Got some questions?
Since a paper newsletter didn’t work, my college is going online. A couple of few weeks ago, two young journalists from Deccan Chronicle came to our college to enroll us in Papyrusclubs.com, a Deccan Chronicle initiative to bring together the newsletters of all schools and colleges. The thing is it’s made for schools. I don’t know why they had to club colleges along with schools. The events to be covered in colleges are very much larger in proportion as compared to schools. They have got 6 sections in the newsletter.
- Current affairs in college - 3 articles per issue.
- Achievements section - 1 article.
- Sports/extracurricular activities - 3 articles.
- Humour/entertainment section - 1 article.
- Studio - one 2 minute video.
- Voice your opinions - 4 articles.
What ticked me off was the ridiculousness to limit the video section to only one 2 minute video. Anyway, there are a couple of good lecturers you like in colleges and you can’t say no to someone who’s really enthusiastic about the whole thing. And I figured I was hopelessly bored in class and I needed some good excuses for ODs. It turned out well until the lecturer asked me to go and interview the additional commissioner of police!! (his son’s studying in our college, by the way). I have to prepare some questions. Uncontroversial ones, you see. That makes it a lot harder. If you have any questions, post them here. I’ll think of a way to present them in such a way that he doesn’t grab me by the scruff and have my kneecaps bruised. They got nasty canes you know and I might end up compromising Ragha’s true identity.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Why must you ask him non-controversial questions? What is the point of the interview then?
March 6th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Because my lecturer says he has taken some time off for the interview and I shouldn’t upset him. The whole interviewing thing is ridiculous anyway. I can’t say this straight out ’cause it’d upset my lecturer. It’s an upsetting world out there.
March 7th, 2008 at 7:32 am
I’d ask complicated moral questions designed to portray him as a hypocrite.
March 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
He’d just say that you’re wasting your time. In any case, Arun, my college was part of the first wave of colleges. I remember being part of this back in late 2007 and actually doing something, but interest waned and remained like that. I haven’t touched it in months, it makes me feel guilty. I’ve even forgotten my password.
By the way, go print. It’s way more fun than an internet newsletter.
March 8th, 2008 at 4:21 am
George, If we want to go print, we have to pay money. The administration wouldn’t sponsor it. We tried it. Besides, we can give only one to each class and one to the library. The respective class in-charge would throw it away, obviously if no one asks her, and no one’s going to go down to the library for reading newsletters. I think this online thing’s not going to last two months.
Marc, I slipped in two or three questions like that. One about moral policing. And one about the need for flashy Hyundai cars on perpetually congested Chennai roads. The lecturer wasn’t too happy.
March 8th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Print is better if you can get the funding. So what did he answer? Link to your college’s site and stuff.
March 8th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I’m going on Monday to his residence. They are busy people, you know. And about linking to the college site, we haven’t launched the newsletter yet.