Student Leader Interview – Ayushi Gupta of Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi

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1. Tell us more about your role and responsibilities in your society?

I am the President of the Women’s Development Cell of Daulat Ram College. Being the president of a society in itself carries a lot of responsibility. My daily roles include holding team meetings, setting targets for members and coordinating the activities of the different committees of the cell, namely marketing, sponsorship, content and graphics. The most challenging task at this position is to serve as the linking pin between the cell and the college authorities. There are times when we encounter a clash of opinions between the students and the supervising professors due to age and generation gap, and settling that clash gracefully is one big task. 

2. What's it like to juggle between a leadership role and normal college life.

I think juggling between the two is the best part. It is fun, and yet the most challenging one. This is where most people fail. It is important to strike a balance between the two in a way that none of them has to compromise. However, there are times when you have to keep aside the college life pleasures in order to do justice to your leadership role and the responsibilities attached to it, and vice versa. And this is where you get to learn how important it is to adroitly balance life from both personal and professional forefronts.

There is no set pattern as to how an individual should strike this balance. I believe everybody has to device their own ways which help them excel at it. After all, juggling isn’t an easy job. It takes a lot of practice and patience.

3. As a leader in your college society, what challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge that I face is lack of motivation among the team. Different people join the society for different reasons and with different expectations. In such a situation, my main emphasis remains on giving every member an environment where they feel valued and respected. I believe that a society functions at its best when it works like a family. You just have to support one another through thick and thin.

Reconciling conflicting interests is another setback. First, it is essential to understand that conflict is inevitable. No society can do away with it irrespective of how well functioning it is.

I have served significant positions in various other societies of the college in the past and my presence in diverse activities enables me to handle such challenges and fulfil my current leadership role.

  

4. What are your career goals and how is your present role going to help you with that?

My ultimate career goal is to work in the corporate world and this position in the cell is definitely going to add to that. Getting involved in college societies is a very enriching experience and it requires a great deal of initiative and commitment. Being the president requires one to go an extra mile, but I believe getting involved in such activities in any way is a learning experience, irrespective of how small the role is. The diverse set of activities that one has to do helps give insights into the practicalities of life and give real life exposure.

5. Do you have a message for parents to allow their kids to do things besides academics?

I think it is very important for parents to realise that academics and extra-curricular activities are complimentary to each other, and more important for the students to make their parents realise this. But this is a two way thing and the best solution to this is ‘communication’. Not everybody comes from a family where the environment is conducive to supporting things apart from academics. Therefore, it is important for students to communicate to their parents what their goals are and what they expect from their life. It is imperative for parents to come to terms with their child’s goals, encourage their learning, and grant them some degree of autonomy to take important decisions in life. 

6. What's your message to encourage students to do internships and attend conferences?

Internships and conferences are nothing but extensions to the college learning. Surely they provide the most enriching experience of one’s college life. 

By doing internships students get to learn the real industry situation as they come out of the protective shell of the college environment. The education that we have been getting since years is monotonous and mundane. This education does not translate into a healthy working life. Thus, it is important to step into the corporate world through internships which provide practical learning in a controlled and stable environment as opposed to a 9 to 5 job. Internships give them a chance to explore the various unconventional avenues which definitely are worth exploring. 

On the other hand, conferences provide a platform to listen to great minds from all fields of life and to interact with them. It not only helps students foster noble ideas but also enables them to put forward their opinions in a place where they are appreciated. 

Thus, the two not only add to one’s knowledge and learning, but also significantly shape one’s personality and thought processes. It might sound clichéd, but they enhance your CV and also help you become an asset to the organization/people you are going to work with in the future.