Article by Commodore SR Sridhar (Retd), Registrar
One fine October morning, the Wardens, Dean (Student Affairs), CAO, and I decided to do something that’s usually not on our “fun things to do” list — take a round of the hostels. We began with Lilavati, the women’s hostel, to check its upkeep and see if the infrastructure issues (especially those never-ending washroom complaints!) were being resolved. A few days earlier, we’d done the same with the men’s hostels — Bhaskara and Visweswaraya.
As we strolled through the corridors, one thing caught our eye and left all of us quietly amazed — the shoe racks. Each room’s rack was overflowing. Seven to eight pairs per student in some cases! And mind you, that’s not counting the slippers under the bed or the ones probably lying somewhere near the laundry bag. Interestingly, the racks in Lilavati had even more footwear than those in the men’s hostels — perhaps a subtle reminder of who’s winning the “trend game” on campus!
Now, those of us from an older generation couldn’t help but smile. Back in our days, one pair of sturdy shoes and maybe one pair of slippers were enough to take us from classroom to playground to festival. But now? There’s a shoe for every mood — sneakers for Monday blues, heels for Friday selfies, crocs for lazy Sundays.
If we had stepped inside the rooms, we might have seen wardrobes filled with colorful clothes — fast fashion in full bloom — all in sync with the latest reels, trends, and influencers who set the tone for what’s “in” this week and “out” the next.
But before we label this as “youth gone materialistic,” let’s pause. This isn’t just about shoes or clothes. It’s about a much bigger story — the story of consumerism in the age of social media.
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have turned trends into a kind of currency. Aesthetic feeds, unboxing videos, influencer hauls — they all whisper (or sometimes shout), “You need this to fit in.” It’s easy to get swept up in that current — after all, who doesn’t like feeling good and looking good?
Yet, somewhere in this flood of trends, we’re losing something important: our sense of enough.
We scroll for hours, comparing our lives to filtered realities, and in that process, we forget that identity doesn’t come from what we own, but from what we learn, create, and contribute. Imagine if those shoe racks were half as full — and the space saved was filled instead with books, ideas, or maybe even a few potted plants. Imagine if the next “trend” wasn’t about wearing what’s hot but being what’s needed — thoughtful, responsible, and grounded.
And then, just as we were finishing our round, we came across something that truly stayed with us. At the far end of the corridor, in one of the rooms, there was a shoe rack with just one pair of slippers. The student wasn’t in the room — she was probably in class, wearing her only other pair. We inquired a little and learned that she came from a family that lived simply, grounded in hard work and practicality. She hadn’t been swept up by the tide of consumerism — not because she wanted to make a statement, but simply because her circumstances had taught her the value of having just enough.
That small sight — one pair of slippers — spoke louder than any lecture on simplicity could. It was a quiet reminder that contentment doesn’t come from having more, but from appreciating what we already have.
Yet, this isn’t to say that everyone must live with only two pairs of footwear. The real takeaway is about balance and awareness. Her humility shouldn’t be seen as a reason for pity, nor should privilege be an excuse for excess. Instead, it’s a cue for reflection — for each of us to ask: “What do I truly need, and what am I just chasing because the world says I should?”
So here’s a small challenge for everyone reading this:
Before you hit “add to cart” next time, pause for a moment. Ask yourself — Do I really need this, or am I just scrolling into temptation?
Being trendy is great. But being thoughtful? That never goes out of style.
Cartoon by: Mr. Kannan V, Program Manager (MINRO & Research Office)