By, Aaryake Pandey
Two months into the semester, the Psychology Society Initiative (PSI) has already kept the momentum going with not one, but two great events!
Beginning with ‘KOSMOS’ that took place on the 13th of August 2024, an event inspired by the movie “Inside Out 2” aimed to “give freshmen a platform to express and explore the many emotions they experience as they transition into college life” as said by Sehar Dawood, the General Secretary of the society. The purpose of the event was to foster “emotional self-awareness, growth, and a supportive community, among freshmen”
KOSMOS helped establish new connections and provided a safe space that promoted inclusivity and provided a platform to self-reflect and embrace one’s emotions by engaging in relatable activities; it was also an opportunity to get to know their seniors better.
Some activities that took place included: “core memories pinboard”, “shred and forget”, and “design a new emotion”. The society organised various other creative outlets like music, trust falls, and more hands-on activities. Each activity was related to an emotion like joy, sadness, fear, and more.
This event gave participants the chance to unleash their creativity, allowed them to experience their emotions and helped them learn how to positively mange them. The event helped participants build resilience, fostered a sense of belonging and cement ever-lasting connections with like-minded individuals.
Moving on to the more recent event by PSI, “Beyond Boundaries 2.0” a two-day flagship event that took place on the 13th and 15th of September 2024, that was all about celebrating the diversity of LGBTQIA+ identities and an opportunity to explore, self-discover, learn and embrace.
It was a safe space for individuals and allies to come forth, learn, and share their experiences. Sehar Dawood, summed up the purpose of the event the best, she said it was to “highlight the diversity within the LGBTQIA+ community, supporting the voices of community members and collaborating with pride-based organizations and student-run platforms, an opportunity to create a deeper understanding of LGBTQIA+ identities”
Hosting pride-based organizations and individuals, day 1 included a panel discussion on the topic “ The state of LGBTQIA+ community in Indian Universities” and part of the panel was, Ankita Agarwal, Kabir Maan, and Ayaan Krishnan Varma. The discussions focused on insights around identity and advocacy, engaging with the audience and asking them “what pride meant to them?”; Responses like, “equality”, “freedom of speech, expression and life”, “love”, and “loving freely” sparked powerful conversations and inspiration.
Day 2 included involved setting up stalls for students with small businesses, and interactive activities that were designed to celebrate individuality, raise awareness, and provide participants with a safe space to engage in activities like “palate of pride” and “rainbow pinboard” to promote diversity and artistic expression.
PSI’s efforts are not short of inspiring, setting the bar high with their thoughtful and engaging events, from celebrating individuality and providing a safe space, their focus on mental well-being and constant efforts to help everyone have a good time is admirable, they provide a space to grow, learn, and reflect. Cannot wait to see what they have in store for us next!
