#PRAXIS10 was a 10/10 indeed!

It was a fine evening in March when I came across the SCoRe website and decided to browse the programme. One word that sounded utterly foreign to me was Praxis. I wondered what Praxis is all about and why it is so popular. While I went through the past events of Praxis and got a rough idea of the scale and opportunity of the event, it became apparent that being a part of SCoRe gave students a distinct advantage over their peers studying public relations at other colleges

Among all five aspects that drew me to SCoRe, one in particular stood out: the opportunity to participate in Praxis as a member of the organising committee. I'll save the other four reasons for another blog since we're starting a blog marathon.

Shifting the focus to the Praxis experience,  I'd like to split it into two parts: before Praxis and during Praxis. While we're in the post-Praxis week, reflecting on the event, the other two phases are more interesting to talk about. After all, now is the time to write about the event in blogs, emails, and tweets.

From “Will you guys be coming for Praxis?” to saying “Hello, we are at Praxis” the journey of preparing for Praxis and working together to bring the best out of it was a wholesome experience. It all started with research and asking questions. Yes, the first thing we did for Praxis was prepare questions for a special quiz conducted by SCoRe at the event as well as prepare questions for some of the keynote speakers.

The next thing we did was hunt for the delegates, know their whereabouts and prepare a list of names whom we would meet and network with. I also made a list with their LinkedIn handles just in case people decided to go eco-friendly and carry no cards. Funnily, eighty per cent of the people I met at Praxis were carrying no cards or they simply did not want to give away their cards to a student.

Getting our new t-shirts just a couple of days before Praxis, preparing for the secret flashmob, ticking off the ‘things to carry’ list, getting a new pair of dresses for the Fulcrum night and trying to byheart the three-day schedule are some of the things that I fondly remember in the pre-Praxis phase.

Arriving at the airport, it struck me that the next four days were going to be quite an adventure, with the challenge of navigating it all alongside 13 of my classmates. Some of them were experiencing their first flight, and witnessing their expressions of wonder as the plane took off for Chennai was a delightful experience.

Chennai, for me, held a special place in my heart. It was a city where I had initially moved independently during my undergraduate years, embarking on numerous "first-time" experiences all on my own. It was a period of personal growth, adaptation, and building connections with everything new that came my way. Landing in Chennai this time around felt different. I had fun helping out some of my friends with Tamil while booking cabs to the hotel.

The most exciting activity that we did as a team was packing more than 1,000 bags for the delegates. We sat in a circle, till around 2 a.m., putting each of the items into two different bags, one for World PR Forum and another for Praxis. We played music, cracked jokes and took small breaks to ensure no one fell asleep behind the pile of bags.

Over the course of three days, time seemed to fly by, as we found ourselves primarily stationed at various registration counters. Our tasks included distributing lanyards, food coupons, and bags to the attendees. Amidst our busy roles, I managed to attend a couple of sessions, and among them, one that stood out was the enlightening talk by Farzana Baduel on the concept of Horizon Planning and the importance of PR embracing strategic foresight for a brighter future.

In addition, I took small breaks to network with delegates which turned out to be very interesting. Initially, there was apprehension about looking stupid or perhaps disturbing others by kicking off a conversation. However, I felt at ease gradually when I saw that industry professionals were not only welcoming but also eager to connect with young, minds. This experience showed the distinct edge that SCoRe provided us, as we were the only students present at such a big occasion and all we had to do was to make the most out of it.

Looking back at some of my achievements, I feel very grateful for receiving three scholarships from people whom I look up to in the industry. It gave me so much joy to see my classmates go on stage to receive the scholarships. One of the biggest achievements that I proudly brought home was the Global Student of the Year award. This momentous recognition took place in a small setting filled with individuals representing various regions of our country, almost as if we were enclosed within a miniature representation of the world. I am delighted that I could share this remarkable achievement with SCoRe, which was also acknowledged as the Best PR Institute of the Year.

But now when I look back, if I were to talk about what I truly earned and brought home from Praxis, it wouldn’t be the hefty cheques, that beautiful golden award or the bags filled with chocolates, diaries and calendars. It would be the value of teamwork and the learning of how everyone came together, despite all the differences, to make Praxis a success.

Praxis, in short, was more than an event. It was an opportunity to witness, absorb, radiate and carry forward a lot of learnings which no textbook or lecture would provide. It was one chance for us to get a glimpse of what the industry looks like as we step into the early stages of internships and placements.