to be stored next to each other horizontally so any item can easily be removed without disturbing the others. This is also a great way to see all the cloth options available at one glance. To understand this one in a better way, I highly recommend watching the short video of Marie Kondo's demonstration below.

You will be surprised how easy it is to organize once you have decluttered. I discarded almost half of my stuff and I never have once missed my things. If you live with your family try it with everything you own first and then convince others to do the same. While decluttering, you should throw away all the unnecessary receipts, old bills because filing such negativity is pointless. (I sound sarcastic but how is having the receipt of my first year of B.Pharm tuition fee going to help me now? See my point. But parents have a tendency to do these things and they convince you to do the same as a rule or something. Just throw it away already.) Do not keep old boxes of items with the hope of it bringing value to the item while re-selling *facepalm*.

A clean, decluttered and organized space will allow your brain to focus on more important things. Many times our eyes are flooded with items surrounding us, taking in all that background information which truly speaking decreases our efficiency. Kondo's last rule is that after using everything return it to its place. When you come back home, take the items out of your purse. Your purse needs rest too! Return your clothes to the cupboard, your books, and papers to the place you assigned them while organizing in the first place and you shall never have to set an afternoon aside again in your life to 'clean' again.People who have tried this method have seen a tremendous change in their lives. Students have improved their grades, mothers are finding it easy to manage family life, employees have improved their efficiency at work, it has even motivated people to get over depression!

From the moment I started this, it has made my life easier. I went into hyper mode and did throw my friend's mobile charger which according to her was working fine but did not work for my phone (Hehe). But other than that I have nothing but praise for the method, the author, and the book. I knew I had to share my experience with you. The photos in this blog post are the actual photos of decluttering and organizing during my journey. I save the best to share with you guys, my readers, even if it is a late post because such precious information needs to be circulated around and when I have the first-hand experience in it, of course, you guys will hear about it!

That's all for this blog post. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed saving these photos for all these months so I could write this and tell you about it. I hope you guys try it out for yourself. If you do share your photos with me and comment below to share your experience. Share this article with your friends and family or perhaps a sibling or a roommate to give them a subtle hint ;)

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.

My Internship at Biocon (Bangalore)

"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn"

-Benjamin Franklin.

When it comes to dreams, a lot of us are hands down generic dreamers. After all, generic is classic. My story was no different. Internship at a big firm in a metro city, living on coffee and making it on my own. That was my big, generic, student dream. Yes, I would have loved to travel instead for a month like those AISEC people and change lives but I didn't have that kind of cash. I could have also done the regular thing students do in summer breaks- go home and visit my parents. But, I was hoping for a miracle and like my classic risk-taker self, I put all my bets on Biocon, Bangalore- India's biggest Biotech firm.

The only contact I had in Biocon was my a friend's dad who knew someone, who knew someone (Yes, so that was my risky bet). After sending in my resume around March, I waited and sent relentless follow-up emails until I got a call from the HR Department. The main reason I wanted to do an internship was to figure out what my calling was. I was debating between Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Management. My goal was to get a Marketing internship. I think Digital Marketing would be perfect for me. I practically live on planet internet.

Finally, two days after my university exams got over, that was May end, I got a confirmation from Biocon. I was going to be an intern in the HR Department. It was close to what I had aimed for and so I happily accepted. One month internship beginning June 17, 2016 at the Biocon headquarters in Bangalore.I arrived in Electronic City, Bangalore two days early and settled in a Paying Guest that I had found online with the help of a friend. The struggles of my stay at the PG is a blog post on its own (The Life And Lies Of A Paying Guest ).

On my first day in Biocon, I discovered that the company had three campuses and my PG was not as close to the office where I was going to be working. I had to take the shuttle between the Biocon campuses every morning and evening. On the first day at the HR Department, I was introduced to the team and given a work desk. I was on Cloud 9! Everyone was very warm and welcoming. I slowly learned the work flow. My office was concerned with recruiting positions for the Biocon field force all over India. As a Biotech and a Pharmaceutical firm we naturally needed a lot of field sales representatives. Screening hundreds of incoming emails from candidates and matching them with the job description, salary and experience level was no simple task. I saw the team do it effortlessly like true professionals and did I mention I was an intern in the HR Department. The swag they had was that of Jessica Pearson and Donna from Suits, COMBINED!

My internship allowed me to transform myself from someone who feared phone calls with strangers to someone who did about five basic phone interviews with candidates who matched the job profiles. As I got better and more helpful, I was assigned more tasks and I loved every bit of it. Coffee breaks were the best. They were like short episodes on Adulting 101 where everyone talked about their life, struggles and how to solve everyday problems. They were all in their late twenties or thirties and had made it to one of the best firms so I could rest assured that they knew what they were doing.In my third week of internship, we had an office party to celebrate some promotions. I can say that was the most fun I had at a party with a lot of strangers and my ride back was an interesting one too, where I overcame my fear of small talk (The Not So Small: Small Talk). I had grown as a person during my one month in Bangalore.

Bangalore or any other city for that matter, grinds you, the traffic is merciless. The area, Electronic city was filled with industries and didn't have the neighborhood friendly cafes that I had dreamed of. But that's where the difference between movies and reality lies.Hakuna Matata is an optimistic blog but we cannot compromise the reality for the price of positivity. They both go hand in hand.

Overall it was a much-needed trailer of the reality that is life, that every student deserves to experience before they complete their undergraduate degree. This was my story and while you may think my struggles were big, now, as I look back at them I find them very irrelevant and small in the bigger and greater aspects of life. My best friend Anjana, for example, had applied to  ten internships and after all her hard work she got accepted into an all expense covered internship in Japan in the National Institute of Genetics. 

To conclude this blog post, I will say keep dreaming, take risks, hustle hard and you will surely achieve your goals. The real success lies outside your comfort zone so keep throwing yourself in uncomfortable situations like I did because that uncomfortable zone is the place which allows you to metamorph into adulthood,

Acknowledgements:

I would like to thank my friend Sai Pooja's dad without who I would not have gotten that first contact. Sometimes a sinking Rose just needs that little support to survive ;) (And yes, she survived without Jack. No, you don't die from heartbreak).

If anyone from Biocon stumbles upon this blog, I would like to thank the entire HR team at Biocon House that mentored me during my stay. We need more companies in this country with a work ethic like that of Biocon.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. If you found it relatable or inspirational please let me know and share it with your friends. You can subscribe to my blog to get notified via email every time I post on my blog. Thanks for reading and keep smiling.

Signing off,
-Nishma Khetia

Cracking The Conference Code- Beyond Suits and Ties

Ironically, the only thing constant about life is change. The clock keeps ticking. The most successful and powerful empires at one time are conquered as the new ones take charge. You might be at the top of your academics or career path for the time being, but in order to stay put, you need to keep yourself constantly updated with the latest in your field. The web holds a large amount of knowledge and most of us fail to use this precisely to our benefit. From online courses that require payment to free webinars and tutorials, it is quite a lot to take in and what's even harder is to filter out that which is relevant to you. 

Interaction is a crucial key to survival. History has presented us with thousands of examples like the Barter trade system where commodities were exchanged in order to meet the needs of different people. Whether your's is a corporate world or a research lab, you will definitely need to exchange ideas. The Google Impact Challenge is an example of how fresh and innovative ideas can change lives with the help of technology but only when they are effectively communicated and shared with the world. One of the reasons why schools are preferred over homeschooling lies in this interaction. When like-minded people learn or work together they become better at critical thinking, problem-solving and not to mention the personal and character development that is achieved in the process.

Conferences are important as they allow discussion on important updates in different fields. Presentations made at conferences are aimed at enlightening people about a recent discovery or a new tool that could make lives easier. Seeing thousands of abstract ideas in front of you and later hearing about the latest topics of debates in your field is bound to trigger the brain more than what could be accomplished while working in isolation. The reason this blog post is aimed towards conferences rather than short seminars/meeting is because the latter is restricted in time and scope. Each year there are hundreds of conferences held across the globe covering various topics. There are those related to blogging too! Most conferences last 2-3days and they are the perfect getaways. It would be taking a break from your work while still learning something. And let's admit it, half of the things you learn at college would not have practical application. However, at a conference, everything is practical.

Five Reasons You Need To Attend That Conference:

1.Stay Smart: Like I mentioned in the introduction of this blog post you need to be on top of your game, at all times. Conferences will focus on helping you achieve that by including presentations and discussions on the current updates. Even the smartest of the physicians need to constantly do their homework as many new therapies are introduced daily and replace the old methods. The active participation that comes with conferences will trigger your brain to ponder on the hot topics in your field and the next time you hear it being discussed over coffee, you will have a lot to say which will impress your fellow colleagues and your bosses alike.

2.Networking: I cannot stress this point enough. Conferences have reputed Professors and people from the industry in attendance for sessions and discussions. It is crucial to take note of them if you desire to work with them in the future. It could be a collaboration between businesses or a group research project but it would all start at the conference when one of you would realize that your topic of interest is not very different. Even if it is different, there is such a thing called as multidisciplinary projects and you never know when your idea would be a game changer in someone's project.

Note: Don't be afraid and think your concepts would be stolen and not participate at all. If needed take measures to protect your work prior to presentation.

3.Inspiration: Daily routine can get monotonous especially when you are surrounded by the same people in the same area. Exposure to new faces, ideas, and a new location all together could be the solution to that problem that you have been stuck on for so long. Moreover, you could meet experts at a conference or even some sales person at an exhibition that would be more than willing to share their expertise and help you with your technical problem. Being with like minded people will surely get your brain juices flowing again and give you the much-needed dose of inspiration.

4.Self Investment: Conferences could prove to be an expensive investment when matters like traveling, accommodation, food and most importantly the conference fee itself are brought into the picture. This investment would pay off as it would equip you with soft skills and sharpen your communication, presentation, public speaking etc. Just make sure that you choose the right conference to attend. Do your homework on the speakers, presenters and make the most out of it!

5.Travel and Explore: Conferences are usually based on fun locations. The conference website would normally have a list of places of interest nearby the venue that you could explore before or after the conference. This would be perfect if you travel with your friends or involve the new acquaintances you have made at the conference. It would leave you with wonderful memories to last you a lifetime.

As I enter the final year of college, I have managed to attend one conference so far where I got the opportunity to make a presentation. The conference had about 700 guests and it turned out to be a memorable experience. It taught me that presentations that were followed by questions from the audience and answers by the author, would stick with you far more than anything you read online. 

I would like to add that a certificate for attending the conference has zero value in my opinion and experience (from sourcing in Human Resources). A mention of the conference in your resume might get you an interview but having no idea of what went on in the conference will clearly leave you embarrassed when you will be questioned about it. If you attend a conference please make sure to do it only if you whole-heartedly are interested. 

I hope you found this blog post helpful and have been convinced in attending the next good conference opportunity that comes your way.

You can check out the Harvard Business Review's post on making the most out of the conference.

-Nishma Khetia.

The Not So Small: Small Talk

                                 

"There’s nothing small about small talk. Though you may think that making small talk is just a way to pass the time or avoid awkwardness, many great friendships and relationships have started with a discussion about the weather. Small talk can not only help you build a meaningful bond with a person, but it’s also a vital skill that will benefit you in the professional world "-wikiHow on small talk.

Being born and brought up in Dar-es-salaam, I have always had a constant group of friends and new acquaintances, if any, would always be through my current friends and in their presence.  Having said that, I would consider myself to be below average when it comes to making small talk at social events and gatherings. I always tend to come up with various things to say (in my head) while listening to a conversation but can never muster up the courage to actually say the words and communicate. The past month has been excruciatingly painful as I knew absolutely no one in Bangalore city during my month long internship. Whether it was dealing with new roommates at my paying guest accommodation or with seniors and colleagues, I was failing terribly at striking up any sort of conversation. I would describe myself as two totally opposite sides of the same coin, irritatingly talkative once I am comfortable with people but quite the opposite initially.

I was inspired to write this blog post after one such small talk scenario. After accepting the invitation to an office party, I was having second thoughts. Previously, all the coffee breaks at the office had been filled with interesting small talks that turned to good conversations except for the fact that I had sat silently though most of them. I promised myself that I would try to get better at small talk while having a good time at the party. Once I arrived at the party, I noticed that people began conversations with a simple compliment on each other's outfits, or style of dancing or something light and simple. Majority of the people were on the dance floor and I joined them in order to get out of having to make small talk. Later that night, I was told by my seniors who were going to arrange my ride back home that I should get a lift from a guy named Adi. I knew the time had come when I had to make a choice and this time I did not choose awkward silence.

I had not met Adi before since he worked in a different office but under the same Human Resources Department. The journey back home was a good twelve kilometers and I was going to work on my small talk skills. Getting into the car, I introduced myself and so did he. I assumed he was four to five years older than me. He began with the usual question "Where are you from?" and I have now realized that is the most interesting thing about me. On revealing that I am from Tanzania, the curiosity generally develops. I don't know if it was because Adi was from HR and had been taught on how to make small talk (yes, the team gets Learning and Development sessions to teach them such skills) or because I was helping him by answering with elaborative answers and asking a few questions in return, or a combination of both but we continued chatting throughout the ride. The topics included our education qualifications, Tanzanian politics, the need of bigger roads owning to traffic in metro cities and so much more. I also learned that both of our fathers enjoyed rally driving and that we had been taught the basics on fixing cars before we were allowed us to take driving lessons!

In the following week, I felt more confident at small talk. I began talking about simple topics like news headlines (but always on lighter topics), food, the weather, clothing etc. Now before I continue further let me put a

Disclaimer: I love deep and meaningful conversations that could educate me.  I know that there exists a group of people who would be against small talk. To them I would like to say, if you don't want to do it, it's fine as long as 'you' are comfortable with the silence.

In today's world networking is considered as an important key to success. You never know which of your contacts would help you out in the future. Another point of significance to consider before judging small talk (and my blog post) is that if you are ever going to find yourself surrounded by strangers, at parties, social events or anything along those lines, you will definitely need small talk, there is no denying it.

Therefore, I will say this: use small talk to your advantage but don't let all your conversations be like that.  If you think an individual is going to stick around, make meaningful conversation that could benefit both of you and increase their interest in you (if that's your goal).

From my personal experience and a little research on small talk online, I have got the following pointers for anyone who wants to better their small talk game:

1. Start with names and a good introduction: Names are very important and when you familiarize yourself with another individual's name they tend to feel more at ease around you. Try saying their name a few times as you chat with them this will help you remember it better. Furthermore, you should come up with a short but interesting introduction for yourself. You can use the same introduction with multiple people if you think it is working in your favor. 

2. Stick to Simple Topics: Weather (It is boring but when you have nothing to say, it will be equivalent to finding gold!), News headlines, the latest Movies (Music and Books too), compliments on clothing (and asking one where they got it from even if you don't want to buy it), something about your and their general background etc.

Don't: I have had conversations with people who have elaborated on topics such as their past relationships during the very first meeting. Don't do this. Steer clear of controversial topics like hardcore politics and religious debates.

3. Homework Helps: If you have time before an event where you know you will be having to socialize, think of a few things to discuss. It could perhaps be something about the chief guest or the purpose/ reason behind the social event. It should be a common topic relevant to the theme of the event where all parties would be able to contribute to the conversation hence saving you from doing all the talking.

4.Tackling Unpleasant Situations: There are those sad people who have met you before, several times but ignore you on purpose. Give them a lesson on social skills and remind them like so "Hello. I believe I have met you before at..."   At other times you might need to make an exit from a conversation and in such scenarios you can use several excuses like 'getting food', 'bathroom' or simply 'need to make a phone call'.

5. Save Dying Conversations: Yes, there might have been silence for more than a few seconds but that does not mean that all hope is lost. Don't hold back and just keep the conversation going. You can be a good listener and ask a question that would require the other person to elaborate example "What school do your kids attend?" or something about their parents or spouse.

Remember: You should use this only when you have been given some previous information on the same subject (Someone might have lost a dear family member).

Last but not the least, if you find the person interesting and the feeling is reciprocated be sure to exchange contact details so you may be able to keep in touch. If not, a polite goodbye should suffice.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Please leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below. Thank you for reading :)

The link to wikiHow article on small talk.

-Nishma Khetia.