Long hours to test the grey cells

Updated on: Tuesday, November 22, 2011

During the past decade, the average time students spend on travelling has increased considerably. Many colleges operate a fleet of buses to take students and the faculty to and from the campuses.

Many of these commuters doze away most of this time and wake up dull and lethargic. Some plug into their iPods to kill the time listening to ear-jarring music. Others find solace in their mobile phones, thumbing text messages, playing games, or getting onto a social network. There is an occasional someone who fiddles with the laptop. No one seems to read anything except during the exam days when they do a last-minute rush through the textbooks.

A section of students spend maybe close to an hour and a half to two hours on college buses every day. This comes close to 10 per cent of an effective day. It may not sound serious enough. But a back-of-the-envelope calculation will show that in a year of commuting, approximately 200 working days, this adds up to 400 hours. On a weekly basis, the time equivalent of a full day's work is spent on buses. Can we do away with this? Of course, not. But we should think of alternatives to make better use of the time.

One should not be reading on a moving bus on our roads as it will place an unwarranted strain on the eyes. An activity that students can look up to spend the travel time constructively is doing Sudoku or crosswords. Sudoku, a numbers game and puzzle, solved using reasoning and logic, improves logical and critical thinking capability. It will help solve logical problems easily. Many a time, it helps improve one's patience. Crosswords or word puzzles can be used with similar benefits in terms of language and vocabulary. The improvements made in logical and verbal ability will prove beneficial, be it for placements or for higher studies.

Sudoku and crosswords are available in a wide range of difficulty levels. Here it is important to start at a lower difficulty level and move up the ladder. These can be taken up at an individual level or as a group activity among a group of friends. If there are some enterprising students or faculty members among the commuters, travel time can be converted into an enjoyable experience with an element of competitive spirit built into the entire Sudoku or crossword activity. These mental stimuli will help one go fresh to the class. Scrabble, a word game for two to four players, or chess are other possibilities. Magnetic versions of these games catering to travellers are available. Think of other creative options as well if you are one of these daily commuters. An occasional nap is always welcome. But keep in mind you are spending anywhere close to two full months of work hours on your commute every year. You better make some use of that time.

Long hours to test the grey cells

More Education news