Tête-à-tête

I remember my first GCE's. As hundreds of candidates stood outside the exam venue, nervously consulting notes, doing some frantic last-minute revising, I felt my entrails being gripped by the cold fingers of a nameless fear. What was it that I was afraid of? Before I could answer the question, the gates swung open, and 'into the Jaws of Death, marched the six hundred". My best friend, another intense little fellow geek like myself, had fastened herself to my little finger by means of her own, and when we had to part ways and enter our respective exam halls, the shaky farewells would have put Jack and Rose (of Titanic fame) to shame.

Entering the huge auditorium, I felt as though everyone must surely be hearing my heartbeat. Suddenly, my eyes met those of an old friend, who had happened to have given an exam here before. He showed me a thumbs up sign, as if to tell me everything would be alright. And it did. Once the exam started, 'the strength that I'd harvested in those lonely moments' were what I drew inspiration from…everything that I had learned and revised and practised fell together to make the exam a smooth run.

To those of my readers who are appearing for your exams, and especially first timers, my intention was not to brag about how I breezed through my exams, but to tell you, that it's okay to be scared. Once you're in the hall, however, have some confidence in yourself. All those mocks you gave, all those hours you spent poring over your books will not let you down. If you've made it this far, you can surely beat the exams, so best of luck to all of you.

With that sermon out of the way, I'll let you get back to your books, but before I leave, here's a thank you message from Tahiat, who won the RS award for Best Writer:

"I would like to thank all the people who voted for me. Your votes are the only thing that prove and show that you read as well as enjoy what I write. Thank you so much. You've given my year a fantastic start!"

Till our next tête-à-tête, take care, and best of luck!

Send your polls, opinions, and queries to thegirlnextdoor1@hotmail.com or teteatete_tgnd@yahoo.com

By The Girl Next Door

Men's Fashion boo-boos

Rising Stars' most fashion savvy member, Tashmia Zaman, often writes what girls ought to do in order to be fashionable. Her article enable women to get an invaluable insight into the world of fashion, and consequently we now see many fashionable women roaming around the streets of Dhaka. Now the question arises: Do these fashionable women find enough fashionable men in Dhaka worthy of going on a date with? Sadly, the answer is no.

Here at Rising Stars, we firmly believe in Equal Rights. We printed an article on women's fashion, now it's the guys' turn.
Let's mention some of the things that we men definitely need to avoid. Here goes:

The single earring: Some people believe that if a man wears a single earring, he must be gay. Therefore, the judicious thing to do is simply to get rid of the earring. After all, when you're desperate to date women, the last thing you want to do is give them the impression that you're a homosexual!

The ponytail: Whether you've got a long, medium or short ponytail, we can tell you that you're giving the general public the impression that you're a hopeless person. Does this mean that you should do away with long hair altogether? No. Nicely styled long hair is perfectly acceptable, and it will score you high points with women!

Balding display: If you're beginning to become bald, don't waste money. Do what Andre Agassi did. What did Andre Agassi do? Shaved off his hair, that's what. After Lex Luther and Vin Diesel, and all the attention they get, do you still need a reason?

Long & dirty nails: Now we're not asking you to go for a manicure here, but we insist that you cut your nails regularly and also ensure that they are clean. Talons look better on a hawk.

Govinda style: It might be fun to watch Govinda movies, but please don't try to emulate his dressing style. His white shoes and fluorescent coloured shirts will get you absolutely nowhere. We suggest you have at least one pair of black shoes, as they generally go with most trousers. As for shirts, if you're attending a formal occasion wear a one-coloured shirt. Try to keep a blue shirt and black trousers in your collection, as they form an excellent combination.

Cigarettes: All you're asking for is cancer. If it's coolness you're aiming for, spend all that cash on deodorant or breath-mints instead.

Whatever look: Some men like to sport the 'whatever look.' Basically, this is the look where men try to show that they've given no attention to the way they are dressed. There was a time when the 'whatever look' was viewed as fashionable, but now it should be totally confined to the history books!

Trainers with trousers: No matter what you do, never wear trainers with trousers. That's because if you do, you'll do for your image what CFC gas has done to the ozone layer. If you've got an obsession with trainers, you can wear them with jeans. Talking about jeans, this is one piece of clothing that is absolutely timeless. Therefore, never hesitate to wear jeans at an informal gathering.

Well, that's about it. The choice of being fashionable or unfashionable now lies in your hands. Hopefully, you'll make this effort of ours worthwhile and choose to be the former!

By Sayeed Mahmud Nizam

Riddles

What can burn the eyes, sting the mouth, yet be consumed?
What is it the more you take, the more you leave behind?
What is the difference between a cat and a complex sentence?
A skin have I, more eyes than one. I can be very nice when I am done. What am I?
What gets bigger the more you take away from it?
What is pronounced like one letter, written with three letters, and belongs to all animals?
What is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space; the beginning of every end, and the end of every race?
If you have it, you want to share it. If you share it, you don't have it. What is it?
The more you have of it, the less you see. What is it?
Forward I am heavy, but backward I am not. What am I?
I saw a man in white, he looked quite a sight. He was not old, but he stood in the cold. And when he felt the sun he started to run. Who could he be? Please answer me.
When is a boat not a boat?
When is a door not a door?

By Quazi Zulquarnain Islam