By Shrutica Pandey:
1. Don’t Panic – The first and foremost thing which is to be done is to stop panicking. Take it easy, you just dropped a year which apparently does not lead to an end of your life. Instead feel proud and dignified that you had the audacity to take such a decision and stand by it. Feel good about your decision instead of negotiating it for some private college. You decided to give it another shot, you had the courage to face it one more time, and not everyone has that. You are special and blessed in your own way; always remember that you are perfect because God never makes mistakes.
2.Analyse and Assess – After your frenzy has stopped , go back in time , analyse where you could have put a little more effort , know about your strong and weak areas . Do everything you could not, don’t hold any regrets, make the best out of this opportunity
3. Have a strategy – After analyzing your previous preparation and performance, build up a strategy focusing on your weak areas. Decide whether you need a coaching or you do not. Make a schedule and stick to it diligently, I know that is difficult but if you make a flexible and practical schedule, it will help you a lot. A strategy is highly needed, allot time slots for each section and then work accordingly.
4. Smart Study – Make sure you are studying smart, don’t go for useless materials and cram them and waste time. Go for materials which are authentic and important. Hard work and 12-hour study is not needed, smart study is needed. Discuss everything you study with friends, participate in Facebook forums, it keeps you updated and facts and figures are easy to memorize this way.
5. Utilize Time – Well, this is very important. You have got an additional year to prepare, always remember NO ONE other than droppers have so much of time, the 12th students are busy with boards. Make most out of it , as I have been repeatedly saying do not hold back any regrets cause this is the last chance , it’s a do or die situation ( You don’t die , but then take it that way). Don’t waste time on Facebook and attending coaching classes which hold nothing or is just eating up your time.
6. Motivate yourself – Well I would suggest to everyday get up and turn on the song Hall Of Fame By The Script. It helps you fetch a lot of motivation. Motivation is needed because I exactly know how it feels to see all your friends enjoying in college and you sitting back, but then always bethink that you are destined for even bigger and better things. Fetch for encouragement, read self -help books (Go for The Secret By Rhonda Byrne), pep-up and prepare with full enthusiasm and energy.
7. Mock isn’t mockery– Mock tests are very advantageous and necessary. Take every mock you can and take it very seriously, this helps you to get accustomed to the process of writing the EXAM, it also helps you increase your time efficiency, and prepares you in the process so that you don’t lose you calm and fall into frenzy on the final day.
8. Enjoy – Apart from studying and spending the whole day with books, enjoy! You won’t get this time again; once you are in a good college (which you surely will) you will crave for time to do things you like. So do everything you like, read, dance, draw, learn French, travel, and pursue your hobbies. It will also help you concentrate better.
9. Rewind Review Replay and Rock – Remember these 4R’s and do it. I don’t need to say much about it, its self explanatory; but yes, make sure you Rock it this time!!
10. Pray: Lastly pray, you can’t help much about the luck factor which plays a major role when it comes to competitive exams. So pray to the good lord above and seek some luck to come your way, the power of a prayer is the greatest of all. While you pray do not forget what the father of our nation taught us: “In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” – Mahatma GandhiÂ