Letters to The EDITOR: Simple suggestion

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Simple suggestion

Yours truly, being a hardcore cricket fan of India, after watching India's debacles in the Test series, that too in its own backyard, in back-to-back Test series against the Kiwis (3-0) and the Proteas (2-0) leading up to the writing of this letter, I have a very simple suggestion for BCCI-Stop Playing Test Matches, as the team has shamed Indian cricket. Focus on instant cricket like T-20, as 5-day Test Cricket is not our cup of tea.

DR. ASHIM CHOWDHURY,

GUWAHATI

Relevant article

As a Library Science student, I find the article 'The Weight Of Books, The Weight Of Life & Preserving A Classical Language', published in your daily on Nov 26, deeply relevant to the crisis we are living through - a crisis not of books, but of attitude. Today, people look at books as burdens while proudly carrying the far heavier weight of distraction, impatience and digital dependency. The truth is simple: books never failed us; we failed our relationship with them. Reading has always been more than an academic task. It is reflection, discipline and a silent companionship that shapes character. Yet, in a time where screens dominate, genuine reading has become rare. Many prefer the illusion of knowledge over the effort of understanding. As someone who studies the science of information and its preservation, I realize that when society stops reading, it stops thinking. The decline of Assamese reading habits and the shrinking space for Assamese language and literature trouble me even more. A language survives not through recognition alone, but through daily usage, community engagement, and the willingness of people to read, write and think in it. Libraries can preserve books, but only readers can preserve a language. Government policies may try, but the real revival must begin in homes, classrooms and our personal habits. Good books are not simply objects; they are cultural anchors. They protect our roots while helping us grow. If we neglect them, we lose both knowledge and identity. As a Library Science student, I believe it's our responsibility to rebuild a reading culture, one that respects literature, values language and understands that true wisdom begins with turning a page, not scrolling a screen.

Aditya Kamble

(adiikamble16@gmail.com)

Life beyond Home: A university student's hostel experience

Stepping into university life is often described as stepping into a new world-one filled with possibilities, responsibilities, and discoveries. For a student moving far away from home and staying in a hostel, this transition becomes even more profound. It marks the beginning of an independent journey, where every day offers a lesson, a challenge, and a story worth remembering.

The Early Days: Between Excitement and Fear

The first few days in the hostel are a blend of excitement and uncertainty. Everything feels unfamiliar-the buildings, the faces, even the food. Surrounded by strangers, a student learns quickly that the comfort of home has been replaced by a world where they must build their own space from scratch. Homesickness becomes a silent companion, especially at night when the bustle of the day fades and the mind wanders back to warm memories of home.

Daily Hostel Life: A Routine Full of Realizations

Hostel life runs on a rhythm of shared experiences. Waking up early to the sound of alarms from multiple rooms, standing in line for the bathroom, and rushing to morning classes become part of the daily routine. Study sessions are often held under tubelights that flicker late into the night, with books scattered everywhere and the faint noise of conversations drifting through the corridors.

Meals in the hostel dining hall may not resemble home-cooked food, but they come with a different kind of comfort-the comfort of familiarity over time. Students learn to laugh at burnt chapatis, watery dal, and the days when the menu surprises them. In these tiny complaints, friendships slowly form.

Academics: Balancing Books and Responsibilities

University demands discipline. Long lectures, assignments, presentations, and exam pressure start shaping a student's schedule. Without parents to remind or guide them, hostellers learn self-management. Late-night group studies become a norm, and preparing for exams together often builds bonds stronger than expected.

But beyond academics, hostel life teaches practical skills-budgeting pocket money, doing laundry, managing time, and adjusting to people from different backgrounds. These lessons are not found in textbooks, yet they shape a student's personality in powerful ways.

Homesickness: A Feeling That Comes and Goes

Even as the days turn into months, homesickness never fully disappears-it just becomes easier to handle. A call from home, a familiar festival spent away, or a sudden memory can trigger that ache in the heart. But with time, hostel friends start feeling like a second family. Shared struggles, collective laughter, late-night conversations, and simple acts of kindness slowly fill the gap left by home.

Discovering Oneself in the Midst of Strangers

Living among strangers teaches patience, adaptability, and empathy. Not everyone shares the same habits or values, and disagreements are natural. But over time, students learn to coexist, to understand different perspectives, and to navigate friendships with maturity.

Being far from home also gives students the opportunity to discover who they truly are. With freedom comes responsibility; with challenges comes confidence. They begin to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and dreams more clearly. A Journey That Stays Forever

By the time hostel life comes to an end, it leaves behind countless memories-late-night talks, exam panic, birthday celebrations, shared meals, inside jokes, and the quiet moments that shaped them. What once felt strange becomes a place they will always cherish.

For every student who leaves home to join a university hostel, the journey is not just an academic pursuit; it is an emotional experience, a period of growth, and a story of becoming independent. Hostel life teaches that even in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unknown faces, one can build a home of their own.

Luna  Goswami

(lunagoswami4@gmail.com)

Have eggs become a luxury item?

The sudden and sharp price rise of eggs in the city's markets has really stunned the consumers and forced them to question if this staple protein source has become a costly and luxury commodity nowadays. As reported, the price of a single egg has increased by Rs 3 within just a couple of days. Now, it has touched Rs 10, which is unprecedented, forcing retailers to sell a plate of 30 eggs at rates between Rs 240 and Rs 260, making the situation difficult for small vendors and unaffordable for the common people. Today, residents across the city have expressed worry over the rising cost of eggs, as they are often considered the most affordable protein source for families, especially children, for their nutrition and physical development, and this hike in prices has made it harder for many families to manage their monthly budget. The demand-supply gap of eggs has indicated the availability of a large market in the state. Now, eggs from major egg-producing states are filling the state's market, which ought to have been controlled by local entrepreneurs and youth in the state through the production of eggs on a commercial scale with the financial support of the state government. But, sadly, it has not been possible for the government officials and poultry entrepreneurs to provide a realistic picture of earning from egg production as a livelihood option to the youth of the state. Another important need now is adequate regulatory measures and a price monitoring mechanism to prevent big egg dealers from exploiting the small-scale egg producers ahead of Christmas and New Year festivities.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.

Sri Satya Sai Baba birth centenary

While our country is now flooded with so many Babas and Yogis, most of whom are fakes and play spoilsport on the lofty ideals and values for which our country is known, the journey of Sri Satya Sai Baba on our planet is a great blessing not only to all believers but also to the non-believers. His devotion to the mission, 'Love all, serve all, help ever, hurt never', was unmatched and adorable, and he never failed to perform this mission for a single day of his life.

The legacy Swami has left behind should serve as a guiding point to each and every one of us to share our love unconditionally with our brethren and serve humanity to the maximum extent possible within our means, without reservation. After all, service to the poor and needy is service to God, and this is what Sri Satya Sai Baba has taught us.

Tharcius S. Fernando

(tharci@yahoo.com)

The pressure to be

‘relatable’ online

I would like to bring forth a subtle but serious identity struggle of the youth in today's time: pressure to appear "relatable" and "aesthetic" online. Social media has created this invisible standard of how one is supposed to dress, speak, eat, and even express their emotions. Therefore, many young people create a personality that fits the trend rather than reflecting who they truly are. The constant performance results in exhaustion and insecurity. Teens and young adults grow to believe that their authentic self is never good enough unless it meets fast-changing online norms. With each filter and artfully worded caption, authenticity fades.

Young minds must be reminded that individuality is more meaningful than digital approval. Parents, educators, and media platforms can play an important role in promoting healthier online behaviour.

Aditi Devi

(deviaditi144@gmail.com)