The rough pavement was beneath our feet, bright rays of sunlight were trailing down through the winding branches and the petite blades of grass were painting the ground green. It was a day with perfect weather to hold a Gavel Under The Trees session, fondly known as “GUTT”.
A “GUTT” session has the specialty of abandoning the formal procedures of an educational meeting that we are so familiar with and instead, focusing on simply enjoying conversations in any direction it flows.
The session started off by discussing the hottest topic of the day; Sri Lanka being suspended by the ICC, merely hours prior to the gathering. Surprisingly there were no die-hard cricket stans within our small circle of Gaveliers, but we did speak about the impact of the incident and about the current happenings of the cricket world cup itself.
We then moved onto something anyone could relate—academia blues. Some faculties had just finished exams, and were on break by then, while some others were preparing for theirs, which were intimidatingly, right around the corner. A humorous comparison of how undergraduates of different academic years face their stress led to a more serious conversation regarding academic stress, which in turn led to a discussion about therapists and other psychologists who, due to professional ethics and rules, must keep their own pain and trauma at the door before they provide assistance for their clientele.
Another pressing issue, the Israel- Palestine conflict, which has been a true test of humanity and strength for the past few weeks, was investigated through the lens of the international relations discourse, diving deep into its history and a much broader inspection into the causes of cold wars. The talk continued with a specific focus on major countries that deal in weaponry, but also medicine, which led to a debate of whether these countries were fueling the fire of war for their own gains. It also paved way to speak about differences faced in our own country and micro aggressions that could be considered knowingly or unknowingly racist, faced by minorities that some people may not be privy to.
Striking a contrast to the heavy topics discussed, a light-hearted shift was initiated with the Gaveliers trying to solve the case of the mysterious floating bag by the third floor of the ILC building (you must see it to believe it!), moving onto a little debate on the great high heel dilemma—why do women wear heels only to complain of it? It was commonly agreed that it might have to do with the standards set by society on formal clothing, just like men can’t wear slippers with a three-piece suit, even if they would want to.
Another monumental factor of the meeting worth noting is that it was held on the 11th of November. 11:11 is a time coveted by all for special wishes, but the entirety of the day 11-11 is reserved to celebrate all those that are single and that is why we couldn’t continue without a sprinkle of romance counselling on the side. If I were to give one important takeaway: never settle for less.
The day was well spent with hearty laughter all around, some harmless banter and teasing galore. A small exercise of avoiding the quick lens of our handy PR team, who were documenting these memories for us along, with the pleasing view of active listeners, was also taking place all throughout this session. It was my first time at a GUTT session, and it was truly an eye-opening experience for me. With no language barrier to weigh on us, a mutual sense of respect was shared by considering everyone’s valuable opinions. I will undoubtedly always await the announcement for the next GUTT session, to ingrain more pieces of magical memories in my heart.
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