update: copyright year to 2025

* add Alumni Mentorship Program Article

* fix: file naming

---------

Co-authored-by: Rajdeep Aher <math.enthusiast163@gmail.com>

_includes/footer.html

@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@
 
 
   <div class="container copyright">
-    <p>&copy; Copyright 2018 &#8212; Watch Out! News Agency</p>
+    <p>&copy; Copyright 2025 &#8212; Watch Out! News Agency</p>
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_posts/2025-08-01-3pairs-of-shoes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: "Why You Need at Least 3 Pairs of Shoes Before the World Ends"
+image: 3pairmore.png
+tags: [wona, column]
+category: editorial
+tags: [wona, column]
+author: Adrija Jayant
+excerpt: "Hello to pretty strangers, and how you doin’ to the even prettier ones, the philosophers, and the people who still wear socks with holes in them—probably paired with worn-out Bata slippers that have seen better days."
+---
+
+
+# Why You Need at Least 3 Pairs of Shoes Before the World Ends
+*A Treatise on Footwear, Fate, and the Fragility of Civilization*
+
+## Greetings from the edge of the abyss
+
+Hello to pretty strangers, and how you doin’ to the even prettier ones, the philosophers, and the people who still wear socks with holes in them—probably paired with worn-out Bata slippers that have seen better days.
+
+Today, we must discuss something of dire importance. Not taxes, not the inevitable heat death of the universe, not even the fact that we still don’t know how eels reproduce (though, truly, what are they hiding?).
+
+This is about why, before the world descends into fiery oblivion, slow bureaucratic decay and credit card debt, you need at least *three pairs of shoes*.
+
+As the great inventor, Steve Jobs might have said if he'd focused more on footwear and less on Macs:
+*"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower — and nothing innovates your survival chances like proper arch support."*
+
+## The Duality of Shoes: Survival and Swagger
+
+Since the dawn of time, humanity has been obsessed with two things: not dying, and looking good while not dying. Shoes, my friend, are the ultimate expression of that duality.
+
+Nietzsche almost said: *"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how—especially if the 'how' involves waterproof boots."*
+
+Not only do they protect you from rogue Lego bricks (toddler-engineered pain traps), but they’re also a message to your better-off friends: _"Hey, I’ve got my life together too. Look at these laces. Look at this arch support on my crisp Nike Air Force 1s. I am a functioning adult (early 20s btw)."_
+
+The ancient Greeks had a saying: "Know thyself." We humbly add: "And know thy terrain."
+
+Because as Sun Tzu might observe if he'd written _The Art of War_ as a Shein Marketing Head: _"All warfare is based on deception—and nothing deceives the apocalypse like having the right footwear for every disaster scenario."_
+
+Now, let’s simulate doomsday scenarios:
+
+**Scenario 1**: You’re sprinting from a pack of feral dogs. Your only shoes? Crocs (war mode activated).
+
+**Verdict:** Dead.
+
+**Scenario 2**: Trekking across a radioactive wasteland. Your only shoes? Stilettos. 
+
+**Verdict:** Dead (but fabulously).
+
+**Scenario 3**: Trying to impress the last surviving human. Your only shoes? Toe shoes. 
+
+**Verdict**: Emotionally deceased.
+
+You see the pattern. One pair is a liability. Two’s a compromise. But three? Three pairs is _wisdom._
+
+## The Tarot of Terrain: Choosing Your Trio
+
+Shoes carry the energy of where you’ve been and where you’re headed. So, you should be choosing your pairs accordingly:
+
+- **For Strength** – Woodland combat boots. Nothing says _“I eat concrete for breakfast”_ like footwear that can double as a weapon.
+- **For Speed** – Puma running shoes, for when you need to outrun both chaos _and_ your own poor decisions.
+- **For Soul** – The wildcard. Maybe Crocs, because _irony is the last language to die in the apocalypse_.
+
+## Capitalism’s Eulogy, As told by its ghosts
+
+_**Act 1**_
+
+Here’s what the silent witnesses of civilization have to say about the Three-Shoe Principle:
+
+_**1. A Sentient, Deeply Traumatized Shoe Rack**_
+
+"I’ve held 27 pairs in my lifetime. Only three survived the Great Puppy Chewing Incident of ‘19. Learn from their sacrifice."
+
+The shoe rack’s trauma is not its own. It is the trauma of demand. To hold 27 pairs, then watch 24 vanish to the jaws of fate (or a teething Labrador), is to understand capitalism’s first law: **abundance is an illusion.**
+
+_**2. A Cursed Payless Loafer(s) (Left Shoe Only)**_
+
+"My right half was lost in a divorce settlement. My owner wore mismatched shoes for a year. Be better than him."
+
+We are all just one disaster away from mismatched Payless loafers, clinging to the myth that more **choices mean more control**. As the left shoe quietly mutters from its divorce settlement, _"The system breaks pairs first, then people."_
+
+_**3. A Broken Escalator in a Subway Station:**_
+
+"For 12 years, I moved bodies upward. Now I am a staircase. All progress is temporary. All shoes are holy."
+
+"All progress is temporary", could be the tagline for late-stage consumerism.
+
+We ride upward on machinery we didn’t build, only to find the power was cut long ago. Now we climb its static teeth, blisters blooming, while the adverts still scream "NEW ARRIVALS!" from shattered screens.
+
+_**4. A Forgotten Library Book Titled How to Survive Anything:**_
+
+"No one checked me out after 1987. The last reader scribbled in my margins: ‘Step 1: Hoard shoes. Step 2: Outlive your enemies.’ I am wisdom. I am ignored."
+
+The library book knows the truth: survival manuals go unread until the fire is already at the door.
+
+**Capitalism sells the dream of preparedness, but stocks only enough for those who can outrun the rush.**
+
+---
+_**Act 2**_
+
+Imelda Marcos, who famously (and controversially) owned 1,060 pairs of shoes, understood this. They were never about feet. They were about fear. Fear of scarcity, fear of being outshone, fear that somewhere, someone had a pair you didn’t.
+
+Coco Chanel nailed the blend of need and narcissism: _"The best things in life are free. The second best are very, very expensive."_
+Love, friendship, sunsets-these are priceless. But survival instinct? Free. Surviving in style? That’s a Visa transaction.
+
+Chanel forgot to mention the corollary: _"The third-best things are on sale, the fourth-best are in landfills, and the fifth-best will strangle you with their laces during the riot."_
+
+It's funny how irrational our consumer logic becomes under pressure. It's funny, absurd and sad just like capitalism, which, like bad footwear, narrows your choices until "dignity" means choosing which blisters to ignore.
+
+So when you buy your three pairs, ask: are these for walking, or for believing? The escalator is broken. The shoe rack weeps. The only upward mobility left is the kind you can outrun your demons in. Choose accordingly.
+
+## A Warning About Borrowed Footwear
+
+You need to have your own, three, distinct pairs of shoes. Because the last thing you’d want is to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Especially someone who owns a single, old, holed pair. That is a shortcut to bad decisions, and limpy regrets.
+
+This is the paradox of preparedness: by curating your own trio, you reject the passive suffering of those who borrow, scavenge, or make do.
+
+Philosophers from Kierkegaard to Camus agreed that authenticity means choosing your own path. But none of them mentioned the shoe bites you’ll get if that path is paved with someone else’s ill-fitting hand-me-downs.
+
+And in case Elon Musk decides to drag you to Mars, at least mog the aliens with your stylish kicks. The least you can do as a surviving human is flex on extraterrestrials.
+
+
+## The Final Plea
+
+And so, brothers in existential footwear, what if civilization decides to collapse on itself tomorrow?
+
+The government, distracted by tax fraud and Twitter, won’t warn you. The news anchors will be too busy debating if pineapple belongs on pizza to tell you that society is on its last legs. And suddenly, you’ll find yourself in a world where roads are cracked, WiFi is extinct, and the only currency is canned beans.
+
+So now, take my advice, and before next Tuesday, do yourself a favor and buy three pairs of shoes. Not because you’re materialistic, but because, in the end, the difference between survival and regret might just be a well-timed purchase from the clearance section.
+
+When you will be watching the last Twitter server blink out, you'll understand what Plato really meant when he said _"Our need will be the real creator"_ and your need, dear reader, is three damn pairs of shoes.
+
+Because in the end, as the Buddha nearly said while shopping at Adidas: _"Pain is inevitable — blisters are optional." Choose wisely._
+
+If you remain enough of a lunatic to argue that the world won’t end, well then you’ve got yourself a wonderful wardrobe and a lifetime to spend flaunting your newly bought shoes on dates that will never end happily.
+
+And well, if the world does end, at least you will die with your laces tied.

_posts/2025-08-15-note-to-self.md

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: "Note to Self"
+category: memoirs
+tags: [wona, column]
+author: "Chandramouli"
+image: moolicover.jpg
+excerpt: "I remember driving past the main gate a day before the first official day of college. It felt surreal. I never planned to make it to any IIT, never mind the most beautiful one I've seen."
+---
+
+# GG INTRO
+
+I remember driving past the main gate a day before the first official day of college. It felt surreal. I never planned to make it to any IIT, never mind the most beautiful one I've seen. From the next day, began a 3.5 year long movie (screw COVID for taking away what could've been my first inter IIT sports meet). The actual movie part of it has ended now. But, in the wise words of a very influential voice in high society- the envoy for New York's socialites, both teens and adults alike- "What's a movie without credits?" (Gossip Girl, S6E5; RIP Michelle Trachtenberg). Through this article, I want to thank some people, without whom this picture would've been dead in the water. This article will be a sprinkling of some random memories I've had along the way. Let's roll the credits.
+
+---
+
+## SUPPORT FROM HOME
+
+#### To Jaiswal, Abhy, Kevin "f**k linked list" Mathalai, Muski, Susuhani, Mouse and Wudu
+
+It feels a tiny bit wrong to put you guys on the closing credits, y'all deserve to be on the opening titles. But it would be a greater gaffe not to have you in at all. It was (and still is) so reassuring that even upon the most minor of inconveniences, I could call any of you and let out a rant. You've all been constants in my life for so long now, which has been a massive reason for me getting through college in a sane fashion. You're the 4lyfers. I'm so grateful to have had you in my life until now, and exultant that I have you in my life till infinity.
+
+---
+
+## BASKETBALL PEOPLE
+
+#### To Budhwar, Sarthak, Saksham, Shailu, Tejas, Deepak, Adi, Rishabh, Ani, Madhav, Coach Sir, Chander, Rajjo, Kush and all the juniors
+
+I walked onto campus thinking there wouldn't be any great basketball players in an IIT. Boy, was I proven wrong quickly.
+
+My first Colors Trophy was my first jaw-dropping moment on the court. We beat every team and made it to the final. But then Rajjo decided to go beast mode. Unguardable. The performance genuinely floored me. It was the first time I saw someone take over an entire game. 
+
+My first Inter IIT Sports Meet in Delhi was bittersweet. Forget all the teams we beat, the highlights I produced, and the jeering I got from the crowd. I mostly remember bawling my eyes out after losing to Madras by one point in overtime. I don't think I've ever felt that crestfallen. 
+
+Some special shoutouts to a few people: Chander- for showing me what charisma looks like, both on and off the court; Bhalla- for just being a tranquil individual; last but not least, my dunk-partner-in-crime, Kush- brother, PLEASE go pro. Your potential knows no bounds. I hope to have another dunk session with you again.
+
+I wish I had never torn my ACL. All I ever wanted to do in my final year was bring a gold medal back home where it belonged. I'm still heartbroken that I couldn't be on the court with my boys in Sangram, Spardha, and the final Inter IIT. I guess some things just aren't meant to be. But I'm beyond proud of y'all for winning back the LeBronze. 
+
+There's no place on the campus that I've felt happier in than the court. Thank you to everyone I've mentioned and everyone else I might've missed for making me feel at home in a place so far away from home.
+
+![](/images/posts/mooli1.png)
+
+## THE "MECHANICAL" PEOPLE
+
+#### To Lone Wolf Sigma Male (LWSM), Nemon, Nyaa, Soham, Sajag, Bhindi,
+
+The first thing I did when I reached campus in March 2022 was scout out all the people from Bangalore (that's where I'm from). I met Bhindi first. Never in a million years would I have guessed the extent to which she and her classmates/former classmates would influence my college life and shape me as a whole. The dinner we had at Peppery, the grass we had in Jawahar, me identifying the AJ Styles bag, me forcing Soham to come for HIS OWN convocation- I share so many core memories with you guys.
+
+Each has been a guiding light for me in different aspects of life. LWSM guided me throughout the intern season and yapped about the latest tribal chief lore (insert one-in-the-sky emoji). Bhindi showed me what an absolute workhorse looked like with her data science expertise, and she might have also been a little Blr rumour informant of ours. Soham has corrected my resume way too many times, and his techno suggestions have never disappointed. Nyaa, patient as time itself, helped me with my CAT prep more than I can express in words. Sajag helped me write multiple research-project-request emails and made me start running (his Strava stats would shock you). Last but not least, Nemon. All-rounder. Helped me with everything everywhere. College would have driven me insane if not for him.
+
+I missed y'all a ton these last two years, and I owe y'all so much.
+
+![](/images/posts/mooli2.png)
+
+## MY YEAR PEOPLE
+
+### To Vaidy, Aniket, Gautam, Parv, Jha, Shravan, Shiv, Introvert,
+
+It all started with Jha- he was speaking English on the branch WhatsApp group. I texted him instantly, saying I had finally found someone I could talk to in English (my Hindi wasn't too great then). When he said he also listens to Carti (pre-WLR when he was actually good, mind you), I almost knew instantly that this one and I would be tight for the long run.
+
+Jha and I were hunting for more people to hang with. That's how we scouted and met Parv at CCD for the first time. The three of us have since stuck together through the entirety of college. GOAT Divine companion. Always welcomed me to his home (shoutout every terrace scene we've had). Another compadre for life was unlocked.
+
+I have no idea how or where I met Introvert. Perhaps in a random Bangalore meetup in the first year. I believe I met Shravan there, too. I wish we had played pool together a lot more. I'm so lucky to have you guys around in Bangalore, too. On another note, I think my mom likes Introvert as much as she likes me. Should I be concerned? 
+
+Vaidy, don't ever text my mother on Gpay. And perhaps equally importantly, I'm not black. Aniket- I wish we had watched more basketball together. Dubs in 6 though. Gautam- fellow Alchemist enjoyer and the best designer and paper folder I know. I can't wait to see you design someone's album covers. Shiv- bumping Pluto with you has always been fun. Also, I'm terrified of piece-maker.
+
+Nothing but love for you guys. I probably sound like a broken record now, but I must repeat this- college would've been impossible without you guys.
+
+![](/images/posts/mooli3.png)
+![](/images/posts/mooli4.png)
+
+## THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING NEW
+
+A fair bit of soul-stirring happens in me whenever anything I'm watching ends; for example, the ending of Modern Family had me a little teary-eyed. This BTech cinema ending will probably make me way more emotional than that. I have much to process, but I can do that with time. How do I end this article, though? What comes immediately after the credits? Maybe a post-credits scene, and then the screen cuts to black. People chew over how they found the flick, munch through the rest of their snacks, gather their things, and go their separate ways. It's that time for us now. But there are many more movies to watch down the line, in different theatres. Here's to hoping we keep walking into the same theatres in the future, too. I know for sure it's going to be so much more fun that way. 
+
+---
+
+##### "XOXO"
+**Chandramouli**

_posts/2025-08-24-amp.md

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: "IITR’s Alumni Mentorship Program: A Bridge Beyond the Gates"
+category: coverstory
+image: amp-2025.jpg
+
+excerpt: "IIT Roorkee’s Alumni Mentorship Program (AMP) bridges students and alumni through one-on-one guidance, offering career support, emotional encouragement, and lasting relationships that extend far beyond campus."
+---
+
+
+Life at IIT has a way of humbling you.
+It doesn’t matter whether you’re a wide-eyed fresher still adjusting to mess food and lecture halls, a second-year torn between fields of interest, a third-year chasing that dream internship, or a final-year student staring down the uncertainty of placements and higher studies—every stage comes with its weight. The campus buzzes with opportunity, but beneath it lies an undercurrent of pressure: Am I making the right choices? Am I falling behind?
+
+In this whirlwind, the noise can get overwhelming, and it’s easy to feel cast aside. What you long for in those moments is conversation and a helping hand from someone who’s walked the same maze and found their way through. Someone who can share not just advice, but perspective from beyond the campus walls, from the world you’re preparing to step into.
+
+
+## IITR’s Alumni Mentorship Program: A Bridge Beyond the Gates
+
+It was 2020, when an alumnus visiting campus for a reunion felt the pull of giving back and sensed the growing need for guidance among students. Mr. Kiran Panesar, '89 batch alumnus of IITR, currently running Ambient Security, and his team took that spark forward, starting the Alumni Mentorship Program (AMP) with 6 mentors and 100 students joining in the very first cohort. Over time, this initiative has grown into a **network of 200+ mentors (from the batch of 1966 all the way to 2023) and more than 300 student participants.**
+
+The program is entirely free for students, run by alumni volunteers who simply want to give back. Its design is simple but powerful:
+
+- _One-on-one conversations_: Students are paired with mentors who usually check in with them every couple of weeks. They’re open-ended discussions about careers, higher studies, or simply making sense of uncertainty.
+
+The format is flexible: some mentorships last years, others just a few meetings—but all evolve into lasting relationships that stretch well beyond campus, grounded in shared stories and continued guidance.
+
+<img src="/images/posts/amp-1-2025.jpg" />
+
+### Impact
+
+AMP has supported students across the spectrum : B.Techs of all years, M.Techs, and PhD scholars. With mentors by their side, students have secured internships, launched startups, pursued research and gone for higher studies abroad.
+
+The impact, however, extends beyond professional milestones. Mentees often form lasting bonds and stay connected with their mentors outside the program, continuing to seek guidance at key junctures in their journeys. And perhaps the most meaningful outcome: mentees returning as mentors, strengthening the program for the next generation.
+
+### Mentors
+
+With over 200 mentors from batches spanning 1961 to the present, the program brings together a remarkable diversity of experience. The mentors include leaders who head global corporations, founders of multiple successful startups, distinguished academicians, and senior civil servants responsible for major national projects.
+
+Beyond one-on-one guidance, the program creates vital networking opportunities—giving students access to perspectives, connections, and possibilities they might never encounter on their own.
+
+AMP thrives on the conversations between alumni and students. To glimpse this more closely, I spoke with one of the mentors in the program - Mr. Animesh Bisaris, a 1984 alum, who shared his journey into mentorship, his reflections on today’s students, and his vision for the program’s future:
+
+_Animesh Bisaria, a Gold Medalist from IIT Roorkee with over 40 years in the IT industry, is the CEO of FASTGlobal and MD of KNIO Infotech. Based in Bangalore, he has been mentoring students for several years through the IIT Roorkee Alumni Mentorship Program, guiding over a dozen so far._
+
+**How would you describe your approach or style of mentoring students?**
+
+For me, the journey always begins with “KYM — Know Your Mentor/Mentee”. I make it a point to connect with students personally, even before the formal mentorship starts. Many take time to open up — often struggling with confidence, communication, or simply adjusting to IIT life. Every student carries their own story, shaped by family, background, or circumstances. 
+My first focus is to build trust and understand their world. Once they feel comfortable, they start sharing more freely — and that’s when the real mentoring begins. Then, we shape our sessions around the student’s needs — whether it’s career guidance, exploring fields of interest, or creating networking opportunities. Every student is different, so the mentoring journey is always tailored.
+
+**Is there a mentorship experience that stands out to you, where you felt the program truly made a difference?**
+
+Yes, one that stays with me is a student who was completely blind — an exceptionally bright child. I was able to support him in navigating campus life and also helped him land an internship at ISRO. This is where the strength of the program really shows: mentors come from diverse, accomplished fields and can connect students to the right opportunities and people. But it’s not just about career breaks. Through mentorship, students also learn how to communicate better, present themselves with confidence, and build skills that will support them far beyond IIT.
+
+**Over the years, have you noticed any changes in the kinds of questions or concerns students bring up?**
+
+In my 14 years of mentoring, I’ve noticed that career-related anxiety is by far the biggest concern. Many students feel disappointed about not getting into the CSE branch and worry that their options are now limited. They’re often unsure about what direction to take — what to study, how to secure a good internship, or what career path to pursue. Alongside this, there are other challenges too: adjusting to a new environment, building friendships, communicating confidently — I’ve met students who couldn’t even manage a simple greeting in our first interaction. Missing home and dealing with mental health struggles also weigh heavily on them. All of these concerns come together, but career uncertainty seems to be at the center for most.
+
+**Student mental health is a growing concern at IITs. As a mentor, how do you see your role in supporting students emotionally, not just academically or professionally?**
+
+Yes, that is a major concern. I once had a mentee who had been struggling with depression for nearly eight months — triggered by not getting into a preferred branch, fear of an uncertain future, and the pressure of not wanting to let parents down. Being in such a demanding environment only made it worse. What he really needed was someone to talk to, someone who could guide him and help rebuild his confidence and optimism.
+
+These challenges are not isolated — they are widespread and need to be addressed proactively. I believe the institute should hold at least one dedicated wellness session every month for freshers, so they don’t feel alienated in their early days. Within the mentorship program too, our role goes far beyond career advice or networking. We try to provide a genuine support system — a safe space where students feel heard, understood, and encouraged to navigate both academic pressures and emotional struggles.
+
+**Looking ahead, how do you see the Alumni Mentorship Program evolving?**
+
+I hope to see many more mentees and mentors joining in the coming years. One challenge right now is that even after registering, some students hesitate to open up or maintain regular contact. My vision is for the program to become more two-sided — where students feel comfortable reaching out freely, and mentors can also connect with them beyond just formal emails or LinkedIn messages. Strengthening this flow of communication from both ends will make the mentorship bond much stronger.
+
+---
+
+**The last date to register is August 31, 2025, and seats are limited.**
+
+For more information and to register for the mentorship program, visit: https://www.iitramp.org/iitramp

guide/index.html

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ layout: post
 title: "The Ultimate Freshman's Guide to IIT Roorkee"
 tags: [wona]
 category: academics
-image: freshman-guide-23-cover.png
-description: The complete, wholesome and perfect reference book to IIT Roorkee!
+image: freshman-guide-25-cover.png
+excerpt: "The complete, wholesome and perfect reference book to IIT Roorkee!"
 ---
 
 College has a lot to offer, which is probably why you feel a little clueless and intimidated right now. You might wake up in the morning every other day and feel a little nauseated and dizzy, even though your amazing mental strength got you through one of the toughest examination of the world. And that’s alright!
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ Watch Out brings to you the painful yet insanely awesome realities of college li
 <br/><br/>
 We have all the answers, so dive in!
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-<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lj5P4O5bAH8nRYja4heDd3yUUBtKa_5j/view?usp=sharing" style="text-align: center"><button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-block btn-lg">Download the guide here!</button></a>
+<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oUc1ssTKRMQk5ytKLkwIlmdiQ_rDWAfI/view?usp=sharing" style="text-align: center"><button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-block btn-lg">Download the Guide Here!</button></a>