Once class 12th results are out and the school is over, it is time to make the strategies for higher education and think over what to do next. With numerous options available today, students often get confused in choosing a relevant career path for them. Many of the students might have already had plans for their future in place but for some the confusion still persists.

Here are some tips to keep in mind while choosing the most relevant career path.

>Know your interests

Before jumping on to look for the available options in the science, commerce or humanities stream, it is extremely important to consider your interests. If you don’t want to spend your time at job/work counting your days then look for the career which best suits and aligns with your interests and abilities. Deciding out of peer pressure or family pressure might not turn out to be beneficial in long run.

>Choose the right course

These days there are a number of ways to pursue the same course such as degree course, diploma course, correspondence mode, online mode and distance mode of education. By getting to know about the course structure, syllabus and methodology of teaching you can pick up the course which suits your needs.

>Look out for future scope and opportunities

It might happen that your interests direct you to your preferred career path but not a viable career. In order to overcome this major hurdle, you need to search for and know about the future scope and opportunities available for that particular field in your country and abroad.

>Maintain a balance between college preference and course of study

A college preference might be as important as the preferred course but a balance between the two is more important. A good college offering your preferred course is a steal deal. However, if things don’t go as per your will, consider the course above the college brand. Because it is only the course that is going to decide your future prospects and not the college’s brand value.

>Have a plan B

Just in case you doubt losing the opportunity to grab your preference of course or college always have a plan B. It would not only save your time from being wasted but also let you to explore other options. Who knows the unexplored opportunities come with hidden but favourable outcomes for you.

In times like today, health has become the primary concern for all. Good immunity proportionates healthy living which comes from eating the right food in the right amount. Superfoods are the go-to food items for strong immunity and good health.

Superfoods are high in nutrition having very few calorie count. They contain high value of vitamins, minerals and naturally occuring antioxidants which keep your body disease-free and make you healthier. When taken in the right quantity in your diet, superfoods can improve heart health and increase energy level in the body, detox the body, regulate metabolism, lower body cholestrol, reduce cardiovascular disease risks and also help in weight reduction.

>Green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetable are a great source of many nutrients that boost our immunity such as vitamin A, C, E and K, calcium, iron, fibre, zinc, potassium, magnesium etc. The fibres and nutrients present in green leafy vegetables are found useful in preventing heart diseases, type-2 diabetes and certain chronic diseases. Some well known green leafy vegetables include kale, spinach, beet greens, watercress etc.

>Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are rich source of vitamin C and B6, ribloflavin, calcium, magnesium and a variety of phytochemicals. These nutrients are responsible for improved gastrointestinal function and vascular protection. Also, consuming citrus fruits reduces risk of diabetes, cancer and neurological diseases. Examples of citrus fruits are orange, sweet lime, tangerine, kinnow,pomelo etc.

>Berries and cherries

Berries are rich in vitamin C, minerals, manganese and antioxidants and are also low in calories. They also contain flavonoids which are responsible for protection of body cells. Similar to berries, cherries are a great source of antioxidants which help in protection against viruses. Potassium rich berries are also good for improved blood pressure.

>Turmeric

Known for its antibacterial properties, turmeric is a very commonly found and well known ingredient in Indian households. It is rich in proteins, carbohydrates and minerals like manganese, potassium and phosphorous. Scientifically proven health benefits of turmeric include prevention of heart diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s and prevent symptoms of depression and arthritis.

>Honey

Honey, which is often considered a substitute of sugar, is a rich source of ascorbic acid, pantothenic acid, niacin and riboflavin and minerals like iron, copper, zin, calcium, phosphorous etc. It is also rich in antioxidants and helps regulate blood pressure and has benefits on heart health.

>Yogurt

Yogurt provides to the body good amount of vitamin B12, minerals like calcium, riboflavin, phosphorous etc and proteins. The fermentation process used to make yogurt makes it healthier than milk and easy to digest which cause the nutrients to get absorbed by the body more easily and quickly. This not just improves digestive health but also helps in weight management, strengthens immunity and prevents bone diseases like osteoporosis.

Forced migration can be described as mass movement of people of a particular area out of threat to their lives and livelihoods. People unwilling to leave their home towns and countries are forced to migrate to nearby, or sometimes far away, cities, towns and countries to have access to better facilities.

In context to Uttarakhand, forced migration or distressed migration has arisen as one of the major issues in recent times. In particular, male-specific outmigration has become a trend in the hills. The people have been migrating not just to seek better employment but also to have access to better healthcare and educational facilities. The educated ones are the first to leave as they get good opportunities in the cities and settle there forever. However, the elderly population is not yet ready to leave their home land because of the affection and attachment to the place.

More than 5 lakh people have migrated from Uttarakhand within the last 10 years. According to 2011 census, a total of 1,18,961 people from 6,338 village panchayats have migrated out of Uttarakhand permanently, while 3,83,726 people have migrated in search of work and prefer to visit their native places in the hills frequently. Out of 16,500 villages in Uttarakhand, 734 have become ghost villages. Also, there are 664 villages with negligible population and 3,900 other villages in the state that have a population of 50 or less.

The state of Uttarakhand was formed in the year 2000 after separation from Uttar Pradesh to ensure development in the hilly region. Though the purpose doesn’t seem to be served yet. Well structured roads and good health facilities continue as the basic requirements of the people. The lack of educational facilities is also among the majors reasons of migration.

Moreover, the decreased fertility of soil is a major concern for the locals affecting the agricultural productivity. Since it is an ecologically fragile state prone to natural disasters with half of the population’s workforce on farm, scope for other employment opportunities reduces.

Changing time brings along changes in basic needs which might not be fulfilled by the traditional methods and style of Uttarakhand. It proves to be a major cause of the shift. People now prefer to settle in the cities permanently in order to enjoy the relaxing life and lucrative opportunities offered there as compared to their home towns in the hills where the daily routine is tough and hectic and a decent livelihood has become a challenge.

Knowing one language is essential human need but learning more than one dialect can bring about new opportunities for any person. Multilingualism not just opens up career opportunities for an individual but also the cognitive benefits of being multilingual are further more than people know. Studies reveal that about 60 to 75 percent of the world population is multilingual. Even certain countries have more than one official language and have made the option to learn a second language mandatory in their school curricula.

Let’s know further the lesser known benefits of multilingualism.

>Sharpens mind

A study at Spain’s Pompeu Fabra University reveals that the effect of a second language acquired later in life can be seen in the growth of brain. While learning a new language sharpens the brain, it also causes the brain to grow and develop proficiency in the first language. Multilinguals have better concentration and observation and analytical skills than monolinguals.

>Improves learning abilities

Memory is a fundamental in learning languages where one gets familiar with not only new vocabulary and rules but also requires the ability to recall the information. The more the use of brain, the better it performs. This enhances one’s learning and memorizing abilities.

>Enhances decision making

Multilingualism leads to flexible and critical thinking and logical reasoning enhancing the decision making ability. Innovative and creative decisions for the betterment of everyone and the society are a part of the improved ability.

>Lessens mental decline in old age

It has been suggested by studies that requirements associated with bilingual or multilingual people act as mental exercise for the brain which may lead to delay in the symptoms of Alzheimer′s disease and other forms of dementia.

>Increases career opportunities

Business companies these days look for individuals of bilingual or multilingual ability considering the diversity of the world. Companies operating in more than one country prefer multilinguistic candidates. Also, tourism and marketing sector provide wide range of opportunities to multi-lingual individuals.

>Failure

The root cause of fearing failure is the underlying embarassment and shame. In our society where a person is judged on the basis of the grades and achievements, failure is not observed as a life lesson but the end of career, opportunities and all good things that could ever happen to you. The fear of failing is accompanied by emotions like unworthiness, inferiority complex, low self esteem and fear of rejection.

>Not being good enough

Psychology says ‘not being good enough’ is rather a thought than fear. It is usually our inner critic which is often doubtful about our survival in the competitive world out there. It is a result of negative thoughts, feeling of low self-esteem, comparing self with others or pressure from peers, family, relatives and society for not having the right job, good relationships, poor lifestyle etc. leading to self doubt.

>Asking for help

Asking for help makes a lot of people uneasy. It is sometimes due to the fear of rejection out of which people end up struggling for it forever. Another cause of it is the dependency factor for which self reliable people are mostly not ready. Also, asking for help might be seen by many as burdening someone else or a burden by the helper themselves.

>Raising hand in class

Not raing hand in the class even being doubtful about something is a prominent issue among many students. It is most probably due to the factor of confronting your weaknesses publicly. Not everybody’s got the courage to stand upto their weaknesses and inabilities as we doubt being made fun of most of the times.

>Being vulnerable

The fear of being vulnerable is a central emotional challenge. It is due failure in relationships, fear of rejection, abandonment or lack of attention from loved ones. It is a state of isolation where giving or receiving positive thoughts becomes difficult leading to discomfort and lonliness.

An introvert is often thought of as a shy, quiet, calm and reserved individual having minimal social interactions. Social engagements and special attention are not what an introvert looks for. Instead, introverts find more comfort in solitude and focusing on inner thoughts and ideas. Investing more of their time in reading, writing, creativity, music and art is what energises them. Social gatherings might not be their interest but alone time is what they prefer most.

Following these traits introverts are often misunderstood.

Misconception no.1: Introverts are shy

Being shy is not the same as being introvert. Introverts enjoy solitude and tend to be reserved and prefer being alone or in small groups. This is often mistaken as being shy.

Misconception no.2: Introverts are rude

Introverts value their privacy and don’t believe much in expressing their emotions publicly. This tends people to dislike them and mistake them for being rude or weird at times.

Misconception no.3: Introverts are boring

Socializing in gatherings and parties and hanging out with peers might not be their kind of thing but that doesn’t make introverts boring. Time spent with inner circle of friends and family in a low key environment is more valuable for them.

Misconception no.4: Introverts can’t make friends

Introverts need their time to open up to new relationship. When it comes to befriending someone, introverts choose to have close friends, though less in number. They prefer smaller circle and high quality relationships.

Misconception no.5: Introverts are underconfident

Our society equates confidence with boldness, strong statements and actions directed externally which come naturally to extroverts. On the other hand, introverts don’t believe in the public display of confidence. Even though they feel confident inside, they don’t show much of it on the outside. Keeping emotions to themselves is natural in introverts.

Misconception no.6: Introverts are emotionless

Keeping emotions to themselves is natural in introverts. They have great control on their emotions and avoid expressing the same publicly. Though introverts might not seem to be emotionally engaged but usually that’s not the case.

Misconception no.7: Introverts wish to be extroverts

Sometimes, introverts might envy the abilities of extroverts to fit quickly and naturally to any social environment. But they do take great joy in being themselves and the delight of being in their own inner world. Being introvert is a gift where one enjoys equally self company and the company of others and wishing to be someone else is not the desire.

Misconception no.8: Introverts can turn into extroverts some day

Introversion is a personality trait which can either degrade or upgrade but never change. It is similar to wine which will only get better with aging but never change into something else i.e. one can grow up to be a mature introvert but not an extrovert.

We live in a fast growing world where chatty behaving individuals are preferred over the quite listeners. Many introverts find it difficult making their way through this scenario. However, introversion must be observed as a gift- a gift of thoughtfulness, compassion and creativity. Introverts are considerate, compassionate, deep thinkers, natural writers, problem solvers, keen observers, good listeners and readers- everything the world needs today.

Content writing is a step wise process of planning, writing and editing. It usually includes content for blogs, articles, speeches, video and podcast script etc. Content writing helps construct a great relationship with the audience and intrigue them in coming back for more. The power of good content should never be underestimated keeping in intellect the sum of difference it can make with just the help of words.

Let’s take a look at some reasons to learn content writing:

>Improves vocabulary

Content writing is one of the good ways to improve vocabulary. It’s not usually about using high level language tending readers to look into the dictionary every minute but using the most appropriate language and words to convey one’s thoughts to the readers in the simplest of the ways.

>Tickles creativity

Content writing covers a range of writing styles from imagination to originality. The purpose is to express thoughts and ideas through literary devices. While learning to create good content, one also learns how to be creative and original at the same time. Content writing gives opportunities to explore various topics and themes with no restrictions giving rise to new ideas and paving way to creativity.

>Helps acquire research skills

Learning content writing also includes researching over a wide variety of topics which helps in creating meaningful content. To provide a genuine and verified content one goes through multiple web searches in order to acquire the most accurate information regarding the respective content.

>Exposure to global knowledge

Content writing is also a good way of learning. It tends one to know about the world and its whereabouts. Exposure to vast knowledge of different fields is one of the many benefits of content writing.

>Boosts confidence

Enrolling oneself in content writing boosts confidence. One gets to learn so many new things which automatically lift up self confidence.

>Path to freelance content writing

Freelance writers are always much in demand and enjoy flexibility and independence. Moreover, freelancing can be done part time as well making it easier to juggle with everyday work. Even in this time of pandemic where almost everyone is losing jobs, content writing still finds a place in the market. Otherwise as well, content writing as career is growing at a fast rate.

Having fair a great degree is not sufficient to guarantee one to have a great work as well in today’s world. Extra capabilities and work experience have presently become a fundamental for a successful career. These are considered as essential as qualifications and degrees. Here comes the need of an internship. Internship is a short-term work experience offered by a company, association or organisation to students or recent graduates for a limited period of time, either paid or unpaid. These are in the form of work experience cum training, volunteership or interning at any company etc. It is more of a learning experience than work which benefits interns by providing entry level exposure to particular fields of industry. Interns spend time working on projects, learning field work, developing soft and hard skills and making industry related connections. Moreover, certain internships do tend to full time job opportunities.

Benefits of internship

>Work experience

The very benefit of any internship is the work experience the interns gain out of it. The sort of experience one gains from internship is something that cannot be obtained through classroom instruction. Interns have the opportunity to make practical use of the skills they acquire and deal with real world challenges.

>Character enhancement and development of skills

While working for an organisation, one learns not only technical skills but also develops soft skills and work ethics. One gets to know about strengths and weaknesses. Internships also provide exposure to real life challenges in work which prove beneficial in future while in full time jobs.

>Gaining confidence

Internships allow interns to put to test the skills and knowledge they acquire in a safe environment that help gain confidence.

> Monetary benefit

Many internships are paid in case of which interns get a chance to earn while learning at the same time.

>Full-time job

Many companies use internships as path of recruitment of skilled freshers. It is more of an easy method wherein the recruiters can train, test and analyse the skills of the interns and later hire them on permanent basis if favourable for the company.

Language has had a solid establishment in our society and been advancing with time. Grammar shapes the basic language structure and helps in maintaining structural composition and readability. Having a language means to have a medium to associate with others in a way to exchange feelings and thoughts in an understandable manner.

Over time, English has ended up becoming one of the most popular languages for communication in the world. Despite that, English is frequently seen as a complex and precarious dialect to a great extent due to its erratic spellings and a parcel of exemptions to its rules of language structure. This tricky to learn grammar makes one prone to grammatical errors more often in written English.

Common Errors in English

>Spelling errors

The most obvious and common mistake in written English is of spellings. It mostly occurs due to: (a) too many rules and exceptions for writing certain words- for e.g. Use of ‘I’ before ‘E’ in case of ‘V’ and vice-versa for ‘C’ is instructed. However, the word ‘SCIENCE’ contradicts the rule (b) homophones- for e.g. rain, reign and rein the pronunciation is the same but written differently.

>Missing or misplaced apostrophe

Apostrophes are used to indicate possession and also used in contracted form of words. If misplaced or missing, it changes the sense of a sentence. For e.g. their (possession) and they’re (contracted form of they are)

>Absence or incorrect use of commas

Commas are the simplest tool to separate the fragment of a sentence. If made in use inappropriately or not used at all, commas can influence clarity of a sentence causing disarray in it.

>Subject verb agreement

It is one of the major errors which occur in written as well as spoken English. To maintain grammatical accuracy it is important to satisfy the verb with respect to subject i.e. if the subject is singular, the verb needs to be plural in form and vice versa. For e.g. birds chirp (plural subject, singular verb) and sun shines (singular subject, plural verb)

>Inappropriate use of tense

We often tend to ignore tense while writing. A sentence has to be accurate with the use of tense to maintain the same sense throughout the sentence.

>Overuse of adverbs

Unnecessary adverbs need to be avoided. Instead of searching for more adverb, one should lookout for a more effective verb or adjective to add more colour to the content.

>Inappropriate use of degree of comparison

Herein, mostly errors are observed in comparative and superlative degree. Use of ‘more’ before the comparative degree of adjective and omitting the use of ‘the’ in superlative degree of adjective while comparison are common mistakes. For e.g.- I am more taller than him.

In recent times the debate over the need for the column for religion and caste in official forms of India has come under the spotlight. From school admission forms to job applications, visas, passports, and forms for competitive exams all have a specific column for religion and caste made mandatory to be filled. Not only educationalists but also politicians and many celebrities have now started questioning the need for the column for religion and caste in official forms. In a country, like India declared secular, the need to specify one’s religion or caste might seem to many as a contradiction to the concept of secularity. However, it becomes a necessity to avoid unequal treatment of various categories in India since it is home to diverse religions and cultures.

Secularity is the state of being neutral to any particular religion and unrelated to any reference of positivity or negativity about the same. India is a secular country distributing equal benefits and opportunities to people of all religions and castes. However, keeping into consideration the diversity of the nation religion becomes an important index to measure the country’s socio-demographic data which further helps the policymakers and government authorities to maintain communal harmony.

Despite being home to many cultures, diversities and religions the country is divided by religions and castes. These are scattered and present in disproportionate portions giving rise to minorities. Certain minorities need to be brought into consideration and provided privileges for equal growth and progress as others. Reservations too are needed for backward sections of the society which is only possible if one specifies the religion and/or caste in official forms.

Moreover, the specification of religion or caste helps in the maintenance of government databases and provides government-aided benefits and equal opportunities to all in the field of education, job etc. This helps to keep a check on the growth and progress rates of different sections of society and assure equal opportunities for all.

However, no one can deny the misuse of the privileges and reservations provided to minority castes and religions. These days the concessions approved for the (so-called) backward sections of the society are certainly not used the way they are intended to. Though to some extent, for people in genuine need, the need for the column of religion and caste still persists. In this context, India might not actually be considered secular but trying to be secular.

We must have heard a common statement that what we are taught in schools is nearly of no practical use in real life. Liberals wishing to bring about changes in the education system are often questioning the productivity of present methodology of education in our country. Certain claims are also made which suggest that the present methods of teaching encourage more of route learning focusing on earning good grades than enabling students to adapt genuine understanding and learning abilities. Here the question arises if the nation is lagging in providing proper and practical education to children. Certainly not. It is just the fact that focus these days is more on achieving good grades and earning as many degrees as possible which would further lead to lucrative career opportunities than inculcating in students good conduct and values, positive attitude and making meaningful use of the education they receive. Herein comes the need of value based education which focuses on making students more sensible, responsible and leading a successful life in a better way where people come together as one.

Value based education is a domain which not only focuses on usual school curriculum but is also capable of developing individuals mentally and emotionally motivating them to serve the true purpose of education. Unlike traditional education where the students are bound to typical subjects and course of study value based education along with regular path of study lays stress on incorporating ethical values, denouncing inhuman behaviour, equal treatment towards everyone, empathy etc in students. Moreover, students learn life skills such as discipline, team work, leadership qualities etc which prove to be beneficial in long run. Skills like these build a strong foundation not only for students but also for a nation as these are stepping stones towards progress and prosperity within.

In a country like India where values, ethics and giving and helping attitude towards others are the major principles of the nation value based education is a step towards enhancement and progress. Since ancient times education in India has aimed to inculcate strong morals and self conduct in the citizens. Indian perspective of education has always been to educate the citizens in such a way that they acquire present day wisdom along with preserving the culture and heritage of the nation. However, we do observe the true purpose of education fading away with passing time. Need of the hour is to explore the scope of value based education in future and analyze various ways of imparting the same.

One of the most powerful inner forces which drives human behaviour is the subconscious mind. The most prominent thing about our subconscious mind is that it is not just responsible for our beliefs, fears and memories but also influences our behavior and attitude and the course of life we are leading. Most of our thoughts, automatic actions and reactions under various circumstances are driven by our subconscious mind without our awareness.

The subconscious mind acts like a data bank to our mind which stores all our memories, thoughts, past experiences, incidents and everything else that ever happened to us. It is basically responsible to store and retrieve information whenever needed. It is more like a guidance system which monitors the information coming to our senses.

90 to 95% of our brain strength comes from the subconscious mind. For example, we might not remember having seen, read or heard about random things that we strangely somehow recognise in our day-to-day life. This is because of our subconscious mind which has the access to all the information that we ever came in contact with. Not all the data in our mind is transmitted to our conscious brain as it might explode out of tonnes of information we receive on daily basis. Much of the information is stored in the subconscious and retreived or transmitted from it to the conscious brain whenever required. This makes the subconscious brain responsible for allowing the relevant information at the relevant time making it million times more powerful than the conscious side of brain.

Subconscious is not something that we can access directly. There are indirect ways to use the subconscious brain and make it count.

>Meditation

The best way to control and synchronize the body and the brain is meditation. It activates our brain cells, helps rejuvenate the body and reprogram our subconscious mind by breaking down the barrier between conscious and subconscious mind and create obstruction free pathways for happiness and success.

>Following your conscience

Conscience is actually a way of communication with the subconscious mind. Following your conscience may help in accessing the subconscious mind.

>Setting Goals

Our brain concentrates on one thought at a time so make it a good one. Focus on positivity. Make yourself a schedule to achieve a set target and work on it on regular basis. Following a fixed pattern can make your brain used to it. Since all the information of past experiences goes straight away to the subconscious brain, it would align with your regular schedule and help in achieving desired goals.

Preferred pronouns or preferred gender pronouns or personal gender pronouns is a set of pronouns that an individual wants others to use to refer to that person’s gender identity. These pronouns are different from the pre-defined gender specific pronouns such as she/her/hers which are used for females and he/him/his for males.

Importance of Gender Pronouns

Pronouns are usually not conformed to gender identity but we tend to relate the two. However, using the correct pronoun for the respective gender symbolises respect and social equality to all and also creates an inclusive environment. It is also important to not assume a person’s gender and pronoun on the basis of their appearance and looks as gender and pronouns are not necessarily tied up together. Moreover, using a wrong pronoun can be disrespectful and offensive whereas, ignorant behaviour towards a person’s pronoun can make them feel alienated and outcasted. Knowing and using the correct gender pronoun is a positive way of supporting people with diverse backgrounds. Also, it lowers gender depression, raises self esteem and creates a level of comfort among people.

Gender Neutral Pronouns

Gender neutral pronouns don’t specify the subject as male or female in third person. We can replace the traditional binary pronouns by neutral pronouns like:-

>he/she: zie, sie, tey, ve

>him/her: zim, sie, em, ver

>his/hers: zis, hirs, vers, ters

>himself/herself: zieself, hirself, verself, terself

In addition to these, there are a few traditional neutral pronouns in which can be used in everyday conversations such as they, them, theirs, everyone etc..

Becoming gender inclusive

The most important part of becoming inclusive is to normalise gender inclusive pronouns and respecting them. The best way to normalise the process is including them in day-today life, using pronouns in email signature, adding them on your social media handles etc.

Avoiding use of gender specific terms such as Ms, Ms, Mrs, watchman, postman etc. and replacing them by their corresponding neutral pronouns like Mx, security guard, postalperson etc. to neutralise gender specifications.

Another way to be inclusive is by using gender neutral pronouns in workspace. It helps avoiding stereotypical assumptions of job roles such as he for doctors, police officers etc and she for teachers, receptionists etc..

Who doesn’t like gifts? And a wholesome meal as a gift is no less than a surprise. But what if this a regular tradition followed by a cafeteria near you? Totally unimaginable, right? Ahmedabad’s Seva Cafe brings in the exact same concept to reality where your meal is a gift from someone else who came before you. It’s not just a tradition here but a belief in the happiness of serving people. This cafe not just gives a wholesome dining experience but also leaves behind a lesson for all. ‘Living is Giving’ is what they believe here in Seva Cafe. You don’t get a bill once you are done with your meal as it was already paid by the guests before you. All you need to do is carry forward this tradition and contribute in sustaining it. The visitors in the cafe are treated as guests, more like family, than mere customers.

The cafe is an initiative by John Silliphant and Jayesh Patel, founders of Manav Sadhna NGO. It was founded in 2006 with its primary location in Ahmedabad. The motive is to make a change and connect people with the bond of trust. The cafe is based on pay-it-forward idea and is run by the contributions made by the guests. All the costs and income are made transparent with all the profits made in use for social services.

The cafe is run and operated by volunteers willing to devote their free time rendering their services. From cooking the meal to serving it, everything is done by the volunteers.

In today’s fast-paced life where people have forgotten to look after their loved ones, Seva Cafe is reminding and taking forward the concept of ‘Joy of giving’. The successful 15 years of this cafe justify the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and prove that the spirit of giving still resides within.

The lockdown period bothers everyone especially when all the social gatherings and meet ups are halted. We get plenty of time in our hands. This is the time when we can learn new skills and brush up the old ones. So why not look out for some interesting and productive activities which can be carried out even during lockdown.

>Catch up with old friends

It’s a great time to catch up with all the friends and family members you haven’t talked in a while. Chat with them on video call, play online games or just plan an online get together.

>Read books

Treat yourself with a good book. Reading is not just a great past time but also a productive activity. Read to get inspired or simply to learn something new and advance your vocabulary. Look for some good and easily accessible e-books.

>Get an online internship

During the time of lockdown on-site jobs and opportunities might not be possible but a virtual internship might prove beneficial. Many companies, associations and organizations are providing online internships to individuals which can be done from home. Look for the best suited internship for yourself. This might later help in grabbing good job opportunities post lockdown.

>Learn to cook

Try cooking and let your friends and family taste it. Start with basic and easy-to-cook recipes. Reach out to family and friends for cooking hacks and tips or just surf online for your favourite recipe. Participate in online workshops for cooking to master the skill.

>Maintain your personal diary

Ever read ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ which is a collection of diary entries of a young girl during the Nazi rule in Germany? If you wish to do something similar, this is the right time. We are experiencing a pandemic and what better than this can be the theme for your diary entries. Create time line of events, collect newspaper articles and picture. This can also act as a pandemic time capsule. One day, you’ll be able to narrate these stories to your children and grandchildren.

>Get hands on a new skill

This can prove to be the perfect time to grab a new skill. Explore your creative side. Try out drawing, sketching or painting. If interested in music, go on to learn singing or instruments. Dancing, photography and art are also fun to do and really engaging.

>Start your kitchen garden

If you are an expert gardener and love to grow plants, this is the ultimate opportunity for you. Kitchen gardening is one of the most popular activities done during lockdown. What can be better than eating what you grow?

>Create a YouTube channel

Since most of the entertainment these days is digital, YouTube is a platform for fresh content. Just like most of the celebrities, you too can begin a YouTube channel and start uploading your fun and engaging videos.

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