from the
HOME TEAM Under 25 just turned 6! This time round, we’ve decided to celebrate everything about us! Building a voice for the creative youth and making it stronger day by day has always been our primary focus. Through Dayum, we’ve created another space where we can voice out to our community and tell you everything that we think is relevant or needs to be experienced in today’s time and age. We believe in tooting one’s own horn and so this edition is mainly about us and only, us. For everyone who’s asked us about our journey and how we got to where we are, this one’s for you! From meeting the team to seeing what we’re up to these days, we want you all to know it all. So hope you all have a great time reading the 2nd Issue of Dayum! The Aniversary Edition.v Peace and Love, Team Under 25 P.S. All the links are underlined and interactive! Feel free to click, follow and explore!
dayum! | From the home team
It’s been 6 long and amazing years. Under 25 has grown and how. Read on to know all about it!
HOME TEAM We needed an excuse to talk about ourselves cause why not?
CONTENTS
1 2 3 4 5
UNDER 25 : THE JOURNEY
UNDER 25 CREATOR SUMMIT The creator in you needs to wake up cause we’ve got some news!
TABOOED Mental Illness has been hushed enough and we needed to break the silence.
FROM THE COMMUNITY What’s Under 25 without the family? Your work and talent will always be celebrated!
dayum! | Contents
journey of
under 25
journey of
under 25 From listening to The Artidote soothe the minds of thousands by talking about Mental Health to singing Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Chodenge with Bhuvan Bam, good vibes were literally being thrown at you. And we caught everything we could.
everyone spread out like absolute wildfire. We swayed to the music, made amazing conversations and learnt a truckload about everything and everyone young.
People of all ages turned up, which was weird at first. People kept adding to a I mean, the company’s name massive line outside. Every is pretty clear isn’t it? What I second became way longer realized then was it was never than usual. It was 10 A.M and about the age, it was about the our Sunday hadn’t even begun. emotion. To feel young. The colorful flag buntings made the place look beautiful That day we left with great from afar and there was this spirits. In a lost, confused age energetic buzz of excited such as ours, being amongst chatter from the people waiting our own was nourishing, to say to get in. the least. To me, that was, the Under 25 Summit 2018. Realising that there were more than 10,000 people “Bro, we need a community for under the same roof for one the youth of this country that thing and one thing only was represents everything young.” pretty overwhelming. They said one to another. We think. FINALLY let us into the YMCA We weren’t there at the time Grounds and in seconds alright. Pfft.
dayum! | Journey of Under 25
Meet Anto Philip and Shreyans Jain. Before we get into that, we have a question. What do you think happens when two seventeenyear-old boys meet for coffee? Well, because they’re Mallu and Marwadi respectively, we’re sure the bill was split to the paisa!
Anto and Shreyans are your everyday college going kids. From the regular Saturday nights (which they still do!) to festing in college, they did it all. They realized their involvement in this space meant a lot as it shaped up who they were, which they believe was very important. Eventually they came to the understanding that India does not have a community strong enough for it’s youth. Ironically, the voice of the youth in this country is by far, the loudest.
A space they jumped into because they wanted to focus on young entrepreneurs and drive them to change the world. We remember this one and we thought it was a huge success, but truth is, they lost a lot of money. Another difficulty they faced was the fact that they weren’t being taken seriously by people in the industry. Well, duh! because they were college students.
We realized that they only wanted two things To know more about the kind of problems out there that youngsters faced and how they could fix it. Things needed to be addressed but not as individuals, moreso as a community. There was no platform out there that was specific to youngsters and catered to their needs and so, they did their first ever event, The Under 25 Startup Summit.
“We didn’t fully understand the space and its demands at the time. If we did the same event now, it would’ve been so much better!” Shreyans Jain.
dayum! | Journey of Under 25
This pushed them to hold the event the following year. Remember when we said the first Summit was a success? Well, it was a success because of what they saw. They saw young people come together and interact with each other in a space that’s not college. Seeing people with various ambitions and passions mingle and find their own voice is what got them going year after year.
“People who met each other for the first time at our events have gone on to becoming business partners, or even taken their passionate pursuits more seriously. It’s stories like that that keeps us going!” - Anto Philip
Two editions on, things changed. All of a sudden, they were no longer in college and now needed to decide if this dream that they envisaged was going to be a full time one. Clearly, we know the answer to that question. Something they’d built within the walls of college had to finally be taken to the outside. It was easier in college, we suppose. They had staff that helped out with attendance when they missed class and friends who helped run the show. People signed up to be volunteers for the idea that they were creating. Two of those volunteers at the time are still with Under 25. • Anand Bhat (Guy’s too cool for Instagram) • Rishab Agnihotri @rishabagnihotri (Instagram hoe).
dayum! | Journey of Under 25
2016, the year of the first ever Under 25 Summit. Removing entrepreneurship from the idea was solely due to being able to build something larger. A voice for the creative youth. The Summit was held at the World Trade Centre and well to their surprise, they sold out 2 weeks in prior!
10 days before the event, Anto & Shreyans out of the blue decided to announce the sale of 200 more tickets. Even though there were restrictions on capacity, the demand for the festival was way too high.
This Summit was a validation of sorts. It gained a lot of attention across the news and was at the tip of everyone’s tongue. There are so many like-minded people waiting to voice out. The inhibition of being wrapped by various factors in our society was something they’d let go off at the Summit. To be able to try and stop invisible boundaries let the youth be the best version of themselves, was validating.
This was only happening in Bangalore, so what about the rest of the country? Delhi, Bombay, Hyderabad & Chennai were painted with the Under 25 colors and they were all a success. 2016 was a great year.
dayum! | Journey of Under 25
For the co-founders, growth was the only thing that mattered. How do they bring change, how do they push forward with this? Enter, the Under 25 Summit, 2017. To be able to get everyone that was trending and on stage at the Summit was eye-watering to say the least, even for us! Every single one of them, from Arnab Goswami to Tanmay Bhat. International media had their eyes on the company as this was the year it finally became a youth revolution. The more they dived into making the company bigger they discovered so many more communities that needed a stage.
Did you know? Both Anand and Rishab hadn’t taken salaries till June of 2016, 2 years after they joined!
Now if you’re thinking “Oh, what a lucky bunch of entrepreneurs. Everything they touched turned to gold!” Um, nope. The 2017 edition was a massive success and things were growing way too quickly for them to grasp. As a result, by trying everything that came their way, there seemed to be a lack of clarity with both the voice and the direction the company was taking.
This almost led to not holding a 2018 edition (IMAGINE THAT) because there was just so much going on. Steadying the ship was necessary and so, they took some time off soul-searching. What they did and where they went is something we forgot to ask.
“They are whoever they want to be, they are themselves. It is what it is.” - Anto Philip on the youngsters in our country
dayum! | Journey of Under 25
Come December 2017, they went “fuck it!”. The soul searching had worked. The 2018 Summit which wasn’t supposed to happen, was happening. They had a community to answer to and they wanted to deliver their all.
done better and the responsibility of growing the community was now Under 25’s biggest priority.
The success of the Summit we spoke of very fondly up top, only resulted in getting them back on track and ready to slay the game. They knew they made a few mistakes and had a few losses but like we said earlier, challenging themselves and learning from their mistakes is something they like to do. They realized things could have been
This Summit lasted for 7 days. People met, experienced and saw different kinds. A community had been made and it was growing with every heartbeat. Such experiences last a lifetime, but that doesn’t mean you stop there, do you?
The 2018 Summit was a learning curve which led to the company taking another course.
“Bet on the horses, not on the races” - Shreyans Jain
dayum! | Journey of Under 25
The Summit was a great offline property that was in the hearts of many by now, but what the company felt was different. Creating such a safe space for youngsters to feel amongst their own couldn’t just be a once in a year thing. Something needed to be done in order to bring people closer to one another across the country. And so, we also started focusing on digital in a big way. Now we have the right to say we, because well, we were hired. A team of 4 slowly grew into 15 members, based on the number of tangents the company started to get their hands into. Now, with a full fledged editorial, design, video and core team in place representing the ideals of our ever growing community, there isn’t any looking back. Across 4 platforms, Under 25’s digital real estate is the biggest it has ever been! With a bunch of editorial and video content being put into the works along with creating digital experiences for the community, things are just getting started! All we believe in is staying true to being the voice of the creative youth. That’s what really matters. Now as we’re a part of the journey to bigger achievements, we can’t wait to open the gates for you at the Under 25 Summit, 2019, Bangalore, !
dayum! | Journey of Under 25
MEET THE
Anto Philip, Co-Founder
He’s constantly trying to fit the Under 25 logo on everything he sees. Don’t be surprised if you start drinking our branded water, courtesy Anto.
Shreyans Jain, Co-Founder
You’ll find him talking about either good vibes or good coffee. If it isn’t one of the two, he’s probably busy editing what we’ve written.
P.S: For more of our faeces, click on our faces! (plz, PLZ).
HOME TEAM
dayum! | Meet the home team
Rishab Agnihotri, Head of Curation
Bring him a roll with double chicken, double egg with extra mayo and he’s yours to keep. If you can’t bring him a roll, a new phone works just as well.
Anand Bhat,
Head of Finance A firm company favorite; because he handles our salaries. Bhat, he’s the king of puns as well. He is super proud of what we just did there.
Elizabeth Riya Roy Head of Content
No day is complete without her daily dramatic readings of the horoscope and music sessions. If anyone can can turn your frown upside down, it’s her.
dayum! | Meet the home team
Shaun Reneaux, Head of Video
A camera, a bunch of colorful sweaters, kebabs and his sass. The boy needs nothing more.
Pranoy Biswas, Video Editor
The passion is strong for the work he does but he misses out on a lot of after-work activities because of his constant need to leave the office early.
Ashfaq Ahmad, Video Editor
Loud and clear when behind the camera, soft and not so loud in front and in reality. But eh, he’s taller than everyone on the team so we don’t try and mess with him.
dayum! | Meet the home team
Sreelekshmi Prithviraj, Content Writer
Catch her staring out of windows and totally frozen while crossing roads (yes, the girl’s got to be yanked a few times). It’s funny but we do think she’s a little weird.
Shibi Shetty, Content Writer
He is such a sweetheart, an amazing guy and so good looking. Kya super cool dude hai yeh. Yes, he typed this.
Jan Berghaus, Research Intern
If it weren’t for him researching for us, you’d see him at Hampi doing, well, Hampi related stuff.
dayum! | Meet the home team
Siddharth Mohandas, Head of Design
Will watch 214043 videos a day, talk about how amazing the design is and will only wear T-shirts with something written on it. He is also our Dad(dy).
Akbar Faisal, Designer
He’s waaaay too calm and we think it’s cause he’s planning world domination.
Mansi Misra, Designer
Her mom sends her a lot of food. We aren’t complaining but 3 boxes of food is a lot of food. Still not complaining.
dayum! | Meet the home team
Pukraj Uttam, Operations
You could be dying and the only person that could help you out of that situation is Pukraj. BUT if he has work to complete consider yourself dead. Pukku’s work > You.
Ammaar Rayed,
Social Media (Intern) His caption game is really strong and last we heard the writers are trying to steal him away.
dayum! | Meet the home team
creator
summit When we were little kids, we’d create a little world for ourselves. Sometimes we are the heroes in our stories and sometimes we are the villains. But it never stopped there, did it? From sandcastles and pillow forts to adding stories on the internet, creation has been a constant part of our lives and we’re no different. Yet, sometimes in the process of growing up, we tend to forget that creator in us. But then, a random doodle on the back of our notebooks trigger that person from within.
content creators that we think are killing their game across the multiple platforms available on the internet and bringing them all under one roof! This October 2018, we’re bringing the best India’s got to offer in the digital content space to meet the creator in you and to showcase the power of social media in India today!
The Creator Summit, 2018 is specifically designed for fans and consumers of the digital content space along with those who want to join this business. Creators, communities, industries and brands circling the content circuit will be up on Creating has become our stage discussing everything an important part of this that is content. Along with wonderful journey we’ve had in this we will also have panel the last six years. We’ve been discussions and workshops! lucky to create what we have and we believe that everyone We will be establishing multiple deserves a chance to create. zones across the venue to May it be through a paintbrush create different kinds of or a camera; we all have it in experiences for the attendees us somewhere. and ourselves cause, have So here’s what we did. you seen that fucking lineup?! We called out to a bunch of (Keep reading, we’ll get there)
dayum! | Under 25 Creator Summit 2018
zones: 1 2 MEET & GREET ZONE
job zone
For the fan in you to go, “OH MY GOD, YOU’RE SO AMAZING”.
A lot of brands will be there! So, bring your resumes because you never know.
3
Spotlight Zone
Watch the next gen of celebrities do what they are going to do best, without having to adjust your screens.
4
Collaboration Zone
For the creator in you to meet one another, share, enjoy and work together in this tiny but ever growing community.
dayum! | Under 25 Creator Summit 2018
creators! And now, here’s a taste of who’s coming!
ashish chanchlani
the artidote
Ranveer Allahbadia
Rega Jha dayum! | Under 25 Creator Summit 2018
BeYouNick
Aranya Johar
Saransh Goila
Ayesha Adlakha
Well, we’ve told you all there is to know about one of the most exciting new ventures we’re doing! So, what are you waiting for? Get your tickets here:
UNDER 25 CREATOR SUMMIT TICKETS
And for more information, head to @under25official! dayum! | Under 25 Creator Summit 2018
MENTAL HEALTH
dayum! | category
tabooed Times are very different these days. Things are faster than they used to be and in a split second, everything around you can change, one way or another. In this fast-paced tunnel of sorts, our vision is usually focused on our priorities and not on ourselves as human beings. This mainly includes our state of mind which we tend to often ignore because it’s a change that we can’t place our eyes on.
Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Depression are the most common forms of mental illness among teens and adults. Mental Health is something that needs to be constantly spoken about. It has changed in recent times, with people coming out and accepting, tackling and repairing the issues only one can deal with. Although, regardless of how vocal we are about this phenomenon, it’s just not loud enough. A negative connotation still prevails when the words mental and health come one after the other.
Therapy is still considered a luxury instead of a dire necessity for those in need. People don’t consider psychiatrists as doctors and somehow still manage to believe in ‘Bro, it’s nothing. It’s all in your head’. Well, we’re glad that at least they got the location right. To be very honest with you, we as writers knew only the importance of mental health and its effects on human beings, including ourselves. Therapy basically only meant one thing, a scary sit down with a random person asking you questions. We did some research to find out the different types of therapy and honestly, it blew our fucking minds! We couldn’t stop thinking about it, so we reached out to Arushi Sethi, the founder of Trijog, a Mumbai based mental health organization and she shed some light on the things that go on, on the other side. As she ran us through the works of a mental health organization, she felt free to correct us at every juncture. So, here’s the dope.
dayum! | Mental health
While we addressed people who pay a visit to the clinic as patients, Arushi was quick to point out that it was advisable to refer to them as clients. She told us about why the word ‘patient’ is so inappropriate in the given context. The client’s first session with a psychiatrist usually begins with them getting to know one another. They aren’t just doodling images in that book of theirs. The first session is believed to be very important for the doctor as this is when they have to crack a sense of comfort with their clients. Once they do so, they delve right into the client’s history. What, why, who, where, when and how play
pivotal roles in getting to know the client. While the client bears their heart out, the doctor is using the best of their knowledge to critically analyze multiple things such as; What triggers certain emotions in the client? What parts of their history seem to affect them currently? What does the client want to overcome? After the client has left and the doctor has critically analyzed them, he/she crack the goals that the client needs to meet and accordingly decides the number of sessions and the different kinds of therapy that could work.
Therapists also go through therapy at least once a month.
dayum! | Mental health
The Different Kinds of Therapy: Arushi was hell-bent on clarifying something that people have misconstrued about therapy and therapists. “People tend to believe that therapists tell you what to do and enforce different methods on you, which is untrue. We’re here to untangle the knots inside you, but only you can have your answers”. Once the doctors are clear on the set of goals that they need to meet,
they further discuss the different kinds of therapy with the client. Each session, which usually lasts anywhere between 50 minutes to an hour, could have different kinds of therapy based on the client’s interests and the doctor’s gut. People tend to believe that therapy sessions involve only sit-downs with the psychiatrist and nothing else. The different kinds of therapy are:
dayum! | Mental Health
1
Art Therapy: It is a creative method which encourages self-expression through painting, drawing, or modelling.
3
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CPT):
CPT is a psycho-social intervention that aims to improve mental health by focusing on behaviors, improving emotional stability and the development of coping with these emotions.
5
Eclectic Therapy:
2Dance
Therapy:
Is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance to support intellectual, emotional and motor functions of the body.
4
Group Therapy:
It is a form of psychotherapy in which one or more therapists treat a small group of clients together to improve social skills and to promote supporting one another.
The primary benefit of eclectic therapy is that it is customized to meet the unique needs of the patient by personalizing their therapeutic experience.
dayum! | Mental Health
These numerous types of therapy ensures a comfortable mind space for the client, in order to feel like they’re in a safe space to gradually evolve. We’d like to give a huge shoutout to @Arushi Sethi and @trijog for clarifying our silly doubts and breaking down everything mental health. If anybody is looking to get professional help or want to know more about the different types of therapy, please reach out to them on their website. -> https://trijog.com/ As you can see, there are PLENTY of people out there who have accepted and confronted their issues and this means that you aren’t the only one. It’s never too late, talk to someone, do what you want to do but never be afraid to ask for help, you aren’t alone.
People between the ages of 20 to 55 usually come in for therapy due to relationship problems. This causes major stress in a lot of adults especially when there are marital problems.
Most gender identification clients are between the ages of 18-20.
We’re with you, Peace and Love, Team Under 25!
dayum! | Mental Health
DEAR MOM & DAD Through Dear Mom & Dad, we want to bring to light the stories that youngsters never get the chance to tell their parents. Our community had a bunch to say, here’s a few!
I have a boyfriend. I think it’s love, I don’t know. But, it’s not infatuation. It feels real. I see myself with this person. It’s not perfect but we make each other happy. Isn’t that what matters?
I hope that one day you’ll boast about my achievements to them the same way you boasted about theirs to me. - Karthik.
- Shivani.
Please let me travel, it is the only way I get to run away from everything.
I might be bisexual. They might tell you it’s wrong, it’s unnatural and it’s a taboo. These ‘people’ might even tell you I’m an animal. I’m not, I’m still your little girl.
- Suhas.
- Shreya.
Dear Mom, thank you so much for not just being a mother but also for filling the shoes of a father. You’re my superhero - Navya.
dayum! | From the community
Even though you are like my friends, there are certain things that I cannot share with you. Please understand that my privacy matters.
From sending money when I’m broke at the end of the month to letting me pursue my dream, I’d just like to say thank you. - Dibyadeep Chowdhury.
- Anu Ashok Kumar.
You always make fun of my weight when our relatives are around. I laugh and smile when you do it, but I can’t tell you how insecure I get about my own body.
Mom, I wish you didn’t hide the fact that he wasn’t my biological father and I wish you never married again, just for me. - Vaishnavi M.R.
- Shivani Menon
Thank you for letting me cry in peace sometimes, even when you saw and understanding that it’s okay to just let it all out. - Vaishnavi Sen.
dayum! | From the Community
#myfirst
A series where we talk about your firsts. You know, the first time you took that ‘sinful’ drag or maybe even the first time you rode a bike. We’ve put a few stories that gave us an instant rush of emotions, check them out!
#MyFirstVisitToThePsychiatrist Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The diagnosis that changed my life. For those who don’t know, BPD basically refers to a mental disorder characterized by unstable moods, behaviour and relationships. I couldn’t tell anyone about it, including my parents. What was I supposed to say? That I’m crazy? Or tell my boyfriend that I act like I’m nuts for no reason? How did I find out? I knew something was off and I needed to do something about it. I quickly searched for a reliable psychiatrist to help me out. The next thing I knew, I was in front of the psychiatrist, just sitting as he patiently waited for me to tell him what the fuck I thought was wrong with me. At first, I found it tough to just tell an unknown something I didn’t even tell my parents. It was great, he figured me out way better than I did myself as he untangled the many knots of questions I had. Told me about my emotional unsettlement and also helped me discover how my unstable mind couldn’t always comprehend what I was feeling. It was as if he’s been observing me for years. Something even my parents, weren’t able to do. Not their fault, but it was relieving that finally someone knew! Honestly, I just wanted to know what it was and as freaked out as I was, it was relieving to be normalized again in this weird way. - Anonymous.
dayum! | From the Community
#MyFirstTimeComingOut I think the only reason why ‘coming out’ is still a ritual is because the society just assumes everyone is straight; until we tell them otherwise. The very idea of not being able to be on the list of identifications that people have built is scary. It’s unfortunate that I can personally relate to the countless instances in my life where I had to go through judgment while introducing myself. To pinpoint an experience; I moved to Chennai for university and on my very first day of college, I met a senior through some mutual friends. I was talking to him and getting to know more about the college and the city; both of which I was new to. In conversation, he said, “ You are so lucky because you have so many girls in the classroom”. To which I replied, “Well I don’t think so. I’m interested in boys. I am gay.” He was quiet for 30 seconds after that. He told me through his slightly furrowed brow and pursed lips that he was disappointed to hear that. He then says, “It’s okay. I am very comfortable about it.” The fact that he had to let me know he was “comfortable” itself was judgemental. And yes, although a lot of coming out experiences have acceptance, there are none without judgments. The day, when there are no judgments, the coming out rituals won’t really exist. - Mandar Deshmukh, NIFT Chennai, 21.
dayum! | From the Community
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