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Author SHA1 Message Date
c7b8b54abe chore(deps-dev): bump uri from 1.0.3 to 1.0.4
Bumps [uri](https://github.com/ruby/uri) from 1.0.3 to 1.0.4.
- [Release notes](https://github.com/ruby/uri/releases)
- [Commits](https://github.com/ruby/uri/compare/v1.0.3...v1.0.4)

---
updated-dependencies:
- dependency-name: uri
  dependency-version: 1.0.4
  dependency-type: indirect
...

Signed-off-by: dependabot[bot] <support@github.com>
2025-12-30 21:15:38 +00:00
17298c9c4d Merge pull request #227 from WatchOutNewsAgency/ronin/posts
chore: add author name what's the point
2025-10-30 18:23:39 +05:30
dc76c0e806 chore: add author name what's the point 2025-10-30 18:23:02 +05:30
b1a5183fe0 Merge pull request #226 from WatchOutNewsAgency/ronin/posts
feat(post): what's the point - image changed
2025-10-28 18:58:27 +05:30
f88f08bcea feat(post): what's the point - image changed 2025-10-28 18:57:52 +05:30
a27881f682 Merge pull request #225 from WatchOutNewsAgency/ronin/posts
feat(post): what's the point -edits
2025-10-28 17:25:24 +05:30
c41901e340 feat(post): what's the poinT -edits 2025-10-28 17:24:49 +05:30
d8007fc196 Merge pull request #224 from WatchOutNewsAgency/ronin/posts
feat(post): what's the point
2025-10-28 14:33:55 +05:30
21415a4985 feat(post): what's the point 2025-10-28 14:33:24 +05:30
4ad2996ef1 Tsot (#223)
* add: the ship of theseus

* move image

---------

Co-authored-by: Rajdeep Aher <math.enthusiast163@gmail.com>
2025-10-23 12:55:54 +05:30
e3e4f7ee18 add: the ship of theseus (#222)
Co-authored-by: Rajdeep Aher <math.enthusiast163@gmail.com>
2025-10-23 12:37:23 +05:30
ddb3d9429f Merge pull request #221 from WatchOutNewsAgency/ronin/talkwchac
Ronin/talkwchac
2025-10-20 18:02:12 +05:30
72ff123e73 feat: interview with chac placeholder and formatting changed 2025-10-20 18:01:16 +05:30
504808a49f feat: interview with chac placeholder and formatting changed 2025-10-20 17:57:27 +05:30
41101ece6b Merge pull request #220 from WatchOutNewsAgency/ronin/talkwchac
feat(mobile): mobile navbar length fix for all categories
2025-10-18 23:37:17 +05:30
126c0139a6 feat(mobile): mobile navbar length fix for all categories 2025-10-18 23:36:22 +05:30
0d61394fe4 Merge pull request #219 from WatchOutNewsAgency/ronin/talkwchac
talk with chac
2025-10-18 23:27:20 +05:30
8b3fb0a04b feat(article): talk with chac category set to coverstory 2025-10-18 23:25:38 +05:30
4f6b0d3c5c feat(article): talk with chac 2025-10-18 23:13:27 +05:30
d7a1c2336b Merge pull request #199 from WatchOutNewsAgency/anee-branch
fixes hamburger menu bug
2025-08-24 20:04:20 +05:30
dc844007b7 Merge pull request #217 from WatchOutNewsAgency/chore/update-copyright-year
update: copyright year to 2025
2025-08-24 20:03:41 +05:30
8f776195ff update: copyright year to 2025 2025-08-24 19:54:19 +05:30
c5f68593d9 add amp article (#216)
* add Alumni Mentorship Program Article

* fix: file naming

---------

Co-authored-by: Rajdeep Aher <math.enthusiast163@gmail.com>
2025-08-24 11:33:01 +05:30
c0eb2ce47e add the amp article (#215)
* add intern-diary-vishal-b and fix other diaries

* add Alumni Mentorship Program Article

---------

Co-authored-by: Rajdeep Aher <math.enthusiast163@gmail.com>
2025-08-24 11:16:12 +05:30
8b1df8ed91 Merge pull request #214 from WatchOutNewsAgency/memoir-fix
chore(memoir): change author name
2025-08-19 16:40:01 +05:30
58cb5c09f2 fix: hamburger menu bug 2025-07-05 20:42:26 +05:30
15 changed files with 418 additions and 8 deletions

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@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ GEM
tzinfo (2.0.6)
concurrent-ruby (~> 1.0)
unicode-display_width (1.8.0)
uri (1.0.3)
uri (1.0.4)
webrick (1.9.1)
PLATFORMS

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@ -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>
</div>
</footer>

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@ -105,17 +105,20 @@
<script>
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
// Mobile menu elements
const mobileToggle = document.getElementById('mobile-menu-toggle');
const mobileNav = document.getElementById('mobile-nav');
const mobileNavOverlay = document.getElementById('mobile-nav-overlay');
const mobileNavClose = document.getElementById('mobile-nav-close');
const mobileToggle = document.getElementById('mobile-menu-toggle');
// Function to open mobile menu
function openMobileMenu() {
if (mobileNav && mobileNavOverlay) {
mobileNav.classList.add('show');
mobileNavOverlay.classList.add('show');
mobileToggle.classList.add('active');
const toggle = document.getElementById('mobile-menu-toggle');
if (toggle) {
toggle.parentElement.removeChild(toggle);
}
document.body.style.overflow = 'hidden'; // Prevent body scroll
}
}
@ -125,9 +128,29 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
if (mobileNav && mobileNavOverlay) {
mobileNav.classList.remove('show');
mobileNavOverlay.classList.remove('show');
mobileToggle.classList.remove('active');
document.body.style.overflow = ''; // Restore body scroll
if (!document.getElementById('mobile-menu-toggle')) {
const newToggle = document.createElement('button');
newToggle.type = 'button';
newToggle.id = 'mobile-menu-toggle';
newToggle.className = 'navbar-toggle visible-xs position-fixed top-0 end-0 m-3 z-1030';
newToggle.innerHTML = `
<span class="sr-only">Toggle navigation</span>
<span class="icon-bar"></span>
<span class="icon-bar"></span>
<span class="icon-bar"></span>
`;
const container = document.querySelector('.pre-nav');
if (container) container.appendChild(newToggle);
newToggle.addEventListener('click', function(e) {
e.preventDefault();
e.stopPropagation();
openMobileMenu();
});
}
// Close all open dropdowns
const openDropdowns = document.querySelectorAll('.mobile-nav .dropdown.open');
openDropdowns.forEach(function(dropdown) {

72
_posts/2025-08-24-amp.md Normal file
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@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
---
layout: post
title: "IITRs Alumni Mentorship Program: A Bridge Beyond the Gates"
category: coverstory
image: amp-2025.jpg
excerpt: "IIT Roorkees 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 doesnt matter whether youre 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 its easy to feel cast aside. What you long for in those moments is conversation and a helping hand from someone whos 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 youre preparing to step into.
## IITRs 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. Theyre 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 todays students, and his vision for the programs 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 thats when the real mentoring begins. Then, we shape our sessions around the students needs — whether its 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 its 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, Ive 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. Theyre 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 — Ive met students who couldnt 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 dont 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

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---
layout: post
title: In Talk with CHAC
tags: [wona, column]
category: coverstory
image: chac.png
excerpt: "To address the concerns recently voiced by students regarding the institute hospital and pharmacy, Watch Out! spoke with Prof. Ankik Kumar Giri, Chairman of the Hospital Advisory Committee."
---
To address the concerns recently voiced by students regarding the institute hospital and pharmacy, Watch Out! spoke with Prof. Ankik Kumar Giri, Chairman of the Hospital Advisory Committee. The transcript of our conversation is provided below:\
***(Note: Hereafter, pharmacy refers to the one outside the hospital entrance.)***
**Q1: Who is in charge of running the institute's pharmacy right now? Does the institute itself directly operate these pharmacy services?**
**A:** The pharmacy is currently managed by a company called Health Hub, which is selected by the tender process for these services. The institute does not directly operate the pharmacy. However, a doctor from the institute, Dr. Vibhu Sharma, the officer in charge, is part of the advisory committee and helps check the quality of the medicines kept at the medical center.
<br>
**Q2: Do students get medicines at a discounted price? If so, how?**
**A:** Students can receive a discount of 27% on certain medicines at the pharmacy counter. All other medicines, including over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, are sold at the regular price (MRP).\
There are plans to put up a notice which would allow students to understand which medicines are discounted and which are not. This will help students see their options and make informed decisions.\
Pharmacists have been instructed to ask for the enrollment number/employee id to tell if the buyer is a student/employee or someone from outside the campus. This means students do not have to ask for the discount themselves; it is given automatically when they share their enrollment number.
In case the pharmacists fail to ask for ID, one can remind them and avail a discount.
<br>
**Q3: How does the institute keep track of what students buy from the medical center, especially to prevent students from misusing certain medicines?**
**A:** The pharmacy only sells a limited range of medicines, and some medicines are given only if the student has a prescription, just like regular pharmacies outside campus. The institute does not keep records of what students buy from the pharmacy.
_Any queries regarding the hospital can be raised through the feedback portal on the hospital website._
<br>
**Q4: Standing Order 1-12.4 states:\
_“No private doctor should be consulted by a student on his/her own initiative. If there is a genuine need for consulting an outside doctor, the matter should be reported to the Warden / Chief Warden who will take further action in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of the Institute and the Dean of Students' Welfare.”_\
Why does this rule exist? Why can't students choose to visit a private doctor whenever they want?**
**A:** This rule is mainly for the safety and well-being of students. If a student visits a private doctor or has a medical procedure outside the institute and something goes wrong, or if the student is not treated properly, the institute needs to be aware so it can respond quickly in an emergency. By keeping the institute informed, students can get help faster if any problems arise.\
Another important reason for this rule is to prevent misuse of medical certificates. There have been cases where students have submitted fake or questionable medical certificates from outside doctors to get special permissions, like asking for a re-exam or an extension. By requiring students to go through the institute's process, it becomes easier to check the authenticity of medical documents and maintain fairness for everyone.\
Overall, the rule is meant to protect students in emergencies and to make sure that all medical documents are real and used properly.
<br>
**Q5:
Standing Order 1-12.5 states:\
_"Students are entitled to medical facilities to the extent available in the Institute Hospital. The Institute will make no reimbursement of the medical expenses to the students for any treatment taken outside the Institute Hospital without the recommendation of the Institute Medical Officer (IMO)."_\
To clarify, does this mean that if a student seeks a second opinion from an outside doctor, even with a referral from an institute doctor (but not the IMO), the cost would not be reimbursable?**
**A:** The reimbursement process takes place under the DoSW. The amount to be reimbursed, if any, is in accordance with the policies of the insurance company.
<br>
**Q6: If a student wants a second opinion from a specialist outside the institute, or feels that the diagnosis by the institute's doctors is not correct, what procedure is to be followed?**
**A:** If a student wants to see a specialist or get a second opinion from a doctor outside the institute, they should first visit the campus hospital and ask for a referral. The doctors at the hospital do not refuse to give referrals to outside doctors if needed. If a student ever faces any difficulty in getting a referral, they should contact the Hospital Office for help.\
If a student feels unsatisfied with a diagnosis, they may also request a re-examination within the institute itself before opting for an external consultation.\
To make things easier for students, the institute is also working on bringing more outside specialists and super specialists to the campus. This way, students may not need to go outside for specialist consultations in the future.
<br>
**Q7: Some students have reported that the emergency ward at the hospital does not have enough facilities. What services are actually available in the emergency ward, and what rights should a student know they have when using it?**
**A:** When you go to the emergency ward, ensure that there is at least one doctor, one staff nurse, one attendant, and one pharmacist present. If you need help, ask for the doctor right away. \
If you feel you are not being treated properly in the emergency ward, first note down the doctor's details. Next, ask the doctor to call a senior doctor or the Chief Medical Officer to address your concern. If you are still not satisfied or believe there was mishandling, report the issue to the chairman with all the information you have gathered.

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---
layout: post
title: "The Ship of Theseus"
image: the-ship-of-theseus.png
category: editorial
tags: [wona, column]
author: Aarush Aggarwal and Shivansh Goyal
excerpt: "Packing is a labyrinth of memories. The old, dusty boxes are dangerous nostalgia traps. You pick up one forgotten trinket, and youre stuck."
---
Packing is a labyrinth of memories. The old, dusty boxes are dangerous nostalgia traps. You pick up one forgotten trinket, and youre stuck. Suddenly, you're not sorting clothes; youre reminiscing and deeply analyzing one random anecdote, its philosophical impact on your childhood, your life, and human existence as you know it.
(This profound state lasts exactly as long as it takes for your mom to yell from downstairs, instantly vaporizing all existential insight. Dang it, Mom! Thankfully, that moment hasnt arrived yet. For now, youre happily remembering your antics.)
You pick up the majestic 1000-piece Colosseum. It represents weeks of your childhood, your first architectural masterpiece. After all, who doesn't like to play with LEGOs? Those blocks became units of uncashed potential, limited only by the imagination of the hands that held them.
Its a miracle it lasted this long, given the Odyssey it went through.
(We know were mixing Greek tales; thats what happens when everything you know about ancient Greece stems from Percy Jackson.)
---
This is where wed like to introduce ourselves. We're your conscience (yes you still have it hidden somewhere). Hello! As you often do, this is a conversation youre having with us.
---
Childhood is a battlefield of unintended casualties. One day, your younger sibling had whimsically decided that they were done with all of creation, and your colosseum bore the brunt of their rage.
You remember gathering the rubble of your toppled colosseum, putting it in a box, and replacing the broken pieces. Another day, your mother had wondered, "What is this piece of 'useless memorabilia'?" Soon, youd found your poor building in the trashcan. You had tediously replaced another batch of pieces, and this cycle of destruction and resurrection continued.
You think of the broken pieces saved over the years, and suddenly, a thought strikes: the broken pieces, theyre just enough to make another LEGO Colosseum if you put in some effort, glue and time (all of which you have plenty of).
A paradox begins to form in that brilliant head of yours (no offence, but youre a bit of a narcissist)
Which piece claims the throne of authenticity? Which one is the real Colosseum: the one youve maintained over the years—scarred yet tall, or the one you would have made from all the pieces that were stripped off it.
You might be anticipating the question were about to ask: What truly is the “identity” of something? Or what is the physical representation of identity? Is identity even a physical concept or simply a mental illusion? Have you discovered immortality, or mastered the art of self-deception? Doesnt this mean you could make like 15 of the same things? Is Identity divisible, then? Or are those copies identical to the point of perfection?
Have you discovered cloning? This is the stuff of dreams isn't it? Think of the limitless possibilities…
_Wait, wait. Take a breath my friend._
Lets review the two sides to this:
If you say the model you had kept repairing was the real one, you're valuing continuity, the idea that identity comes from the history of the object, even if its parts change. The journey its been on defines it more than its origin does, and the final product, the construction of experience, proves its originality more than the originals stagnancy.
On the contrary, there is a case to be made for its origin. The journey, instead of defining it, changes it; if it loses everything that connected it to its roots, it no longer remains the same thing. Memories arent the only constituent of its identity, rather it's the original pieces. Those faded polaroids still feel warmer than any high-definition photo ever could.
And yet, beyond philosophy, theres a quieter, more unsettling thought.
Perhaps there's another possibility: that you wouldve simply created two identical ghosts, and that identity itself is nothing more than a comforting illusion youve constructed to avoid confronting the void.
Heavy words, we know… but that's the nature of the paradox.
Theres also a fourth (albeit way cooler) explanation, you in fact have discovered cloning, and physicists can cry over the corpse of quantum physics because, guess what? Information is not conserved, and this satanic nightmare referred to as engineering can end.
(Maybe not that last one. Boy, you wish that were true)
---
The paradoxical nature of identity is a concept on which philosophers around the globe have pondered for very many years (because thats what philosophers do). What makes it particularly fascinating to you, is how naturally this question arises in domains with nothing common in them.
Our journey starts at the British Isles where this paradox plays out on the stage of history:
Picture a ship bobbing on the waves. At first, the Celtic-speaking Britons are at the helm, singing old songs by the fire, minding their own business.
(Maybe wondering about the last city which they colonized)
Then, one day, the Angles and Saxons row up like theyve been invited, lugging their runes, their Old English, and a battered copy of _Beowulf_. They strip the deck, hammer in new boards, and the ship now reeks of Germanic sweat.
But the tide never stays still. The Normans crash the party with barrels of wine and manners. As the voyage goes on, you pass candlelit decks where Shakespeares dramas play out between storms of plague, and you witness royal squalls so fierce a king loses his head. The winds take the ship to Asia and Africa. It comes home stuffed with tea, spices, a famous diamond (wink wink) and a taste for telling the world how to queue properly. For a while, to be British was to keep your tie straight, your hat intact and paperwork stacked higher than the mast.
But seawater soaks into every plank. Now, you can find the best chicken butter masala in London, hear Jamaican pop bouncing off in makeshift basketball courts, and elders gathering for a spot of tea at 4 p.m. Bring Elizabeth or Newton aboard this ship today, and theyd probably stare around like tourists, their wide-eyed reactions worth replaying on the West End.
The experiences, it seems, have enriched England, from a bland oatmeal-raisin (seriously, who eats that shi-) to a full seven-course meal and a fine wine to wash it down with.
Support Liverpool? Back in the 19th century, it was mud-caked boots and proud moustaches charging down the pitch. Players come and go, managers swap the captains, Anfield gets a makeover. Nothing of the old crew is left. And yet, the name, the colours, the roar in the stands never stopped sailing. _Youll Never Walk Alone_ isnt just a song; its the wind in the sails.
A Liverpool fan experiences a lot of highs and lows, the journey almost seems like a test of loyalty and those who pass seem to understand just a bit more about the essence of being a true supporter. The change seems fresh and exciting while stirring that nostalgia.
Liverpool and England are both examples of entities which ripened with experience, it becomes impossible to define them without acknowledging the journey they went through. Their originality holds little meaning when compared to the eons of change undergone.
Sometimes though, its very hard to rid yourself of the originality. Sometimes the journey destroys the ship, every piece of it until the ship turns into a boat, then a log of wood, and then is simply gone, no longer existing. The broken pieces telling stories about the original that seem like a fairytale on steroids.
Such is the case of Alzheimers disease, a tide without cause, progressively destroying every memory that made you, you. Witnessing it is like seeing a candle burn. It starts with its unburnt wick, proudly giving light and warmth to everyone around it, unrelenting in its potential, leaving everyone unaware of the tragedy about to unfold.
Slowly the wax starts to melt, the wick starts to shorten, the warmth starts to stutter and then the ball drops. Suddenly a gust of oxygen flares it up again, you think that things have stabilized but no, the wax keeps on melting, taking the last hopes you had along with it. Every resolve fails against the inevitability of change.
And then the light fades, fades until it dies. This melted candle is the same which started this journey but somewhere along it, it didnt remain itself. It lost its identity, became unrecognizable and incomparable to its past. All there is to live by are the memories, of its warmth, of its fight.
You wonder where along this journey did the candle change that much, when did that tall source of light become this heap of wax.
That is the heart of the paradox: if change is constant, when does a thing cease to be itself?
The simple reason why both ships cannot co-exist is that they are not alike, they represent two contradictory ideas of representation and embracing both is impossible.
Most people dont focus on the most important assumption of this paradox: that identity itself can survive change. Remember your LEGO Colosseum, all it would take is glue to create a brand-new one, masterful enough to rival the original.
It seems almost _magical_, right?
Working against change never is, nothing magical is going to appear to fix your colosseum.
Perhaps the most profound truth hidden in this ancient riddle is that you are simultaneously aboard both ships: the one sailing forward into uncertain waters, and the one being slowly dismantled by time.
You are the Captain, navigating the uncertainties and passing the storms.
You are the Curator, collecting fallen pieces of the journey gone.
You are the Voyager, choosing what to carry into tomorrow.
The question is: are you also the Tinkerer? Daring to right the ship when it fails you, daring to _renew_ your very own Ship of Theseus.
---
*"HOW CAN IT POSSIBLY TAKE THIS LONG TO CLEAN ONE ROOM? I SWEAR, I'D GIVE ANYTHING FOR A VERSION OF YOU THAT ACTUALLY LISTENED!"*
That oh-so familiar voice calls out from downstairs; you smile inwardly at the irony of the statement as the train of thought breaks. Some things, like that sharp voice from downstairs, are stubbornly eternal themselves; a constant in a house of replacements, immune to time, repairs, or philosophy.

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---
layout: post
title: Whats the point?
tags: [wona, column]
category: editorial
image: point.png
author: Paavni Khattri, Divya Agrawal and Shivansh Goyal
excerpt: "Aarav entered the world screaming, startled by its brightness. The hospital smelled of disinfectant and beginnings; outside, life hurried on, buses honked, sunlight spilt over concrete, and people scurried with unreadable urgency."
---
Aarav entered the world screaming, startled by its brightness. The hospital smelled of disinfectant and beginnings; outside, life hurried on, buses honked, sunlight spilt over concrete, and people scurried with unreadable urgency. But inside that room, time hesitated. His parents gazed at him, awash in wonder. That fragile new life had summoned a vast emotion that, even in an indifferent universe, meaning could bloom uninvited.
> *Existence is beautiful if you let it be.*
He grew up in the warm order of a secure life. Mornings were filled with pressure cooker whistles and lace-filtered light, evenings of football practice. The world felt safe and fair, effort led to reward, goodness to success. Aarav was bright, the kind of child neighbours envied and relatives dreamt of having.
He still dreamed vaguely of becoming important, a goal unclear and without purpose. “Big” was fuel without a map, burning fiercely but lighting no path.
The move from school to college felt freeing at first, but college itself only quickened the race. The corridors buzzed with deadlines and laughter that sounded rehearsed. He performed well, but in quiet moments, questions returned like a fever—unwelcome but familiar: Why do this? The answer is to get a job, to be successful, and feel hollow. What did any of it even mean?
At night under the hostels neem tree, he shared his unease with friends. “You think too much, Aarav,” Kabir, his closest friend said. “Everyone feels lost,” another shrugged. But Rohan murmured, “Maybe thinking too much is just another way of trying to see clearly.”
Aarav often felt like a rat running not from hunger but habit. Fleeting glimpses of meaning faded quickly.
> *“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.”* — **Nietzsche**
One night, after watching a video about the Crusades, he remembered a scene from a film: a weary king asked, “What is Jerusalem worth?”
“Nothing.”
Pause.
“Everything.”
The paradox struck him—how something could be meaningless and sacred at once. Perhaps meaning itself was like that: weightless yet unbearable. Maybe his childhood dream of becoming “big” was his own Jerusalem, sacred only because he needed it to be.
Life went on. He studied, performed, laughed, and secured a good job. Outwardly, everything aligned. Yet some nights, catching his reflection in the hostel window, he felt a quiet distance from himself. Success had come, just as planned, but the old question lingered, softly, persistently: And now?
Years passed. Aarav and Kabir who once shared benches, lunches, and dreams had become men, both with the same degrees, the same start, yet their paths slowly began to drift apart. They had joined the same company, wearing the same neatly pressed shirts, filled with the same ambitions. But time, as it always does, began to play its quiet tricks.
Kabir climbed the ladder, promotion after promotion, until one day, his name gleamed on the office door: Chief Executive Officer. Aarav, too, worked late into the nights, his lamp burning just as long, but somehow, the world never tilted in his favor.
> *“The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a mans heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”* — **Albert Camus**
They both married, built families, and raised children who would someday ask what “success” really means. Kabirs laughter echoed through expensive halls, while Aaravs echoed softly in rented rooms. Yet when the two old friends met, there was always a flicker in Aaravs eyes, a faint sadness, almost invisible.
He never hated Kabir, not really. But somewhere between admiration and envy, something heavy grew. He wanted to be like him—not for joy, but for justification. Perhaps thats the cruelest illusion of all: believing that only the worlds applause can make life meaningful.
> *“To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others.”* — **Albert Camus**
Kabir, on the other hand, often looked tired, tired in a way that even sleep couldnt heal. And Aarav never noticed that the higher Kabir went, the lonelier he became.
One quiet evening, Aarav looked at his reflection and wondered: When did life turn into a race I never signed up for?
Maybe both of them had been running in circles, one chasing success and the other chasing its shadow, his illusion of success.
Because in the end, whether you rise or stay still, time consumes us all the same. Titles fade, wealth rusts, faces age, and even memory forgets itself.
> *“Our great mistake is to try to exact from life more than it can give.”* — **George Santayana**
Maybe life was never about winning or losing. Maybe it was about walking beside someone for a while, sharing the silence, and learning that existence itself is enough.
One morning, like any other, Aarav received news that would shatter everything, Kabir had been hit by a car, his wife sobbing on the other end of the line. Numbness spread from his feet to his head, a cold, paralyzing layer of disbelief. He staggered to the hospital as though the weight of the news had struck his legs, only to find Kabir lying half-dead on the bed, a pool of blood darkening the sheets and floor.
Aarav sat beside him, watching the shallow rise and fall of his chest, the empire builder reduced to fragile breaths and silence. Around him, machines hummed indifferently, their rhythm the only thing alive in the room.
In that sterile stillness, Aarav felt something collapse—not just Kabirs life, but the scaffolding of purpose theyd both spent years climbing.
All envy, fondness, competition, and love vanished with him, leaving only memories some joyous, some painful. How does it feel to see someone you spent half your life with vanish in an instant? The question gnawed at him as he walked home, the citys sirens fading into the heavy silence of grief.
> *“The literal meaning of life is whatever youre doing that prevents you from killing yourself.”* — **Albert Camus**
His steps carried him without direction, his mind pulled backward into the past.
He remembered the nights on the college rooftop, staring at the stars.
“Do you think success gives life meaning?” his friend had asked. He laughed. “Of course. Isnt that what everyone wants?” His friend nodded, smug. “Exactly. Leave a mark, thats all that matters.”
But now, that memory feels hollow. That “mark” had vanished, just like his friend. Success hadnt saved him.
Another night, over half-empty glasses of beer:
“What happens if we never find our purpose?” his friend had whispered. He shrugged. “Then weve wasted our lives.” “Maybe,” his friend had muttered, “or maybe weve just lived.”
Those words now echoed louder than ever, as if meant for this moment. The memories dissolved, but their weight lingered. He realized he wasnt just grieving a friend, he was inheriting their unanswered questions, reshaping them into something he could carry. Perhaps there was no ultimate purpose. Perhaps that was the point.
Maybe life holds no grand purpose, no grand “why” waiting to be discovered. Or perhaps, lifes meaning lies not in what we find for ourselves, but in what we leave behind; the quiet ripples of kindness, the contributions that outlive the presence, the echoes of who we were in others lives. Maybe the only truth is that life goes on, with or without answers. Some call it tragedy; others, freedom. Life may not be about uncovering a purpose written among the stars, but about inventing small ones that vanish with us like a laugh shared at dinner, a hand held in silence, a dream chased even if it fails.
He breathed in, breathed out, and carried on—not because he knew why, but because he didnt need to anymore.
> *“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”* — **Albert Camus**

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