Posted on

Indo Pak: Hello from the other side!

 

India and Pakistan, ‘the land beyond the Indus’ and ‘the land of the pure’, are connected through time and space, the world this year celebrated 70 years of our birth. And we celebrated seven decades of facing repercussions of a brutal partition that separated us in our minds and hearts and rooted the seeds of hatred and fear. The history has stood as the supreme spectator of the bond that our nations share and time has been and will always be the greatest master of the fate that our lands bear. We share a connection that is beyond the boundaries that divide us. It is beyond the religions that separated us in the first place. It is past the wars that we’ve fought and the lives that have been lost. It is far more than the words and decisions of a ‘few’ men of faith and politics that have governed, misjudged and miscommunicated our thoughts and emotions.

We have together experienced eons of history which have seen great empires rise and fall. We have seen our culture grow and flourish into grandeur. Our heritage that has left the world rapt in awe is unparalleled. Urdu and Hindi are just two different languages with the same soul, one took the Arabic script the other Devnaagri. The ‘wah-wahs’ for Urdu shaayris are as loud and passionate here as they are there. In fact, a lot of Urdu words have found their place in Bollywood songs. We share the Punjabi fervour and the devilishly delicious Hyderabadi Biryani. There were streets and towns in India where a Muslim mother recited to her kids the adventures of Lord Krishna and a Hindu Mother narrated the stories of mercy and compassion of the Prophet. If it existed once, it can exist again. For god’s sake, we have been eternally linked through the marriage of Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza. If you are a victim of Shah Rukh Khan’s romantic magic, then we are head over heels for Fawad Khans’s charm. And even though it’s not very easy to admit, swallowing our pride we openly acknowledge the well-established fact that your Coke Studio is a tad better than ours. We have fallen in love with your melodious music and simplicity of your daily soaps. If you have danced to the Bollywood numbers, then we have hummed along with the tunes of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam. The India vs Pakistan cricket matches are as exhilarating as ever. They drive us to the teetering edge of our seats. With our hearts pounding hard and fast, and the rage building up, we both add to our vocabulary of abuses fiercely ready to barrel them towards each other but the only victim at the receiving end is our poor idiot box.

If we all look in the right places, we would notice that you and I are more alike than we are unlike. It is unfortunate that we have grown up in societies where we are wired to not like each other where our differences are shoved under the spotlight and the similarities are thrown into oblivion where all the bad that happens remains and the good, well, we hardly get to know about it. We keep knocking on to each other’s ‘borders’ for an exchange of bullet shots, blazing bombs and raging patriots. Instead, we must have an active dialogue, where we can exchange ideas, books, a cup of tea, food, poetries and songs and every little thing that makes life beautiful. The time has come for the Pakistani and Indian youth to unite and break the shackles of hatred that the social, political and historical monsters have bound us in because if we grow above it, the future of our nations is going to be brighter than the Sun.

Our struggles and our victories are same. Let us remember that we are humans, young, wild and free, with dreams that touch the sky and voices that are so loud that they are meant to be heard in every corner of the world no matter which side of the border we belong to. We are all bundles of joy and love and that is what we are first, before being a Pakistani or a Hindustani, before being a Muslim or Hindu. So, let’s embrace the positivity that resides within us. A future where a Pakistani having ‘aloo ka parathas’ in an Indian dhaba and an Indian savouring ‘biryani’ in a Pakistani restaurant should not seem like an impossible thought, where ‘dilli ke raaste’ and ‘Lahore ki galliyan’ tell stories of camaraderie that is lost but still alive somewhere in our hearts. To start with, think of a future where we are not enemies but rivals who can be friends. Just imagine the things we can achieve together.

So, when we celebrate the 71 years of our Independence next year, let us remember the yesterday that binds us together, let us rejoice in the tomorrow that will bring with it a promise of friendship, love and hope. Let us prove to the world that they can’t divide us anymore. That we can be a great example of peace and prosperity, staying true to the colours of our flags. A friend once told me that the existence of India and Pakistan is imperative for each other because it unites its denizens against a common foe. I say let the existence of India for Pakistan and vice versa be important to unite its citizens among and with, but not against each other. India and Pakistan are two names that are always going to be taken together for eternity to come, so let it be for all the right reasons because a peaceful forever awaits us.

 

By Tania Mishra

Tania is an Economics student at University Of Delhi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Semester Abroad

I am very lucky to have gotten the chance to study in US for semester.

America is a country where people have freedom of expression. Very likely, no one will judge you here. People have freedom of expression when it comes to their clothing, their arguments, their private life and sharing their point of view.  We all see USA as a melting pot which means that we see diversity of people leading to diversity of cultures here.

In my experience, I have found education in United States very organized and balanced compared to that in Pakistan. In States, workload is well spread across the whole semester. I am a Business Management major, and I don’t see tons of assignments, case-studies, quizzes, exams and presentations here. Professors here try to keep their course as much easy and learning intensive as they can. Professors try to minimize the student-teacher barriers. I personally met different professors in their offices and every time I left them, I used to carry some good tips for a better practical life with me. Professors try to keep the classroom atmosphere very casual. I remember, on my first class of Geography, my Professor came in shorts, again showing freedom of expression and a casual atmosphere in class. These are the things that I don’t see very often back in Pakistan.

I have travelled to Pittsburgh many times in the past two months. To experience, life in one of the very busy city in States was again fun. While I was walking around with my bunch of international friends on the streets of Pittsburgh, almost 90% of the people (majority Americans) who passed by us used to say these common lines “How are you doing?”, “How’s it going?” Etc. These lines show that although people live a busy life but still they care about people around them. In Pittsburgh, we went on a “Ducky Tour” and that was real fun. We had a tour of whole Pittsburgh. Also, on the “Ducky Tour”, we were around ten international students and all the Americans on the bus were appreciating us and asking all of us about our countries showing they respect different cultures.

Personally, there a lot of things I have learned over the course of my semester here. And I am really excited to get back to LUMS. See you in spring!

Haseeb Ashfaq

Class of 2018

Posted on

Why Beijing Should Be Your Next Holiday Destination

Summer of 2015 I found myself booked for a flight to Beijing 15 days prior. While I packed and prepared myself to spend a year in an unknown country due to my parents’ jobs, while constantly running to get my visa requirements completed, I was understatedly terrified. Despite having little to no time to actually mentally prepare myself to stay a year in a country that spoke a language unknown to me, I had plenty of time to hear about the never ending restrictions on the life there. How on earth was I going to find myself around there with half of the apps being banned, like Google and Youtube? How was I even going to communicate with the people? As the time of my departure neared, the number of looming questions in my head multiplied as did my anxiety.

Fast forward a few months later, this place had now become my second home. Beijing showed me that when I thought life in Islamabad was fast, I was in for a shock. The metropolitan center, densely populated, always bustling with life regardless of the time of the day, became my city. I began to own it like it was my very own. So when someone asks me where to travel next, I bank my vote with Beijing.

Beijing, whose history dates back to 3000 years, has been the capital city in many dynasties including Ji, Yan, Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing, the early Republic of China and now currently serves as the capital of the People’s Republic of China. The capital boasts to be the most populous capital city of the world. An impeccable hybrid of both modern and traditional architecture, culture and traditions, Beijing is a sure attraction to all. Beijing has a lot to offer, whether it is sightseeing, shopping or recreational activities. Below are my personal favorite places to visit.

  1. The Great Wall of China

One simply cannot visit Beijing and not witness one of the Seven Wonders of the World with their own two eyes. The magnificent structure which measures half the length of the Equator was built over 2700 years ago and most of it still stands in its original glory. Built from rock and stone mostly, the wall served as defense from invaders like the Huns and the Mongols. There are many sections of the wall that are open to the public. Badaling, one of the sections I visited thrice in my time there, is very well preserved and is always bustling with local and foreign visitors. The wall can be climbed and upon reaching a particular section, certificates and/or souvenirs can be bought. The climb itself is not that easy as I expected from my little hiking experience at the Margalla Hills of Islamabad, however, the views from the top are worth every steep step to the top.

  1. Wangfujing Street

Wangfujing has to be the most interesting and most famous street to visit in Beijing. Most of it still in its traditional setting, the street offers many exotic dishes and snacks in its small old hutongs. People with weak stomachs like myself, will either lose their appetite by seeing deep fried scorpions and seahorses on sticks or will resort to McDonalds’ Fillet-o-Fish. When visiting at night,  Donghuamen Street, which is located perpendicular to Wangfujing can be visited to experience the night market culture in its full spirit.

  1. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

The Tiananmen Square is known greatly due to the pro-democracy protests that took place in 1989, however, there is an even greater history behind this. The Square itself, located in the heart of Beijing, is a large open area dominated by the Tiananmen a gate that embodies a large portrait of Mao Zedong. The gate opens into the ancient Imperial City, within which the Forbidden City lies. The Forbidden City is named so as it was only accessible to the royal families of the Ming and Qing dynasties and ordinary people were not allowed.

  1. Silk Market and Pearl (Hongqiao) Market

Perhaps the most famous shopping areas of Beijing for tourists are the Silk and Pearl Markets. For people looking forward to shopping for souvenirs or gifts, these two locations are easily accessible through the metro and subway. These are always busy with local and foreign visitors who visit for shopping and recreational purposes. The Silk Market is famous for the high end silk products sold there whereas the Pearl Market specializes in fresh water pearls and precious gemstones.

  1. Chaoyang Acrobatic Show

One of the best acrobatic shows in China performs weekly at the Chaoyang Theatre Beijing. The tickets sell out almost immediately which proves the high viewing demand of the show. The show includes nerve wracking stunts and visuals that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The exhilarating experience will surely wanting for more by the end of it.

  1. Summer Palace

The best time to visit the scenic Summer Palace is during spring or autumn when it is neither to hot nor cold and the historical royal garden can be thoroughly enjoyed by those who want to witness the remnants of the Qing dynasty. There is also the facility of boating around the beautiful garden when the weather best allows.

  1. Olympic Park Bird’s Nest and Olympic Water park

Tourists, adults and children alike, are bound to enjoy the visit to the Bird’s Nest which serves as the National Stadium for Beijing. It was primarily designed for the Summer Olympics 2008 and its state-of-the-art facilities will be put to use again in Winter Olympics 2022. The Olympic Water Park is best enjoyed during the summers as it is an indoor facility containing exciting rides of different sorts that can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.

These were some of the many places I had the pleasure of visiting while I stayed in Beijing and safe to say, made my stay there enjoyable and memorable. Beijing, itself, is a very culturally diverse city with an interesting combination of modern lifestyle and preserved history. While the city spans out in a futuristic landscape, lined with subway train tracks and dotted with skyscraping buildings, its rich cultural history still peeks out in its unique ways like the dainty hutongs hanging from old streets. It is a must-visit city as it is truly a city like no other.

Zainab Shuja

Class of 2021

 

Posted on

A Necessary Dependence?

Consider the typical LUMS student – overburdened and sleep-deprived, with yet another deadline looming, assignments and group projects essentially being categorized according to the week of their submission, tutorials, unannounced quizzes, midterms or finals just around the corner, long sessions in the library soon becoming routine (all-nighters always a favorite), the occasional giving up completely, stressing over the load of the coursework or why they procrastinated so much, and so on. Before, after, or in between classes, they’re likely to grab a cup of coffee or tea from the nearest store to get that extra boost of energy, or, in the case of the aforementioned all-nighter, have one before getting to work, and find themselves periodically going to get another, and then another. Can relate? You’re not the only one. In fact, according to one study, 78% of university students report to habitually consume caffeine greater than or equal in amount to the recommended level. I am one such student, increasingly relying on coffee as a restorative since the beginning of this semester. But to what extent is this reliance imperative and when does it become an unsustainable waste of time and money and harmful to health?

The answer, being subjective in nature, is not quite clear at all; let’s first see why you might need caffeine.

“When I don’t have coffee, I tend to sleep a lot more,” said one LUMS student. “It’s difficult to work as much as I normally do, which leads me to procrastinating more – that I can’t have.”

“If in the morning it’s to stay alert, but I usually drink a cup of coffee just for the taste,” said another student. “It’s basically a craving.”

Most students actually do have coffee or tea either for the taste or because of the ample and convenient availability of caffeine on campus (staying awake and attentive because you simply have too much left to do made easier). But there are other benefits of drinking coffee or tea as well. Did you know that caffeine can increase your metabolism by as much as 20 percent? Or that research suggests it may offer long-lasting protection against age-related memory and thinking problems? And there’s no dispute that a cup of espresso in the short term will lower fatigue and elevate mood, as well as improve logical reasoning: think about how that could work for you.

But, as always, there’s a catch. For one, caffeine, a stimulant, can be highly addictive – frequent consumption can build tolerance, requiring a higher intake to have the same experience. Closely related to this, you have coffee routinely, say at least 5 to 6 cups a week, lowering your intake will be subject you to withdrawal symptoms: from headaches and irritability, to nausea and vomiting; for the regular consumer, an apparent tradeoff exists between withdrawal and becoming increasingly dependent on caffeinated products.

The more significant incentive for managing your caffeine consumption, however, is that excessive caffeine is inexorably linked to increased heartbeat, muscle tremors, nervousness, restlessness, and most notably, insomnia. Though, as mentioned earlier, caffeine does enhance cognitive thinking in the short term, a persistent lack of adequate sleep will inevitably affect judgment, mood, and ability to learn and retain information, which in turn will negatively affect your academics.

Pay attention to how much you drink, and when you drink it.

As reported by The Huffington Post earlier this year, one study showed that caffeine consumed as early as six hours before bedtime still significantly disrupts sleep. Participants who consumed caffeine at bedtime, three hours before, and six hours before all experienced a shorter night’s sleep and diminished sleep quality. They spent more time awake during the night. Even caffeine ingested six hours before bedtime caused participants to lose more than an hour of total sleep time, even though they did not perceive unlike the participants in the previous two categories. Therefore, the late-afternoon cup of coffee or tea that you might pick up after class could be a major reason behind your sleeplessness, even though you may not feel its effect.

So, the answer – unduly, simple enough in theory, but not quite so in practice – take caffeine responsibly. Keep in mind your sleep schedule – are you an early or a late riser? Make sure next time you have a coffee or tea, it’s well before the time you usually sleep. Remember, regardless of your reason to drink coffee or tea, nothing can replace a good night’s sleep – prioritize smartly.

By Maisam Ali

Class of 2021