The Mentoring Cell of Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, NOIDA, organized an event for the newly inducted batch of 2024-2028, “CoBuild 4.0: Stronger Together, Better Together” on 30 August 2024. This event, an eagerly awaited tradition at SCMS, NOIDA, was organized with the primary goal of fostering a sense of unity, teamwork, and collaboration among the first-year students, while also offering them a platform to get acquainted with their peers in a fun and engaging manner. The event was attended by 40-50 students, where every student was eager to participate in various team-building activities actively and was ready to gain practical experience by working together,
The event hosts, Suhani Jain and Wania Rizvi, kicked off the event by setting a lively tone with some ice-breaking activities to ensure that the audience felt revitalized and prepared for the day. The event was filled with excitement, zeal and competitive spirit among the students. The activities planned not only facilitated interaction among the students but also helped them develop critical skills like communication, quick thinking, and teamwork.
“Human Bingo”, the first activity, was introduced as a way to get students to interact with as many of their peers as possible. The rationale behind this activity was simple yet successful. It involved giving every student a bingo card with a variety of information. Their task was to locate another individual in the vicinity who matched each of these descriptions. Students were urged to move outside of their comfort zones by interacting and initiating conversations with other students in order to fill up their bingo cards. It promoted social interaction and taught the students exciting information about one another. The children' ability to connect and develop friendships during this social contact was essential in helping to create a positive atmosphere for the course of the event.
The next activity, “Guess the Items”, challenged the students’ communication and teamwork skills. Volunteers attempted to guess the items that the students described. It served as an excellent way for the students to practice their communication skills, as the game forced them to articulate their thoughts clearly and concisely. Moreover, it highlighted the importance of trust and understanding amongst the team members. This activity drew a lot of laughter from both participants and spectators and fostered a sense of collaboration and solidarity among the students.
"Beg, Borrow, Steal" was the last and most eagerly awaited activity of the day. This quick-paced activity made students more competitive. It prompted the students to form groups and go around the college campus gathering particular objects. The list contained a variety of objects that needed to be gathered with a combination of innovative thinking, resourcefulness, and fast thinking. The objective of the challenge was not only to locate the objects but also to return them before the time frame given ran out.
The day's biggest thrill was definitely "Beg, Borrow, Steal," when students raced across campus, planning with their friends how to accomplish their assignments. Students were running back and forth, checking things off their lists, and supporting one another when they needed it. The students' constant support of one another during the activity is a great example of how cooperation and competitiveness go hand in hand. This shows that the activity fosters the teamwork and constructive mindset that the game was intended to promote.
As time was running out and the final few teams were rushing to complete their tasks, there was a buzz of excitement among the students. There was a burst of applause and cheers for the winning team as the results were announced. But it soon became evident that the relationships and knowledge gained that day were more important than the game's result.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks on behalf of the cell and our Faculty in charge, Dr. Kanishka Gupta. The students were encouraged to get involved with the Mentoring Cell’s future activities and recruitment process. The event ended on a high note, with students leaving with smiles and a newfound sense of companionship.
