Surbhi Gupta, Graduate Student in Journalism

Which program/department are you in?

MA Journalism.

What’s your primary area of research?

Arts and Culture.

Which country (or countries) do you come from?

India.

How long have you been in the U.S.?

I've been here for almost eight months now.

Is there anything you’d like to share about your research or projects?

My focus areas have been the South Asian arts scene, the diaspora, internet culture and social media. I am combining all my interests for my thesis which is a longform reportage, almost 8000 words, on how South Asian beauty influencers are challenging the culture of body shaming and addressing body positivity. I will be focusing on the history of body image in South Asia, how it ties to the marriage market, and how women are pushing the envelope and creating conversations on social media.

In the fall semester, I also wrote about how social media is providing space to political cartoonists in Kashmir, a profile of Indian-American singer-songwriter Falu, who recently won the Grammy in the children’s music category. In the spring semester, I am focusing my critical cultural essay assignments on Hindi cinema.

What do you like to do (hobbies, etc)?

I like to go out with friends and explore the city, read books (mostly nonfiction), watch films in various languages, explore new music and artists. I also love to listen to and read interviews by various artists, actors and filmmakers, apart from trends and creators on social media. I am passionate about pop culture in South Asia and I write about everything I explore in my newsletter on Substack called The Week That Was.

What do you like best about living in the U.S.?

I love New York City and its crazy energy. For starters, I love the air quality (considering I am from New Delhi). I also love the diversity in people, cultures and also seasons.

What is the hardest thing about living here?

The hardest thing about living here is being away from my home, family, friends and home-cooked food. I have lived in Delhi almost all of my life and I terribly miss the city.

What do you know now that you wish you knew before coming here?

Most of my cousins are based in the U.S. and a few of them studied at Columbia, hence I was aware of what to expect. However, I did not know I would be as homesick as I have been. I wish I was better prepared mentally before coming here, or perhaps you cannot know that until you are here. I also wish I knew how to cook before I came here. Indians cannot live without Indian food and I wish I was more hands-on with the recipes. But it's been a fun experience so far.

Connect with Surbhi on Twitter.

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