Victory?

Would it be a repeat of last time, that was the question I had from the moment I woke up. But I realized that it wasn’t the case when a student gave me a call and said that they would have one representative. I was so happy, that they had enough guts to take a chance and see how things would go. I felt as if they trusted the whole staff a tad more… 

Everything went smooth at the meeting as well… The chairman was very happy how the students conducted themselves… And they truly won today…

But I hope they realized that it was not the end. But the beginning of the end… And now it’s time I lived up to my end of the bargain. I gave a word to myself that I would be with them, tell them what I feel, help them when they are in need. And that I would do, as long as I am there.

Yet Another Day Tomorrow?

Spoke with a set of students who belonged to a particular side. (At least one set trusted me now… It was quite a gain…) They didn’t seem to have changed a lot with respect to their views during the last week. I felt as if they were in the same opinion and tomorrow at the meeting it would be a repeat of what took place last time. 

Was waiting late till the student whom I thought would make a difference, to come and meet me, and tell me that he was successful. But it didn’t happen on that day. I wasn’t sad, because I knew that I had done all I could do. And I’m not capable of miracle, but simple trying… May be trying better than my best… (which I think I did…)

Making of a leader?

One staff member and I went on training visits today. (The students of our college go for industrial training in their second semester of the third year…)

This note is about a special student, whom I feel; would make a great leader and a person who is capable of changing many others around her.

Have seen a lot of training dairies up to now (they are supposed to maintain a dairy where they write their daily experiences and get the consent of their supervisors after every week…) The diary of this student was the first one, in which I saw where her supervisor had written phrases of praise in every week. Of course, all our students do have many praises, but I haven’t come across one that’s continuous…

One comment that made me feel proud was when I heard that whenever she had a question and was asking help from someone she would always grab her friends along with her… How nice of her to do that? Isn’t it something only good leaders do?

Did I meet the one to make a change?

I spoke with a student. Who had seen a side that many of others hadn’t seen. At least that’s what I felt. He was hurt, he wanted a change. Though, he didn’t say he would be the one to put his hand up and lead people in front (mainly because he was frustrated about the people he trusted… he treated as his colleagues, comrades of his side…), he said that he would give his best shot to make the others of the two sides agree on a common ground.

I have a feeling that he would do it. Good luck! (I will help him with all my ability, that I’m sure about…)

The Judgment Day

At 11 in the morning, when I went to the Dean’s board room, I could hardly meet the students who went and spoke with me. They were all nicely dressed and looked very smart and professional. (I was wondering how nice it would have been if they had worn like that all the while)

They fought for what they believed was correct! And that was nice to see. Irrespective of their divisions they were standing on a common ground. But it was sad to see that they were prepared to jeopardize all the things students of their batch could gain from having a batch representative. 

When the chairman of the meeting gave them another week asking them to discuss among themselves and select a representative among themselves, I thought it was not the correct thing to be done. Yet, once a decision is taken by the chair, it stays a decision. 

So, the students who came to the meeting won. I was happy that they won and that they were happy. But I feared that, whether we would not be able to break the trend of this division and unite the batch for the betterment of not only of that particular batch only but for all the students (present and future). 

For their sake, I hope that they would put their differences behind and try to see why and what we were trying to give them…

Chickened or Not Trusted Enough?

I was all prepared to talk to the “stronger, uncontrollable, bigger” students, who were supposed to have a say with their colleagues. I wanted to show them a movie “Freedom Writers” – my 25th birthday gift by my cute little wife. And I wanted to make sure that it didn’t have anything that would give them a wrong idea. And I couldn’t find anything of that sort. So I was up until about 2.30 in the morning before getting up at 5.30.

I said I would be ready sharp at 8.00. Got a class room ready as well, so that we would not be disturbed. There were a set of students gathered around 8.30… But alas, they were the field representatives of the departments of the faculty. The so called leaders didn’t turn up! “Did they get chickened out?” was my first impression. But it was a something that those representatives were there, so I wanted to make the best out of that, not for me but for them, their friends, the whole faculty. 

So we spoke, and kept on speaking. A lot was revealed! They were all confident that no problem would arise inside a department, but they were also confident that they could not do anything if something goes wrong at faculty level with in their batch. So, they had one request from the staff, not to have one batch representative but if necessary to have two. 

We had a lot of discussions and I gave them my word that I would deliver their messages to the upper layers but I would stand on my ground. I believed that they need to have one student as a batch representative and work with him having no divisions in their minds. They all said (irrespective of their divisions) that they would do their best not to have one batch representative. I wished them luck and asked them to fight for their beliefs tomorrow when it was time for a representative to be elected. 

We watched the movie “Freedom Writers” as well. Many students thought that it was very related to them. (I simply didn’t think like that at the beginning, but as and when I understood their feelings, I could understand their attitude towards the film.) 

I have to mention this. I really appreciate them coming and talking to me. I realized that those “stronger, uncontrollable, bigger” students didn’t come to meet me not because they were chickened, but merely because they didn’t trust me enough (yet). (Of course, I teach to a particular set of students of three departments so that many others would not know whether I could be trusted or not).

Is it lost?

I was talking a few students on mine about leadership. Was telling them that responsibility is all to leadership. That it was not about followers applauding them all the way and telling them, what great leaders they are. Was also telling them; if they become great leaders that it would happen eventually…

They listened. As they always do. Some, even shared their view points. And we got into the conversation as there’s a problem at the college. And they accepted that the problem was not necessary and that we all could do better with out it, that the so called problem did not serve anyone with anything, but only grief and sorrow. They all agreed that it should be stopped. They said unison that they should take the initiative to stop it. Yet, sadly no individual said that he/she would start. They said that there were bigger, uncontrollable, stronger people than they were. So, I opted that I spoke with them. They said it they would get it done.

Tomorrow, I’m hoping that they would keep their end of the bargain… That I would get the chance to talk to them… And I dearly hope that, it is not lost yet…

Should I be happy or should I be sad?

Life has its own ways, I always believe...

Long ago, I think it was in 2006 August, I started a blog (that had only one blog posting though), wanting to tell the world about the things I thought... Not for everyone but for the ones who wanted to listen... And then again, it was this only one blog...

Two three months back, I wanted to continue... I wanted to write more... But I could not do anything to that blog. Although I was the owner of the blog, I couldn't edit anything of that... I tried all the things I knew... I wrote for help... yet, nothing was successful...

Finally, I let go... and thought of starting a new blog... And here am I...

It's being too early, I don't know whether to be happy or sad that I lost the good old blog (which had one blog posting)...