Without meaning to sound conceited in any way, it is one of the facts of life that I am far better at giving viva voce exams than I am at giving written exams. Because in written exams, when I don't know something (which is rather frequently, considering the amount I study) I simpl blank out. In viva exams, on the other hand, when I'm asked something I don't know the answer to, I seem to have the knack of making up answers on the spot, which, luckily for me, seem to do the trick.
Today (well, yesterday, really) was my viva oral exam for my dissertation. After talking about my study, methodology, tools etc., and coming up with rather decent explanations for why on earth my study shows no significant differences between the two groups, the external examiner picked up on one my results pertaining to gender differences. He asked me why I thought such a result had come up, and from there, we went onto socialization of boys and girls in India, leading to a rather animated discussion about the state of women of India.
Now anyone who knows me knows that I'm in my element when I have to make up answers during interviews. They also know that the aforementioned topic is, honestly, something I can go on and on about*. So you can well imagine how my viva went and why I've been grinning since my exit line, which incidentally, was essentially a summary of this post.
See, it pays to be a feminist. Now if only the rest of my exams involve such discussions, I'm all set.
*Apparently, almost everyone does know this about me, because I hear the second some of my classmates I've never really spoken much to heard what turn my viva had taken, they were certain it had gone well. I need to become more enigmatic.
Today (well, yesterday, really) was my viva oral exam for my dissertation. After talking about my study, methodology, tools etc., and coming up with rather decent explanations for why on earth my study shows no significant differences between the two groups, the external examiner picked up on one my results pertaining to gender differences. He asked me why I thought such a result had come up, and from there, we went onto socialization of boys and girls in India, leading to a rather animated discussion about the state of women of India.
Now anyone who knows me knows that I'm in my element when I have to make up answers during interviews. They also know that the aforementioned topic is, honestly, something I can go on and on about*. So you can well imagine how my viva went and why I've been grinning since my exit line, which incidentally, was essentially a summary of this post.
See, it pays to be a feminist. Now if only the rest of my exams involve such discussions, I'm all set.
*Apparently, almost everyone does know this about me, because I hear the second some of my classmates I've never really spoken much to heard what turn my viva had taken, they were certain it had gone well. I need to become more enigmatic.
7 comments:
ugh.. I messed up my viva 2 out of 3 times. But... seriously... you? a feminist? Puhleeze! you reader of MBs and GHs... There are no other book that put women in a more conventional 'subjugated' role. *eyeroll*
#1: there are different kinds of feminists, which I had once looked and planned a post on, but never got round to completing.
#2: GHs - brilliant books. MBs - not so brilliant. In both cases, the storylines are *not* what I want happening in my life.
#3: I really should plan a post on why I read them. But then I should also plan on starting to study, but who's keeping track of such things?
hahhahah...I am of course very very glad to hear that you are grinning like a fool (which is great coz u hv a beautiful smile which btw I think you should flash...(and nothing else, atleast not now..lol..and try not make tht face which i know u r!)) to David, however, thats not the point).
Raha I hate to disillusion you BUT u my love are not a feminist you are a champion a women's causes, a sorta challenger of the oppressive male dominated patriarchal society (which we all are too indulged to walk out of) if you will. you are a closet romantic/pervert (which yes yes if u r then I must be queen) of the trashy romance between the big powerful all knowing man and the ditzy women who fall to their feet as soon his testestrone is within sniffing distance, it is because of ppl like us tht tht crap sells...so if it sells then in a sense we r perpetuating the cliches and the stereotypes. Which then makes us very un-feminist (yes yes i know thers no such word...) :p
ps- btw do u realise this is the first post in what 5 yr or is it 4 that i hv written u ...
pps-btw super proud of u...wish i was in the room, would have loved to heard u coz i know u were in ur element and blowing their brains ....big hug
Raha, assuming that is your (family?) name and that it's in the public domain for the grabs -- thank you for dropping by.
No, really. Thank you. For now in your commentspace I find inspiration for a tentative next post.
I also notice strains of similarity, JUDE apart. Harry Potter, making up impressive word-collectives about things we know embrassingly little about -- is there an email address somewhere here? :-)
@Rimi: hellew... thank you for sropping by.
the name is rahi actually... raha is the name my idiot of a friend has come up with for me recently... thank you for pointing it out though... i've been meaning to ask her about it and forgot till just now!
you could use the 'contact me' link at the top of the left-hand column... i spend a lot of time putting all sorts of widgets up on this place! :)
@Ziggy: Incidentally, did you not read my post on the GHM?!?
Um yes... that's how I know you're NOT a feminist.
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