Latest news with #WhatsAppUniversity
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
Walking out of ‘WhatsApp' university
Having spent my formative years as a boarder and then a lifetime in uniform, I found myself brimming with social energy upon superannuation. Naturally, I was drawn into the sprawling, chaotic world of what is colloquially known as 'WhatsApp University'. In no time, I was added to a plethora of groups: my class group, the school alumni forum, NDA squadron, course mates, battalion groups — the list grew longer than a soldier's kit list. I soon realised that hours of my day were vanishing into the black hole of endless messages, emojis, forwarded gyaan, and the predictable avalanche of good mornings. Frustrated, I decided to seek help from an old comrade and dear friend, now settled in Patiala. Known for his discipline and razor-sharp time management, he had always been the sort who would get things done before the deadline. His life post-retirement was a masterclass in balance. His office bore a blunt sign: 'Mobiles Not Permitted Inside.' As a boss, he would visibly bristle at anyone glancing at their phone mid-meeting — offenders were often shown the door, sometimes permanently. He was known to be a hard taskmaster and had the knack for getting things done before time. He was endowed with meticulous time management skills. He divided the 24 hours of the day into hours of physical fitness, work, and quality time with family. Over a well-earned Patiala peg, I asked him the pressing question: 'How do you handle this WhatsApp madness?' He smiled and shared what I now call the 'Patiala Protocol' — his operating manual for staying sane in the age of digital deluge. 'It's not rocket science,' he began. 'I've confined all WhatsApp activity to a single hour — between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. — while I enjoy my tea with the family. That's it. No pressure, no guilt, and certainly no notifications pinging all day. I don't do ritualistic greetings — no 'good mornings', 'happy birthdays', or 'happy anniversaries' unless it's personal. Too many get it wrong anyway — wishing birthdays on wedding anniversaries and vice versa.' He added, 'I know of many instances when so-called well-wishers wished the wrong person or conveyed a 'happy birthday' on a person's wedding anniversary. I always greet or convey condolences personally.' He went on: 'All group notifications are silenced. I never post or forward anything. I scroll quickly, pick what's useful, and move on. I avoid debates on politics, religion, or gender topics. I don't get offended by posts I disagree with. Why should I? My peace of mind is worth more than a meme. Now, this leaves me with plenty of time for my other productive hobbies of reading and writing. His philosophy was simple — low engagement, high relevance, zero drama.' I left his home lighter in spirit and grateful for the clarity he offered. In navigating WhatsApp University, it turns out, the trick isn't to respond faster — it's to respond less, but live more. advityanidhi14@
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Cannes 2025: Uorfi Javed misses red carpet debut after visa rejection; fans say 'She was more deserving than Sarah Sarosh'
Uorfi Javed certainly knows how to turn heads; whether it is with her bold fashion choices or her unapologetic personality, she consistently stays in the spotlight. The all-round entertainer never fails to capture public attention. Moreover, every year, her fans eagerly await her debut on the Cannes red carpet. However, she missed the opportunity once again this year since her visa application was reportedly rejected. Disheartened, Javed shared an emotional post about the same on her Instagram on Wednesday. In the post, she shared that her team was working on 'crazy' outfit ideas for her debut at Cannes 2025. Not only this, but she also addressed why she was absent from social media for quite some time. She went on to highlight that she was missing due to her failed business and rejections. Uorfi Javed misses the opportunity to appear at Cannes 2025 again The 27-year-old social media influencer in her post clarified that she wasn't uploading anything or being seen anywhere because she was going through a phase. She wrote, "My business didn't work, I tried a bunch of other different things only to face rejections." She also mentioned the point that she got an opportunity to go to Cannes via Inde Wild, but as the fate would have it, her visa got rejected. "Was working on a few crazy outfit ideas; my team and I were very disheartened. I'm sure a lot of you guys must be going through rejections yourselves, and I would love to know your stories," she added. Redditors believe Uorfi Javed was more deserving than Sarah Sarosh Uorfi Javed's absence from the Cannes 2025 red carpet has now stirred a buzz online, with fans and netizens expressing their disappointment over her missed debut. As soon as the news broke that her visa got rejected, social media quickly lit up with reactions. Meanwhile, a Reddit thread regarding the same garnered massive reactions; some supported Uorfi and called her a true fashion risk-taker. While, according to some, she would have added a much-needed flair to the event, and others compared her to other influencers, Sarah Sarosh, who attended the event. One said, "Honestly she was much deserving than sarah" "I was here to comment on that. She is farrrrrrrr more deserving than any influecersss sakshi or Sarah . My blood is boiling," another noted. "it is kind of sad, especially the rejection of visa part… the amount of times I have tried to explain this to people, the implication and the disadvantages of having a developing country passport, and yet everyone around me, especially the boomers seem to have graduated from WhatsApp University never seem to understand its implications… going to the Cannes would have been a really big deal in her career. That's sad." "Urfi has grown on me. She could have shown her creativity on that platform. It's okay; I don't hate her. Maybe next time."
