Culturavaganza – Part II

It is not unusual for me to blog on the events that occur in my college. Here I go again, now on INSTINCTS 2K7 – SSN Inter College Culturals.
In the first place, Instincts 2K7 was not as good as Instincts 2K6. I personally feel so. There are various reasons. But Instincts 2K7 was not bad. Here is how it went.

Instincts was conducted on March 8,9,10 at SSN College premises. There were a lot of events that took place, but I am going to elaborate only on the events that I personally witnessed.

Day 1:
In the Inauguration, R.Madhavan (cinestar) presided over the function and opened the door to Instincts. We were shown amazing presentations on Instincts – my college seniors rock at this.
Check out these videos.

Then we headed to the main stage where we waited for Light Music Group prelims but knowing that its gonna take a lot of time, we watched Adzap. Its the usual Adzap. Got fed of watching Adzap. Some people come with very creative ones. But watching fifteen teams performing Adzap is not an easy thing to do. So we headed to the main stage again and watched Light Music Group (prelims). It was good but how long can one enjoy music when you really want to take rest?

Day 2:
We decided that we would stay in the Informals event which was excellently hosted by CRK. But then, Pechupotti event lured us into the seminar hall, where around 10 students fought for the honor. A student who was actually very quiet sitting beside me won the first prize. Veteran film director S.P.Muthuraman was the chief guest for that event. He gave a good speech which thankfully and hopefully ended after one and half hour.
We then witnessed Sports Quiz. Ofcourse, I am not good in this Quiz thing, but it was a good time pass after all. Light Music Group finals was waiting for us in the main stage. So we went there and had a rocking eve with excellent performance by all the college teams and also a wonderful performance by the host team. Singer Karthik and Music director Joshua Sridhar were the chief guests and also the judges and they entertained us along with announcing the prize winners.

Day 3:
Light Music Solo was going on in the main stage. But we didn’t bother to stay there for a long time. We went to Informals, but very soon, we diverged our attention to Shipwreck prelims which was going on in the nearby hall. We didn’t watch more than two contestants but from the two contestants we watched, I believe (if I am not wrong) that the guy who spoke as Pamela Anderson would have won the first prize. Very soon, we found ourselves at Informals again, this time to witness Mr & Mrs.Instincts. We heard that Variety Entertainment was going on in the main stage. But Mr & Mrs.Instincts seemed to be more entertaining. After this event was over, the entire crowd headed towards the main stage to witness the Dual dance events – Solo and Group. After the enjoyable solo performances, we witnessed three solid hours of non-stop group dance and fun. The onstage dancers set the fuel to the offstage dancers and by the end of the event, almost the entire audience was dancing to the tunes. Two dance masters (unfortunately, I dunno the names) who choreographed for hit movies like Pokkiri and telugu movies were the chief guests and also the judges. Like the previous year, Instincts 2K7 ended with the final year having a gala time at the main stage.

P.S: If you are wondering who the “we” are, it varied from time to time

Also check out the sponsorship video.

FINS – An overview

On March 2,3,4, the IT dept of my college (SSN College of Engineering) hosted FINS (FORUM ON INFORMATION AND NETWORK SECURITY), the first event of its kind. It is a workshop on networking and security. Let me brief you on what happened on that day.

Day 1 (March 2, 2007)
We had test on that day. Until I reached the college, I believed I would be writing the test. But then I had to bunk the test. Yes, we (Arun Kumar, Arun Balachandran and myself) could have attended the test. But here we got a reason to bunk the test for which we didn’t study and so we did. After registering and paying money (we had to pay Rs.300/-), we had to wait for a while for the program to start.

But then, four of our class girls planned to attend the seminar as well. As girls normally do, they got OD for the day, and luckily we managed to get OD as well. So we had to miss the first part of the seminar which is also a boring part – The Inaugural function.

There was a pretty decent crowd. It had around 200-250 participants (in and out of college). The participants from the college were 95% of IT dept and 5% of CSE dept. The other participants were either from other colleges or from some industries.

Networking:
The Day 1 concentrated on Networking. Mr.Thiruvaazhi, a staff of IT dept briefed us on networking. He was good at teaching and since he is a staff who takes on networking, he was superb when it came to teaching about networking. We learnt about IP address, the different layers of TCP/IP. We were shown presentations on the different topologies of network and the problem in each type of networking. We also learn the difference between a MAC address and an IP address. It was all really interesting.

We had to miss some part of the seminar (or didn’t miss) due to some work in our dept and as we were actually bunking the entire day, I decided on bunking the lab too. The latter half was on the geographical scope of networking (the architecture, the media, Interconnectivity hardware). As we left home, I already decided about blogging about the event (as I did).

Day 2: (March 3,2007)
Network Security and Ethical hacking
The Day 2 was about Ethical Hacking and network security, the one that everyone wished to learn. It was to be taught by Mr.Koti Reddy, a very good trainer on Hacking. But before that, we were taught some interesting stuffs like ARP, Routing table and how to check whether another computer is alive in the network.

Then Mr.Koti Reddy came. He was a guy who seemed to concentrate only on business and nothing else. He was firm in his teaching and he had his own style of teaching. He had three laptops connected in a network and he taught using a lightpen. In one laptop, he loaded a software called DigitalClass, which he used it like a blackboard, to teach classes. This software has major advantages over a blackboard as we can switch to a new page without having to clear the previous content. I already started dreaming about every lecture being taught in this way.

In another laptop, he loaded VMware, a software used to load many OS in a single environment. I was shocked at the speed of his computer as he simultaneously loaded three or more OS in it. He didn’t need to start with the basics as Mr.Thiruvaazhi did the honors for him. He started with the difference between an internal hacker and an external hacker and he went on to draw diagrams on how an e-mail or an information or an application is sent to another computer via network and how it is being sent via the different layers.

Did you know…
The e-mail that you actually send is torn into pieces and sent individually.

He continued on how the hacker can access data and by which way he can access it. This guy was good but sometimes it seemed too dry (since we had to miss some part) and because of which again we had to miss some parts.

The final part of the day ended with what Ankit Fadia taught us. Ankit taught us only how to do it, but Mr.Reddy went a step further in demonstrating us. With that, the day 2 ended. Actually, it didn’t end there. The session got over at 6. Out of the four buses scheduled to take us back home, only two buses were there (which didn’t even go to any of the nearer stops to our home). Not to forget, I returned home only at 9 pm.

Day 3: (March 4,2007)
Cryptology and Information Security:
I got up late that day, 6:30 pm, I know its not too late, but it was late enough to miss the college bus. Knowing that I would be missing atleast the first session, my mind started going lazy and I went to the bus stand to catch the 519 bus (which would go direct to the entrance of my college) at 8:30 and found it at 8:45. It was either the bus driver or the bus schedule was lazier than me, the bus started at 9. Man, I was missing Cryptology!!! Since it was a deluxe bus, and I was the first one to enter the bus, I took the pleasure in enjoying yet another ride to our college.
I reached at 10 and I knew I had missed the first session as I could spot students who were lingering outside the audi for refreshment. Thank God I didn’t miss anything. The first session was just a preview and the question of “why we need information security?” was answered. I got into the part where Mr.Thiruvaazhi started teaching how cryptology came into existence. The story went to Julius Caesar where he implemented something known as Caesar squares.

We were told about the hashing functions and how it is done and the problems faced in the techniques. After a tiring second day, this seemed to be refreshing and time sped off fast. Time sped off faster when Mr.Pandurangan, a professor of IIT, took over the final session. He was enthusiastic, energetic and got the whole audience into his attention. He poised out the problems faced in Information Security and he also provided the alternatives to solve the problems which inturn would lead to another problem. Time didn’t allow him to discuss more about it.

The Day 3 and thus the three day workshop came to an end with the valedictory function. It was the same valedictory function one could see. I was shocked when they awarded the certificates to everyone who participated. Poor principal, he had to greet everyone with a smile, shake hands with them and award them with certificates. “Shall we ask him whether it pains?” was one of my friends’ question.

It was a good three-day experience and I would like them to conduct more workshops. Not to forget on March 7,2006, Mr.Ankit gave a short seminar on Internet Security. Almost a year later, FINS conducted this workshop and both were near our college culturals!!! A co-incidence???

Shattered Dreams!

It is really weird for me to sit in front of the computer and blog during the exam time (Its the third semester exam this year,the only year that had so). Yes I did blog last sem during exam, but that was different. Then why did I blog now? Its November and its the month of my birthday. It would not be nice if I didn’t create atleast one post during this month.

The exams made this month a busy time for me and it fled off fast and nearing the end too. I turned 19 last saturday and my sem exams too started on the same day. My God, what a bad way to welcome my 19th birthday, especially when you didn’t do the exam that well. Five more exams to go and I am already relished on the idea of driving my dad’s car around the town. Yes I got my driving license but alas just before the exams .

Btw, I can’t just go without commenting on India’s performance in the South African cricket tour. My God! Indian team is a very good team and is considered one of the best teams of the world. But currently,it lacks one formula, the perfect bowler formula.

A month since I blogged and I have made this post short? Exams calling! It all turns out to be shattered dreams!!!

Exam fever!

When everybody should be suffering from FIFA fever, all the students under Anna Univ are suffering from exam fever. Its mostly present in almost all the students who are going to attend the exam. Some of the symptoms of this fever are
1. Insomnia
2. Loss of appetite
3. Book – o – phobia
4. Lies syndrome
5. Agony and wrath (beware! its dangerous… he he)
6. Mumblings and Curses
7. Absent mindedness
Mostly the students observe these symptoms within themselves or with others. One of the most common symptom that one could observe are ‘Lies’. Ask a student whether he has finished preparing for the exam. He would definitely say “no”. This might be true or sometimes abruptly false or very rarely, it could be a white lie. Some would even go around saying “I haven’t touched anything from the syllabus”. If he had not finished anything, then he should be studying… why is he roaming around?

Sometimes I wonder why students tend to lie before the exams. My first guess is a white lie again. I have even seen people cursing the ones who had studied “You have studied everything! Now get lost hero!”. This could be the second reason they want to lie. My third guess would be jealousy (a rare one though), remember “survival of the fittest” comes into play again.
Since school, this particular phenomena exists. To tell the truth, I have developed an immunity to these lies (he he). This immunity was affected when one of the students said “I have studied everything”. I was shocked and was about to ask “Are you crazy?” but instead I ended up asking “Really??? Is that true? You are kidding”. How to find out? The craziest thing that one could do is to carry a lie detector with them.

All right! All the best to everyone!

College Day!

On 12th April, we had our college day… Expected it to be fun… but turned out to be real boring. Some of the guys(including me) and gals… brought their bags with them in case of any class. Only then much to the horror of some padips students, the classrooms were locked. Even then some students were eager to go to the lab class which was conducted without any mercy(not for our class though). A few students who turned out gathered under the stage were waiting for signs of start. Seeing the anticipation of the students, some film music was played. Only then some decent set of groups joined the stage. Finally the not-well-planned college day started at 10. It was like a trial version to the actual programme in the evening. Suddenly at 1.30, a group meeting was held between the co-ordinators (third years) and they went up on stage and started something on the stage(which later was found out to be decoration). After an hour of waiting, the audience only then came to a conclusion that the morning session ended and the stage got almost empty. A box (what was called as refreshment) was given and then ice-creams were given like they give for refugees.
The second session started at 4:30 and amazingly from nowhere, the stage was almost full. Dept reports and college report was given. Prizes and scholarships were awarded. One boy of our college got a walk in – walk out scholarship which means he can complete his B.E degree absolutely free. Yes he had got a total of 487/500 in his central board school exam. Then the programmes started which were entertaining (a good prize for waiting) and ended up in a good way too. We had a last show of mimicry from our college mimicry expert Ratheesh Prabhu, a final year student. The show ended up as usual – vandhaan, vendraan, senraan (started, enjoyed, sweet dreams).

Results day out!!!

After days and weeks of waiting (actually not me)… the semester results were out. I got a satisfying 78% which I didn’t dream of getting. One says “Don’t trust your friends when it comes to exams…” yes its indeed true… friends who said that they would get an arrear or two ended up getting 85%+. Internals and practicals had played a major part in each student reducing their total. While writing the exam… I thought that sem exams are way different from the school exams… yes it was different… but the correction is absolutely stupid and leniant… thanks to Anna Univ!!!

Forward March!!!

If anyone had come out of the school I studied , he or she would definitely feel escaped from the tiring march past! (of course none would complain about the free classes they get) It is compulsory at our school. The most funny and the wicked rule is that those who attend the march past will get 20+ marks in the quarterly exam overall total. And unfortunately for all, all would attend the march past and hence there wouldn’t be any change. If a guy or a gal refuses to attend march past, he or she would have to meet the principal and get approval which is not an easy thing to get. The school has a ground which is not even as big as a tennis court. Hence the students will be asked to go to a ground about a km away (shockingly, we have to walk). There teachers sitting under the shades will be ordering the students to march well under the hot sun. The patriotism showed by the teachers can be well appreciated when they don’t even care for the students who have fainted. Instead the PT sirs react. They will cure the students by staring at them and the students would rather march than undergoing the treatment. and All this for a useless March Past Shield!
And this march past continued in the college. But thankfully, it was just for one hour and it was not so tiring and we were not forced to repeat it soon. Another shocking news is that most of the students had never marched before in their life. This time I am fortunate enough to have missed the march past

Culturavaganza!

March 2,3,4 were special days for SSN as the INSTINCTS 2K6 rocked the college. Anna Univ culturals can nowhere be compared to INSTINCTS! We had a whole gala time over there. A surprise visit by Jayam Ravi(actor) for the inauguration opened the door to Instincts. The first day was excellent. The Light Music made me click my fingers and the Variety entertainment made me laugh to tears. The second day was a little boring but the Light Music group finals was extremely amazing. There was a guy from Hindustane college who played Flute very magnificiently and no doubt they won the first prize. The JAM event had a lot of humour(vulgar though) and the speakers were extremely good and it also rocked the 2nd day. The 3rd day was the most awaited day. A bit of entertainment, a bit of service, a bit of dance and a bit of fun was what all it had. My friends decided to start the day off at the auditorium where classical dance was held. The hall was surprisingly full and only later it occured to me that the audience was in for fresh and cool air conditioned hall rather than being in the hot and sultry sun. The Western Dance Group event was great as it kicked off with the WCC(Women’s Christian College) girls. Their uniformity was extremely amazing and their courage has to be really appreciated There was a college which had put up a huge set and danced extremely well and I thought they would bag away the I prize but the final dance by some other college captivated the judge by their amazing tribal dance. But the real end of the culturals was the celebration dance by the students enjoyin their ‘spirit of life’ and burning their desires

Into the dept

The II sem began last monday (13th Feb) and it was really cool to get into the department. But we are still in the Humanities block. As usual, the second bench is home for me and to give me companys are Aruns (ABC and Arun Kumar). Amazingly all of our staffs are sooo good. We got the best of the staffs. But this class is completely different from my previous. The class is so quiet. I am not sure whether they are listening or sleeping. The only two voices you can hear in the class are the teacher’s voice and Arun’s voice. Yes he is rocking in his own way asking and answering doubts in the class. Though I like this class, I miss the I sem class, where Suresh and I had a gala time together sharing jokes during the class and the class which was never quiet and not to forget the FOC class which was the recreation time for us…

Hell foreseen!

Last week, the semester massacre was back again. Even this time, practicals was not so easy as I thought. My fate started in Chemistry on monday, when I made up extra amount of solution than I am supposed to. Finishing so early, I wondered what to do. I wanted to run away but it was said that I had to go through a viva. After earning a good name from the external, everything got blown off when he started asking so twisted questions. Physics practicals was the most easiest for me… I got an easy experiment and viva was what I expected. Again, Computer practicals gave me the thrill when I got a program which I didn’t go through the concept. Thinking for around an hour, I finished it somehow but the worse thing is I forgot to write the program in the answer sheet. On the workshop practicals which I considered tough above all others, I was so cool and I didn’t worry about anything. But I kept thinking that I will get lathe, the most tough experiment and to my horror, I got the same along with plumbing. After getting words of anger and a good help from the teacher, I finished the lathe process. Plumbing done so easy and hence ended the I semester. Not a good way to end a semester……..