Delhi University has a characteristic buzz around it during admission season that was missing this year, perhaps due to the process going completely online. The open house sessions had a lot of visitors, but those applying to the university from outside the city did not need to make the journey to the campus.
First cut-off list
The usual scenes of scores of students lining up with certificates and admission forms in hand, curious to explore the colleges that may become an integral part of their lives for the next three years, was missing this year.
However, with the first cut-off list scheduled to be out on Thursday and sports trials currently on, colleges are slowly getting their buzz back. Gaya resident Rajan Sinha, who landed in Delhi with this daughter to show her the colleges before the cut-off lists are released, said: “I know the campus well since I studied here thee decades ago. I decided to come early with my daughter to show her the colleges. The online process was a blessing as we did not have to make a trip earlier. But now my daughter, who scored 95.7 per cent, should be able to choose well. So we are here to make an informed decision.”
For DU aspirants, preparing for college life is an exciting process. They begin to embrace a sense of freedom that was missing from their lives until a few months ago.
Rohan Gupta, who wants to pursue political science, said: “My parents have already fixed my college allowance. I have been roaming around campus, visiting eateries that I have heard so much about. It is a different world from the malls and markets we used to hang out in while in school. I just discovered a quaint place in Satyaniketan that screens movies and has discussions later.”
Even vendors from popular street markets that cater specifically to college students are waiting for freshers.
Fresher fashion
“When colleges are shut, our sales go down. The sales pick up in June when freshers come in. New students have not come in so far, so a lot of our consignment is still with us,” said Ravi, a shop-owner in GK M-block market.
Talking about street trends this year, he said off-shoulder tops are popular, while the hottest selling accessory is chokers that look like tattoos.
“Most girls come to us to buy off-shoulder tops that cost between Rs.400 to Rs.700. The chokers are priced at Rs.50. Different shades of orange are in vogue and selling out the fastest,” he added.
