Aishwarya, 3rd BA

English department

The English department is basically the reason I got through college. It’s been a lot of fun and intellectually stimulating for me. It’s a bunch of kids talking about life together. At times there’s serious debates and other times we’re all listening to each other spill major tea. It’s always been a source of comfort and challenge at the same time. Our teachers here have different approaches to the subject. Sometimes it’s rigorous lectures without a second to breathe, and sometimes we’re watching a movie together. Sometimes it’s ‘what does the title signify?’ and sometimes it’s ‘tell me about an instance in your life like the character’. Sometimes the class just turns into a group therapy session! I think that’s something I’m really grateful for. It’s a rare moment to have the entire class engage and listen to every other person in the room. I’m really glad to have had the opportunity to hear the voices of those students, who otherwise can seem non existent.

For the first time, I saw literature in a new light. It’s certainly a lot more than a bunch of poems and novels. It’s the ideas that lie within, that hold the power to change the world! Literature is the study of every experience that is human, an indulgence in all things spectacular, tragic, ironic, mundane and peculiar. The classes through the study of poems, essays, short stories, novels and films, give you an exposure to various genres, initiating discussions on different aspects of society and life. The classroom turns into a safe space, laced with empathy and also a space for investigation. We sit with each other and ponder over the background, the causes, the motives and cues deciphering the text. We go on to form an interpretation and present the perspectives unique to us. In this way, through an exposure to different perspectives and lines of reasoning, we develop critical thinking skills. This investment of my time, emotions and intellect, to understand my fellow humans, finds it’s way back to me, bettering me as a person.

It’s truly been an enriching and enlightening endeavour and I’m really grateful.