It’s a Bloody Madhouse!!!

Yea trust me that is what it is a freaking madhouse. That is how I sum up the experience I’ve had while doing Masters in Public Relations (MAPR) from Mumbai University. When I joined the course I thought it’s going to be like a very graveyard kind of atmosphere, everyone serious and all but I was wrong.

It’s a Masters degree after all so I wasn’t wrong in assuming that the professors, seniors and the batch mates are all gonna be serious and very uptight. It’s not just the people doing Masters in Public Relations (MAPR), everyone in the department of communication and journalism is mad in their own unique way. There are professors who’re mad about assignments, there’re some who’re going mad doing their research but they’re all mad.

Coming to the students, like every other college or university or course Masters in Public Relations (MAPR) has a mixed bag of students. There’re some students who’re mad about studies and think because they’re very sincere and studious they’re the only normal creatures but dude breaking news even you’re mad. Then there’re some who’re just plain crazy like me and call the studious ones mad and think that they’re normal. Anyone who doesn’t have even a pinch of madness in him/her shouldn’t come here because dude you’ll go Maddddddddd. For the alumni and the current batch this madness is what gets them going. So, the madness isn’t a bane but a boon here in the department. On a serious note, even though we’re mad you can’t take away the fact that we’re an intellectual and creative lot.

One day when someone asked me about whether I’m happy to be where I’m, I looked at him and said,” Are you mad, of course I’m happy. I’m finally with my kind.”

A piece of advice for all those who’re thinking about joining the department,” Come here only if you’re mad or ever were because we don’t want anyone to blame us saying that we drove him/her mad.”

What is it standing on???

Legs?? Nah!!! It’s standing on its pillars dumbass. Confused? Well that’s what my Civics professor told me when he asked me about the Indian Democracy. So yeah moving on from the kind of stuff I got to hear from my school teachers, every institution or concept is able to stand or work because of certain important aspects or people or other supporting concepts and they can be called the “Pillars” of it. Just like any other course or university Masters in Public Relations (MAPR) also has certain principles or pillars on which it’s standing.

Well the other day during one of the chai sessions with friends and our HOD and another professor, God knows from where but the topic of what are the pillars of Masters in Public Relations (MAPR). Everyone were at their flattering best and told the Profs that they’re the pillars, amused as they were by the response of their students they did notice that I didn’t say anything. On the other hand I was hoping that after hearing flattering words from others they wouldn’t notice my silence, but they did, damn wish the discussion had taken place in the classroom where I could’ve hidden behind the voices of the other batch mates. So, the HOD fixed his eyes at me and asked,” You don’t agree with your friends or you don’t have an opinion on the topic at all?”

Woah!!! Did he just say I don’t have an opinion? Of course I have an opinion, I’m a PR guy I’ve an opinion on everything and anything. So with a very serious and straight face I said,” Sir, I do have an opinion but it’s just that I did not want to voice my opinion because that would’ve made it very clear that I don’t completely agree with what my friends have said. I don’t agree with them that each professor is one pillar of Masters in Public Relations (MAPR). For me the faculty is one of the pillars, the seniors definitely are the second pillar because they hand over their legacy to the juniors and tell them how to conduct themselves over the duration of the course and the trend continues.” I looked at the professor and he smiled and said,” Dude, work on it a little more and then maybe you’ll be able to completely work your PR magic on me.”

Damn!!! One day Mr.HOD, one day…..

Nothing is Perfect!!!

Is it nothing’s perfect or nobody is perfect??? Who cares? At least I don’t, it doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in the old adage about perfection. I agree that it’s like next to impossible to be perfect for anyone or anything and the same goes for Masters in Public Relations (MAPR), the course I’m in currently.

When I told my friends that I’m gonna do my Masters from Mumbai University, Kalina all of them went like,” Dude!!! Mumbai University seriously?” I don’t blame them for reacting the way they did because it’s no secret that the government universities have got some bad press in recent years.  Bad press usually doesn’t mean the institution is like a devil’s den. For me going to the Kalina Campus of Mumbai University everyday for my Masters in Public Relations (MAPR) course is the best thing I do in the whole day. The discussions with the professors and batch mates on topics ranging from politics to movies is something I look forward to and not to forget the pranks we friends we pull on each other. But it’s not a bed full of roses that I can assure you.

Like everything in the world the course (Masters in Public Relations) also has certain things it can work on and improve on. For me personally, it would be the assignments we get, it’s not that I’ve issues with the whole concept of assignments but it’s just that there are times when every professor shoves assignments down our throat at the same time that we sometimes are scared that we might choke and die. Assignments are good but to do three- four assignments at the same time is a bit too much and it also affects the quality of work we are able to put in them. It’s like you try to think on three different lines at the same time and end up creating a chaos in your head. So, personally if the timing of the assignments is taken care of then the kind of output we students give will have a drastic improvement and will also help us enjoy that rush the deadlines give even more.