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The End of An Era @ SOAS: A Story From A New Graduate

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

So, three grueling years at SOAS University of London have come to an end. It’s bittersweet at times, but nostalgia is already setting in as I recall my time at this university, an institution wedged between the legacies of well-known prestigious names. As I write this, I’m feeling both ecstatic and exhausted. I’m ecstatic because I graduated with a good degree classification. But I’m exhausted from three years of studying and dealing with mental health issues.

Perhaps the title appears to be extravagant, but after submitting my final exam, I couldn’t help but feel emotional that three years of my undergraduate degree were finally over. I suppose this post is a recollection of all the ups and downs of university life, and how coming to SOAS both changed me and made me realize how terrible the world truly is.

Coming To The School of Oriental and African Studies

Entrance to SOAS, the Main Building and the Brunei Gallery visible

How I discovered and came to SOAS in the first place is a story I’ve told a few people. In 2017, there was a UCAS exhibition in Bath, Somerset and our college took a trip to go visit as an aid to our impending applications. At the time, I had no idea what degree I wanted to pursue, let alone which university I wanted to attend. As a young adolescent, I had strong desires to live and study in New York City. But, clearly, my younger self didn’t realize how lofty and unrealistic those goals were for someone who barely made it through high school. l chose journalism because I wanted to write.

I told the university representatives that I wanted to study journalism as soon as we arrived and there were plenty of stalls to look around in an enormous hall. I noticed a SOAS stall and was immediately drawn in by the board with the yellow and red colours and a Maya Angelou art work. Unfortunately, I did not have time to speak with the reps, but I did obtain a prospectus, which I still have today.

On the coach ride back to our sixth form, I read through the SOAS University of London prospectus and was astonished. Genuinely astonished. The refreshing variety of courses, the university being located in the heart of London and the appreciation of diversity and non-Western languages and cultures was something I had never seen before in any other institution. Flicking through the pages detailing each department and course, I found History of Art. Despite initially settling on journalism, my interest in this field was piqued and I eventually settled on this degree. I also found it would still be useful if I wanted to become a journalist, instead of going down the conventional route of completing a journalism degree.

In October 2017, after I had applied for most universities (including Leeds, UCL, York and Manchester), my Dad and I travelled to London for SOAS’ Open Day. It was a new experience having to manoeuvre through Central London roads and having to pay a high amount for parking. But alas, we turned up to the campus and had a tour as well as go to the welcome talk in the Brunei Gallery. I also met one of my lecturers for the first time. I left for home that day feeling a surge in excitement to become a part of this community because that’s the vibe I experienced visiting the school in person.

By summer of 2018, I was anxiously awaiting results and booked a room at Dinwiddy House in Central London, one of the student accommodations available for SOAS students. In hindsight, having to book a place to stay before I received my results sounds rather stupid. Nonetheless, I ended up seeing my results while on a ferry to the Isles of Scilly with the UCAS page informing that I had my place at SOAS and Leeds confirmed! Of course, I decided to settle on SOAS as I literally worked towards attending this university. My actual grades were sent to me by one of my best friends who collected them on my behalf. Thus, I began a new journey and the anticipation was off the charts.

Three Years at SOAS

Entrance to the Main Building, the title of the school visible

SOAS as an institution proved to be one-of-a-kind in that they value changing the world with implementation of discourses surrounding various socio-political issues and having the courage to challenge the school itself in their wrongdoings. It’s admirable and comes from a place of concern with no room for passivity. There were strikes, sit-outs, campaigns, petitions, protests and any other active measures to call for these changes. Prior to attending SOAS, I was admittedly an unfortunate apathetic individual who tried to learn more but was both misinformed and eventually thought of politics as a bore.

Although my degree did not constitute political discussions besides religious discourse for the Islamic art modules, I’ve come to hear more perspectives and gained knowledge in a multitude of areas. The beauty of this is that the ways in which the world works and the shifting ideas are now understood. This wouldn’t have been possible if I had continued to remain in the stronghold familiar people have imposed on me throughout the years. Freedom at university made way for my mind to enter an intellectual map and the discoveries have been necessary. To listen is a crucial action which has become a part of my daily cognitive adventures. Being at SOAS has also taught me to fight and take activism seriously and although I’m still growing in this sector, I’m very glad that I’m changing to be better as a human being.

Regarding the social life at SOAS, I was blessed to have met a number of amazing people who’ve become such lights in my life. The day I moved into Dinwiddy House, I met some lovely girls who I spoke to in person for the first time and during freshers’ week I had the opportunity to meet fellow course mates and we all spent time together attending events. My wonderful flatmates across first and second years were a joy to live with and I’m glad we became a little family for the short time we had and I love that we’re still in contact and friends <3. Despite COVID-19 ending our residency together in second year, I’ll always cherish the homely vibes we all shared. My course mates have also been an absolute pleasure to study with. The chill vibes during lectures and tutorials to the hectic last-minute revision sessions during exam season at uni or on Skype. It was an honour to graduate beside some of you and I’m wishing those of you who are spending much needed extra time to finish work all the best!

The numerous societies were daunting but during freshers’ week in first year, I signed up to many believing this day to be the start of my life coming together. Alas, I did not attend a single society meeting in first year for reasons I’m not sure but most likely due to mental health. Second year saw me signing up to more societies but in the end, I attended one meeting for debate society. This year in particular saw a lot of my mental health issues become worse to the point where my days were spent inside my room in Dinwiddy and I barely attended lectures and even go outside to just chill and explore London. Plenty of times have I wished I could travel back in time and redo those months. Regardless, the times I did spend with friends and enjoy London, I’ll always look back on fondly. Third year being online did not hinder my social experience with people at SOAS. I’ve had the absolute privilege of knowing a group of people who I’ve spent many nights playing games, talking with on Zoom and chatting away on Whatsapp. Other societies have been fantastic in hosting online events and they’ve been so much fun! Thank you all for making my last year amazing despite the circumstances.

History of Art has been a very fascinating and enriching degree. As someone who wasn’t familiar with this academic discipline prior to starting university, I was relieved of course that many others weren’t either and we took on three years learning new ideas, approaches, theories and various regional arts and architecture. I’ve had the enjoyment of analysing the arts of East Asia, Islamic art and architecture and cultural theory. I’m still keen on studying further in my personal time and now as I embark on building my career in journalism, I feel more culturally and artistically aware to write about this field.

Post Graduation Thoughts

by the SOAS letters on the day of celebrations! :’)

On the day of our department’s end of year celebrations, I was feeling rather overwhelmed with emotions. As I saw course mates, lecturers and other department staff and looking at the campus buildings, it felt surreal that three years had passed by. I’ll always be grateful that I had the opportunity to come along to the heart of London and study at SOAS. I’ll always be grateful to have been amongst such a beautiful community that has inspired and shaped me going into the big, wide world in the present time. If there ever arises another opportunity to come to SOAS, if not for a masters degree, I would take that in a heartbeat.

Thank you SOAS, may you continue to inspire and also continue to change as a result of the generation of warriors who are fighting for a better world.

Peace ❤

a new blog, a new me: rebranding, watching lots of films + music!

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

So this blog has had its fair share of inactive periods and that is something that I cannot be proud of. But as an individual who struggles with multiple facets of life, including mental health, I say I needed the long break. Taking a trip through my blog from the very beginning was sort of strange and cringe-inducing but I’m also happy that I have grown as a person and improved in writing. Those posts will remain but I’m content with my decision to shift to different content that will perhaps be far more entertaining to read.

Recently, and I mean since perhaps the end of 2019, I have rekindled my love for film which never should have been put out in the first place. I also started realising what I truly desired to do once I wrap up this final phase of education and that is to write on film, pop culture and I suppose entertainment in general. If I may fulfil my ambitions to become a film journalist then that will be a delight. Mental health really was an issue towards the end of that year and I would spend nights snuggled under the duvet in my dorm in London, browsing through Netflix on any films to watch. By that point I had watched a few titles that have been on my watchlist for years.

However, since the beginning of 2020, prior to the global pandemic courtesy of COVID-19, I began using Letterboxd on the recommendation of a good friend and I must say, it has quite literally been life-changing. Tracking every film, giving star ratings out of 5 and writing a mix of serious film critic or quirky film student reviews kind of absorbed some of my time instead of focusing on assignments. But as with most forms of procrastination, this too is a lot of fun and certainly euphoric. Currently, as of writing this blog entry, my favourite films are Scarface (1983) and Donnie Darko (2001) and if you haven’t watched either, I’d highly recommend you do so. You can also find my Letterboxd here! (Shameless self-promo, sorry not sorry.)

Additionally, I have been expanding my music tastes and find myself on Spotify for several hours each day. I suppose most people do but as someone who’s interests in music have been very iffy over the years because I felt indecisive or forayed into the messy “I was born in the wrong generation” crowd, it has been liberating to finally just sit down and listen to anything I pleased. Multiple playlists and exploration of various genres later, I am having the time of my life jamming to my aww yeah! playlist or imagining I am the protagonist of a coming-of-age film with my art hoe / vsco ! playlist to name a few.

There isn’t much else to write in this short update but I do hope that it’s served as a teaser of some sorts for future posts and I, for one, am very excited for the content I will publish for you all to read! The name is basically a reference to the fact that I can cry a lot and I’m also desi (South Asian). For now, stay safe, follow the rules for the pandemic and take care of your loved ones and yourselves!

What I Wish I Knew Before Starting College

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

So it’s getting close to the last few months of my college years and my, it’s been a journey. I loved college for its freedom, relaxed environment and social aspects (I mean, who doesn’t?) But there are some things that I just wish I knew before I actually began college and perhaps it would’ve been just a little easier.

1. The teachers can be useless

Honestly, the teachers in college are usually nice and understanding. Unfortunately, they can be a bit unhelpful at times. From my experience, teachers took ages to respond to emails, never spoke to me in lessons to check on my work or they’re just bad in general. If I had known this before I enrolled, I would’ve ensured that I literally got all my work completed from the get-go so the only thing I had to worry about was asking for improvements. But thanks to this issue, myself and other friends/classmates were left on our own to do everything.

2. You’re probably not gonna have many friends

Unless you’re good at socialising, then you’re fine.

3. Your subjects are not going to be easy

I think it’s common knowledge by now that A-Levels are definitely not easy. You may be taking 3/4 subjects but the workload is massive. If I had prepared for this and developed a habit of studying and getting organised, I would have been much less stressed.

4. Never take Media Studies

The subject is probably fine in other colleges, but in mine? IT IS A COMPLETE AND UTTER NIGHTMARE. Not only is our teacher not good, she makes the subject way too hard when it’s actually not. Our temporary teacher, while she was away on maternity leave, was an infinite times better, knew how to teach, was funny and friendly and helped us achieve A grades with ease. If he was the main teacher I would have still taken it. But if I had known beforehand that I would get a bad teacher, I wouldn’t have and would’ve chosen another subject.

5. Concessions are available

Well, I managed to just about sign up for concessions this year, but if I had known from the beginning that it was an option, I may have applied in the first year and thus, do my exams with ease. Concessions are basically options you can take for the exams: using a laptop, additional time, being in a separate room etc.

6. You can be an A* student at GCSE but don’t expect much at A-Level

I kinda fared well despite this, mainly because I wasn’t actually an A* student so it was a process of moving up the line. But the amount of work I had to put in to achieve A grades was massive. I should have looked through the specs for my courses so I knew how it all worked.

7. The library is actually comfortable for studying

Our library isn’t huge, but it’s not too bad either. When it’s sunny, the sunbeams come through the ceiling window and it’s just a nice atmosphere to get cosy and studying. I wish I went to the library more often so I could’ve done this.

I can’t think of anything else that I wish I knew, to be honest. College has been interesting so far but if all of this was common knowledge before I officially enrolled I would’ve been a lot more cautious. If you’re still yet to go to college, please consider everything carefully and seriously. If you’re in your first year, you can still make up for everything in your second year at least. Don’t be like me :””) I don’t want to see the next generation of students struggle.

Finding Your Passion

Ashika George1 Comment

It took me years before I finally realised what I love doing and what I’m good at. As a child, I firmly knew that I loved arts and crafts. I used to spend a lot of time trying to be creative and while my Mum encouraged it, school ultimately won over my time.

Once I was into primary school this flame inside me, of drawing/painting/being creative, was decreasing into nonexistence. My parents were more concerned about looking at top scores and grades on a piece of paper rather than my passion and interests, which truly made me happy instead of maths or science.

Secondary school was the worst. I was thrust into a hectic schedule of studying and GCSE’s invaded majority of my time. While choosing my GCSE options, I was determined to choose photography and music. However, my parents convinced me to not take photography because it wasn’t worth a GCSE to take pictures. Music was ruled out because it wasn’t “academic” enough. To say I was incredibly frustrated is an understatement. I ended up doing subjects I didn’t even enjoy. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if I had followed my heart instead of my parents. It didn’t help that my grandfather told me that medicine was the best path for me, despite the fact that I absolutely detest science.

Then came college. This current part of my life so far has been a significant improvement. My parents are now more accepting towards my career aspirations after they saw the hell I experienced during GCSE. I took subjects that I was genuinely interested in for once, although I still regret not taking photography once again.

Perhaps the problem underlies in the fact that my culture is rather restrictive when it comes to an individual’s passion. I’m sure you’re aware of the typical Indian stereotype of every student being forced to take either medicine or engineering. Believe me, I’ve been to India several times and pretty much everyone I’ve met is either studying to become a doctor/nurse, engineer or accountant. I can’t help but feel sorry for them. Good for them if they truly love these career paths but surely, there are many Indian youths who would rather study something else. My oldest cousin was originally studying accounting or something related to economics/business. But he simply didn’t want to go down that route and our family realised that it wasn’t working for him. Now he’s studying hotel management and is seemingly a lot happier. Unfortunately, India has still yet to move forward in this area. Anything that does not fit the traditional standards is usually seen as a hobby rather than a potential career choice, such as art. Being raised in Britain is certainly a blessing as it has opened doors for me that would not have happened had I remained in India.

My struggle in finding my passion wasn’t just about my future career, but also in discovering what I’m good at. Some of the biggest things in my life which I am upset about is not being able to develop my art skills. Since I was continuously forced to study, I never had much time to practice drawing or painting. Thus, my artistic skills are still very basic compared to my friends who are now almost at a professional level. Now that I have slightly more freedom, I’ve been returning to my beloved world of creativity and will keep working to hone my skills.

My advice to you is to go ahead and follow your dreams. Don’t let anyone judge your aspirations and keep practising so you’ll become good at what you love doing. If you’re still young then I cannot stress enough how you should do so, because later in life you will look back at that former glory and regret not following your heart just like I have. Explore different things, find what you’re good at and what you love and it can be anything. Then stick to it because it will be the key thing that will define YOU.

Being Comfortable With Myself – Appearances + “Body Positivity”

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

Honestly, adolescence is an enormous wake-up call to reality.

I’ll use my experience as an example.

Growth and transition to adulthood are not just the change in physical appearance, our minds shift drastically. Those eyes that only cared about looking at butterflies in the garden became fixated on the cellulite hanging off my torso. Then came acne and a series of episodes where I became self-conscious about my appearance. Of course, I can’t leave out my mole, which is on a terrible part of my face. I used to be called “pencil-legs” by family and friends and even used to be the tallest in my entire primary school. Then I built up fat in the most unsightly places, due to my careless eating, and didn’t grow any further than 5″3.

You get the point, I hated the fact that my body changed for the worse. I have myself to blame and the raging hormones. So what happened next?

I started using social media when I was 13 so you can guess the nightmare that followed. Beautifully shaped girls with perfectly symmetrical facial structures, no blemishes, nice flowing hair, gorgeous lashes and tall, slender frames constructed most of my friends and my Instagram feed. My self-esteem plummeted so hard that I even developed jealousy over guys and their perfect muscled figures with sharp jawlines. Even when I put on makeup, I still didn’t look as good as my friends, who became the equivalent of supermodels once they started dolling up in secondary school. My pudginess was used as a token for others to say “you’re beautiful just the way you are” or “you don’t need to change that, just be you”. But something didn’t feel quite right in that aspect.

Needless to say, I hated my face. I hated how I couldn’t be as perfect as them. I hated how no matter hard I tried, I still looked horrible. I hated the fact no boy would ever come up to me and want to be my boyfriend (cringy but you know).

But that’s no longer the case (for the most part).

Now, I’ve decided that I couldn’t really care less about my face. I’ve improved my makeup techniques so that’s a plus. But most of all, I learnt to really love my looks. This is the way I was created by God and He makes no mistakes. I look at myself in the mirror sometimes and smile, and I have to admit that it’s really cute! 🙂 Seriously, go to your mirror and smile, it really helps.

As for my overweight body? I knew that it would be unhealthy and damaging to my body if I continued that lifestyle of binging junk food, so I now hit the gym and am improving my diet. There is a stark difference between accepting how your face looks and how the rest of your body looks. I realised this quite recently. Having a certain-shaped nose or thin eyebrows isn’t harmful to you in slightest. But being overweight or obese? That is definitely going to cause problems with your health if you don’t act to change it. I didn’t want to destroy my life so I chose the wise choice of working hard to improve my health. Although, my progress is a little slow because I am inevitably lazy sometimes.

I want all of you, girls and boys, to love yourselves. Don’t worry about how your face looks, those who won’t accept the fact that that’s who you are, don’t deserve you. But remember, if you truly and deeply care for your body, you will work hard to make sure it stays healthy. Don’t succumb to the false messages that people provide in this day and age about body positivity. It’s good to accept your appearance as it is, but it is also important that you take care of it as well.

 

10 Ways To Boost Your Happiness :)

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

So I’ve been working really hard recently (college, exams etc.) and I felt that while it’s good to do so, it’s also important to take care of your wellbeing. Our mental health is just as important as getting those grades if not more. So today, I’ll be showing you how to boost your happiness and relax 🙂

1. Watch your favourite TV series

Nothing feels better than cuddling up in a blanket and drinking some hot chocolate, all the while you binge some Netflix. Have some time to yourself in the evenings to catch up on your favourite show. I would recommend watching after you’ve studied, as a reward, if you’re still in school/college/uni but feel free to do it whenever if you’re on holiday!

2. Read a good novel

I cannot stress enough how important reading is. Buy a book, go to the library and sit down in the comfort of your room or the atmosphere of a local coffee shop. Immerse yourself into these beautifully crafted worlds and characters. You won’t regret it, trust me.

3. Eat your favourite foods

Just eat whatever you wish. Satisfy your taste buds and stomach. But don’t gorge yourself, you’ll fall ill!

4. Write in a journal

Transferring your thoughts onto paper is an effective method of releasing any tension within you. Vent out your frustrations, write down your goals. You are likely to feel a lot better.

5. Learn a language

Take it easy and find a language you think is fascinating. Step by step, practice the vocabulary, learn the grammar and if necessary, the character system. Organise all your notes in a beautiful notebook and look over it every day. Learning a foreign language is a useful skill and will render you knowledgeable about other cultures. Don’t stress out though, take your time.

6. Take a warm shower

You’ll feel clean, refreshed and much more alive than before.

7. Make art

You don’t have to be an expert to draw or paint. Just take a piece of paper or get a sketchbook and draw whatever comes to mind. If you’re feeling ambitious, YouTube is your friend to find helpful tutorials to do so!

8. Get a good night’s sleep

Sleep is so important. There’s nothing more or nothing less to it. I sound like a hypocrite right now because I’m struggling with my sleep hygiene. The first step is to set up an early bed time and turn off all your electronic devices. Follow the above, such as taking a warm shower or reading a book instead. Maintaining a good sleep pattern will obviously decrease fatigue but is also beneficial for a good memory and a healthy brain.

9. Share the love

Smile at people, even if they’re strangers. Be helpful to someone. Perform little acts of kindness. You might make someone’s day and you’ll feel good too 🙂

10. Find your passion

Do whatever you’re good at and it can be pretty much anything. Praise yourself while you’re at it, but don’t fuel your ego though. Finding that spark will lead to an adventure like no other!

 

So I hope these will help you in finding happiness. It’s important you do and don’t forget to smile! You’re valued and loved and you have gifts. So keep on being awesome! Positivity is key 🙂

An Introduction

Aside Ashika George3 Comments

Hello, my lovely-jubblies! I’m Ashika, a British-Indian bibliophile, art lover, photographer and egalitarian and lots more too. I’m a college student in the UK, studying English Literature, Communication & Culture and Media Studies in the hopes of becoming a photo/travel journalist. Words cannot describe how much I adore literature. From classics to contemporary, I read […]