Same as title

It's all about showing up.

1

Whenever you show up to an event organized by any club or department of the university, you'll meet several like-minded people who are just as interested and ambitious as you are. That's how you network and build your contacts in university.

Also, if you live in the hostel, make it a habit to visit the reading room regularly because it's one of the best places to find highly motivated, like-minded individuals away from distractions.

Once you build your network, many of those people will eventually be organizing and managing events themselves, and that's how you stay ahead of the loop.

2

Join every WhatsApp group you can. Some of them will be useful and will provide relevant information. For example, the GNDU DSA Club group, where seniors share placement experiences and reports.

Also join other groups like GNDU Tech Club, where people share information about upcoming hackathons and have meaningful discussions.

3

You should also follow some Instagram handles that cover university activities, like Secular Amritsar, which was formerly called Secular GNDU.

4

Stay active on LinkedIn and follow people who inspire you. There are a lot of seniors who are doing really well in their careers, and there are also many peers you'll first come across on LinkedIn and later meet in real life. It just makes conversations easier and more natural.

If I have to share my own experience, and if you're from the Computer Science department, you should definitely follow CESS, the department's society, as it is quite active. You can check out their Instagram page.

Also, be open and receptive to other people. Don't judge someone by the way they look or speak. From my own experience, I felt quite alien during the beginning of university because I was from a different state and spoke a different language.

I could have stayed within a closed circle of people who felt familiar, but instead I stayed open to new experiences and met a lot of different people. Looking back, I can confidently say that my experience has been great with people from across the university.

And finally, as a senior, here's one brother-to-brother piece of advice: never ever touch alcohol or drugs. I've personally seen people who scored 95%ile in JEE end up barely passing their subjects because of it.

I'm also attaching screenshots of several social media handles that you can follow.

​

So, I get it.

It's your first day at university. You're probably overwhelmed, and maybe the rooms aren't quite what you imagined after watching all those JEE vlogs and dreaming about IIT Delhi.

But you're here now.

Welcome to Guru Nanak Dev University.

GNDU may not be perfect, but your university experience depends a lot on what you make of it, the people you meet, and the opportunities you choose to explore.

So, here's my attempt at a senior's guide to making the most of your time here. Take whatever you find useful, ignore whatever you don't.

1. Don't panic when you see your timetable

You might see a timetable with classes scheduled until 5 PM and immediately think:

"Wait. Am I supposed to live here?"

Relax.

In many cases, tutorials aren't conducted as regularly as the timetable suggests, and actual lectures often finish much earlier. In my experience, many days effectively end around 2 PM, although this obviously varies by department, semester and teacher.

So don't get overwhelmed by the timetable on Day 1. You'll figure it out.

2. Making friends: Language isn't a barrier

You'll meet people from different parts of Punjab and from different parts of India. Many people naturally speak Punjabi, but if you don't know Punjabi, don't worry.

Speak Hindi. Speak English. Speak your native language.

I've seen people from places like West Bengal make great friends here despite not speaking Punjabi. At the end of the day, friendship is about matching the vibe, not speaking the same language.

And honestly, people in Punjab are generally quite warm and friendly. So go out, talk to people and don't be afraid to start conversations.

Some of the friendships you make here may last much longer than your degree.

3. Food: The street-food honeymoon won't last 🍛

The first few weeks away from home can turn you into a full-time street-food critic.

Enjoy it.

But don't overdo it.

The charm of oily, spicy and street food usually fades after a week or two, and then your stomach starts reminding you that it has rights too.

As a senior, my advice is to mostly stick to fresh, simple and easily digestible food. You'll fall sick less often and have more energy for everything else.

If you're a guy in the hostel, I've heard the PHD mess is/was a decent option. Some juniors have told me it's still good, although I can't personally guarantee its current quality.

Whenever possible, prefer freshly prepared food over something that's been sitting around for an unknown amount of time.

4. Your peer group will shape your experience

GNDU has a very wide spectrum of students.

You'll find people who are excellent coders, brilliant speakers, great orators and genuinely talented individuals. I know people who have secured very impressive JEE ranks, and there are plenty of students involved in technology, research, sports, literature and other activities.

You'll also encounter behaviour that you may find disappointing, including incidents of eve-teasing.

That's why my biggest advice is:

Choose your circle carefully.

Find people who inspire you.

Talk to seniors who are doing interesting things.

Don't restrict yourself to your own classroom or department.

The people you meet can have a huge impact on your university experience.

5. If you're from a technical department, get involved 💻

For students from technical and engineering departments, two names you should know are CESS and Cosmogen.

Both have been involved in organising technical activities and large-scale hackathons. CESS, in particular, has multiple clubs and activities within the Computer Engineering and Technology ecosystem.

If you're interested in coding, technology or building things, don't just attend lectures.

Volunteer. Organise. Participate.

You'll learn things in these activities that no textbook can teach you.

The Law Department also has a good extracurricular culture, especially around debates, public speaking and MUNs. MUN culture across the university has also been growing, with events being organised by different departments.

The revival of the cross-departmental SciRocs (Science Rocks) society has also been a positive development, bringing students from multiple departments together.

6. Developer Tip™: The Smart India Hackathon Social Anxiety Hack

Are you a developer who is extremely hesitant to talk to girls?

Do you suddenly forget how human conversation works when talking to someone of the opposite gender?

Don't worry.

Smart India Hackathon might accidentally become your character-development arc.

SIH has team-composition requirements that encourage participation from women, so if you're forming a team, you may end up working with people you wouldn't normally interact with.

And that's actually a great thing.

Even if you're not the world's greatest coder, participating in a hackathon gives you a genuine reason to meet new people, build something together and interact with teammates from different backgrounds.

So, dear fresher, instead of treating the opposite gender like a mythical species, just talk to people normally.

You might make a friend.

You might build something cool.

You might even win a hackathon.

And yes, you might finally realise that talking to girls is not a boss fight.

7. Sports culture

GNDU has a strong sporting culture and has had notable achievements in competitions such as the Khelo India University Games. The university has also had recognition associated with the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy (MAKA Trophy).

There are certainly things that can be improved, but if you're interested in sports, don't ignore the opportunities available here.

Get involved. Participate. Represent your university if you can.

8. A serious note about safety

This is something I don't want to gloss over.

There have been incidents of eve-teasing and misconduct in and around certain areas and during certain celebrations.

If you're a woman living on campus, I'd personally recommend exercising extra caution during events like Holi and being mindful of your surroundings in crowded areas such as UT Market.

This isn't meant to scare anyone, but it's something I believe freshers should be aware of.

And to the guys:

Respect people's boundaries.

"Just having fun" is never an excuse for making someone uncomfortable.

9. Fests and cultural life

GNDU's official university-level cultural activities involve departments competing across various disciplines, including:

- Western dance

- Indian dance

- Bhangra

- Natya

- Literary events

- Various other cultural activities

These activities can also provide opportunities to represent the university at larger events.

Then there are the departmental fests.

If you've watched YouTube videos of massive college festivals, don't expect everything here to be on that scale. But the departmental fests can still be genuinely fun.

The Computer Engineering and Technology Department (CET) has, in my experience, been one of the departments that manages to put together a good fest, with performances, activities and a proper festival atmosphere.

It's not necessarily the biggest fest you'll ever attend.

But it's a vibe.

There are several other departmental fests worth experiencing too. I'll attach some pictures so you can judge the atmosphere for yourself.

10. Hostel life: Prepare yourself

Let's be honest.

Hostels can be rough.

The rooms may not be what you imagined, and the infrastructure may test your patience.

But there's a silver lining.

Hostel life teaches you resilience.

You learn to:

- Adapt to uncomfortable situations.

- Manage yourself.

- Deal with different kinds of people.

- Become more independent.

- Survive situations you never thought you'd tolerate.

Eventually, you become so resilient that you start thinking:

"If I survived this hostel, I can survive anywhere."

So, no, it may not be luxurious.

But you'll definitely come out tougher.

11. The most important advice: Don't waste your university years

You have four years.

Don't spend all four years attending classes, returning to your room and waiting for the next semester.

Try things.

- Join a club.

- Attend a hackathon.

- Participate in an MUN.

- Play a sport.

- Go to a fest.

- Write something.

- Build something.

- Learn a new skill.

- Talk to people outside your department.

You don't need to have your entire life figured out on Day 1.

Your university years are about experimenting, meeting people and discovering what you're actually good at.

GNDU isn't perfect. There are things that need improvement, and there are things that have personally disappointed me.

But there are also brilliant students, talented people, good opportunities, active clubs, sports, events and some genuinely memorable experiences waiting for you.

Your university experience will depend a lot on what you choose to do with the opportunities you have and the people you choose to surround yourself with.

So yes, maybe your hostel isn't IIT Delhi.

Maybe your timetable looks terrifying.

Maybe things aren't exactly what you imagined after watching those JEE vlogs.

But you're here now.

Make the best of it.

Find your people. Build your skills. Stay safe. Be respectful. Explore.

And don't let the limitations of your university become the limitations of your ambition.

Welcome to GNDU, freshers. ❤️

If you have questions, drop them below. I'll try my best to answer based on my experience.

P.S. I'll attach pictures from some of the events and fests mentioned above so you can get a feel for the campus culture yourselves. Most of them are from the CET department .