Category: Raktim Basu

“Living in a World of Canyons” by Raktim Basu

Spirals upon spirals upon spirals.

That’s what filled up Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon in Arizona. Water had rushed through, carving a swerving, graceful path of twists and turns that went on for hours of walking. Over millions of years, the rock had worn away, and the water had receded, making the perfect display of the strength of rivers.

That was just a piece of my trip into the Four Corners states (Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada). Before this spring break, I’d never gone anywhere except for Colorado, and I had never seen the deserts of the Midwest or the number of incredible canyons present there.

But from Bryce Canyon to the Grand Canyon, from massive and incredibly varied rock formation after rock formation, I began to see the world differently. All of my life in the U.S., I’ve lived in suburban areas, surrounded by concrete and ease of accessibility. But from hotel to hotel, with three-hour stretches of desert driving, without another soul on the road, I got a sense for how big the world is.

And let me tell you, it changes how you see things. Standing on the precipice of one of the biggest canyons in the world makes you feel small. The untold scale shocks you, and the unbelievable variety of what you can see in nature is just… Astounding! From patterns of yellow to bright orange, to rocky slopes topped in snow and coniferous trees, to gleaming formations of fire-colored rock — the marvelousness of nature is unparalleled, and to begin to describe the enormity of nature is an almost impossible task.

But that’s just the thing about experiences beyond words. They’re the true memories we will always have. While I know I can never share my love of the canyons of the Midwest with people and have it resonate with them to the same extent, I know that what I saw will stick with me forever. As Honors students, we get an incredible set of faculty, friends, and chances to explore the beauty of the world, both man-made and natural. But as Honors students, we also have an obligation to explore the things in the world that we can’t really capture with words and can only capture with rapture and awe.

So the next time you get the chance to explore the world, take it. Live in a world where everything amazes you. Don’t be afraid to see the world to its fullest extent, and if you don’t have words to describe what you take in, take it as a good sign!

“Breaking Bad Habits” by Raktim Basu

Chewing your nails. Scrolling through TikTok for hours. Rampant perfectionism.

These are all bad habits, and even though they may not be yours, there’s always something we struggle with. It’s that little something that irks and irritates you when you think about it in retrospect, but you can’t help yourself when the cue comes.

Yep, there are cues to your bad habits! And in fact, there’s a lot more to your bad habits, and there’s a really interesting and simple way to overcome them!

But first, let me tell you about Sunday, March 6th, and a personal icon of mine, Julie Millisky.

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“Taking Time to Listen” by Raktim Basu

For a moment, I’d like you to imagine the perfect morning for you. 

The sun is barely shining. The hallways are empty. The shower water is freezing cold, and the air sends a chill down your spine. You wake up, look at your phone, and a part of you begs yourself to go back to sleep, to just rest for five more minutes.

Did that describe it? Probably not.

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“‘Galaxy Quest’ and Friendship” by Raktim Basu

To the uninitiated, franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars may seem expansive, inflated, and mystical. There are a thousand different worlds, names, events, books, TV shows, lore bits, and who knows what else? To those who aren’t experienced in the extensive lore of space science fiction, it’s confusing. And to those who have friends who know about these franchises?

Well, good luck trying to keep up in conversation because you know as well as I do that said conversation will stop making sense in T-minus two minutes. 

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“Write Your Own Legends, Magic Style” by Raktim Basu

You’re probably wondering who the dragon is in the picture above.

Yep, that’s a dragon.

Who is he? He is Nicol Bolas, the Dragon-God. His name inspires fear in the very beings of the multiverse. He is tens of thousands of years old and has held the power of gods in his palm. He has machinations that have lasted centuries, and he has bent entire worlds to his will as a means to sate his godly ego.

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