Author: magarajeswari

An enthusiastic engineer passionate about writing and reading

Steps to improve waste disposal methods

The population of humans is increasing at a rapid rate due to which the wastes produced by them are increasing at a significant phase. Recycling is the only way to make the situation better. We all are aware of this fact, but the efforts we put into recycling are at rock bottom. Either by knowingly or unknowingly we do a lot of mistakes that are worsening the existing circumstances. So, let’s have an understanding of the steps we need to follow to improve the waste disposal process and thus contribute to a better future.

Steps to be followed in our homes:

Our homes are the starting point of the wastes which are dumped in huge piles across the country. Everyday morning we cut the edges of milk packets and throw them away unaware of the fact that it could turn into a huge threat to society. Recently Karnataka Vice President tweeted that if Bangalore alone cuts the milk packet without tearing the corning edge 50,00,000 pieces of wastes can be saved. She says that if the edges are being cut, it’s difficult to recycle those pieces even if they are properly segregated. Also, these pieces easily get missed out while transportation and they cause huge trouble by clogging in public drainages.

Segregation of bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste is the primary step to be followed in waste disposal which most of us do not pay full attention to. Place two separate bins in your house and make sure every member of your house pays attention while disposing of the waste. If you live in apartments or societies encourage everyone to practice waste segregation in a proper manner. Those who are maintaining gardens at your house, reuse the plastic bottles and buckets in your house for planting and use the waste food as manure to the soil. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:

“All wastes must be viewed as a recycling opportunity” – Beezer Molten

The more effort paid to recycle or reuse the products, the more sustainable our future is. Both in your house and in your workplace find ways to reuse and recycle products. Encourage your children to actively participate in the cleaning of public places like beaches in order to make them understand the importance of recycling. 

There are startups that actively build products that are recycled and are cool to fit in our lifestyles. Some of such startups are as follows:

  1. Econiture: is a Bangalore-based startup that turns recycled plastic into beautiful home decor and furniture.
  2. Anthill creations: is an IIT alumni based startup where they use old tyres and plastics and turn them into beautiful playgrounds and libraries.
  3. Trashcon: is an emerging startup that collects, plastics, segregates it using robots and turns them into home and office furniture. 

There are products that could be used as an alternative to our everyday plastics such as wooden combs, toothbrushes, pens etc. Many companies are producing such ecofriendly products nowadays. Let us all support their initiative by purchasing from them.

https://www.thebetterindia.com/243566/econiture-ecofriendly-recycled-plastic-furniture-home-decor-friends-earn-crores-san196/

https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/here-s-why-you-should-not-snip-tip-your-milk-packet-104271

IMPORTANCE OF INTERNSHIPS

“Successful People are not gifted. They just work hard, then succeed on purpose” – G.K.Nelson.

In the initial years of college, we all will be living in a fantasy world where we are with a feeling that we have everything one could wish for. The reality hits us hard on the pre-placement phases of our college. At this point in time, we are obscure about our future. The situation can be handled with ease if we start to do an internship after the first year of our college. This could be either a remote one or a full-time one. Choose according to your convenience and college practices.

Sites for getting your first intern:

 “Your big opportunity may be right next to where you are now” – Napoleon Hill. 

There are a handful of trustworthy sites for choosing your intern from. Some of them are as follows:

  • Internshala.
  • Letsintern.
  • Linkedin

They have internships for various fields and experiences. Choose one which suits you the best. Never fall for internships that ask you for money. Even if it’s an unpaid internship but it could provide you a better experience then never hesitate to go for it. Most companies don’t expect much from an intern in the beginning. They look for the dedication and interest in the role assigned to you. They assist you well in the beginning so that you can move forward without any hurdles. 

Perks of an Internship:

  • They mold you from the scratch into something which you never expected. 
  • It provides you better clarity on the career path you need to choose from and the skillsets needed for the same. 
  • Most importantly you will get to know yourself better. In college, we would have a bunch of friends with whom we are comfortable playing around. In a workplace, this may or may not happen. But you will get adapted to the environment to deal with different kinds of people at an early stage which will for sure help you in the future.
  • Some companies provide internship extension and full-time work opportunities for their interns based on their performance which will turn into a hassle-free process for both sides. 
  • In case if it’s a paid internship, you will realize the value of money you have been using in the past and this will make you utilize the economy better. 
  • During the internship, you will have to manage your college assignments, studies, and exams. Although the process seems to be hard in the beginning, once you master the multi-tasking and time management skills you are ready to face the real-time challenges of the world. 
  • In case if the internship domain did not excite you much then it’s also a good sign. You have neglected out an option at an early stage. 

Nothing can be mastered at its best in the first attempt. Try hard, learn and unlearn to make the best out of it. Never have hesitation or fear to start again. As experts say you are not starting from scratch , you are starting with experience. 

SEIRRA BURGESS IS A LOSER

Media Madness :

Modern Teens are taken over by external appearances and run in a race of fame leaving their originality behind. They value the opinions of their fellow mates about their beauty and strive hard to get compliments from them. Social Media has added fuel to the fire. Guys have an idealogy that, if they can flaunt around with a beautiful girl around then they are above all other boys. Girls on the other hand try their level best to stay super cool among their boyfriends. And the circle continues. 

Protagonist Preface:

Sierra Burgess is a talented, hard-working, kind teen in her high school. Even though she pretends to be strong when humiliated by her classmates who think they are the most adorable ones, she breaks down at times when she feels that no one could love her because of her body. Her parents are super supportive and try their level best to boost her self-esteem, but all in vain. She is also confused when her professor asked her “Sierra Burgess is a ________?”. 

Self-esteem starts to  sow the seed of selfishness:

While remaining in a perplexed state she receives a message from an unknown number and they instantly start being comfortable around one another. The boy on the other side is a charming teen who dreams of having a dashing girlfriend to flaunt in front of his gang. He messaged her thinking that she’s Veronica, a girl on who he had a crush since she has been a cheerleader for his football team. Once Seirra gets to know the truth she is perplexed whether to continue chatting with him or to let him know the truth. But her self-esteem leads her to the wrong choice. She pretends to be Veronica and they both chat on a regular basis. They start to fall for each other’s words. Trouble arises when the truth unfolds in an awkward manner. 

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance” – Aristotle. 

Although the movie might have been taken with intentions of normalizing our external appearances and let us know the importance of self-acceptance, at some points it fails to prove the same. The protagonist herself feels terrible when she is left behind after other girls in her school, she repeats the same with his boyfriend. She is attracted to his external appearances initially and that’s the sparkle that initiated their conversations. So it’s contrary to the baseline of the story. 

The word wonders:

It’s the dialogues in a movie that make them a memorable one. There comes a dialogue in which the hero says” roses are bitchy supermodels of flowers, I love sunflowers”. This dialogue is self-explanatory at that scene. It means to convey that above all girls whom he wanted to make love with for his entire life, he chooses Sierra for her words and her inner self which exactly aligns with his. 

“To have someone understand the real version of you is a different kind of intimacy”

a tour to chennai

“Once in a year go to someplace, you have never been” – Dalai Lama.

Travel is an outlet for all emotions buried underneath our hearts and remains unnoticed in the rapid phase of our daily lives. We all have different travel choices. Some of us can be fond of beaches, some would be fond of crowds, some would be fond of food. In case if you are expecting all three of them in one place, I have got your back. It’s time for you to visit NammaChennai, the city which has a place for every other personality. 

To experience the beauty of the city,  the cheap and best choice is local and metro trains. They cover half of the city landscape and you can also experience various cultures of the city inside the train. Every person you meet on a train has a different story to hold within. The scenes I commonly enjoy on a local train are as follows :

  • Ladies having their me-time by sitting near the window seats,  
  • Some of them would start cutting vegetables on the train to save time, 
  • Some people put their lives in danger to catch the train just because they could spend few more minutes with their family after a hectic day,
  • Men who are lost in thoughts of their responsibilities. 

The city has exciting places for every other age group right from ancient temples to extravagant malls. There are also places which are loved by every age group. One such place is Marina Beach. A place that holds millions of emotions. The foods served, the gift shops filled with crowds, magnificent light-house, thousands of vehicles parked, colorful boats sailing make the beach remain unparalleled. 

The foods served in Chennai are the ones that make the tour remain an unforgettable experience. Right from crowded roadside shops to cozy and ravishing cafes, Chennai has every cuisine existing in the world. The food street in OMR, snacks shops in T.Nagar, biryani shops in every nook and corner of the city, parotta shops with unique sidedishes treat your taste buds in every possible way. 

The crowded city has been a ray of hope for many people. Fresh graduates, people who have lost their jobs all of a sudden, people who have always dreamt of starting a business have been warmly welcomed by the city and most of them have been gifted with a bright future here. Hence Chennai is commonly known as “Vandarai Vazha Vaikum Chennai” ( A city that has given a dream life to everyone”).  So when you plan for a tour next time have the “City of Hope” at the top of your list. 

tips to house train your dog

Introduction:

Your puppies become the spotlight of your house and earn the affection of you as soon as they are joined as your new family member. The training of your paw partner is a crucial part and it becomes a piece of cake when you start it at an early stage. Both puppies and kids replicate the same pace of learning in their formative years. Things to be looked after in the first place are the diet schedule and the places where it has to do its regular activities.

A well-planned diet is a well-planned lifestyle:

Starting off with the diet schedule you must first identify some good puppy foods and feed them to your little paw partners and figure out the foods they like the most and the approximate quantity needed on a meal. Proper feeding times must be scheduled prior and food must be provided to them close to the scheduled times every day. This will make your little friends get adapted to the schedule owing to which they will have a healthy diet.

A play day is always a happy day:

A happy puppy is one that locomotes without any limitations. The place where you reside may or may not have such a comfortable option for the same. So it would be better for your pet playmates if you could train them with the places where they can play and where they must avoid moving in. A proper walk with them in the early mornings and evenings would make them healthier and give them a feel that they are not being confined to stay at one particular place all day. This will also help them to regularize their potty schedules. 

A friend by the side is the best place to reside:

Most people are growing a pet in their homes nowadays and your neighbors could be one among them. It is important for the little puppies to know that the pets in your neighborhood are also lovable, friendly as yours and it must not frighten them when they are close to each other. It would be as pretty as a painting if your little paw partner could get some peers at its playtime.

Cleanliness is the best care:

Maintaining a routine to bathe and cleaning your dogs will improve both the health of the dog and the persons living in your household. Initially, certain puppies will not be comfortable for a regular bathe. Playtime in the bathing schedule with their favorite bone toys and products which coils attract them with their flavorful scents will make the situation better. Cleaning of dogs’ ears and eyes must be done in a patient manner for which the puppies must co-operate. While cleaning its ears or eyes a gentle massage or any activity which could make the puppy stay calm must be done. Regular checking for infections must be done at the bathing schedule.

Understanding one is made by observing one:

The new little members of yours will be desperate to return the love you showed to them. It is the time when you teach them about various signs for alerting you, helping you out, and avoiding bitting your kids and other family members.. Make them observe the people who regularly visit the place and understand the difference between those visitors and strangers. Practice them with signs of communication and make sure they respond to those signs appropriately. In case if you have any kids in your house train your dogs not to hurt them by scratching with their nails.

Although the points addressed might seem challenging at the initial stages both you and your puppy will get adapted to it and the cute smile on your canine’s face will make it sound effortless for you.

STEPS TO STANDOUT IN AN INTERVIEW

“Why Fit in while you are born to stand out?”-Dr.Seuss.

“A job interview is not a test of your knowledge. But your ability to use it at the right time”.

Every one of us would have dreamt at least once in our mind about our first job, the day we get our first salary, fulfill all the desires which were on a wishlist for years. But how to get our first job is the question that haunts us the most. Some of us may even try to run away from this question by saying one or other excuses. However, unless we face the question, find an answer to it by embracing and rectifying the faults within we cannot move a step forward.

“Half of the things people do not succeed in are through fear of making the first attempt. “

The interview day can go as flat as a pancake when it’s started early and moves with a pre-planned schedule. The calmer you remain, the greater you achieve on that day. Once you reach the place of the interview, the bar of pressure on your mind will gradually tend to increase. Follow ways that can make you remain cool because even the slightest pressure on your mind can ruin your self-confidence. Never have a look a how the fellow candidates are preparing / how experienced they are. You are the best version of yourself. 

You can distract yourself by observing the office and try to gather unique points about how its space is set up, what you like about the office etc. This might help you at the time of the interview for standing out. The first round of the interview in most of the Multi-National Companies would be a written exam where maximum filtration would be done. So pay attention to every question asked there. Spare the last ten minutes to recheck your answers. 

In case if you have a Group Discussion / a face-to-face interview never be petrified by the panel members. They expect you to be honest and calm while you are answering. Both in case of group discussion and interviews play 2 roles – a listener followed by a speaker. Sometimes the panel members might ask questions that may mystify you. It’s a way to check how stable you remain irrespective of the external disturbances. When you are asked questions like “why do you want to join us?”, “why do you want to leave your current job/” think for a while before answering. 

When asked about the company say things apart from what’s available on the internet ( like things you have observed before the start of the interview). This will attribute to your interest and attention skills. When you are given a chance to ask any questions or queries ask about the following:

  • work culture beyond what’s been shown on their websites, 
  • About  the project, you will be assigned to, 
  • Any other queries you have regarding the role or the company.

End up with a note thanking the panel members for the opportunity Best wishes for your job and interview.

Kickstarting your career in a startup

“A big business starts small.” – Richard Branson.

Once you have finished college, there might be immense pressure on you from your family, friends, and acquaintances. Some of your classmates/ friends would have been placed on a prominent Multinational company. Deep down your heart needs a job that would let you go with the flow and explore your skills. If you are such a person then kickstarting your career in a startup is the right choice. This choice of yours may leave your family unsatisfied. Let them understand the reasons why you have made this choice.

“Providing Internships changes the whole equation” – Eduardo. J. Pardon

Several startups are open to providing internships for college students and fresh graduates. They trust in the thrust of young minds. The way of approaching the startups is to contact them through emails / by a direct visit with an updated resume in hand. Before approaching them for an opportunity make sure you have a clear idea of what the startup is all about and why you wanted to be in their team. 

The interviews in startups are mostly interactive and informal. So make yourself comfortable which would help in obtaining a mutual understanding. Pay attention to the roles assigned to you after you are selected and ask all the queries regarding the same. Then get to know the internship period, work timings, stipend, and the opportunities offered in the company post completion of the internship. Only when you both have satisfaction at the end of the meeting proceed with accepting the offer. 

Working in a startup you will always be filled up with mixed emotions. The initial phase would be quite difficult to handle. You might be one of the initial team members of the startup and will be in a circumstance to start from scratch. There will be no expertise to guide and assist you in the process. But that’s the starting point where you could identify your strengths, enrich your knowledge, develop the never-give-up attitude. However, the delight of achieving the output you wanted by starting from scratch will remain an unmatched moment in your life. 

Post the intern period begins the phase where you will start to grow with the startup. This might lead you to do multitasking. Some may be able to cope up with multi-tasking and some may feel it as pressure. In case if you are not able to handle the pressure for more than a month then inform the startup regarding the same. Multitasking might seem fascinating, but if it’s not handled properly it might end up as 

    “Jack of All Trades. King of None” – Spanish Proverb.

    You are doing good and you will end up at your destination. All the best for your future endeavors. 

    Guidelines to choose your career-for final year and pre-final year students

    ” I have no problem with starting from scratch” – Leif Garrett

    The age 20-25 is quite confusing age of our lives. Everyone will have an inner voice which is constantly interrogating us a set of questions like , ” What are my interests?” , “Which is the field I can excel on?” , “How can I bring the best out of myself?”. Never be terrified by these questions. These are questions which will make you streamline your career path.

    During the pre-final year and final times , we all will start to have a fear of future and will begin to recognize the practical aspects of life. The pressure could be due to college placements, peer discussions and expectations of our families. Never make any of these external factors influence your career choice.

    The first step in order to identify the career path which best suits you is to know about your interests and skillsets. Write down three important interests of yours which may or may not relate to the stream of your study. Figure out what are the skill sets you have in those interests which could fetch you a job. In case if you have no skillsets in those fields refer to the career sites and find out what are the skill expectations for those roles.

    The second step is to understand the industry. In the initial days of our college, we all would have had fun unaware of a world outside which is developing at a rapid phase . Start learning about what’s happening around you. Recognize the fields which are blooming and categorize those which attract you. List down the skills which are anticipated in those fields.

    The third and most important step is to write down all the fields , interests and skillsets you have figured out in steps one and two. Write down your short term and long term goals which align with your interests. Narrow down to 2 fields which allure you and make you move forward towards your long term goals.

    “We cannot become what we want to be , by remaining what we are” – Max DePree

    Kick start your learning phase by acquiring skills and mastering them which attribute to revamp your profile. Make sure you update your profile regularly on career sites like LinkedIn which provides you the opportunity of networking. Never be petrified by the fear of perfection during the learning phases because,

    “Continuous Improvement is better than Delayed Perfection” – Mark Twain.