After X
Boards may motivate you, bore you, tense you, you may have already had enough of it. The board exam years of SSC or HSC can be pretty same in terms of the responses from your acquaintances and the emotions evoked in you. You are introduced as this is my son so and so…..and he is in boards and …….. it starts- Oh you are in boards, study well haan; Aur padhai kaisi chal rahi hai? Which classes have you joined? You must forget every thing for one year but studies. Sounds familiar???
How do you react? May be at first you feel nice to get the attention, and then may be you start to expect it. And may be by mid term of your SSC or HSC you get bugged, irritated, annoyed and had enough. Some may react to it by answering back; others may actually start to feel the pressure. Whatever your reaction these situations these years are important years and along with preparing for the tough studies you need to be able to deal with the added mental pressure. As we all know the pressure for an SSC/HSC exam is many fold than a regular exam, so should be your preparation study as well as other wise.
The factors playing on your mind could be as follows:
- May be you keep juggling between the school, tuitions, extra classes, special coaching etc. and feel that you don’t have any time to really sit down and study.
- The parents keep nagging, actually reminding you to do your best; and you really start to feel the pressure to perform.
- Similar comments from Teachers & relatives asking you to prove yourself. Friends who though are sailing in the same boat pass on their tension to you.
- Stories regarding college admissions & Entrance exams – my sister’s friend lost her admission in a given college by 1 percent or worse 0.5 percent.
- Friends, parents and others keep talking about new courses and careers and you keep thinking about your future
Tips to keep in mind while going through the experience of being in SSC/HSC
v Learn to manage your time. Take up classes, special coaching etc. considering how much physical exertion you can handle.
v Try to cut on the travel time for various important classes that you may need to take.
v Attend any special class or workshop on how to prepare for your exams and any workshop on how to do well in exams will tell you the importance of understanding the concept and then revision, so revise, revise and revise. It will help you learn better and be confident.
v Think positive! It is a very mundane mantra to give, but this is how you can tackle the extra SSC/HSC pressure being exerted on you from all directions.
v Keep your talking channels open especially with parents coz they may be equally tensed about you being in SSC/HSC as you. Your telling them how much you have done and how you plan to cover the portion may bring down their anxiety and thus their constant nagging oops…. Reminding.
v Learn to relax – Physically and mentally. Relaxation exercise, yoga, meditation etc. help relax and also build your concentration.
v Get a life! Do more than just studies. Whether others do it or not you treat your Board exams as exams which require you to be motivated, to give your best and not the end of the world.
One small thing to remember, this experience is like how life is-an important exam, obstacles and problems-some real but some only out of others concerns, your future course depends on it but not so much on the percentage but how you deal with the entire episode. So learn your lesson, give your best and do well; not just in exam but life.