Journal — January-April 2020. Hello guys, I am back with your…
By: Jairam R Prabhu
Tags: January, Journal, Diary, Lockdown, April

Hello guys, I am back with your favourite area- the Journal part, where I pin down my experiences, how all my days went and the lessons which I learned and which through sharing may help you. (The language used here is quite casual).

Last Journal stopped in December (Read here)

The year 2020 began with a bang, but my new year began with Data Communication Exam. The exam was fine that expected, but it had a lot of things to be learned byheart like FDM, TDM, CDMA, Switching etc. The final exam was Soft Computing, which was on 6th, but the excitement could not be stopped after 1st Jan. On 3rd Jan I came across the news of rising tensions between Iran and the USA. I wrote a blog on the same which got published on 12th. That incident brought somewhere close to a WW3 since the cold war.

After Soft Computing Exam, all of them were over and I had about a week more before S6 started. So being, the editor MUNner’s daily, had published two blogs one on Iran issue as I mentioned and other on Australian Bushfires written by Sangeeth S which began on 7th.

After a brisk weekend, the classes began on 13th. S6 seemed a bit lighter because we have subjects like Web and POM which are considered to be easy. While we have two extremely was subjects, Design and Analysis of Algorithms and Computer Networks. Despite classes starting just after exams didn’t make me happy, my mind was continuously drifting elsewhere. The bad news was wtr to labs, the tough network programming lab and microprocessor lab.

SB MUN (17–19)

This was the best thing which ever happened to me in the month of January. After one and half months of exam and boring classes, SB MUN was indeed a saviour. SB or St Berchmans College is a famous college in Changanassery Kottayam District. On 17th, from early morning I began my journey from Aluva Railway Station, along with Ananda Sai A in Trivandrum Mail. I realised that Sleeper charges skyrocketed. I paid 180 rs for the journey, while I remember just paying 140 for an ordinary journey till TVM. From Thripunithra, Hemanth joined us. After reaching there, we took accommodation provided by SB MUN. It was just Rs 300 including food, cheap after all. As usual, MEC MUNSOC had a collaboration with SB MUN. Harinarayanan Shaji and Rose were directors representing MEC.

At the inauguration, I met Kavith Viswanath buddy, Barath Arjun, Harinarayanan Shaji, Jugal O Jayan, Akhil Sreekumar, Joseph Jose, Safal, Anjana, Karthik Uday, Merlin and many others. Seeing most of them after quite some time. I was in the Press committee along with Akhil Sreekumar and Annamariakattampally. Reema madam was our head, she gave important instructions and assigned duties. It was my first time in IP, I was excited to bring out the journalist in me. I was given the CCC committee. In the committee, I also met Davis Jacob Thomas, Kavith’s best friend. Akhil helped me a lot, making me understand how IP works and on different types of reports.

The best part of SB MUN was the food and hospitality. For the first day, it was Shezhwan fried rice with Chilli Potato, one of the yummiest I ever had. Chilli potato looked to me at first like Friend Fries put in a Chinese gravy. For dinner, we had Porotta with Chilly Gobi. At evening, Barath, Karthik Uday, Hemanth, Ananda Sai, Rose, Snehal and me went on to roam in the town. We went to Desi Cuppa, I ordered Watermelon with Ice-cream which was tasty and cost only Rs 50. I had to write the event report late at night. CCC was highly boring on the first day, baring the awesome timeline prepared by EB.

Read my SB MUN CCC reports -

The second day, went on smooth, had fried rice and chilly gobi for lunch. In IP we are expected to note down all the points, made by delegates and report it. Also, I had to interview a controversial delegate. I interviewed the delegate of the UK, who claimed that “North Korea assassinated Sir Boris Johnson”. In the evening we had socials, meeting people, music, lighting, ambience, and finally dinner- Roti, Paneer and Mayonaisse. Back in my room, I had to submit two writeups- One Opinionated Article and other based on the interview. After submitting reports, I and my room-mates had very conversation midnight on MUNs in Kerala, MUNSocs and many peripheral topics. I helped Barath and Ananda Sai prepare their DR.

On the last day, we had an ethnic day where all delegates and OC members come in Ethnic dress, I wore a Red Kurtha with Dhoti. Had Porrota and Peas curry for Breakfast. I also had a brisk conversation with people from MACE delegation especially Jais Benny, prospective DSG of MACE MUN. As it was a Sunday, I had a family meetup, but I was unhappy I couldn’t attend it. For IP, it was a press conference. I had prepared questions which violated many of the delegates foreign policies as well as that they find difficult to answer. But given that CCC was highly dynamic, delegates violated their foreign policies too. There was not much left in the press conference as delegates just vaguely answered them. Thus because of that, we couldn't follow up or counter-question them. I prepared the final report and submitted it.

For lunch, we had traditional Kerala meals on the banana leaf. Post lunch Reema mam gave us general feedback and since there were over 20 reporters competition was high. I didn’t get any prize, neither did anyone from CCC. So it was obvious that CCC has fundamental flaws during Press Conference because, in other UN committees, journalists can quote UN resolution, news articles etc. Akhil Sreekumar got the best reporter from IP. Ananda Sai, Kavith, Davis, Barath Arjun got Special Mention. Noel and Snehal got Honourable Mention. It was really a successful venture for MUNSOC. Post the event we had a Group Photo session and later I left for Railway station as I didn’t have any time left. Since there were no trains, I went to KSRTC Bus Station to catch a bus. I got only a Palakkad bus, which didn’t go to Aluva. So, I got down in Perumbavoor at 10 pm and after waiting for some time got Aluva bus. In 15 mins, I reached home. In the bus Reema Mam, texted me saying that I had written good reports but missed out marks in the Press Conference.

Takeaways- After classes began, it was a great relief to be at SB MUN. Met new people, interacted with old friends and took away a lot of memories. SB MUN, being a maiden MUN set up high standards for a MUN in the state. It was really a commendable event put up by Martin-Rohith and team. Also, had a good experience of Food and Hospitality there.

It was my first time as an IP journalist. I had not expected much but I had worked a lot but again there are quite some things which I missed up. I really got a good understanding of IP and Journalism.