Freshers' party: when the seniors say "introduce yourself"

The music dips. A senior with a mic looks across the hall and says, "Okay, next. Introduce yourself." Your name has not been called yet, but you can see the mic travelling along the row. Your batchmates are laughing and nobody is looking at their phone.

This is a small moment, and it is easy to get ready for it in one evening.

The look

Pick something you can sit, stand and dance in. Two ways to do it:

• Modest: a kurti in a solid colour you already like, with a short jacket or an open shrug over it, and flat juttis or comfortable sandals.
• Modern: a simple party dress, or an Indo-western set, such as a short kurta with straight trousers, in a strong colour like berry, emerald or black.

Borrow from a roommate or a cousin if your own wardrobe does not have a party piece.

For your hair, either wear it open and brushed back, or tie a high ponytail. Choose the one you have worn before, so you do not touch it all evening. One small detail is enough: a pair of earrings you like, or one bright dupatta.

The one confidence move

Do not wait alone at the edge of the room. Stand with two or three batchmates, close enough that your shoulders almost touch. When the mic reaches you, take it with your right hand, look at the senior who asked, and pause for one second before you speak. That second tells the room you are not rushing.

Keep your free hand relaxed at your side. Do not hold the mic with both hands against your chest.

What to say first

Keep one line ready, with one small joke in it. Say your name, your town, and then the joke:

"I'm Meenu, from Kota, and I'm here for the canteen samosas."

Use your own name, your own town and your own joke. A food joke is an easy one to start with, because the canteen is something you all share. Then say "Thank you," and pass the mic to the next person. Short is good. The line does not need to be clever, only yours.

If it goes sideways

Sometimes the seniors add a dare: sing two lines, do a dance step, say something in another language. You do not have to do the hardest version. Laugh, say "Okay, the easy version," and pick the smallest one. A few seconds of a song you know is plenty. Choosing the easy version is a decision, and you are the one making it.

If your mind goes blank, say your name again, smile and say, "That is all I have, I will tell you the rest over samosas." Then pass the mic.

One thing to try today

Tonight, write your one-line intro on a sticky note or in your phone. Stand at the mirror, say it out loud three times with the pause before it, and time it. It should take under ten seconds. Then lay out your outfit and shoes so that on the day you only have to put them on.

Each Sunday: one moment coming up this week, the look for it and the one line to say first. Find them at /moments.