Howdy and Namaste! 
 

This post is a result of my recent 22 hours long and uneventful plane journey from India to Houston. I was retrospecting about the first year that I had just completed in grad school. I thought I have had a pretty eventful year studded with some edifying experiences. After this session of intense contemplation, I realized I learnt to find joy in small weekly events hosted by ChEGSA, IGSA, ERS and Time4Chai. This weekly break from the perils of grad school was where I and my friends had found our dose of dopamine. Some of the experiences that I am sharing can be specific to the Chemical Engineering Department. However, I am pretty sure these can be extrapolated to other departments as well.  

The first Fall Semester and the search for a support system.  

Fall semester is when a majority of the students join and in the first week are exposed to a lot of orientations which enlist a plethora of student-run organizations. Each engineering department will have one Graduate student organization, me being in the Dept. Of Chemical Engineering and an Indian was introduced to ChEGSA and IGSA. I distinctly remember the first few weeks, when ChEGSA organized a departmental lunch to welcome the incoming students.  IGSA organized a welcome party for all the incoming Indian students with dance and games. For me, it was the first informal and lively interaction with senior grad students from a plethora of countries. I am of the opinion that the objective of these events is not just having fun but to harbor a sense of community. This makes the new ‘aggie-army’ feel at home in the vast diversity of Aggieland. For most of the international students living away from their family for the first time, these emotions become the foundational pillars of a social support system. 

Time for Chai (T4C) and Desi Aggies 

On almost every Friday during the fall and spring semester, there is this phenomenon called T4C.  

Yes, I will call it a phenomenon. It takes place in Aggie Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) on Friday at 8 pm. The attraction is the most exquisite Chai Latte you will get in College Station. Freshly brewed by a horde of aggies and Steven White, their advisor, an Aggie and current staff working with the ISS at A&M. There is free chai, cookies, live music, a gazillion games and a flurry of activity amidst people buzzing around, sipping a dose of happiness from their teacups. More importantly, it is the nature of this gathering. Imagine 100-200 Indian students gathering every Friday night in a Christian Institution celebrating by brewing a truckload of authentic Desi Chai. When asked, Steven will describe himself as being an American on the outside and a Desi Indian on the inside. He feels proud to be the glue that binds various communities in College Station. Why was this important to me? Because throughout my first year I had my homework due on Friday night. Me and my classmates, scratching our heads, striving to complete the assignments required a strong dose of catechin to calm our senses.  I would encourage everyone, especially non-Indians to once visit T4C and any event by Desi Aggies. They are super welcoming, the Chai Latte is just soul-warming and the vibe of the place is one of sheer relaxation.  

Energy Research Society (ERS) 

Managing academics and research every day became quite monotonous for me. In order to develop some organizational skills, I joined ERS as an Internal Outreach officer. ERS is a committee, majorly comprised of engineering students that host the Texas A&M Conference on Energy every year in the month of September. As a part of ERS, I hosted a panel discussion addressing the various career after college. During this process, I interacted with people from industry, academia, alumni and students. Building good relations with them which can reap me benefits in the future proved to be an edifying experience. The ERS participated in the Big Event, which turned out to be an excellent bonding session for all of the members. As the Conference on Energy dawns closer, the members are faced with handling finances, sponsorship roles, attracting registrations, designing flyers and setting up all the required logistics. Since the highlight of my week sadly revolves around a computer which is endlessly running simulations from 9 to 5, ERS provides me with a much-anticipated break from research. For me, it is a platform for professional development and a sanctum for like-minded people working towards a common goal having fun along the way.

Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Association (ChEGSA) 

The aforementioned experiences show that the subtle, yet profound events hosted by ChEGSA were instrumental in establishing the platform for a social support system. Recently, the summer semester has commenced and College Station isn’t buzzing with people. All the grad students that I know are engaged in their lab and thesis work. Taping on this gloomy situation, ChEGSA organized a free bowling event filled with an air of rejuvenation. It was like a mental repose for me. Meeting my fellow department mates after a month and then indulging in banter over drinks was a damn good decision. With all the perils and priorities of grad school revolving around me, student associations provide a sanctuary of happiness. A place where one calms their mind, pause for a day, revitalize and get back on chasing their work the next Monday.  

 

Indian Graduate Student Association (IGSA) 

Indians are known all across the globe for being extravagant of their cultural, religious and linguistic diversity and IGSA has always acted as a torchbearer of that in the University. Every Indian, since their childhood, has experienced umpteen festivals with grandiose celebrations. These rituals and traditions are deeply inculcated in every Desi and need to be retained. IGSA does that so beautifully, not only for Indians but for everyone. During the I invited some of my American friends for the flamboyant festivals of Diwali and Navratri.  They absolutely loved the spicy food, the music, the flashy traditional wear and the mesmerizing fireworks. Three of us even had a small meditation and chanting session in the Temple. There is nothing more beautiful than people from diverse countries embracing the traditions and heritage of one another.  

I hope the experiences scribed above entails the importance of these organizations. ChEGSA is department specific, IGSA is a community-specific, ERS is more like STEM-specific and T4C has its own another league. However, the synergistic effect of all these groups is what is make memories more memorable and turns my complexly complicated grad life into one coherent orchestra.  

 

Take Home Points 

• Enroll or attend events by a variety of student organizations to experience a wide array of events 
• They provide with socializing opportunities, gateway events and an extended friend circle 
• These groups instill a sense of community and facilitate the embracing of different cultures. 
• Taking up positions of responsibilities in any organization is a boon to your professional development 
• Many times these organizations will have networking opportunities for you to capitalize on.  
• Overall, enrolling in any of the organizations would provide with a much-required break from the mundane proceedings of your week 

I would like to acknowledge my friends, Parth Bhandakkar and Akhilesh Gandhi for their valuable comments and criticism.

---Niranjan Sitapure
Niranjan Sitapure is a PhD studnet in the Department of Chemical Engineering