Bengaluru: As apprehension and sense of gloom hangs over threats posed by online game Blue Whale Challenge, a city college is in on a mission to spread happiness among city youngsters.
The campaign, Be My Buddy, has been a designed by the Department of Psychology of Bishop Cottons Women’s Christian College (BCWCC), which ensures that each student adopts another for the entire year with various programmes and sub-activities designed for them.
The campaign will allow students to be aware of the importance of “real companionship” in life, says Dr Vijayashri Ravi, professor of Department of Psychology at the college.
“Youngsters follow and fall prey to digital sources and try to build a virtual personality over real life. This campaign is designed to ensure each student gets someone to reach out to in times of distress, without any ado,” she said.
On the recent social media trends like Blue Whale and Sarahah leading to fatalities and cyber bullying, she said, “It is high time we instil thoughts and gestures in young minds to keep them safe and away from creating digital fortresses.”
The campaign which was started as part of the Defeat Depression Week on the campus has been welcomed by the students. “Keeping phones and social media activities away to come together at the campus was something all of us needed for a long time. Receiving special gifts and motivational write-ups from a person who constantly keeps an eye on me at campus is all one can ask for at the end of a hectic day,” says Ashmita Saha, a student at BCWCC, who is an active participant of the campaign.
Dr Ravi believes that such initiatives will bring happiness and cheer among people even at workplaces. “The campaign will let teenagers find support and acceptance. Time should not be a constraint to share a polite gesture to another person,” she says. At present, 1,200 students are part of the campaign on the campus. Special interactions and games have been planned for the students till the end of the academic year.
