These sketches reflect a harsh reality that many adolescent girls face, particularly in rural areas. While many of us talk about empowering our daughters, too many are still married off at ages as young as 12 to 18. Society often asks, “What’s the point of educating a girl?” instead of saying, let's educate her and make her self-dependent. We all know this, and yet it is worth reiterating that girls can achieve incredible things when given the right opportunities.

“Shehnaaz Gill sheds 12 kgs by reducing her meal portions and eating only twice a day!” This eye-catching thumbnail on YouTube captivated my friend and led her to drastically cut her diet portions, hoping to achieve similar results. This single real-life example illustrates mass media's profound effect on our food choices, shaping our decisions based on fleeting trends rather than sound advice. While I write this blog, I am reminded that this wasn't an isolated incident.

Imagine walking into a classroom buzzing with excitement. The students are eager for the session, their faces lighting up as they greet you. You start with a simple question from the previous discussion, and immediately, hands shoot up to answer. These moments, where even the shyest students are beginning to speak up and engage, are not just moments of pride—they're filled with hope and optimism for the potential of meaningful change.

Weight loss wasn’t a random decision but a choice that I made after enduring all those years of hurtful judgements and bullying. The people’s unkind statements and indifferent looks pushed me to focus on my inner strength and become a new person. I reflect and realise that life is an intricate web of moments, hardships, and victories, where each thread carries an individual story. One such story is my weight-loss journey.

Do you ever miss the comfort of home-cooked meals when you’re travelling, but then find yourself craving street food like spicy chaat when you’re back home? If you are the kind of person who enjoys a delicious meal so much that you overindulge and ignore the feeling of being too full, then this is for you! This story dives into the joys and struggles of our ever-changing food desires, and yes, I will be sharing some consequences of my cravings as well at the end!

In the busy world of hostel life, quick and easy snacks often win over healthy, wholesome meals. Whenever I felt hungry, I would grab a packet of Maggi, a bag of chips or cream biscuits, accompanied by milk tea, without thinking much about it. They tasted good and satisfied my hunger, so why not, correct? But soon enough, reality hit me hard. After a few months, my stomach started hurting, and pain became a constant companion, messing with my daily routine and even my studies

This weekend, I watched Laapataa Ladies, a Bollywood comedy-drama. The film delves into the struggles of two women trapped by life circumstances dictated by the veil. It is a heart-warming story of women who didn't give up on life. One of them, Phool, decided that if she finds her way back home, she doesn't want to just remain dependent on someone else – she wants to be the one earning her livelihood. 

Nearly one in two children in India faces the unsettling shadow of sexual abuse before reaching the age of 18, predominantly at the hands of their family members or individuals known to them. It's an alarming truth that thrusts the urgent need for adolescents to grasp the distinctions between good and bad touch and comprehend the significance of consent and bodily autonomy. My journey during a rural internship with ZealGrit in Supaul, Bihar, unearthed a stark reality at a gov