Freshers look forward to new beginnings in college

Most colleges have placed boards about the anti-ragging laws. In fact, Anna University has a massive board right next to the Dean’s office, detailing the points of law. “On day one of the orientation, we were told to report to the authorities immediately if we were harassed,” says M Suresh, who is from Villupuram and joined an engineering college on OMR.

However, some students had concerns about the syllabus coverage and the internships. “The colleges have started a little late and we will have far less time to prepare. With the new rules about arrears, our counsellor on the first day asked us to focus on the portions right from day one.” says Neha S, another student. She further adds, “Now that focus is also on internships, we hope that the college also helps us find good companies where we can gain experience.”

Colleges too are making sure that the students undergo a smooth transition. S Somasundaram, a consultant with many engineering colleges says, “Colleges conduct something like a bridge programme for students where for one week their school curriculum is revised to make the base strong. What they learn in the first semester has a lot to do with what they learn in school. Also, it is big change for them and we have professors conduct sessions for them to help them deal with the new environment and build self-confidence in the new setup.”

Academics aside, most of the students are looking forward to the freshers party, as this is time to make friends, get to know other classmates and make lifelong friends.