We, as human beings, pride ourselves in having multiple assets such as ever-evolving technology, infrastructure, and innovation. But there’s always been a missing piece to the picture of modern society: having basic civic senses.

Staying respectful toward others and your surroundings may not carry legal consequences if ignored, but, in the same way that leaving a store empty-handed can feel oddly wrong, failing to do so simply feels inherently improper.There aren’t exactly any measurable negative consequences, but at the same time, it’s not something that makes us feel particularly positive about ourselves.

Within campus premises specifically, there is a great need to uphold these values as the more we follow these basic standards, the more we, as students, keep the college’s head up. Let’s look into some of the common habits we unknowingly might be pursuing that could be of harm to not just the environment, but multiple other factors.

Public littering: Although it may not be the most frequent eyesore on the premises, I nonetheless find myself regularly coming across remnants of litter—specifically stray candy wrappers and empty milkshake boxes. All cleaning need not be done by just the cleaning staff just because they earn wages for it, especially when we are all fully capable of making their jobs easier.

Being punctual: Of course, while we do all have our own respective reasons a majority of the time, we have to admit to the fact that we do lean towards just being plain lazy to ourselves. This needless tardiness causes much disturbance to the flow of the lesson. The value of respecting others’ time should always be taken into account, especially in an academic or professional environment.

Being respectful: While this isn’t something that occurs on a regular basis, it is something that doesn’t come as easy in certain circumstances. For instance, when we feel unheard or targeted in a specific setting, keeping yourself from saying something you regret is easier said than done. Maintaining a constructive and friendly tone will ensure a more productive environment for everyone.

Another important factor that tails from the whole “being respectful” and helping out the cleaning staff is the excuse that is, unfortunately, heard far too much—that being, “But they get paid to do it,” or, “But it’s their job.” Every occupation that contributes to our everyday lives being more convenient and easy to live through is of abundant significance.

It takes an insane amount of patience, stamina, and interpersonal skills to do the work laborers do just to get by. I think it’s safe to say that it’s less than appreciated when they stumble across people that simply take out their anger on these people after an aggravatingly long day of labour.

Traditional Indian values were known to prioritize cleanliness and hygiene, but with rapid civilization and infrastructure, there has been a great fall in these aspects. The spitting in public, careless disposal of cigarettes, as well as heavy noise pollution, has caused the public much hindrance. The indifference towards these troubles leads to learned helplessness as a coping mechanism.

Now for a positive spin: let’s take the case study of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The Indore model is based on source segregation, door-to-door collection, and dry waste recovery, where the waste is separated into dry and wet at home first, before being collected by the trucks on a daily basis. The combination of regular collection that prevents piling and the conversion of kitchen waste into soil for urban parks and farms has ensured that the city stays ranked as one of the cleanest.

One day, we will all find ourselves following the unspoken rule to keep our surroundings clean and our people peaceful. That day, the line between personal and public problems will start to get hazy and, at some point, invisible. 

Spreading awareness through speeches and reading articles about these things will only get us so far, as the change must first form in our minds to eventually be planted in our actions, so that the flowers of our work will grow and we can together feed on the fruit.