After all the learning and re-learning for the Class X board exams, one would think yet another course would be the last thing on the menu. And yet, the three-month post-exam break is just the right time to pursue a long-forgotten hobby, develop a new one or learn something new.
Here are short-term courses that will not only give you a new skill but also an edge.
Baking
Whip up brownies, muffins, mousses, tarts, breads and cookies or learn how to make chocolates. There are many weekend workshops, as well as month-long courses, that teach you the nuances of making and plating desserts. It may just help you set up your own bakery some day. If you want advance baking skills, opt for the two or three-month courses offered by cooking schools.
"We provide courses on bakery and cooking, which vary from day-long workshops to one-month certified courses. They are attended mostly by college students and homemakers," says Payal Bhatia, owner of Foodkraft, a culinary academy in Calcutta.
A course can cost anything between Rs 1,000 for a day and Rs 20,000 for a month. Baking institutes that hold regular classes charge Rs 38,000 for a month and Rs 65,000 for two months.
Videography
Everyone loves to click pictures, be it of themselves or others. Capturing videos is equally popular. With wedding videography - special videos of everything from the invitation to the different functions - becoming a major trend, there are opportunities galore for budding videographers.
Taking a course to sharpen your skills will give you an edge at various parties, events and even college and corporate functions. You could then decide to specialise in the type of videography you prefer - fashion, travel, nature or commercial.
Local photography institutes hold weekend classes that cost Rs 5,000 at the most basic level. Follow it up with an advanced course if you want.
"Before you take up photography as a profession, you need to know your camera very well; you need to know about the technological aspects that include mathematical calculations of light, exposure triangles and the like. Internships, freelancing, photographing college events, all led me to become a professional photographer as I learnt something new from each opportunity," says Shubham Paul, who teaches photography at the Lakshmipath Singhania World Academy and Newtown School in Calcutta.
Many professionals like him also hold workshops to pass on their camera skills at reasonable rates.
Theatre
Were you one of those kids who regularly participated in school plays? Or were you paralysed by stage fright? In both cases, theatre workshops would be right up your alley. If you suffer from stage fright, these workshops will help build confidence; if you don't, it will sharpen your stage skills. If you pursue theatre with interest and dedication, who knows you might even be noticed by the film industry.
Take the case of the Calcutta-based Kartikey Tripathi. He realised his love of acting in college and joined a theatre group. After a few years, he featured in some commercials and also landed small roles in the Hindi film, Begum Jaan, and the Bengali film, Jomer Raja Dilo Bor.
Mad About Drama, a theatre group in Calcutta, offers internships, as well as various workshops for adults and children. A one-month part-time certificate course at an all-India acting academy would cost Rs 20,000.
Bartending
A mixologist is the most sort-after person at a club, discotheque, pub or even on a cruise. The mesmerising juggling of bottles while making you a delicious cold concoction is what flair bartenders are known for. If you want to learn about mixology, spirits, beer, wines and flair bartending, there are institutes that provide three-month certificate courses, which cost around Rs 25,000.
"Bartending is an amazing job where you get to meet people from different spheres of life and bring a smile to their faces," says Andrew Samling, senior bar captain at Roxy Cocktail Lounge Bar, The Park.
Open source courses
If none of these interest you, you are sure to find something you like online. The best part is that they can be completed at your own pace. Learn a variety of things such as coding, video editing, algorithms and programming languages and even earn certificates from top universities such as MIT or Oxford on sites such as Coursera, EdX, Mooc, Udemy or Lynda.
Says Anirudh Mertiya, a video-editor, "All the video editing that I know is learnt from the Internet. I have also done a couple of MOOCs - massive online open courses. It is only because of these courses that I am now editing the music videos of the best hip-hop beat producers in the country."