PSA: We had quite the task structuring this article, so two things! One, it ended up being much longer than we anticipated, so we apologize for the long read; it's our last yap session, so please bear with us and two, there were people we each individually wanted to appreciate and some collectively. So, there will be bits that Kusali wrote, bits that I wrote, and bits we wrote together; we’ll let you know who wrote what before each section! (Sajani talks…) When my mind kept nagging me about having to write this article.. I was truly wondering what to write and how to write it in a way that justifiably encompasses my journey in Rotaract, which is also how…
Month: July 2024
State of the Blog: The Parting Words and Insights
Well, here we are at the end of this journey. Penning (or rather typing) this final article as the co-editors for the Rotaract year 2023-2024 feels surreal. It’s funny how you always know things will come to an end, yet you always find yourself unprepared when they do. We don't want to wax poetic, but it feels like the end of an era. As we present the "State of the Blog," we can’t help but reflect on the journey we've taken together. No more alarms at 12.58 p.m. for those much-needed reminders to share the scheduled articles on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. No more making captions or rushing to get things done while texting each other frantic updates. Each of…
Rotaract Arts 23/24 : A Year in Review
“All good things come to an end” or whatever corny thing they said about endings and new beginnings… RotaractArts has seen the end of yet another term and what better way to celebrate if not to revisit the highlights of our year? So, here we go! June As the first project of the year, the co-directors of the Professional Development Avenue conducted the ‘Into the Future’ session, which was organized by Unilever SPARKS of University of Colombo in collaboration with the Rotaract Club of the University of Colombo Faculty of Arts and the Career Guidance Unit of the University of Colombo Faculty of Arts. It was held on the 18th of July at university premises and was an informative session…
The Not-So-Ordinary Universe
“But what if I end up alone? What if no one likes me and cuts me off? I don’t want that. I don’t want to go to uni!” On the contrary, ladies and gentlemen, she did not end up alone. Let me tell you the story of a girl whom we shall name X (I have always wanted a cool name like that—easier to spell). X was your ordinary girl, going through a hundred and one ordinary life crises, dreaming of the ordinary dreams, and hoping she would make it far in her ordinary life. Or at least that is what it seemed like. Like everyone else, she had been fed the routine chant of life getting “easier” once you…
My World in this Universe
I prefer to start this article by saying that university was something I never expected to be a part of my life. As a kid, it was unachievable because I was never a big shot in academics. It seemed way too elusive and unreachable for someone who lacks a proper aim in life and who lacks dedication. But time made me realize that my life is full of surprises, some serious ones I mean and getting selected to Colombo actually proved it. I was surprised by my own self and spent hours thinking, was it a mistake?. Well, i don't think my one year experience at uni is enough to answer that question because, to put it simply, it's like…
Month in Review: April & May
Hey everyone! Remember us? The folks who usually bring you the hottest updates from Rotaract Arts? Well, today we bring a double dose of it, but not-so-hot updates. April, thanks to end-of-semester exams, was not a very busy month for our club. And in May, the strike by the non-academic staff hit! We, like everyone else, naively thought it'd be over in a flash, and we couldn't have been more wrong. With more exams and uncertainty around the strike, we were holding off publishing. Now, given that it has been going on for more than two months, we decided to publish the MIR. Better late than never, right? Since this is the last update from your trusty MIR writing team,…
WORDS OF WISDOM BY TWO CHOCOLATE LOVING, DRAMATIC, PAST CO-EDITORS
TT’S & BIRDIE’S FATIGUE INDUCED THOUGHTS ON UNI LIFE The 2020ba batch of the Arts faculty here at Colombo University turned out to continue its legacy as the guinea pig batch. For example, we were the first batch to face the renewed A/L syllabus in 2019 and to our misfortune we were the university batch that also had to start our journey at university amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Life has been the personification of Maze Runner with so many trials and tests (LITERALLY!). Nonetheless, life at university has been an eye opener for us twenty-year olds who were getting accustomed from school life to semi-adult life. Learning how to navigate – both literally (via Google Maps) and figuratively (just emotionally)given that some of…
Rising to Leadership: Embracing the Responsibility as President
As the second male president in the storied history of Rotaract Arts, I am honored to share my journey with this incredible organization that has profoundly shaped my life and the lives of many others. When I first joined the Rotaract Club, I was filled with excitement and a desire to make a difference. Little did I know that this decision would lead me to a transformative journey filled with challenges, growth, and unforgettable memories. In my early days as a member, I quickly learned that Rotaract was more than just a club—it was a family. I was surrounded by passionate, driven individuals who were committed to serving the community and fostering personal and professional growth. This supportive environment encouraged…
Constellations in My UNIverse
Well, to be honest, I never really dreamed of entering THIS UNIverse until I received my A-Levels results. I just studied and studied and pushed through A-Levels because I wasn’t really sure what else to do with my life. In the dusty corner of my mind, however, I’ve daydreamed about being a rich CEO! (I can see you nodding with a grin, Uvinya). I got the results, and my teacher was like “so why not apply to UoC?” That’s how my dream to enter ‘the UNIverse of University of Colombo’ started. Never did I imagine myself walking through the corridors of the FoA Labyrinth (getting lost sucks to be honest!), but well here I am! It's not like I don’t…
Signing Off: Closing Reflections from a Secretary
My Rotaract journey began in 2022, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka. We had online lectures, and I was itching to get to university, but there was no way for it. Then, I saw this Rotaract flyer fluttering around like a hopeful butterfly. Thinking it was a great excuse to visit the university, I decided to join the club. I had no clue what Rotaract was about. I was a bit nervous since I knew no one in the club or at the university. But I challenged myself, determined to make it work no matter what. The first friend I made in Rotaract was Manthini. We met while donating books to a community service project.…