Benjamin Franklin has famously said that an investment in knowledge pays the best interest. After schooling, college is the next investment one makes for a better future. The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda has for its niche opening doors to a world of opportunities where learning can be put to practice.
Gaining the status of a university post Independence, it was renamed after its benefactor Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, thus carrying immense historical significance. It offers a variety of undergraduate, postgraduate and research courses in 14 faculties.
What do you gain apart from education?
Apart from a magnificent history, the campus offers many fine panoramic sights. Being a student of the Faculty of Arts in the college, my experience has been ever so enriching. Walking through the longevous archways showcasing archaic forms of architecture, a journey to the classrooms leaves its trails on the mind.
Considerate thought has gone into the making of the main building housing the Faculty of arts, which is a fusion of Indian and Byzantine arches and domes. English is the sole medium of instruction with well-qualified faculty members and administrative staff to lend a hand in all of the student activities.
I am pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in English and the best part of my education at the college has been the student-oriented attitude of teaching. The teaching staff leaves no stone unturned so that the knowledge being imparted doesn’t stay restricted to examinations but can actively be applied by students in various spheres of life to make sense of the world outside the class.
The lectures are interactive where every student is encouraged to voice his/her opinions. Another distinct feature of the college has to do with the lush green landscape and grassy playgrounds which is the first thing to catch the eye. For a college spread over such a wide range, having most paths with trees planted on both sides is no piece of cake.
The outside environment also plays a role
Located in the city of Vadodara, which is a hub for poets and artists, it is sine qua non for the university to facilitate an attitude towards various arts through a number of cultural events held throughout the year.
Election campaigns and Youth festivals organized by different student unions are some of the highlights where many competitions are held including fashion shows, dance competitions, debates, and sports.
Other than these DJ parties are held on Makar Sakranti and Navratri when the entire college is flooded with appealing decorations and costumes for the cultural Gujarati dance “Garba.” This cultural richness of Gujarat is evident even in the college canteens where one can find a variety of cuisines from South Indian Dosas to Gujarati Vada Pav.
Almost 35000 students from all over India, speaking different languages add on to the diverse landscape which emerges into one as they can be seen hanging out in the canteen. Gleaming with golden lights, the aureate building at night is a sight to behold.
Many other exciting events such as tree plantation, scribble day, book exhibitions are a part of its yearly routine to enhance additional skills in students along with encouraging academic knowledge through educational trips to various archaeological places.
In these discreet times, it is important to note that the safety of women has never been an issue in the college with a well-established vigilance department keeping a watch over students through CCTVs and a good security system.
The endless life lessons
I entered the college as a highbrow, an introvert with bookish knowledge. Through the years of my education in college, I have learned not only to open up to the people around me but exposure to the various activities and languages has truly given a direction to my learning.
From being an intellectual snob I have actively traced my interests into the study of language apart from music and sketching as additional skills owing to the vast array of opportunities offered by MSU, thus molding my personality into suave and sophisticated mannerisms.
As Albert Einstein said “The only source of knowledge experiences”, for a student truly willing to acquire not just education but knowledge, the college makes diligent efforts to provide a productive environment.
One can hear discussions about turning ideas into reality, be it arts or science which leaves little space for one not to develop a passion for dwelling deep into his/her area of interest.
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