Dear Teentalker,
Thank you for writing to us about your concern. Your concern is so valid for so many people these days. I can imagine that ragging can have some adverse effects on students and it is so challenging to cope with it sometimes.
Before moving forward, it is important to remember that Ragging is illegal in India.
'Ragging' these days is generally limited to introducing yourself to seniors and maybe a few awkward or embarrassing questions regarding your personal life. This is just a part of the interaction between seniors and juniors and cannot technically be termed as 'ragging'. But these are just for fun and there is no intention of harming or hurting anyone.
Ragging is an act of aggression committed by an individual or a group of individuals towards another individual or a group of individuals.Here are some tips which can help you cope with ragging in your college.
Be strong, firm and raise your voice when you feel like things are getting out of hand. Keeping quiet about it won’t help you in any way. Remember, only you can help yourself sometimes even though there are anti-ragging organizations which also assist you in an adverse situation.
It is important to remind yourself that you have the power to control your future and do what you desire. Ragging is not a condition or situation which needs to alter your aspirations of choices in any way. Hold onto the power within you.
When you are new in college, you are around strangers. You need to be wise in interacting with people and making friends. Until you find your group, you are your best friend who can protect you from unfavourable situations. Ragging can be hard but if you can try and be around people you trust, it might get manageable.
Being away from family and friends can be distressing initially. You can always reach out to your family and old friends until you feel more settled in. they are there to support you while you adjust to your new environment. Remember, any kind of physical, verbal and/or sexual inappropriateness is punishable by law. If things are not manageable in this context for you, reach out to authorities who can better guide you.
Hope this helps. If you wish to discuss anything further, please do connect with us on chat from Monday through Saturday between 11am and 8pm or leave us an offline message.
Regards,
Expert Teentalk India
