Campus Life at Christ University - Pooja A shares her experience

With the school life coming to an end, we have to prepare for the real battle called life and the launchpad for that battle is offered by the higher education we pursue further. Be it a UG or a PG course, it prepares us for life, offering not only academic knowledge but shapes our outlook as well towards life and future. Apart from the studies, what all extracurricular activities we participate in, what kind of platforms do we engage with or what kind of exposure does one get while being at a particular college, all these aspects count for ensuring a better future. Thus, making informed decisions is one of the best approaches to ascertain that one gains entry into a good academic institution. That’s why this campus life story brings you the inside-campus-story so that you can choose – to be or not to be. Therefore, if Christ University, Bangalore is on your mind too, then it’s better to know about it directly from the horse’s mouth. A second year student of BA programme at the varsity, Pooja A takes us through every aspect of the Christ University.

Excerpts from the conversation:

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. Where are you from?

Pooja A: My name is Pooja A. Asking me to tell where I am from is a really difficult question for me to answer. As an Army kid I've constantly been on the move every 2 years, so it's hard to establish where I am from. I can't say I'm from my native cause I've never really been there and hardly connect to it. So I guess it's safe to say I'm an Indian.

Careers360: Which discipline and year are you in?

Pooja A: I'm pursuing a triple major course in Psychology, Sociology and Economics. It's a Bachelor's of Arts degree. I'm currently in my 2nd year.

Careers360: Were there any initial problems and hiccups that you faced during the initial months when everything at the institute was new? How was the support from the college and seniors? How has your journey been so far at the institute?

Pooja A: I wouldn't say I had any problems as such. The whole fitting in to college life was a rather exciting process. I had a lot of fun and that's mostly because of my amazing peers and professors who tremendously helped me. My seniors were very welcoming and constantly check on our academic needs. The journey so far at Christ University has been a blessing. I genuinely enjoy going to college. Yes, there are days I'm stressed with my assignments and classes, but everyone around me is always ready to lend a helping hand.

Careers360: What activities are offered in the institute? Are there any clubs etc for the various extracurricular activities? Which ones have you taken up and are a part of?

Pooja A: The list of activities and clubs is endless and I mean it in a literal sense. There are the main dance groups and music clubs and production houses within which you have proscenium, street plays and a whole host of other things. I am a part of the Debating Society and the Centre for Social Action . These are the clubs I genuinely enjoy. Working with CSA and making lives better for underprivileged is very heartwarming.

Careers360: Describe a typical day at your institute – what do you do from the time you wake up till you go to sleep?

Pooja A: My classes start at 9 am and I'm usually reach my college about an hour early so that I can hang out with my friends or I'd have some work to finish. After that I have classes till 4, with an hour of break in between. On some days, I stay in college till 6 or 8 pm because of some electives or extracurricular work, while on other days, I am back by 5 pm. At home, I'm really relaxed - I organise my time well so I don't really have to rush things when deadlines are closing. I spend time with my family, study, watch TV and by 11 pm I'm off to bed.

Careers360: Tell us about the faculty-student ratio here and about the teacher-student relationship in your understanding.

Pooja A: I'm not very sure about the exact student teacher ratio, but my class has 76 students and for certain subjects we have multiple professors. The teacher- student relationship is largely based on how a student behaves because most professors here are the absolute best who are very supportive and make learning fun. As a student if you know your limits, and don't cross the line in terms of misbehaving, etc., then everything is good.

Careers360: Describe facilities at the campus in brief? What do you like the most here? What is the most unique and differentiating feature here?

Pooja A: We have a whole host of world class facilities at Christ University. Be it multiple outdoor sports set up, beautiful and spacious classrooms, lots of open space and greenery. The one thing I love about this campus is the greenery outside. They have centuries old trees and a well maintained campus. The most differentiating feature would be the size and area of our enormous campus. It's one of the biggest campuses in Bangalore, I guess. It's really beautiful and adds on to the peace of mind a student needs.

Careers360: What made you opt for this college? Are your academic requirements being met fully?

Pooja A: The reason I chose this college was because of the unique course they were offering. I got to do major in three subjects. My academic requirements are beyond fulfilled. The professors here challenge me to do my absolute best. They constantly push our limits to make us better every time. The syllabus is constantly updated and every subject is not limited to textual learning, rather is connected to current world scenarios.

What's more important is that learning is not restricted to the classrooms only. They have developed a culture wherein learning throughout your student life is promoted, especially essential life skills. You are taught holistically here and that's the best part.

Careers360: What’s the DNA of the college - the academics or the overall development of a student?

Pooja A: I'm not sure how to comment on the DNA and I'm yet to experience more, it's just been a year here. But within a year I see positive changes in me, I have better time managing skills and have personally grown so much.

Careers360: How comfortable are your hostel facilities in terms of cleanliness, service? What do you do if there are any problems?

Pooja A: The campus has 2 hostels, one for girls and the other for boys. It's very very clean and well-maintained. The rooms and halls are cleaned every day and the washroom every hour. The house keeping staff does a great job and are very kind if you ever approach them. I don't stay in the hostel so I'm not sure how internal processes works.

Careers360: What are your future plans? Any advice to other students who are looking at colleges before taking admissions?

Pooja A: Right now my only focus is learning and expanding my knowledge. For students who are looking for a college, do remember that Christ values discipline. We have rules with must be followed in terms of attendance, dress code and wearing IDs. If you are someone who can't follow rules, you'll initially find yourself constantly complaining but over a period of time, you will get used to everything and it becomes as easy as breathing.

Careers360: Any specific area where the institute must catch the pace of the times?

Pooja A: I honestly can't think of anything as of now, because so far what I've experienced is nothing but the best. Maybe one thing I find a bit uncomfortable is that all extracurricular activities practice sessions are after or before college hours due to which I've had to stay back a lot. But I understand cause academics is important and practice sessions during college hours will just disturb classes.