Campus April_May 2011

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with the summer university session coming to an end, ‘work’ and ‘holiday’ are the two main things on many minds. and while we don’t want to get too preachy about ‘getting serious’ with life, we nudge you to look at a fun adult life – job place-ments, career choices and expectations from your degree. add to this, a bunch of summer fun, fashion and entertainment, and we’re promising you a fabulous sum-mer fun!

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The MudiryOUsUF JAssem

AL dArWish

suPPorTiNGroles

PsyCh-oN-CallnAdirA AmArAsinghe

Villaggio Mall 4413 5583 Landmark Mall 4421 3773

issUe 7 APriL-mAy 2011

WeaTherPleasure

PlaCeMeNTsuCCesses

It Is the begInnIng of the end of wInter and what better way to celebrate

than spendIng It outdoors.

whIle we prep up for our fIrst day at work, lIttle do we realIze of what It takes to

make a success of the placement.

10

8

real exPeCTaTioNswhat do I really want from my degree?

16

443428

WriTer’s CrafTa new perspectIve on languages

20

oNliNe GaMiNGforgIng socIal lInks

fashioN eleGaNCe

MaNaGiNG iN a Crisis the Importance of dIsaster management educatIon

40 GeT

GadGeTy

GizMos

issue 7 20116

An eveningWith fluffy

by doNa

ferNaNdes

Very reCeNTly, regency halls hotel resounded wIth laughter and claps as hundreds of fans of ‘fluffy’ flocked together In what was

known as the bIggest comedy event to feature In the cIty thIs year. aMeriCaN fuNNy MaN, Gabriel iGlesias, faMous for his size aNd loVe of

haWaiiaN shirTs, performed wIth seven other fellow comedIans. IglesIas performed In Qatar for the fIrst tIme where he has a large

fan base. the eIght comedIans performed wIth the help of storytellIng, mImIcry and sound effects whIle usIng IndIvIdual experIences,

InternatIonal Issues and events as theIr subjects.

issue 7 20118

“Qatar is an amazing country and I am incred-ibly enthusiastic about performing here,” Igle-sias said before the show. “The feedback from fans has been overwhelming. The fact that we’ve got local talent taking part just shows the growth of the local comedy scene here,” he said, adding that he loves supporting new talents.

iT sTarTed...Born in San Diego, America, Iglesias estab-lished himself on the comedy circuit in 1997 with his trade mark storytelling, parody and sound effects. With appearances on popular T V shows such as Jay Leno’s The Late Late Show and animated T V series Family Guy, Igelsias is

an American household name and also has a big fan base in the GCC. Joining Iglesias were, fellow comedians, Dean Obeidalla, Edwin SanJuan, Larry Omaha, Fahad Al Butairi, Ibra-heem Al khairallah, local Qatari comedian Mohammed Fahad Kamal and Halal Bilal.

“We want to have our own comedy festival in the future where all countries from all over the region will come together for several days filled with nothing but laughter,” said Kamal, pre-senter and comedian for ‘The Fluffy Show’ as he addressed local media during a press confer-ence before the show.

Amanda Palmer, Executive Director of Doha Film Institute, said comedy is storytelling that

has the power to transcend social and cultural divides. “Cinematic legends such as Charlie Chaplin and Adel Imam have united audiences with laughter,” she said, and added that “In the last 30 years we saw how stand up comedians like Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Whoopi Goldberg moved into cinema to give audiences some of the most enjoyable cinematic experi-ences while also challenging societal stereo-types and discrimination in ways only comedy could achieve.”

Brought to Doha by Star Productions, the one-night-only ‘The Fluffy Show’ was supported by Qtel’s Virgin Mobile Service, Doha Film In-stitute, Luxury Events and Virgin Megastores.

We WaNT To haVe our oWN CoMedy fesTiVal In the future where all countrIes from all over the regIon wIll come together for several days fIlled wIth nothIng but laughter,” saId kaMal

issue 7 201110

Placement

SucceSSeSto many of us a job placement or internship means first-hand work

experience and definitely some riches – a little more than pocket

money. So, while we prep up for our first day at work, little do we

realize of what it takes to make a success of the placement.

112011 issue 7

Common student complaints range from employer expec-tations, seriousness of the job to stipend issues and lack of a learning environment. With the importance of place-ments and internships increasing, it makes it important to know how to make them a success.

iT’s NoT a PerMaNeNT jobPlacement and internship schemes do act as facilitators for students to score a full-time job at the end of their intern-ship/placement tenure. This, ofcourse, depends from company to company. Hence, it is wise not to enter the job thinking you’ve bagged a full-time position. From an employer’s point of view, they want to see students who have a focus, where they understand the role and have knowledge about the company. When employers see someone with that focus – those who know where they want to be and have done their homework – they really stand out and can be considered for full-time positions.

More iNfo, beTTer sTaNdIt’s no secret that students should have atleast basic infor-mation about the company their getting into. But having extra details like recent deals, number of branches/offices, published annual turnover will give you an edge above the rest. Keeping an eye on current affairs and the industry press is a great way to get going. It’s not going like compa-nies will categorically test you on it, but having a working knowledge of what’s going on leave a great impression.

iT’s abouT The jourNeyFull-time employees are hired with the expectation of giv-ing back to the company. They have valuable skills which are vital for company growth. Consequently, you should be confident that you’ve got something to offer, but it’s vital you don’t let that confidence become arrogance.

The worst kinds of students on placement are the ones who say, ‘I’m an undergraduate, I don’t believe I should be doing that’. Whether making coffee, taking print outs, making copies or typing out stuff… you should realize that a place-ment is about the overall experience, including starting from the bottom. Have a curiosity about what is going on around you, get involved and do not sit back or wait for things to happen. Remember, a career is a journey, not a destination!

aCT ProfessioNalTurning yourself from a university student into a sort-of professional youngster can be challenging and tricky. But if you want to be successful, you need to look and act like a professional. This doesn’t mean wearing formal clothes and not smelling of nicotine. Being professional is about lots of common sense things, like having excellent time-keeping and not making too many personal phone calls. It’s also about realizing that while you are only an intern for the company, to the outside world, you are a represen-tative of the company. You are expected to behave the way your colleagues and clients do. It is totally inappropriate for students to buddy-talk colleague or clients.

all Work, No Play?As you are expected to give your best, companies too return this favor by providing you an enjoyable and positive expe-rience. No one wants employees with a monotonous, drab work life. Many companies go out of their ways to ensure you feel comfortable and secure in your new place of work – socializing at lunches, small after work get-togethers, weekend picnics. In the new era of professional life, it is all about working as a team and balancing work and play. And this is exactly what most companies will ask you to seek during your stint.

Have a Good First Day

Get to work early. FiGure out where you’ll be seated. allow yourselF plenty oF time to settle down.

Jot down people’s names, their extensions and mobile numbers.

don’t be aFraid to ask any questions.

be sociable.

be patient. in the initial days you miGht be doinG a lot oF listeninG and not much else, so be patient. the work will come.

issue 7 201112

WeatherPleasure

It is the beginning of the end of winter and what better way to celebrate than spending it outdoors. Before the city becomes a gigantic oven, step out,

bask in the warm sun, sway in the cool breeze and enjoy the flowery freshness. We list out things for you to do this spring.

Park funCheck out local parks for a fun time with your family or friends. You could start with Rumeillah Park, Aspire Park, Airport Park, Al Khulaifat Park and Al Luqta Park. Pack up food and drinks, and take along everything that you enjoy – footballs, card games, Frisbees, and of course your fun spirit. Take your celebrations outdoor – think birthdays, anniversaries et al.

132011 issue 7

CamPing challengeWhether you go to a campground or pitch a tent in the back yard at home, camping is a great way to hang out and bond with family and friends. Add barbeque to that and you’ve got yourself a lifetime of memories. Stay up all night and share ghost stories – a real treat for the scaredy cats. Don’t forget to take the time out to plan the camping night, unless you don’t mind shelling out a couple of hundred riyals to go through a travel agent.

BeachingNothing, and really nothing, can replace beach fun. With an entire coastline to explore, pick any beach and spend a day there. Head to Zikrit to see huge limestone formations on a beach, or get to Purple Island, north of Al Khor, to keep away from crowds. Load up on lots of water and food as some beaches can be atleast an hour’s drive away from the closest restaurant or grocery store.

issue 7 201114

OutdOOr sportsThe time couldn’t get any better for outdoor sporting activities – swim-ming, horse riding, sailing, dune boarding, cycling and the likes. If you don’t have a bicycle, head to the Cor-niche and rent a bike available near the parking lot, near Sheraton. If cy-cling is too timid, pick up skate boards or roller blades and take off. One’s never too old for such fun stuff. If rid-ing is to your liking, visit a farm that allows for horse riding. Almost all kinds of outdoor sporting activities are available in Doha, it’s just a matter of googling a bit and getting information beforehand. But when we say ‘almost all kinds of sporting activities’, we mean ‘non-extreme kinds’.

So, here’s to fab spring fun!

dune dayDrive off into the dunes and have a picnic amidst these majes-tic dunes. For this particular outing, you’ll definitely have to carry an umbrella, sunblock and lots of water. Ideally such an outing would be enjoyable later in the evening right up to sun rise the next day. This would one of those few times that you can watch a clear night sky dotted with a million stars.

152011 issue 7

theculture

ofpassing

timewhere are

we headed ?Time has changed and so has The culTure of our

youTh. There used To be a Time when pasTimes

meanT: reading a book, playing an insTrumenT,

having a collecTion or going for a walk.

alThough some young people have prevailed To

keep up wiTh This TraiT, a loT of our youTh have

modified Their idea of a pasTime wiTh new ways

of relaxaTion like: going for long drives,

smoking sheesha, gluing Themselves To

blackberry messengers, going To bandar for

karak Tea; or if noThing else, changing from one

Television channel To The oTher To pass Time.

Besides being in a medical college and spending the entire day at university, I’m a type of person who writes a lot and enjoy staying alone for long periods of time just thinking and spending time with myself. I do several things for my pastime or entertainment that varies every day. I enjoy going out with friends for dune bashing or sometimes camping in the desert. I don’t blame this genera-tion for choosing what they do, as everything is a part of entertainment. I also enjoy other things like going for long drives and movies. Going for a sheesha is one of my favorite ways to pass time although not one of the top favorite.

syeda azka alI20, weIl cornell medIcalunIversIty In Qatar

issue 7 201116

Qatar is made for tea lovers. I go to a place, and pick up tea on the way. I return from the place and get another tea. My lifestyle has changed over the course of time in Qatar. I was previously a student outside Qatar and when I came to Qatar, I realized that most of the things I used to do could not be done here. This is mainly because in my homeland I have an air of freedom and the confidence that it is my place. I love to turn the music loud, roll the windows down and drive within the city. Other than that, I mostly spend time facebook-ing on my mobile phone and try to reach my friends to chat. If I go to my country, I never chat or face-book. Instead, I just talk to people and get along with the rest of the day by actually meeting people in person.

hasIf harIs, 22, natIonal educatIonal centre

In my free time in I go bowling. This is an activity you can do with several people and also alone. It is also a good physical activity. I’m a sort of person who loves reading books and hanging out with friends just anywhere reading, studying or talking. I love to play the guitar, and I’m very passionate about it. Besides these things, I love to cook or bake at home and enjoy the savor of good food, and love to see people enjoy the food I make. A lot of our youth, I believe, is wasting a lot of time by not making use of their pastime and doing pointless things. I myself love going for long drives with friends during my free time and it really relaxes me. I hope the youth can work towards changing the world around them by making use of the resources provided to them and improving themselves and those around them.

chrIstIna andrews, 18, northwestern unIversIty In Qatar

When youngsters get free time, they call or text each other and make plans with near and dear ones to go out and meet up and do something fun. I must admit that in Qatar there aren’t any special things to do and see, unlike in Dubai where you have lots of opportunities to do keep yourself engaged throughout the day. A typical weekend of a young-ster here in Qatar would be: to stay in bed till midday; check the blackberry or iPhone for endless messages; make plans with friends; go out to the mall; go for tea and finally watch a movie and go to sleep

farhan umer23, ex-student ofcollege of north atlantIc Qatar

Rashid, who has been in the porcelain business for the last 10 years, enjoys spending his free time going for long drives with his friends. “I go for long drives because it relaxes my mind after a long day of work,” he says. “There aren’t a lot of things to do in Qatar. So as soon as I get some free time, I shower, leave my house and get into the car. Sometimes my friends join me. Drives allow time for some deep conversations with friends. And by the time we drive around the corniche, it’s almost nightfall.”

rashId azat, 29, entrepreneur In Qatar

issue 7 201118

as humans we have a unique gift. The gift to think… and this thinking has helped us progress, develop and achieve what no other animal has been capable of. Even if you’ve never concentrated during history

classes, never watched History Channel but at least seen movies like Troy and 300, you would know that we as a race have progressed expo-nentially since we started out. From huts made of mud to buildings kissing the sky, from a camel or a horse ride to planes that travel faster than sound. All this progress and achievement has resulted in a very complex and gigantic social structure that needs to be continuously fed with bright, smart and entrepreneur-like lads. People who can not only maintain this system but also develop it to make the present trends and technologies utter obsolete junk for future generations – carrying a 1.4 MB floppy disk was a cool thing at one point!

And this is where our education system steps in. From the times we don’t even have a mem-ory of, we are trained and educated to sustain and develop the social structure we have built with so much pride and honor. We need more and more general managers and CEO’s to run business empires, scientists to invent the impos-

sible, athletes to slog indefinitely to earn billions and entertain us.

Every year millions and millions of students become ‘men’ and ‘women’, and are fed into the system to prove their mettle. But is our educa-tion system good enough to build our youth for the future they shall be living in? Are the stu-dents taught what it takes to survive the never-ending rat race?

every experIence Is vItalThere is a never-ending debate about whether practical knowledge is better than theoretical. Or vice versa. I’ve realized, gaining only theor-itical knowledge is as uselss as gaining only practical knowledge; instead both go hand in hand.

Being educated, we don’t work as robots, instead as decision-makers. To understand the problem is as important as to have the ability to solve it. It is practically impossible to assume that all we face in the ‘real world’ can be simu-lated in our class rooms and can be taught to us. Like in mathematics it is not possible to solve each and every problem in class, in designing it is not possible to draw each and every building.

Our professors can give us the basic formu-las, basic structures to work on, and a few ex-

amples to deepen our understanding of certain concepts. Once clear, we can solve any problem, we can design any building.

Business graduates are taught – Customer is everything in the business. But unless they truly understand what this statement means and internalize the meaning, it holds no value. After working for more than three years, I can relate to this statement perfectly well.

Even if you think the customer is wrong, even if you know you are logically correct and right on your grounds, you have to make sure that the customer is happy. After all your product and service is what they shall take back; and a cus-tomer is the best advertisement of a company.

Such learning shows that everything taught in class cannot be implied in the real world, and everything experienced in the real world cannot be taught in class.

As thinking and decision-making individuals, we are required to absorb everything (theory and practical) and use it in accordance to a situ-ation. People in the business of education will keep innovating learning methods to enhance a student’s experience at their institutes; and will keep promoting that they develop students to face the challenges of the world. But it is up to us to extract the best out of everything.

Real exPectationSWhat do i Really Want fRom my degRee?

by ashWiN

doke

issue 7 201120

how ilanded My joB

We ask Rachel MoRRis, stRategic coMMunications consultant, to tell us the stoRy of heR caReeR and hoW she Made it to the top

byyousra

saMir

212011 issue 7

I

“don’t thInk young people read enough – newspa-pers, magazInes, the web. I thInk beIng well- Informed Is your best weapon In the workplace.” - raChel Morris.

strategic communications consultant Rachel Morris is pure PR genius ñ she has a natural flair with words ñ she can take any information and communicate it efficiently to her clients’ target audience, delivering

their message spot-on. But she did not always work in the field of PR and she was not always self-employed. For 17 years Rachel worked in different jobs as writer, journalist and editor before she chose to make a shift in her career path from media and journalism to PR and communications. Rachel is an example of many people today who took up many jobs before finally reaching where they are today. That is the funny thing about careers, and sometimes you end up making a career choice completely different to the degree you studied.

sTarTiNG ouTIt was not PR or journalism that Rachel studied when she attended the University of Sydney, but an inter-disciplinary degree in politics. “I wanted a well-rounded experience. I tend to think that studying specialized degrees, which are much more common now than they were 20 years ago, are often too narrow in their focus and don’t expose students to other disciplines, methods and ways of thinking,” Rachel says. An inter-disciplinary degree can be a good choice as it gives you a certain level of flexibility when it comes to choosing a career.

The World of jourNalisMAfter graduating from university, Rachel de-cided journalism was the career choice for her. As a teenager, she had gained work experience at a community newspaper in her home suburb of Parramatta in Sydney, the Parramatta Mer-

cury – an experience she describes as “one of the most formative experiences in my life.”

But she did not start off in the editor’s chair from day one. “I got a job as a copy girl, which essentially was the office assistant in the early 1990s. I ran errands, got coffee and pho-tocopies, says Rachel. “It showed me every as-pect of the process and how to appreciate the job that each person does.”

From there Rachel went on to work at The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Sydney as a po-litical reporter. She then moved up as an editor of one of Australia’s biggest-selling magazines, Woman’s Day. “Woman’s Day is a celebrity-driven magazine and I was responsible for growing the ‘real life’ news section. It was scary but also amazing. Telling people’s stories is why we get into the media and communication industry,” she explains.

WorkiNG abroadRachel took up the ultimate challenge when she got the position as editor of a weekly newspaper in Dubai, where she lived and worked for 15 months. Then, one day, she saw an advert in a newspaper looking for an editor for a newspa-per in Doha. “From memory it was a really vague ad about a ‘newspaper seeking an editor with a world view’,” Rachel recalls. “I was on holiday in London when I got the call to come for an interview and the next thing I knew I was on a plane to Doha.”

Rachel had got the job – Editor of The Penin-sula. She moved to Doha in 2007, not knowing a single soul.

a GiaNT sTePAfter 17 years in journalism, Rachel made her boldest move yet – she made the personal choice

to shift career paths from the world of media to the world of public relations. Not only that, but she was going to be self-employed and working for herself, not for anyone else. She now works as a strategic communications consultant; her clients include some of Qatar’s biggest compa-nies and well-known organizations as well as government agencies and smaller clients too. She aids them in their communication needs whether that be writing and developing their press releases and press packages, speaking and communication with customers and the broader community, or dealing with problems should any occur.

Of her career shift Rachel says, “Moving from the media to PR was hard. In media, you are seeking the information, whereas in PR and communications you have the information and you have to decide how much you reveal. It’s a tightrope sometimes and it took a while to adjust to it. It’s kind of like a narrator in a novel, their perspective and position determines how much you know.”

Career adViCeAccording to Rachel, the best piece of advice someone ever gave her while at work was, “Everybody you meet is important and you are only as powerful as your network. That person you meet at a function could one day be your client or one day interview you for an amazing job. Also, when I was a journalist, an editor once told me, ‘always dress as though you are going to meet the Queen’. That is, always dress well as it garners you respect from everyone you meet.” And her advice? “Read widely. I don’t think young people read enough – newspapers, magazines, the web. I think being well-in-formed is your best weapon in the workplace.”

issue 7 201122

WRiteR’S cRafta neW PeRSPective on languageStoday’s youth know the value of reachIng out and communIcatIng theIr thoughts, and have the desIre to be artIculate In theIr expressIons. when such messages are mIxed wIth a tradItIonal and rIch language lIke arabIc, lIterature gets a new perspectIve – a thought shared by dr amal mohammed al malkI, the edItor of the wrIter’s craft: teachIng creatIve wrItIng In Qatar durIng the launch of the book at the carnegIe mellon unIversIty In Qatar (cmu-Q) recently.

“language of any country plays a significant role in its development. It not just reflects the expression of thoughts, perception and values

of any society but also the fundamental expres-sion of social identity. Our nation is going through a transition and our book is an initiative to showcase this transition of Qatar,” she said. The book is one step towards the realisation of

these desires and is an effort to ink down the transition of Qatar through the pens of the youth.

soul of the bookLaunched by the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari Writer’s Craft has been published by the Minis-try in recognition of Doha’s reign as the Arab

NoT a roboT

Nada Al Mahmed, the Project Manager of the book and also one of the authors said, “Being the project manager of the Writer’s Craft was a very nice experience, where I had the chance to make use of the different skills I acquired in CMU-Q. The project also gave me more confidence in my potential as a manager. On a personal level, taking the writer’s craft course was a very beneficial experience for me. Before the course I was not able to add my personal character to the paper, and several people told me that they think my papers are written by a ‘robot’. Today, that robot does not exist in my papers!”

232011 issue 7

Capital City of Culture 2010. The book is a collection of essays written by 23 students of CMU-Q and took five months in compilation. The essays, based on real experiences, thoughts and aspirations, came as a result of the creative writing course that Dr Al Malki taught to stu-dents. She adapted a course she taught in the US for students in Qatar, to help them realise the power of written expressions. “By adapting the course for the local market, students would learn new possibilities for written expression. They would plumb English to explore Arab

themes and experiences that native speakers of English had never written about. I want them to write as educated users of the English lan-guage,” said Dr Al Malki, who is also an Assis-tant Teaching Professor at CMU-Q.

“I want the students to experience writing as an extension of their own voice. They were en-couraged to acquire comfort and competence in a variety of English genres. The students have written about many of the modern develop-ments using a lot of technical terms, using na-tive themes and preserving their identity and

native culture. This is an interesting develop-ment for all of us,” said added.

The book has been divided into four main segments, each of which represents a particular theme that takes readers through the journey of experiences. The four segments are se-quenced as self-portrait, observer portrait, scenic writing and narrative history.

Writer’s Craft is a celebration for the writer that prevails in every soul. “Many such books will be written in the future to give these writers a voice of their own,” says Dr Al Malki.

uNfoldiNG eMoTioNs

Hind Al Khulaifi, author of Deprived But Still Thriving said, “Writer’s Craft allowed me to unfold emotions and feelings I did not know were within me. Most importantly, it allowed me to experience the beauty of creative writing. To see my dearest piece published in a book is truly an empowering accomplishment.”

NeW exPerieNCes

Author Nofe K Al Suwaidi thinks “Being a part of the Writer’s Craft was a learning experience on various levels. On one level we learned new ways to strengthen and cultivate our writing. On another level, the workshop atmosphere of the class was a learning experience in itself. Another wonderful thing about writing is that it allows us to express ourselves. When you write, you’re granted this rare opportunity in life that allows others a peek into your soul. It gives you a chance to express who you are and how you want others to view you.”

issue 7 201126

A Day In The Life Of…

An Auditor

Hani Najjar is a member of the community of Professionals on Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Jobsite

Career buzz

Wake up, make myself two pancakes and watch the BBC news for around an hour to stay updated. Hit the shower, get ready and head to work

7:00AM

WaNT To share a day iN your life?

e-maIl bayt.com at: [email protected]

by haNi

Najjar

272011 issue 7

Want to share a Day in your Life? E-mail Bayt.com at: [email protected] Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 30,000 employers and over 3.5 Million

registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, represent-ing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com

today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

Check my e-mail and my voice mail. My auditing team won’t be here before 8:30 which gives me the chance to plan their individual weekly worksheets and to set their deadlines accordingly.

8:00AM

Team meeting. Briefing about our work for the week and distribu-tion of individual tasks. Q&A session afterwards to clarify some responsibilities and individual duties for the week.

10:00AM

Back to my office. I have been working on the annual financial statements for 10 days now. I sum it up, go

over it again and send the draft to the word processing department.

12:00pM

Time for phone calls: first call to treasury manager with whom I discuss the company’s conformity with debt contract. The second call is to a staff auditor who needs assistance with a complicated financial statement presentation. I ask him to meet me in the cafeteria. We’ll have lunch and go over his document.

1:30pM

Back to my office. Check my e-mails again and spend the afternoon assessing the overall business risk to our sister company. The thing I enjoy most about this job is getting the chance to examine all different business units in order to audit each facility and evaluate the overall business risks.

4:00pM

After a long assessment, it’s time for my recommendations now. I draft my corrective measures, complete my comments and take a break.

5:30pM

Time to discuss my study. Meeting with CFO and Finance Manager to go over the details.

8:30AM

7:00pM

Out of the office at last. Tonight is DVD night at my place. Four of my friends are coming over in less than an hour’s time. Pass by the supermarket and get some munchies and call for pizza delivery.

issue 7 201128

Don’t Panic!Everybody feels stressed and anxious when it’s exam

time – but just how much anxiety is normal and when does it become a problem?

by yousra

saMir

your heart is beating wildly, your hands are sticky and sweating, the room starts to spin. You begin to hy-perventilate, your chest feels tight, you can’t breathe and your legs shake involuntarily. It feels like you are

about to pass out, or even worse, have a heart attack. Does this scenario sound familiar? Don’t worry, you are not passing out, or having a heart attack, or about to die. Like tens of thousands of students across the globe feeling the stress of university life, what you are experiencing is a panic attack.

hoW MuCh aNxieTy is NorMal?Everybody feels anxious from time to time - “Am I going to get my assignment done on time?” “Am I going to do well on my mid-term exam?”

“Is my professor going to like my presentation?” T hese are all normal thoughts that cause uni-v e r s i t y s t u d e n t s a healthy dose of anxiety. Sometimes anxiety can even be good for you - the feelings associated with being anxious be-fore an exam or pre-sentation can increase

your levels of adrena-line, enhancing your perfor-

mance. Once a stressful situation is over and done with, the anxiety

usually passes and you forget all about those anxious feelings. However, unfortunately for some students, those feelings do not subside.

WheN aNxieTy beCoMes a ProbleMFor some students, university life causes chronic anxiety. When you are anxious, your mind perceives that there is danger and takes the ‘fight or flight’ mode, re- leasing stress hormones into the bloodstream to cope

with that danger. But for students suffering from chronic anxiety, that ‘danger’ is usually something quite normal, like speaking in front of a class, or having to complete a hefty reading assignment in one night. Since the ‘danger’ is not something harmful to the body, the body does not use up the stress hormones, the effect of which can be quite overpowering, resulting in unpleasant physical symptoms: sweating, nausea, dizziness, palpitations, disturbing thoughts, insomnia, and even worse panic at-tacks.

“I sometimes get anxiety attacks during the exam week and such. Deadlines freak me out and I am a very panicky person. As soon as I think of what my professors are going to think of my design solution... like ‘will they like it?’ I feel like I am going to faint. Especially at VCU-Q, professors are sometimes harsh; and that I ab-solutely dread. Usually my blood pressure drops drastically when I get nervous or have to make a presentation. Presenting in front of a crowd is my biggest fear. So far, I haven’t really found a cure for this but I do try as much as I can to stay calm. I don’t smoke or drink. I just like to get some fresh air when I am feeling a little uneasy.”

ramna domInIc, 22, vcu-Q

a PaNiC aTTaCk sTrikesWhen anxiety pushes a person over the edge, a sudden surge of stress hormones in the blood-

292011 issue 7

stream can trigger a panic attack. A panic attack usually happens in a stressful situation, for example, right before a final exam, and if you have never had one, it can be a pretty scary experience. Not knowing when a panic attack will strike causes many students to suffer from depression, and may even push them to stop attending university from the fear of an attack happening at any time.

“I remember my first full blown panic attack happened on the day of my physics final. I looked at the paper and I found it okay, I knew most of the stuff so I started doing the equations first. When I looked at the time, I realized there was only 30 minutes left and more than half the paper was left unsolved and this was the board exam! The rest of my memory went blurry; I remember crying so much that my vision went blurry, my writing and the paper was smeared with tears. I barely managed to finish the paper because the invigilator got worried if he snatched my paper I might die of a heart attack.”

yumna zea, 23, Qatar unIversIty

“I get panic attacks almost before every exam, test, quiz and paper submission deadline. I liter-ally freak out before any of these and even make other people nervous and lose control.For me now it has become a routine drill, one that I have to go through before any sort of ex-amination. I don’t believe the reason behind my panic attacks is examophobia, because once I am inside the examination room I tend to calm down. It’s just that I am the kind of a person who worries about every minute detail and I con-

Seek medical h e l p i f n o n e o f the above methods h e l p a n d your symptoms are more serious. You may need to seek the help of a psychiatrist. They may put you on medication combined with behavioral therapy – the medicine will help calm you down and re-duce your physical symptoms while the behavioral therapy will teach you the techniques you need to cope with the anxiety and panic attacks.

Whatever you do, never take unprescribed drugs without first consulting a doctor. While they may be a short-term fix, do not look to smoking, alcohol or drugs as a solution. After the initial high, when you come crashing down, you will end up feeling worse and the long-term health effects are even worse.

stantly worry about missing an important point.Nothing really helps me when it comes to panic attacks; no matter how hard I try not to panic I do get anxiety attacks. But I usually try taking long deep breaths to steady my heart beat and keep on repeating to myself that ev-erything will be fine.”

masba obaId, 19, Qatar unIversIty

syMPToMs of a PaNiC aTTaCk:* Palpitations* Shallow or fast breathing* Nausea* Dizziness* Numb or sweaty hands and feet* Ringing ears* Chest pain/tight chest* Feeling very hot or very cold

WhaT To do duriNG aT aTTaCkThe important thing to remember is that you are not going mad, you are not going to pass out, you are not having a heart attack and you will not die. Stop what you are doing, sit down, try to stay calm and take slow, deep breaths. Breathe into a paper bag if you can find one. Hyperventilating will only make the attack worse. If you have a friend with you, tell him/her not to panic with you, but to talk to you and try to distract you from your attack - this may be effective in calming you down. Drink a cool glass of water.

loNG-TerM TreaTMeNTStudents in every country around the world suffer different forms of anxiety and panic at-tacks, so know that you are not alone – there are solutions, there is treatment and there are ways to cope with this.

Improve your wellbeing through a healthy and balanced diet and exercise, which have been proven time after time to reduce stress levels and combat anxiety. Take up meditation, self-relaxation methods and yoga, and try read-ing self-help books.

Try counseling or therapy in your university. Your university should have trained counselors and student affairs officers ready to help you with any problems or issues you may have. Counselors are there to help you to get to the root of your problems, and find techniques and solutions to help you cope with your anxiety and panic attacks, supporting you all the way. Let your academic advisor or form tutor know what is going on – there is nothing to be embarrassed about and it is important they know what is going on so it can be taken into consideration should your symptoms affect your academic performance.

The Family Consulting Center and Al Rashid Center are two other great counseling centers in Qatar. You can also try asking your GP to refer you to a psychologist.

issue 7 201130

forging social links

“Some people believe football to be a matter of life and death; but i can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”

- Bill Shankly, Liverpool Football Club manager, 1959-1974.

onlinegamingby roryCoeN

312011 issue 7

no doubt Shankly had his tongue firmly wedged in his cheek when he uttered those words, but you can’t help take some meaning from his bluntness. He wasn’t just referring to the outcome of the

game itself – which is incidental in the grand scheme of things – but instead, to football’s social meaning among the global masses, who use football as a construct for interaction.

Mark Heggen points out that football is so endeared throughout the world – and has be-come so popular – that it recontextualises its own fundamental principle. Football ceases to be about football and starts to be about joy. It brings people together to passionately unite around a cause, and it’s this feeling of joy and unity which ultimately transcends matters on the field.

Heggen is a Game Designer for a New York based gaming company called Zengo – one of the leading game producers for Facebook – and he was at Tasmeem in March to talk specifi-cally about how social gaming – globally and locally – can forge meaningful links between people. Social gaming being the games we play on social networks, such as Facebook.

soCial GaMiNG“It’s an interesting term and has changed a lot in last five years,” Heggen points out. “It refers to gaming online, but with your real friends. This is a brand new concept; it was never really possible before as people used to play with

strangers or ‘game only’ friends instead. They’re usually related to a specific style of game, where you check-in with short-style sessions through-out the day or week.”

Social Gaming is really big. Last year, there were 600 million users world-wide and that figure is on a curve; it’s going up and up. So how are these social games bringing people to-gether in meaningful ways? How exactly are they forging links between people?

“Online social games are obviously not the same as non-digital social games,” he contin-ued. “Football is not the same as Farmville. The fundamental difference is that they are con-structed out of different pieces and they will never fit together; but I don’t think they have to. I think what’s important is they are more similar than what people think. They give meaning to our lives; they make our brains think; they bring people and friends together.

“The differences are also interesting. Tradi-tional sports have a certain relationship to physical proximity which gives them strength. Players have to physically meet; there’s body and eye contact, which is good. However, online social games also have a special relationship to physical proximity; they can ignore it. They can bring together people who live an hour away. That’s something which card-games, boards-games and sports are terrible at; it’s impossible to play these games unless you and your mates are in the locale. With digital games, that’s not a problem; you just need to sync up your schedules.

“People wouldn’t be playing these games unless there were getting some social meaning out of them. I do believe there are some people closer to their grandkids because they water their crops when they forget. I feel a little bit of warmth when an old buddy of mine from high school does me a favour.”

sCraTChiNG The surfaCe of PossibiliTies Online social gaming really took off in 2008, so it’s still in its infancy. The good news for enthu-siasts is that it really is only the beginning. We have barely scratched the surface of what we can achieve.

“Since 2008, there have been a lot of distrac-tions; businesses had to be started, models had to be created and defined, technical engineer-ing problems had to be resolved; people had to be trained for jobs that didn’t exist six months ago. It seems to me that when you log into Facebook, it doesn’t represent anything close to what can be achieved. It seems like we’re on the verge of something huge, but what tops all that is the fact that you’re online with your real friends. These other things you can take or leave them really,” Heggen added.

Humans have a remarkable capacity of creating ways to socialise and bond with each other. Playing, watching and discussing games and sports with your friends are perpetual habits, and online gaming – this new child prodigy in the gaming dynasty – will be a re-markable extension to what we have been doing for thousands of years.

socIal gamIng Is really bIg. last year, there were 600 mIllIon users world-wIde and that fIgure Is on a curve; It’s goIng up and up.

issue 7 201132

SpringClean Your Workouts

wIth wInter sayIng Its goodbyes, It’s tIme to step out and shed all that wInter plump. thIs Is the rIght tIme for lazybones to

create an exercIse routIne, and hopefully take It serIously. and for those who love theIr workouts, maybe a QuIck sprIng

cleanIng – attItude, gear and schedules – would work great!so, here’s WhaT To Toss aWay aNd rePlaCe WiTh.

332011 issue 7

abaNdoN siPPiNG WaTer oNly WheN ThirsTy

Drink 4 to 6 ounces of water for every 15 minutes of exercise. Sweating

away even a tiny portion of your body weight can doom your workout by making your heart beat faster and causing you to feel weak and tired.

duMP freebie Gears

Most low-grade gears like pedom-eters or heart beat counters are

inaccurate with most of them overestimating the counts –

according to research. Invest in quality gadgets and to know what

exactly your body is capable of.

diTCh old exerCise CloThes

Raise the feel good factor a notch higher with new exercise outfits. But don’t go over the top with the fashion

statement. Pick comfort and sweat absorbent materials over everything else – sure you know that already. So, time to shift from cotton to synthetic.

More is beTTer: NoT

Start slow and take up the pace and intensity. Focus on quality. Instead of walking or biking at one speed for an hour, halve your workout

(and burn the same amount of calories) by doing sprint intervals – 30 seconds to 2

minutes at a very fast pace, followed by 2 minutes at normal pace.

rePlaCe old ruNNiNG shoes WiTh NeW

With all the running, the worn out soles of your shoes can be a reason for serious injury. To know how old your running shoes are, it’s best to have the purchase date written on the

underside of the sole of the shoes. Create a mileage chart and let the chart be your guide to know when to replace your shoes. Change them every 12 months or at 150kms every 9

months. You decide, depending on your routine.

Mix rouTiNes

Choose a dancing class, swimming sessions, yoga or even kick boxing to ramp up your overall well-being. Sticking to just

one kind of exercising can become monotonous causing a drop in motivation.

With different routines you pick up new skills and work on areas which are probably

ignored in your routine workouts.

ruN iN The oPeN

Atleast once a week, step out in the open and go for a run. The natural air and feel brings a

freshness that cannot be matched indoors, on a treadmill. The Corniche is a jogger’s favorite but we suggest you try other spots. Perhaps an early

run on the beach or a brisk walk in a park is equally fun.

issue 7 201134

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352011 issue 7

issue 7 201136

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issue 7 201142

geT gADgeTY

suPer Mario Chess seT

Of course you get the game and the really cool pieces of Mario and the Princess and Yoshi and Bowser etc. But here’s the shocking part: Luigi is the Queen! We thought they were brothers! We thought Birdo was the one with gender questions, not Luigi. But now we know the truth. So, buy the Super Mario Chess Set and show your love and support for chess, Super Mario Brothers, and Luigi’s right to express himself however he chooses.

Available at: www.thinkgeek.com

Coffee CuP iNVerTer

When you start to feel a little low on energy you can turn to that terrific alkaloid caffeine. Well, now your gadgets can turn to a coffee cup of their own when they need an energy recharge. The Coffee Cup Power Inverter is a conveniently shaped power source that coverts your car’s DC power into two 120-volt AC outlets. Perfect for powering or charging T V’s, DVD players, game consoles, cell phones, and other portable electronics. This coffee cup also has a USB charging port providing 500mA of power. The unique coffee cup shape fits nicely in today’s auto/boat/truck cup holders, preventing it from moving around inside your vehicle.


Qr109*

kiWi blueTooTh Car diaGNosTiC kiT

The Kiwi Bluetooth is a plug and play wireless device that connects to your car’s OBDII port (right below the steering wheel). Kiwi Bluetooth comes attached with a 6 ft OBDII cable for easy installa-tion. Product specifications: Wirelessly connect your car to your Android phone; three compatible applications from the Android Market work with Kiwi Bluetooth – Torque, alOBD & OBDroid; Monitor: Fuel efficiency, check engine trouble codes, real time gauges, horsepower and torque, and more; Range: 50 ft; Power Consumption: 0.7 Watts; Dimensions: 2.75 x 1.25 x 0.6 inches.


GizMos

Qr 145*

Qr363*

issue 7 201144

Qr290*

eleCTroNiC sCrabble

Flash Electronic Letter Game is actually three games in one. Each one requires you to move the SmartLink tiles around until they spell words. The tiles are called SmartLink because they know when they are next to each other and touching, and automatically register that a word was created. Flash Electronic Letter Game is a great way to pass time and attract attention – no one can just resist staring, and eventually helping, as you play.


sTaiNless sTeel Video WaTCh

This Stainless Steel Video Watch has a massive 8GB of internal flash memory as well as a full color 1.8” screen. Made completely from shiny stainless steel for the ultimate in style and coolness. High pixel count and frames per second make viewing a joy. Plus this watch has a built-in voice recorder, multiple OSD languages to choose from, a built-in high quality speaker as well as an earphone jack, the ability to view JPEG pictures and listen to music at the same time.


Video sWiM Mask

Keep your hands free as you swim all the way to a depth of 15 feet! Turn the camera on, choose a mode (video or still) with the upper button, and press the shutter to record pictures or video. The LED inside the mask lets you know which mode you’ve selected. Downloading images once you’ve gotten your land legs is simple – just plug the mask into your computer’s USB port with the included cable.


Qr365*

Qr140*

issue 7 201146

recent catastrophes that have shaken the world – Japan’s dev-astation by natural calamities, riots in Arab states, earthquakes in New Zealand, floods in Austra-lia – have taught us some very important lessons. To prepare for

unforeseen mishaps is no more a choice, it is a necessity. And emergencies don’t always have to be of radical intensity. What if the movie hall you’re watching a film in catches fire? How prepared would you be to manage the crisis situation? Would you panic or would you look calmly for the nearest exit? We would all choose the latter ofcourse, but when faced with real emergency, our bodies and minds will go into shock and disbelief. By the time we gather our senses, we may just about have a narrow escape.

sTarTiNG earlyDisaster management has never been so widely discussed as it has been off late. A United Nations report states ‘Japan’s disaster

management and crisis response’s legal frame-work is highly developed. The Japanese govern-ment and people are highly attuned to their inherent vulnerability and have enacted laws and implemented stringent policy and practice guidelines in preparation for disasters.’

In Japan, disaster management starts at el-ementary school level. Japanese children are taught that natural disasters can strike anytime and at any place which prepares them to stay alert and act accordingly in times of crisis.

When escaping for life, these children are taught to hold one another’s hands, encourage one another and walk calmly to safety. School curriculums include disaster management education and thorough disaster drills every semester.

Japan hasn’t experienced a single incident of looting or even rioting in their recent colossal devastation. People have kept calm despite experiencing extreme distress. They have been supportive and cooperative, offering each other all kinds of necessities.

aT The MeNTal sTaGeA crisis can refer to any situation in which the individual perceives a sudden loss of his or her ability to use effective problem-solving and coping skills. So, when faced with such a situa-tion, our first involuntary reaction is shock. What crisis management education does is, it trains us to react in a ‘normal’ way to an ‘abnor-mal’ situation. Various escape strategies are taught, and also students are told that their ‘normal’ reactions are temporary. Although there is no specific time that a person can expect to recover from a crisis, an individual can help recovery by engaging in the coping and prob-lem-solving skills – which also come from the education.

By strengthening our mental readiness, we encourage ourselves to facilitate recovery in the face of a disaster or a challenge. Emergency management education prepares us to act in life threatening situations, but it’s not just lives that we save – there is also a task of psycho-logical rescue.

Managingin a CrisisThe importance of disaster management education

by MeGhNa

dey

Documents

Campus April_May 2011