University Life !!!

                            Alifiya Aunali
The university life is full of twists and turns before to this place we have many things in mind and many hopes we expect a lot from ourselves and the people around us. But coming to university gives a person a wide range of experiences about everything.....Karachi University is one of the museum of all experiences. Many changes have come in our lives since we have started our classes many people have changed.
The people you considered as a good friends have shrunken to just our classmates, many of the class mates have turned into our good friends, many of us are just passing time and studying waiting for the to get their degree and spread their wings in their respective professionals fields, many of them have already started working for their future careers.
Everyone has their own style of studying and attending classes, some are those who don't even take single class but in exams they come out clean, some of our types are the ones taking all the classes regularly we end up in tensed situation before the papers.
We make blunders and then laugh out ......one of our favorite word is ( abey yaar kia bhund hogaya ) using it for the stupid mistakes we make.
We make many mistakes in the whole day but by the end of the day we have one common opinion that everyday is a new experience some way or the other we learn something coming to university which would help us in the future life ahead.
The teachers we have at our university are one of the best; they are always there depending on how much we want to gain from them.
i had heard that university life is a experience one cannot forget but now its my own saying that its one of the best and the most lucrative experiences of our life.

The Power Of A Penny!

                                                                     By Anum Durrani

All of us often hear the proverb,'A penny saved is a penny gained." But have we ever tried to think of its importance? actually this little sentence holds the world in it.Now you might be thinking that I'am beating about the bush . So lets begin my topic.

Whenever I think about the problems faced by our university students regarding commuter service , proper cafeteria rather than having cabin system, talking about mass communication the practical facilities that most of us believe should be there where as the authorities say, it is impossible specifically these days as there is a cut in university grants , all of this seems impossible to everyone even us but, Why don't we realize that there are thousands of students studying in this very university and these students can help making it better by volunteering .We can start off this campaign by collecting 1 rupee  every day .Each department on individual basis can collect this amount and make notable changes .Although one rupee has no value but when collected on a large scale can make a huge difference .In this way we can accomplish our basic necessities , if not big we can kick off with little things.

However, I do believe that university is too big and so is its needs but What's bad in trying and we can take examples from all over the world , students do take initiatives on their own .So let's say guys, yes we can and we will.

LIBRARY WITH A UNIQUE STYLE …

         BY MAHA SABIR                                                                                                      

Founded in 1952 
Librarian = Malahat Kaleem Sherwani 
Total Volumes 316,000 
Microfilms 6,150
Periodicals 110,000 copies of national and foreign journals and periodicals.
Audio-Visual section Manuscripts
Other facilities 4,000 Research Reports, 20,000 documents and reports, 18,000 Vols. in seminar Libraries 

The Dr. Mahmud Hussain Library is an imposing three storey structure firmly placed in the centre of campus activities. The Dr. Mahmud Husain Library was established in 1952, when the University of Karachi itself came into being.

The library building, a modern and imposing structure in the midst of a large campus located half an hour's drive from the center of Karachi.

 The library houses 350,000 volumes dating back to the 1600s, and it became the depository of the personal book collection of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

The library is on the upper end of the academic spectrum in Pakistan. It consists of a maze of reading rooms (6 for general purposes and another 6 for research), and enjoys independent cataloging and microfilming units as well as binding facilities and a circulation department. The microfilm section has copies of rare manuscripts from the British museum, the India Office Library and the Bodleian and Cambridge University libraries.

The position of Head Librarian is held by Professor Malahat Kaleem Sherwani, who is also the Chairperson of the Department of Library and Information Science and convener of library committee. She has been a staff member of the university since 1975 and, since her arrival at the helm of the library, has brought on new spirit and enthusiasm.

The library, a resource center and an Internet center will be linked by fiber optics as part of a first nodule that will eventually expand to each Department in the university in coming future. This ambitious project represents an investment of 25 million rupees.

      

DIGITAL LAB FOR KARACHI UNIVERSITY                                                                                                                                                                             
A digital library, set up at the University of Karachi (KU)'s Dr Mehmud Hussain Library on Monday 28 Jun, 2010, and was constructed at a cost of Rs30 million.

The digital lab has 150 P-Dual Core machines, with the computers connected to the main KU communication network using internet connectivity through a high speed fiber optic network. Students can also operate for audio and video conferencing.

This library provide, students cutting edge facility with technology which is COMMENDABLE…..

AN ASTONISHING SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

       (BY: SADAF AHMED KHAN)

25 minutes walk from Silver Jubilee gate to Department of Mass Communication. I see many people sitting alone or in group, some sitting idle or completing assignments or enjoying friends’ gathering but there is one man whom I see daily who have become the source of inspiration for me ,who convey the message “ Life is still ON Boss!” is MR. ALI IMRAN. One can see Ali Imran sitting on wheel chair at check post; selling phone cards mobile covers and stationary items.  I had no idea who this person is when I was assigned to write anything related to university of Karachi , he was the one who popped up in my mind immediately, I decided to interview him, I found Ali Imran a very lively personality , he has good sense of humor, sophisticated, well mannered and polite.

Here is a glance of the interview:

Q1: Who are you?

A: Mr. Ali Imran, a student of 3rd year MASS COMMUNICATION.

Q2: If you don’t mind me asking you about your wheel chair, kindly tell me how did it happen?

A: I had polio attack at child hood.

Q3: What u wanted to be when u was a child?

A: I wanted to join the army, I knew it was impossible but in spite of that fact I was expecting a miracle.

Q4: How come you joined mass communication?

A: as I cannot take part in physical activities I started reading books, analyzing different views and making my own perception. Now I like to share my views and perspectives with others, so you can say I wanted to communicate with masses and I am polishing my skills here.

Q5: when you will become a journalist what would hold maximum priority for you?

A: I believe it will be my responsibility to aware people of their own rights at least and I would like to motivate them to fight for their rights.

Q6: What are your favorite shows on television and who is your favorite reader?

A:Well Hameed Akhtar, Raees Fatima, M.Imran Kidvai are my favorite columnist, I don’t like to see news drama shows but Hasan Nisar of CHORAHA is my favorite.

Q7: What are your hobbies and activities?

A: I like to play chess, besides that I go for outing and movies.

Q8: How do you manage your traveling?

A:  By the grace of ALLAH ALLMIGHTY, I have my own special bike now. When I was in Iran I saw effective arrangement for special people but in our country the situations are hopeless.

Q9: if you get a chance to be a part of KU management, what changes would you make?

A: I don’t want to be a part of KU management but I think university should look like an educational institution rather than looking like border. Teachers should be friendly (He quoted Sir Faheem as the best example)

Q10: Would you like to give any message to fellow students?

A: I advice students to focus on their studies and develop reading habit. I wish all of them a bright future.

Extracurricular Activities

By Anum Mujahid

Teaching students has its own academic importance. But apart from academic distinctions, extra curricular activities enhance one's personality and capability equally.
Extra curricular activities are of all forms which may include debates, quiz contest, poetry, contest, games competitions etc. Like we have seen in school and college time, such events are organized.

Similarly in universities a week is promoted for such extracurricular activities and that week is known as "Students Week". In our university we are also celebrating this week as Student's week in which many competitions are and will be taking place among different students of departments. Through participation in games and sports students get the chance to show their potential and natural talent. These activities are also a part of total education. Taking part in such events students get sense of self confidence and embellishes their accomplishments' which they possess or can even develop. Any activity which helps in the development of the total personality of a person is part of education. Opening up of personality, developing the latent talents, promotion of the intellectual effort and an opportunity of a healthy competition all these are factors which our university always encourage. Students fully enjoyed this week by participating in different competitions.

ECONOMIC DEPARTMENT OR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARTIES

                                    by Asif Khan

 

In the department of economics there are lots of parties of students ;its really hard for the new comer to survive .specially for boys

when you are not in any party . the students of the respective department force you to join their particular parties .the major weak 

point of the department is that,there are classes which are painted  with beetle.and no one is there to take any notice and stop students 

for doing these. in the morning and evening both .the respect of the teachers is not there .the students who are in parties they grab their 

stickers of their respective parties in the class and if any student try to remove that from the wall or the board then the parties people 

does fight with that student .so, my point is that why their is so much politics in the department of economics.please someone has to take 

notice of these.

Desperate Bloggers!!!

By: Abdul Rafay

These days People can express their views in so many different ways. TV channels and radio are of great importance when it comes to expressing views. As soon as you switch on your TV set you would get to hear stuff like: SMS to *** and provide us with you precious, valuable view point/feedback etc or some pathetic polls like should the PM do this or that?? With options “Han”,”Nahi” and “Pata Nahi” I wonder who vote for “Pata Nahi”.


Anyway, apart from these media, a new trend which has become popular is Blogging.

In KU with exception of two classes (if m correct) of Mass Com. Dept who are assigned to write blogs are writing on some website.

Other student of KU unfortunately who doesn’t have ma’am Sadia who can give them assignment to write blogs are fulfilling their passion of writing blogs by writing on Toilet walls and doors, Walls, trees!, edges of footpaths!, chair-desks/ desks, white boards using permanent markers!!.....etc etc.

Starting from the TOILET BLOGGERS, Toilet bloggers usually express their sorrows, anger, happiness etc by writing on the toilet walls or doors. You will find cell numbers written on the walls of toilet like “0345-24569** Sheela”.....like in our department’s toilet a number 0333-****** with name Nos****” is written on the wall. God knows who Nosh*** is!!

Guys usually write their X-girlfriends cell number in toilet. So next time if your girlfriend dumps you, you know what you have to do!!!

You would find some adult literature in the toilet too so better stay away from it!!! Yes...yes the ” beep beep” thing.

Shy Romeo’s who can’t express their feelings in front of their Juliet’s generally writes their heart out in form of A + S etc. You can find such examples almost everywhere but interestingly I read such writings on a Tree beside the famous Juice canteen!! May be their love becomes eternal after writing their initials on such places.... Another was R + B...I swear I didn’t wrote it!!!

You may also find such writings on the edges of footpaths using stones. Please don’t waste your time looking for it because I am the only Vela (at Leisure) who observes and find such things.

Writing on desks is quite common. We use to do such things in school and college. But now we are matured enough to write on white board using permanent markers. We are proud Kuri’ans. What I recently observed was a drawing in the IR Dept class room’s board. I wish I could have shared that picture with you but I didn’t wanted to be vulgar!! And my friends also suggested me not to paste that picture...Saying “bhai larkiyan bhi parhaingi blog, halka hath rakho”...

Political bloggers: KU without politics... Never! Such bloggers thinks that each wall that they see neat and clean is for their chalking. In fact they wait for the wall to get new paint, so that they can decorate it with slogans like ... “America Moradabad or” Go America Go”... as if America is going to visit KU and read this slogan.LOL. I am not taking names of political parties like!! APM**, JAMI**or etc that they do wall chalking!!! But then they should realize...Another slogan like “GA *****” I wonder why they don’t write such praising slogans for their leaders in toilet ...two shit at one place may be the reason why they don’t do so!!!

Crash Ending!!!

Last Tuesday Set Me Thinking . . .

BY : AIMAN MUGHNI 

Last Tuesday, I had a mid-term exam. I came to university with my brother. He stopped the car on the road (as path to department's entrance is blocked). I looked here and there for a way to reach my department's entrance. The path seemed blocked for people as well - you cannot jump over the barrier, can you!

Anyway, I decided to walk through the garden as that seemed the only way towards the gate. I stepped on the grass and started walking. The grass was not mowed in ages it seemed. And after three steps I realized that my socks and shoes were getting wet- apparently the grass was watered that day (read: over watered). I came inside my department sulking!

After my written exam, there were two classes to take place. The teacher of the first class was nowhere to be seen. It was a hot day and the lobby didn’t have any fans. I and my friends decided to go sit on the backside of the department and wait for the teacher to arrive.

There are broken chairs and scrap stocked up in the back side of the department. It has a dessert like view. There are wild plants, thorns and bushes and dry desert sand in sight. You could see nothing except wild for nearly four miles. (It must be pretty scary in the night, I must add.)

We were sitting there when a student came and told us that there's a meeting going on and classes won’t take place that day. I decided to call home for someone to come pick me up. And now we were all waiting for our cars. 

It was nearly sun-set by then. And I could see the beautiful sun coming down right in front of me. It was such a pleasant sight. Anum my friend took a picture of the sun. It was mesmerizing moment. We sat and watched the sun drowning down in the wild.

( <------This is the picture that Anum took)

That moment gave me ideas and some queries too.  I wondered why there isn’t a proper parking space for cars. Why do we have to park car on the road and why can't people who come to drop students enter the path towards entrance of department. Why isn’t the only garden of mass communication not properly maintained? Why aren’t there trees? And flower bushes? 

The mass communication building named Dr. Feroze Ahmed Institute of Mass Communication has recently being built. It could have been properly maintained. When I had entered the department for the first time, I had really liked the architecture. Though, the building didn't give the impression of a building related to Mass Communication studies.

The walls are plain white. The notice boards have notices and marks only (read: just white pages on the notice board). There are no posters. There are no colorful images reflecting the spirit of a media person. And nobody even cares.  Students and teachers come and go, without paying attention to the place.

There are only two sofas in the entrance hall and both are broken. Somebody forgot an office table ages ago in the hall, and that’s where the students sit. Others have to either go sit in empty classes or remain standing in their free periods.

There is no cafeteria in the department either. There's only a small tuc shop where you can find hardly anything.

The backside where I sat is like a store place. All the junks are disposed there in the open.

Why isn’t the administration utilizing that wild beautiful place to make it a garden cafeteria and sitting place for students. They should do it - make it a garden! I can imagine how it will then look when the sun will set.

 And the administration should make a committee that makes the department looks colorful. (And, please get rid of the newspaper trees that somebody made in a hurry for Earth day months ago from the wall beside tuc shop, it's awful).

Administration should get some proper seats and benches for students and visitors in the entrance hall. And teachers should inform office clerks when they decide not to come. Because when we ask the office staff, they always say that they don't know and we should wait (Of most of our queries and questions, their answer remains same "We don't know").

It'll soon be two years for me in this department. And I think my department is a beautiful place, just not maintained. And I hope to see positive, beautiful changes in the coming next few years.   

A PETITION

By Usama Rasheed

The land of Karachi University is stretched at a distance of about 1200 acres , there are five faculties and 52 departments.

The second year of my association to Karachi University is about to over and what I’ve noticed during this span is that when the classes are suspended , students doesn’t even bother to switch off the lights and fans of their classrooms, this careless act on the part of students results in the wastage of electricity.

This problem is not only confined to my department (Mass Communication), rather it is prevalent in all the 52 departments.

I, and a friend of mine, try our best to turn off the lights and fans of classrooms, where there are no students.

Now, you can imagine that if we control the consumption of electricity in Karachi University, where there are 52 departments, with numerous classrooms, we can get rid of load-shedding to some extent. And if we apply this technique in all formats of our lives, no wonder, there will be enough power supply in the country.

In this regard, university administration must issue a notice related to the awareness of this matter and trust me, we can contribute a lot towards solving one of the country’s biggest problem.

I Love My K.U But…..

 By Sarah Salahuddin

I got admission in Karachi University on October 24, 2008 and my classes begin on January 9, 2009.  Since that time I started loving my university and a sense of belongingness developed in me as this is the place which give us education, awareness, knowledge and much more but….

But here in K.U there are different kinds of people, who are also a part of it but due to their acts sometimes I feel like NO, I shouldn’t love this place, I should not have any kind of belongingness with it and let me tell you what are some those acts which make me feel this.

*POLITICAL PARTIES: There are 10 political parties in university and each of them has their own sitting places that are in fact owned by them through force and power. If you sit at any of their place, firstly two or three of the party members (in common language named as KAARKUN) will pass from in front of you and will stare at you. After one or two minutes they’ll be back and will ask that “don’t u guys belong to k.u” and if u replied with yes then their next question will be in a very taunting way that  “don’t you know it’s our party’s sitting area??” You cannot make any argument just say sorry and leave the place because an argument most probably results in something really serious. The same thing happened with me and my other fellows at two different spots that make us feel that we aren’t the part of university or we don’t have a right to sit at the place of our own wish.

*DRIVERS OF SHUTTLE BUSES:

Student: (in Urdu) Uncle!! Please aj mass comm. Pe chor dain aj bht garmi hai…

Uncle!! Please drop us at Mass Communication department. It’s very hot today.

Driver: (in Urdu) Q bhai?? Tere pairon men dard hota he chalne me?

(WHY? DO YOU FEEL PAIN IN YOUR LEGS WHILE WALKING)

This is a small conversation between a student and a shuttle or point driver that is usually heard. And through these dialogues you can feel the rudest behavior of point drivers that we face (specially evening students).

Most of the time they just ignore us & drives away with full speed, when we are trying to stop them.

*SECURITY GUARDS OF K.U:  Once I along with my friend were waiting for a lift on Maskan gate and the security guard were talking to each other, suddenly three students of IBA (their ID card shows it) entered and all the guards become attentive. As they reached the place where we were standing and before they said a word, one of the guards quickly stopped a car and arranged lift for them. I and my friend asked that we are standing here from past 12 minutes but you didn’t stop a single car for us and the guard replied that “IBA walon ki tu baat hi alag hai, wo IBA k hain K.U k nahin…” (IBA STUDENTS ARE SOMETHING SPECIAL AS THEY BELONG TO IBA & NOT TO K.U).

It was so unpleasant to listen such thing about yourself and your university that I cannot explain it in words because for me every student is equal and no one has right to make such discrimination. K.U has its own value and demand in every subject and this fact cannot be denied.

Well these are some of the things, which usually occurred with us making us realize that we are not even a small part of K.U or K.U is a worse institution that a security guard even makes such a comment.

 We should take these small matters very seriously and try to solve them so that no one can ever try to degrade or underestimate any of the ku’rian.

The Univerity's Famous Juice canteen !!!!

By Alifiya Aun Ali

Karachi university food and science juice canteen is one of the very popular spot for the students to relax and quench their THIRST……

The students from the entire university walk towards juice canteen for the fresh seasonal juice….which are available at very reasonable prices for the students. ( Example : you get a thick blended banana shake for just 20 rupees, Pomegranate juice for 20 rupees) wow where do we get fresh  juices this cheap in whole Karachi ??  

The students feeling DE-hydrated whole day of their tiring routine go to the canteen to re-vitalize themselves.

The juice canteen present in the university premises is a convenience for the students and within their reach to have a fresh juice rather than drinking a tetra pack juice.

The juice canteen being reasonable also has some reasons ….which is noticed by the students but ignored due to many good reasons.

The smell and the inside condition of the canteen somewhere shows the sub-standard of the quality of fruits and shows un-hygienic situation inside the canteen.

The facts are over looked by most of the students having juice at the canteen and drink the juice with zeal and pleasure.

The juice canteen having its own unique place and identity attracts attention more than any of the canteen present in the university premises.

Any person who’s been to university quiet a few times know about all famous Karachi university juice canteen.

It’s a place where many of the students are seen relaxing and enjoying the juice they want to drink……and to help their own selves to get energized and resume their schedule.

So people….lets give a big thank you to the juice canteen that has been a blessing in disguise for the thirsty and dehydrating students!!!!

Other’s Perception

By Anum Durrani

Like many other students I started off my academic life as a pre-medical student with all the high spirits and hopes to become a medical professional but soon I ended up staying outside the college waving to other friends and wishing them all the very best for their future. I  had no choice but to enter the university of Karachi but what department?  was the next question haunting me , no science anymore was my gut feeling and finally I ended up joining the department of mass communication and here I am writing blogs , trying to  initiate as a blogger.

Through these blogs, I at least, have the liberty to write whatever I feel either good or bad, that my teacher will decide.

Apart from writing and department, the experience of entering the university was completely different, people have entirely different assumptions about the university, Karachi university ………… awami. It’s the first words that comes to the mind of many and trust me I was also sent to the university as a punishment, only to know the actual talent and reality of life...

Recently I had an opportunity to attend a workshop where students of different universities were also participants and from them I actually came to know their perceptions about the university. It was an eye opener, that despite of producing largest number of PHD’s the university is considered to be a place of political; activities and menace only. But to some extent my fellow friends were able to change their views about the university and they ended up admiring our mentor. See this is it why we say that interaction is important with other educational institutions too.

The people of Karachi no more believe that university is a safe place to send their children to, classes do they take place? Yes of course, they do this is the reason we write our blogs in a regular manner, does your teachers show up? Of course they do. Wow, this is so strange you people actually study was the answer of many. It was pretty disappointing for us because, we the students of KU walk miles and miles to study at different departments and look at these people asking such questions. Alas, all are efforts are dashed to the ground.

But it’s never too late to mend we can change their perceptions by little more efforts. Let’s begin our journey with the next step only….

MUSICAL CHAIR....!!!!!

By Maha Sabir

Studying at Karachi university for almost two years now has been a good experience altogether. 

K.U the largest, internationally well-known and has a worldwide recognition. It was an honor that in the past it was known as “K.U FOR ALL”. Students from different cities, countries, caste and religion studied in huge number.
Experiencing an incident last week SADLY, I have to say that now it is not “K.U FOR ALL” at all……!!!!
There was a seminar in the arts auditorium located at arts lobby. I with some of my class fellows gathered at the arts lobby for the seminar, however because of some unmade arrangements the seminar was delayed for half an hour and we decided to sit over there as lobby was a good airy sitting place as well.
And there we go, sitting on a bench and then just within few seconds two tall boys passed over, came nearer to us and said (IN STYLE).

“YE PARTY KI JAGAH HY…….YAHAN SE UTH JAEYEA...…!”

What the Hell is this???? This is not your party’s office…!!!
“It is Our University and we are the students…”


The circle picture shows that bench where it is Booked as “NON SITTING AREA”

It is not one place, the same goes for cafeteria area near Sociology department where only the “AREA PARTY MEMBERS” can sit.
The other is near UBL Bank beside check-post office… There if you will sit for 10-15 minutes a bike with two fat men sitting on it will stop their bike in front of you asking about your university cards as they are the security officers although they are not.
This is NEITHER “Eleven Zero” Area NOR JAMIAT or MARDAN University. They have no right to inquire students of Karachi University or prohibiting them to sit.

Try to make University a SAFE Place Not a HARASSMENT Place.  

SO, My friends be aware of sitting on these places or else face the MUSIC…..!!!!

KU IS MINE AND YOUR’S…

(Stop Playing Musical Chair..!!!!!)

Point to be noted..........

By Sadaf Khan 

As the school boys and girls grows up to a university guy and vans replace by university points. Its good to have experience of life your self .

I still remember the first day for university. I was at stop waiting for point but when it appeared, unfortunately their was no space any more. The boys were swing on the door just holding the rod, not only boys but the girls have a step in the bus and other one in the air. I was shocked and I decided to go by public bus but when I get down on maskan gate another problem was waiting for me and that issue was to walk from gate to department that’s 25 minutes away on foot.

I saw people taking lift so I did the same and that was really embarrassing moment , the most annoying thing was that people didn’t stop….

Then I saw point and THANKD GOD .we all ran after the point but alas! the point did not stop ,even guards tried to stop it. I was surprised, then I opted for a lift again and finally reached to the department but I was 15 minutes late I was embarrass but one should think that if the point came at 3:15pm, how any one manage to be on time in class.

Now this is my daily routine, not only mine but of most of the students.

We have gathered complaints so many times but after all  university of Karachi is the part of Pakistan -  no one hears the crying people ,who will hear the students!      

         

    

Should students take part in politics

By Anum Mujahid

This is a very crucial question that stand, posed before every student. To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the word meaning of student. Student is a one who study and who should keep himself abreast of knowledge. He should study everything, national and international problems, diplomatic, economic games and sports, education and politics. We have every right to form our opinion on all matters. But entering active politics as a student is not desirable as this deceives the aims and purposes of our career and suffers a diversion which can build hardships to meet our objectives. Politics as today in our country has grown most unethical. Students have not entered university to play such game. This is the time to raise their intellectual level.

Political parties are always ready to spread out their hands to catch youth as they are energetic and will be helpful for arranging the rallies to enlarge their influence and even organizing strikes in university.

Even the student unions in university are ridden with political finances and support candidates to create base for themselves.

Let us only be a spectator and not an actor in the drama of politics. Let us be the disciplined leaders of a disciplined nation at the proper time.