IN THE SPOTLIGHT

IN THE SPOTLIGHT DECODING POP CULTURE A look into the world of memes, viral videos and other trends

Does your child often talk in languages you do not understand? Are memes, gifs, reels words you hear often but cannot comprehend. Welcome to the Gen Z world of pop culture! In this article we introduce to you what pop culture is and its impact on society. The Oxford dictionary defines Pop Culture as, ‘Modern popular culture transmitted via the mass media and aimed particularly at younger people’. Constantly evolving with upcoming generations, it is expressed through forms of art, intellect and culture. With the rapid advance of the internet and social media, pop culture’s influence on our society has never been more prominent than today. Ease of access to global media has also made its reach and impact grow by the day. Essentially it is the content, practices and lifestyles portrayed across media platforms that reflect the tastes and values that are generally accepted by society at a given time. These books, toys, films, music, TV shows, etc. that may not be exceptional works of art, cater to a wider audience and have the power to unite a variety of people by giving them a common topic to converse on. Teenagers and individuals in their 20’s are influenced the most and are some of the biggest consumers. One major reason is that social media has become a part of their daily lives; checking your phone when you wake up has now become a habit for most people. An endearing aspect of pop culture is to bring in humour to everyday routines and struggles. By doing so, it emphasizes the fact that everybody goes through similar ups and downs in life. For example, memes are hilarious captions or statements often put on a background of a widely known cinema reference. These captions can address topics such as the struggles of a student, to funny situations pet owners find themselves in or even parent stereotypes. Talking about its impact on individuals, there are cases when people have taken up a subject or inculcated a habit because their favorite character from a film/show or a book, is an expert of that topic. There was a boom in students taking up European history after watching the show Game of Thrones or a surge of interest in Hockey after the success of Chak de India. We also notice youngsters adopting to different slangs based on the

music that they are listening to or the shows they are watching. Recently creators of content, knowing the power they hold over the youth are also looking at sending powerful social messages through their content. It is not uncommon for people to seek encouragement from their favourite books, movies, shows or music. Let us consider a series such as Harry Potter which represents in good light all the kinds of students you may come across in a class. Hermione Granger is a strong female character that speaks out to all the so called ‘nerds’, a group of students who find a joy in studying. At the same time, it also shows how back benchers such as Fred and George Weasley who are not interested in academics, excel when they follow their passions and pursue something they truly believe in. Closer to home, movies such as Dil Chahta hai, Zindagi na milegi doobara and 3 idiots have touched upon the topics of friendship, camaraderie, and self discovery through travel. Through their powerful stories they have inspired generations of people to take a break from time to time and set out on an adventure. Their songs remain a must have for any road trip playlist. Like everything in life, pop culture if consumed in excess can have negative impacts as well. With OTT (Over the Top) platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime making their own content, the occurrence of violence and foul language has increased in TV shows and movies. However, an option is available for parents to control what their child can watch. The best option is to encourage your children to watch quality content and enjoy it along with them. Take the time to understand their world instead of rejecting it. Its okay to sometimes learn from your children, ask them to tell you about the latest viral trends. During the lockdown there was a surge in parents and children together participating in social media challenges. Surprise your moody teenagers by sharing a witty meme and learn to take humour seriously! Laughter is after all the glue that holds the family together. We wish you a pleasant journey into the dank (not damp, it means excellent in urban slang, your first lesson for today) world of pop culture.

Commonly known as Asian parent memes, these make fun of the high expectations Asian parents tend to have of their children especially with regards to academics.

COUNTRY CHRONICLES TAKE A PAUSE BEFORE YOU BEGIN A past Trailblazers camper recounts her experience of taking a Gap Year

I have always been a shy and reserved person, so much so that my teachers in school hardly took notice of me. My brother, who is five years older than me, on the other hand was the talk of the town! Teachers loved him, his classmates idolized him and even the non teaching staff at school remembered him when he visited as an ex-student. I was never an exceptional student and I was most definitely not popular but I was comfortable in my small circle of friends, not drawing too much attention. I have an immense love for my brother and would follow his every move. I listened to the same music, loved the same subjects as him (Biology and History) and disliked the same subjects with a passion (Math and Physics). When he moved to the United States after his 12th grade, I thought, that was what I would also do. However, when I reached that stage, I knew that, this was something I was not too keen on. I had always felt that as long as I followed in his footsteps, I would be fine. The realization that I am my own person suddenly dawned on me after I had finished my schooling. Now, I had to navigate this maze of finding out who I was and where my true interests lie. When I informed my parents that I wanted to take a year off before pursuing my higher education, they were surprised and a little concerned. Concerned, because they were not sure how I would fare due to my reticent nature. Being extremely supportive, they encouraged me and helped me plan my Gap Year. Wildlife and the environment had always been a core interest of mine and I knew I wanted to explore this field further. Like any other obscure field, I heard from hundreds of people how there is ‘no scope’ and that I was just wasting a year. Of course, I grew up in a time where the only fields that seemed to have any scope were Engineering and Medicine. I, however, was determined and with the constant support of my parents I pursued. Looking back it was the best decision I took, during my Gap Year I stayed at a research station deep within the forests of the Western Ghats during the middle of the monsoons. During my time there I interacted with leading ecologists, wildlife photographers and learnt the techniques of ecological sampling. The best part was that I got to study and observe so many interesting creatures that I had only heard of! I got used to the Malabar pit vipers casually lounging over the dining area, I enjoyed the company of tree frogs in my bathroom and became a professional leech remover. I had to cut my own firewood to heat my room and dry my clothes, that were constantly damp. There was no network and for the entire three months I did not speak to my family even once! I did send the occasional email on extremely rare days when the WiFi in the main office worked. Being in an unfamiliar environment I was forced to step out of my comfort zone and discover a new side to myself.

This was just the first step, I continued to delve further into the world of wildlife conservation during my Gap Year programme and became familiar with all its aspects. From research to raising awareness and even getting an insight into environmental advocacy. The field work I participated in also lead to my first published scientific paper! When I joined my Master's course I had an added advantage over all my coursemates. I was already experienced in the methods required to conduct a research study and was adept with analysing and interpereting data. The result was that I stood first in my course, a feat that I had never achieved in my entire school life of 14 years. What I learned from my Gap Year was that if you really want to discover the possibilities of a certain field, you need to take the initiative and find it! People will tell you otherwise but the truth is that the earlier you experience the real world the better advantage you have in excelling in your career, no matter which field that may be. Prestigious universities and Employers look at experiences that set you apart from the rest. It is a universal truth now that grades do not define you. Though, when you follow your passion and work in a field that truly excites you, your academic excellence will shine through on its own. Not only did my Gap year help me gain work experience but on a more philosophical level, it helped me better understand myself, my weaknesses and my strengths.