 is not a widely recognized or formal classification like generational cohorts such as Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, or Generation Z. It is indeed a colloquial term that is used to describe and highlight the challenges and stressors faced by a specific group of people, especially the young individuals in today’s demanding and breakneck world. The individuals categorized under this informal generational term are susceptible to experiencing burnout due to various societal and working factors.

“fatigue, frustration, or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity.”

 It’s a feeling you get when you’re overwhelmed and simply don’t have any energy to devote yourself to a given task, activity, or career. Earlier the word 

 was used more as a self-diagnosis or casual expression but in 1974, a psychologist named 

 where he marked the formal study of burnout as a medical syndrome. Freudenberger, with the help of the idiom 

“becoming exhausted by making excessive demands on energy, strength, or resources.”

 Since then it has been included in the discussions and research on mental health issues. However, it was in May 2019 that burnout became an official diagnosis.

In today’s day-to-day life where we are just taught to rush after success and be a machine, burnout has indeed become prevalent and a significant concern across various demographic groups, and professions, affecting individuals of all generations. For instance, Generation X (born 1965-1980) had to navigate the transition to digital technology and increased workplace demand for which they faced burnout from juggling work and family responsibilities. Similarly, the youngest generation, Generation Z faces burnout from the constant use of digital technology, high competition, academic expectations, and early career pressure. While technology has brought convalescence, it has also blurred the boundaries between work and personal lives. The constant need for connectivity makes it challenging for individuals to completely disengage from work leading to burnout. Now are the days when you close your eyes after scrolling reels on Instagram and wake up to check emails.

 mother has a way of blaming mobile phones for every inconvenience concerning their child, and in this scenario, they do step up as ‘right’ to a good extent. The rise of social media has led to increased feelings of inadequacy and stress where individuals spend most of their time comparing their lives to others. However, technology can’t be solely blamed when we ourselves make craptacular choices, especially lifestyle choices such as lack of exercise, unhealthy eating habits, and insufficient sleep which exacerbate burnout. Apart from high work demands, economic pressure, and balancing multi-tasks, events like the 

 pandemic have contributed to introducing new stressors, health concerns, and disrupted routines, amplifying the burnout of many individuals.

It is oftentimes burnout treated as synonymous with depression but depression is a diagnosable mental health condition whereas burnout is not. These both can have mental health-related mood disorders but unlike depression, burnout tends to be a response to a specific situation like working more hours than usual or being deeply involved in something rigorous going on in life. Burnout generally leads to emotional exhaustion, diminishing motivation and enthusiasm, and causing feelings of sadness, and hopelessness which when prolonged eventually take the shape of frequent breakdowns and anxiety disorders. Chronic stress associated with burnout, also affects the physical health of individuals by weakening the immune system and disrupting sleep patterns.

Overall, burnout has a cascading effect on mental and physical health at an alarming rate. Hence, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing it early to prevent the long-term consequences. Burnout may affect different people differently but ultimately it is the result of prolonged stress, excessive work demands, and inadequate coping mechanisms. Self-care practices, work-life balance approaches, mental health resources, flexible work environment, and healthy lifestyle choices should be promoted in battling both the individual and systemic factors leading to burnout which in the fullness of time will turn out better well being for everyone.

The Burnout Generation: Navigating the Stress Epidemic of the Modern World

Colleen Hoover is a 42-year-old author based in Texas, United States. She mostly writes young adult fiction and new adult fiction. She debuted back in 2012 with the ‘

’ series and is now best known for her 2016 novel ‘

, which blew up after a 17-year-old girl posted a video of her reading ‘It Ends With Us’ showcasing her range of emotions, heavy sighs, body shaking, and tearful face, along with the caption, “

This is how it feels to read Colleen Hoover’s novel, It Ends With Us”

. The video gained millions of views, which made every reader go through that particular book by Colleen. Eventually, her simple yet captivating writing style caught on and skyrocketed her popularity, especially among teenagers.

Now it’s all over the book community, with people making videos and writing reviews on her books under various hashtags. This hype of 

 books (which her fans prefer to say) has made her win the ‘

e,’ and five of her books, namely “It Ends With Us,” “

However, the popularity that Colleen has enjoyed in recent times is not without controversy. The days seem to be slipping away when it was all good, rosy, and fame for her. But the table is turning to a side where a number of readers and critics are smashinImagesg her works, questioning and highlighting the problematic aspects of her novels, especially when it comes to the way she portrays romance. Among the people speaking up, 

 tweeted a photo, a passage from one of Hoover’s books, November 9, where the male protagonist uses “

” to prevent his love interest from exiting a vehicle and, in further scenes, manipulates her emotionally into staying with him. Atkinson captioned it, “

This is a real line in a ROMANCE novel by Colleen Hoover

.” A similar trope follows yet again in her most read, ‘It Ends With Us’. Although this book comes off as her strongest and best work, it is autobiographical, and there’s so much more to the story than love, which goes completely unnoticed just because some teenage girl hyped it up as the best romance she ever read!

This is where things go south; fiction is a genre that is widely read by younger audiences and can have large effects on how they perceive topics like healthy relationships and consent. Hoover illustrates women in her novels as passive objects, their lives just being created to drag those of their male counterparts. The use of “

romanticization of toxic masculinity, abusive, controlling, and unhealthy relationships

” because they have high entertainment value and a higher success rate for the author is just where I would love to draw 

Chetan Bhagat, one of the best-selling authors in India, has put into words in interviews how he churns out “

” that the young Indian readers once worshipped, holding a copy of his book everywhere, is the same now when I see one in five girls carrying a copy of ‘It Ends With Us.’

Comparing the two, it’s necessary to align how both of these writers rose to a height of being much loved and fell from there, that is, from being loved to being hated. Indeed, they chose a simple writing style that could reach and reciprocate with the masses; the themes being repetitive and problematic is what became their reason for defamation.

On the one hand, authors such as Colleen and Chetan promise to stir sparks of emotion in common people’s lives through their narrative of unhinged characters, be it Ryle or Krish; on the other hand, it’s pure mockery to promote books or stories that promote normalising stereotypes and toxic environments. The major concern again goes for the teenagers, who easily become the targets of such writings in the name of trends and idolise whatever the author presents to them, which seems like all fantasies while reading but is problematic in the real world. Now in this ‘

’ world, we cannot escape either Bhagat or Hoover, who are already a part of the talking town. It’s up to one to love Colleen, hate her, or simply walk away. Will the backlash that she is now receiving affect her marketing strategy as much as it did for Bhagat? Will she let herself become a subject to long-running trolls and memes like Bhagat? Either way, she has entered the popularity chart, and with mixed opinions, she and Chetan still cater to the public’s interest and attention!

Is Colleen Hoover the new Chetan Bhagat?

In recent years, a new cultural aesthetic has emerged, one that embraces South Asian influences and celebrates the vibrant heritage of the Indian subcontinent. This trend is known as “

” which is a fusion of nostalgic references to the Barbie dolls, drawing inspiration from the 1990s and early 2000s fashion with a mix of contemporary elements. The Barbie doll has served as a pop culture symbol of admiration since its first introduction in 1959 and since then led to numerous debates on body images and beauty standards sporadically. However, lately, the South Asian community has recuperated and renovated the ‘

’ with their touch of cultural heritage.

 influence on the ruling trend of Barbiecore is undeniable. Its emergence was partly driven by the growing representation of South Asian creators and influencers on social media platforms. These individuals began infusing Western fashion trends with traditional elements such as vivid colours, opulent fabrics, intricate embroidery, and traditional jewellery. The blending of such aesthetic styles created a unique and eye-catching look that resonated with audiences around the world.The traditional South Asian attires such as 

 have been reimagined with a Barbiecore twist, incorporating playful patterns, ruffles, dainty flares, and embellishments. Also, ornate accessories such as dazzling bangles, 

, and bold neckpieces add a sparkling significance to the trend. Many Bollywood divas from 

 hopped on the bandwagon, celebrating the trend in iconic pink desi fits.

 and a global fashion guru once said that “

‘, indicating its long association with the colour pink or to be more precise the ‘

’. While Barbiecore was accelerated in 2022’s Valentino Fall runway show, indulging just the international celebrities with Western wear, Indian fashion designer, 

 in one of her appearances followed the trend, wearing a pink 

’. Even when Valentino launched its first store in India, the dominant colour on display was Valentino Pink, which was quite close to what Rani Pink is. The Hot Pink or the Rani Rang has always been a desi favourite and a dominant fashion onscreen during the 80s and 90s films. The legendary Indian actress, especially 

 was seen wearing different shades of Rani in various films, acing the Barbiecore or Ranicore trend way back then.

Barbiecore is more than just a fashion trend. It has become a means of empowerment for the South Asian diaspora. The trend has empowered many to embrace their femininity without confirming the already set societal norms of beauty. It has become a platform to celebrate diverse body types, skin tones, and a myriad of cultures and customs. Supporting the idea that beauty comes in all forms, this trend promotes inclusivity and representation. By celebrating traditional attire and cultural symbols, the unique take of the South Asian community played a crucial role in breaking the stereotypes and redefining beauty standards within the Barbiecore community.

 is a testament to the power of fashion in promoting cultures and diversity. As it continues to evolve, it will inspire the coming generations to hold onto their roots and develop sensitivity toward cross-cultural understanding. In this digital age where social media holds so much power, the trend is a reflection of the evolution of inclusivity in the fashion industry, challenging stereotypes and empowering individuality. The blend of Barbie’s iconic style with traditional Desi elements creates a fusion, a celebration of pinkishness and female empowerment, escalating the Desi voices worldwide. Thus, the trend has opened a new window of a diverse future in the field of fashion.

The Desi Barbiecore: Celebrating Diversity and Culture in Fashion

India’s obsession over Oscars has a history whose prime example stretches back to the time when 

. People found his talent onscreen to be worthy enough of their money spent on tickets and recognised him as the Oscar hero even though he never won one. This action of Indian audiences was again displayed when Rajnikant’s fans mobbed out of cinema after watching 

 and shouted addressing the then US President to give an Oscar to their megastar. This went on to become an iconic meme and now even apart from films or actors, anything and everything too dramatic is tagged as “

,” pushing forward this western validation at peak. On the contrary when someone actually gets an Oscar from India, thousands stand as critics debating if they deserve it or not.

This year’s Oscars nominations came as a surprise as it bunched more Asian works than ever. 

, the Asian American indie hit triumphed at the Oscars bagging seven awards in the major categories. However it’s also an unusual year for India who from a long time stayed the audience witnessing the Academy wins, made the western hands clap for its achievements this time. The epic action 

 became the first Indian full length feature film to win the 

” that made all feets sway. Meanwhile, “

 award. Although the twin win is well deserved, it also misplaced the path of India decorating her self esteem rooted in the cultural quintessence and thus met with mixed public opinions.

RRR transcended the boundaries and entertained masses like no other film but the Indian public have been divided, half dived into the celebration of the win of an Indian song, and then there are those disclosing their disappointment at the inappropriate portrayal of the Adhivasi culture. Nevertheless it is of no concern to the Academy or the Oscars as they always viewed an Indian film full of grandiosity and what we call in Chetan Bhagat’s language, overdosed with “masala” served to the dull life of common people. Honouring with their highest award to a movie presenting the brutality suffered by Indians imposed by the British colonial rulers may make the Golden Globe jury appear as doing a golden deed and shedding their guilt of racism and discrimination but in reality it can never be the ointment to the wounds of a country beaming with talents and stories.

Indians obsessing over Oscars equalises to the west recognising works laudable of their praise only when it’s “

”. It was not the first time nominations from India made to the event, in the past we see 

 that showcased poverty stricken Mumbai which is a reflection of a society that the Britishers left to breed, sweeping 8 awards in 2009. Whereas 

 that strongly portrayed the Britishers’ infliction on poor Indians, being nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film didn’t receive the same award. Coming to the present year, the Oscar was for the song not film and yet this categorization of jury moreover added to the fact that RRR is nothing more than a Telugu masala film whose few steps of dance attracted the western audiences.

I think we are unnecessarily obsessed with Oscars. Let’s not forget that Oscars is an award ceremony for the US Film industry which has one category amongst the various categories called best foreign film

We should create an award here in our country. Hollywood actors should crave to get that. Why do we have this fascination about Oscars? We know the manipulation here. If a film is liked in our country, what else do you want?

Thus, it’s high time we come to terms that Oscars or Grammys are mere Hollywood accolades. India can never set itself free if it continues to obsess over western validations and from time to time, someone representing India will be making himself and the country a subject of mockery at the global platform by accenting English unnecessarily!

India’s uncanny obsession with Oscars

Over centuries, writing has emerged as an effective tool to give shape to one’s thoughts and voice about social or societal change. Women’s literature has proven shelter to issues in such a context without being an exception. Since the 

, women have been putting pen to paper to bring to the fore the challenges and prejudices experienced by females. Even before the feminist movement, women writers worked hard at presenting the dark side of patriarchal society but were ignored for their inferior position. They wrote under pseudonyms to avoid being criticised for practicing the profession of writing, which was considered “

,” and therefore we see a lot of unknown written works by female writers.

” (1792) is a monumental work that paved the way for the women after her to not only publish their works but to also engage themselves in critical discourses related to women’s literature. Mary laid emphasis on the equality of women in the domain of education and challenged the notion that women exist only to please men in her book. The first wave of feminism argued for equal opportunities in domains that were dominated by men because of the gender roles assigned by society to men and women. The vision of Mary Wollstonecraft was later concretized by 

, an important modernist 20th century writer, in her seminal text “

” (1929). Considered Woolf’s master work, it is a long form of essay told through a fictionalized narrator that presents the argument of the necessity of both metaphorical and literal “

” for women’s literature within the literary tradition.

 from the 1940s to the 1980s challenged the essentialist assumptions and acceptance of the division between gender and sex as defined by society. It sparked a rejuvenation of the issue raised about the place of women in the workforce. Presses published the lost and ignored works by women; colleges instilled the courses teaching on women’s literature and history. 

 was an active participant of the second movement, and her book “

” (1949) is credited to have paved the path of modernist feminism. Beauvoir wrote fearlessly; her writings were ahead of time, making strong points regarding the fight for the feminist cause. Every feminist might have come across this famous saying of hers: “

One is not born; rather, one becomes a woman

, from the 1990s through 2000, focused more on the performative aspect of sexuality or gender. Writers like 

 were at the forefront. All these resulted in the commonality among women nowadays of living as singles and leading an independent life, but society still puts her under a great deal of pressure. For this reason, feminist criticism became an important subject in modern literature, which eventually took the shape of a completely new genre: “

” This genre tackles the feminist issue and is targeted towards contemporary women. It became popular in the late nineties, when “

” were not popular ideologies in society. 

 is regarded as the pioneer of this modern form of women’s fiction, or original chick-lit. Fielding’s “

” is a great example of a chick-lit novel that presents a clear picture of society and its implications in the life of a woman, especially single women. At the present time, 

, one of the greatest role models of 21st century feminists, exemplifies honesty and bravery in the face of change. All in all, these writers emerged as powerful forces as they put forward the need for acknowledgement and activism for the growth and benefits of women as well as the literary tradition as a whole.

Women’s Writing Throughout the Feminist Waves of History

Hockey, one of the oldest modern games to exist, was first introduced in India during British Rule in the 1850s. Gradually, the game captured the attention of the younger generation, which ultimately led to its popularity in the country, having large fields and open spaces to be played on. With the formation of the 

 in 1924, came the permanence of hockey to be added in the Olympics. The Indian hockey team participated and grabbed the gold medal in the very first game of the 1928 Olympics. It was then, the beginning of a golden era. The Indian team dominated the field of world hockey with the rise of 

, one of the greatest hockey players the world has ever witnessed. His legacy continued, and India went on to win eight gold medals, a record till date.

After the 1970s, India’s domination seemed to be in danger and hardly managed to strike a gold in 1975. It was a decline caused by both external and internal factors- the change from grass to astroturf (artificial grass) was one India couldn’t adapt with the changing times. Despite this, the men’s team, taking advantage of the depleted field, won the eighth Olympic gold at the 

Meanwhile, the women’s team had also emerged and was doing quite well. However, these were the final years of the golden period, and after that, everything became stagnant. Players dropped, coaches were changed, and India struggled to regain its position at the global level. It was an arduous period for both men and women’s team as they felt shortage to make it to the semi-finals of the international events, eventually restraining themselves to just bronzes and silvers. The scenario worsened when the men’s team failed to even qualify for the 

41 years of this dormancy finally broke when the Indian men’s team entered the semi-finals at the 

. The medal drought ended with a bronze, and the achievement was doubled by the women’s team’s historic appearance in their first semi-final match. Hockey was breathing again. Thus, revival is what people knew had crept in and would be chanted from here on.

This revival is not a sudden outcome but the result of years of groundwork by the teams, a resolute journey toward betterment, and the admirable strength offered by the pillars around them. The pillar that stood the tallest has to be Odisha’s Chief Minister, 

. The CM, with his deep interest in the game, took on the sponsorship of Indian Hockey in 2018 when all the national sponsors of the team had pulled back. He rescued the national game from fading away from the sight of the countrymen. With funds, infrastructure, all the basics were developed and provided from the very root by Odisha. The state proved to be the “

” for the players. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this initiative filled in a new life and brought the game back its glory in times like these where the crowd apparently is crazy after cricket and football.

The Government of Odisha continues to extend its full support, and now what lies ahead is the 

, an addition to the process of revitalisation. The 15th edition of the game has already begun as of January 13, 2023, taking place in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. There is excitement surging among the hockey fans as India kicked in the enthusiasm winning the first match against Spain. The Chief Minister, who was there to witness the thrilling performance, tweeted “

I am sure spectators will experience finest hockey during World Cup 2023. Let’s celebrate the spirit of hockey as Hockey comes Home

” and he also congratulated the Indian team for their amazing win.

There is indeed a long way to go for the Men and Women in Blue to make this revival a historic example of belief and hard work. Looking forward to the ongoing World Cup, it doesn’t really matter at what rank India will end up because, after all, it’s a sport where one wins and one loses. What truly matters is not letting this spirit die which the CM of Odisha envisaged while putting his efforts and the Odisha Government’s attempt in bringing back hockey to the nation’s field and in its people’s hearts.

Articles by Sania Parween

The Burnout Generation: Navigating the Stress Epidemic of the Modern World

Is Colleen Hoover the new Chetan Bhagat?

The Desi Barbiecore: Celebrating Diversity and Culture in Fashion

India’s uncanny obsession with Oscars

Women’s Writing Throughout the Feminist Waves of History

Hockey 2023: Revival of the Indian Sporting Legacy

The Burnout Generation: Navigating the Stress Epidemic of the Modern World

Is Colleen Hoover the new Chetan Bhagat?

The Desi Barbiecore: Celebrating Diversity and Culture in Fashion

India’s uncanny obsession with Oscars

Women’s Writing Throughout the Feminist Waves of History

Hockey 2023: Revival of the Indian Sporting Legacy