Monsoon Musings was a poetry event that intended to give aspiring writers a platform to express their ideas in the form of tiny tales and poems. The write-ups could be showcased in three diverse languages- Hindi, English or Gujarati. We had put up a Seva Cafe where food was served during the event and in return people could pay according to their choice. In addition to this we had  Art stalls which displayed various elegant artworks, few of which were on sale. The amount collected from the event would be given for charity. The main purpose of the event was to let people exhibit their talent through poems, tiny tales, art installations as well as food and donate money for a noble cause.

Learning outcomes achieved:

L1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

I understood the idea of the event when the briefing was done.  It was evident that I would have to work in a group. Thus I decided to be open-minded, adjustable and respect ideas of each member of my group. We started with brainstorming ideas as to how the event and the decor in respect to the theme could be made appealing. My interest to work in a team and desire to learn arts became my strength through which I could add value to my team.  As far as my weaknesses, I had to work on my management skills, which I did constantly to improve by planning for the art stalls and decoration from the initial stage.

Since we were assigned to gather artworks from interested students or teachers, 15 -20 days prior to the event we circulated an e-form and started collecting the pieces to avoid last minute hassle, when the event was round the corner. Since all the artworks were precious we ensured to store them carefully before exhibiting them. Moreover, I also was able to develop my habit of procrastinating by completing the tasks before the deadlines. Each team member was efficient enough to undertake the responsibilities and work towards the decoration and art stall task that we were allocated.

L4: Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience

We were all committed to make this event a success and I was dedicated towards it. Every time, I felt that I was less efficient, I reminded myself about the good cause. This  thought energized and motivated me. I had to faithfully manage the responsibility I was assigned and also put in all my effort for this event to be successful.

We had been committed towards the theme and had finalized the decorations accordingly. We were passionate enough to make this a success. Our hard work had paid off with the victory of the first edition of monsoon musings. We could have opted to make basic decor but to highlight the event,the decor had to stand out, thus we were determined to create the elegant decorations.

L5: Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively

Working in a team is certainly not a troublesome job for me. We were a group of 7 people where we had to handle the decorations as well as the art stalls (where we had to gather art pieces to put up for display or for sale). Since we had a small team with a lot of work we decided to work together and finish all the tasks together so that they could be completed before time as well as creatively.  It is essential to work cooperatively for a group where individuals with various interests are set to come up with best ideas that can be combined to bring out an outstanding show. This also enhances our skills of solving problems in the group and cooperating with people with different thoughts and interests.

Inclusive of all the ups and downs faced it was a fun and illuminating experience where we learnt some things and shared ours too. It was an opportunity for us to show our hidden talents with art works, listen to some mind-blowing write-ups and not to miss upon the delicious food. We were able to elevate the event up to its expectations and achieve the purpose.

Monsoon musings was able to raise a good amount of money that was donated for the education of the underprivileged. This was an adventurous journey where each of us were holding different umbrellas because it could rain (problems could arise) anytime, but eventually we all were under the same roof (with joyful smile).