

Get Ready, Get Set And Go- Feel At Home In College

Over the years, we’ve noticed that every student goes through their education in what we would like to call a messy manner, no matter how organized they may be while starting out. Don’t believe us?
Remember that time you kept your books so clean and in ascending order of their height for the first few days of school, and were picking up pages and holding them together by the end of the term? What happens after the first term? We all know how that story goes.
Well, this analogy applies to almost all the students through their student life, regardless of what stage they’re in. Keeping this in mind we’ve compiled a small list of daily habits to help you guys make life a little more organised and a little easier to manage.
WAKE UP EARLY – This cannot be emphasised enough! We know that as a student, few things come close to getting in bed late and waking up at your own sweet time whenever you can, but there’s nothing like starting your day early. You get enough time to plan your day, organize yourself, and divide your time into things you WANT to do and things you NEED to do.
What happens as a result? You’re far more productive and go to bed satisfied. Try it, thank us later.
This is also a super important habit for life!
MAKE TO-DO LISTS – A student’s mind has a lot going on, we understand that completely. In all the mush going on inside the head, it is normal to miss out on things. Make lists, tick tasks off the list, and get things done!
EAT WELL AND REMAIN ACTIVE – Studies can sometimes take the forefront of your life, and you are going to be under pressure more often than not, In such times, eating healthy and getting enough sleep help keep your mind active and help you function well through the day with complete alertness. If you can take up a sport in your spare time or do some physical activity every now and then, it makes sure that your brain remains alert and is an ideal mind state to be in.
FIND A HOBBY – Reading, music, sports whatever it may be. Find a hobby that you can fall back on to blow off some steam and channel your creativity into, and who knows that might just open up new roads for you too!
Take it easy, don’t stress and just make simple positive changes that impact your life positively and clear up the everyday mess of a student life.
We live in an era defined by technology, defined by its quick pace and by the financial status of every individual running the race. However, when it comes to parenting, all these three factors have a key role to play – Technology needs to be regulated, the quick pace needs to be slowed down for your kids, and the financial status can take a back seat. What your kid needs is not the latest gadgets and smartphones, or a heavy pocket money amount, what he needs is your time.
We understand it’s hard to spend time in today’s day and age when most parents are working long shifts and barely get time to see their spouses, but now that you’ve made the commitment of having a child, you owe it to your family to spend quality time with them to help shape your child’s personality and mould them into quality individuals.
We’re not saying that you need to spend your entire day staring into the eyes of your kids, and not letting them leave your sight, but you can spend time with them each opportunity you get. Did you know that there are only 940 Saturdays between a child’s birth and their leaving for college? That may sound like a lot, but how many have you already used up? If your child is 5 years old, 260 Saturdays are gone. Poof! And the older your kids get, the busier their Saturdays are with friends and activities! Movie nights, evening walks, word quizzes, grocery shopping, take every opportunity you get to spend time with your little ones, and make sure you’re living that moment entirely, making memories as you go.
But why is spending time so important? How does it help?
Remember that kid that makes a scene in the middle of the departmental store, or as they grow older do strange things to seek attention? That stems psychologically from kids not getting enough attention from their parents. Good parenting which gives kids enough attention ensures that they develop into sound individuals that don’t indulge in harmful and attention seeking behaviour.
Another very important reason is that it may be the only way you get to know your child and really connect with him. You want to be your child’s go to person to talk to in case they’re hurt or feeling low, and for that you need to earn that trust and spend quality time with them. Spending time with them ensures you’re a good friend, and helps build trust too.
This activity also is extremely important because it builds self-esteem and makes kids realise their worth. This holds true especially to shyer, less outgoing children that keep to themselves. It helps them get over social anxiety, if any.
Most importantly, this individual time that you spend with your child will strengthen your bond at a nascent stage and ensure that it is a long lasting, loving one.
Take some time off, work never stops but this time with your child will never come back. Live it, Love it!
While making the leap from high school to college, it’s super important to make sure that you land safely. It’s not just hop skip and jump, since college is a whole other ball game altogether. That being said, you don’t need to get nervous or jittery about taking the next natural step in progression, but rather embrace it with excitement. You know what they say, ‘Your college days will stay with you forever’. That being said, here are a few things that you should keep in mind when you’re starting your college life and that could be of help to you in this transition period –
Stay in touch with your family and friends back home, share your day with everyone, and see how easy it gets to enter the world of college 🙂
At Vidya Mandir, we don’t just want to focus on coaching the children that seek our help in education. ‘Help’ here at Vidya Mandir is not merely academic assistance but a lot more than that. We prefer to pick on the roles of counsellors and mentors that don’t just help them improve their academic performances, but also help them become better human beings and understand the small nuances that help an individual make it or break it in life.
Let’s break down the process simply. In most other coaching classes, there are just lectures or classes with a couple of calls for coordination or clearing of doubts. At Vidya Mandir, we follow a different culture altogether. We have the basic classes and lectures where we encourage student to student, and student to teacher interaction. We also incorporate emails and phone calls in our communication to share feedback, have one on one sessions with students that need extra attention, have dedicated social media platforms and blogs to address common doubts and issues and share valuable tips, and most importantly – Share a personal connect outside the classroom.
In the early stages of life, a student has numerous dilemmas and obstacles that society expects you to tackle by yourself or with the support of your family, not realising that it is this age when children can’t be completely open to their parents, be it matters of studies or personal issues like bad habits, company, etc. We understand that, and aim to extend a helping hand to guide them onto the right path so that they go on to become individuals of substance that are not only learned, but well educated too and share a set of values.
Studying can be rather tedious and takes up most of the student’s time – and is often, undesirable by students. It thus comes as no surprise that teachers have stringent rules about homework! Over the years, I’ve understood that there are a few hacks that make studying quicker, and easier – these are essentially hacks to improve your concentration while studying. I tell my students about these in my classes too, and would love to share it with everyone here too.
Here are some tips that will help students focus on studying-
Study out loud – you are 50% more likely to remember what you read out loud as opposed to reading the same paragraph again and again. Another tip is to play teacher and student – and explain the subject matter to yourself, solving your doubts, and raising questions to make yourself understand the subject matter better.
Create mental associations – The ability to make connections is not only an easier way to remember information, but it’s the fuel of creativity and intelligence. Creating these mental associations are an easy way to connect ideas by creating a visual overview of different connections (example- an easy way to remember the first 20 elements of the Periodic Table is to make a mnemonic) You can also draw diagrams to memorise.
Re-energise yourself every few minutes – Do not sit in a place for a prolonged period of time. Walk every 20 minutes and keep yourself well hydrated while studying. This will make you active and more interested in your topic.
Take power naps – If you are studying for long hours, do not beat yourself up or drink coffee or energy drinks to keep you up and about. If your brain has to concentrate consistently for hours at a time, it loses processing power and your concentration levels slip. Power naps work very well, and help you look at all the subject matter completely refreshed.
Do one thing at a time – Do not get ahead of yourself or take the easy way out; and don’t attempt to kill two birds with one stone. Not only does this leave you scattered and distracted, it makes your memory strained – i.e, you forget everything very easily. Instead, focus on one topic at a time and ensure that you understand it very clearly.
Meditation, a long term solution – Seek and practice guided meditation. It is a great tool to sharpening your senses and improving your focus in everyday life. It also improves both mental and physical health.
These are some basic hacks that help students improve their focus and master concentration while studying. I do hope that this is useful!
How important is a Digital Detox? And how relevant is one when it comes to students and that age group of society? This article aims to tell you just how important technology is, and how an absence of it is even more important. Today we live in a generation of Social Media and the internet, where everything that happens is done online and what happens online, stays there forever. In a time when online media and the internet has such a big part to play, it’s really a very powerful tool in terms of influencing the mind of a teenager or a student, positively and negatively.
Disconnecting from technology has a plethora of benefits not just academically, but generally too for the well-being of a budding young student. A student can in fact do really well if he or she is isolated from the distractions of technology. Students today are addicted to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to such an extent that they need to check their phone every 5 minutes and as a result, have the attention span of a 2 year old.
Besides helping teens focus and pay attention to the task at hand, a digital detox also helps increase social interactions – a phenomenon that seems to have gone extinct in today’s times. Social interaction is something that is necessary, because the more they interact and are exposed to real time surroundings, the better they get at dealing with them, and the more of help it’ll be to them in a few years when they’re faced with real time obstacles and scenarios at their workplace, in their personal life, etc.
Another thing that the detox will help your kid with is that he won’t take as long to study and exams won’t really be a task if he isn’t distracted the whole duration of his school time or even before the exams. He has time at hand, along with the necessary focus and can get done with his studies and get a good night’s sleep before the exam.
Social media gives many of us an unrealistic impression about life. It is important to give the real picture to your children, instead of letting them think that everyone’s life on social media is perfect. It is easy to fall into this trap with social media, and it is necessary that a check on reality is consciously maintained at all times. This in turn works wonders for mental health, as you want your child to be happy and focused.
As parents, you should emphasize the need to find the right balance and avoid extremities when it comes to exposure to digital platforms and their effect on the performance of the student. Make it a priority to teach your children the importance of DISCONNECTING from the internet world.
Today Social Media has changed the world phenomenally and it has taken over our lives in such a way that things are never going to be the same again. Social interaction may have increased by ten-fold, but how much of that is human face to face interaction is a question that is best left out of the equation. People might be in the same room today, but still living the moment through their smartphones and viewing the world through their screens, not their eyes. You might be wondering how this is relevant to education or parenting in today’s times. Well, the fact of the matter is that social media is harming your child’s education and no one is aware of it.
Let’s start with the basics- validation! Social Media validation is something that has become of prime importance in the millennials mind and has reduced his attention span drastically. Today a child is exposed to social media from a very nascent age, because smart phone exposure almost directly results in social media exposure where being on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram is seen as a necessity and if you aren’t on at least one of these websites then you’re titled a ‘Loser’ or an ‘Outcast’ in society. From the age of 10 and 11 children get into the habit of browsing through their smart phones and scrolling through social media platforms, not realising that they’re conditioning their minds to something that is going to affect their academics and life state in a very negative way.
Today’s generation wants instant gratification in every sphere of life, whether it’s food delivery, mobile recharges, buying clothes, shoes or even social life. Why take the trouble of calling up a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while and asking how they’re doing, when you can simply scroll through their profile and stalk them or just drop a simple ‘Sup’ in their inbox within a few clicks? While this may sound a lot more convenient at first, it isn’t really human if you think of it. I mean if the person does matter that much then why not take the effort and time to connect properly? The same extends to different spheres in their life especially education.
Now what this conditioning for instant gratification does is that it reduces the attention span of a student majorly, and he’s so used to reading a couple of words and scrolling through that sitting down to read and study an entire paperback text book seems almost impossible for him. And while that’s extremely necessary at that point in his life, you can’t blame the student for not being used to this old fashioned format that our generations have been following since the beginning of education.
Also, life looks extremely perfect on social media. Children are exposed to fabricated lives of celebrities and famous people on social media. This makes them have unrealistic expectations in life, and these rose-tinted glasses are extremely tough to take off! Research also suggests that social media exposure is a leading cause of depression and other mental health issues among youngsters today.
Here is where the role of us as parents comes in. While it is important to keep our kids safe and provide them with the best we can, a filter needs to be there as to what is good for them and what isn’t. A smartphone is necessary considering safety since today almost all the kids have tuition, and extra-curricular activities to attend. But there needs to be a constant check on their activities and limiting their usage of the smartphone so that it doesn’t consume them completely, nor hamper their ability to pay attention when necessary and affect their ultimate potential.
Social media also exposes children to activities and occurrences from around the world, breaking boundaries. This is both good and bad, since a child’s mind is a blank canvas and can very easily be painted in any way depending on the kind of news it is exposed to. Here again it becomes absolutely essential to monitor and check what kind of activities the children are partaking in so that the balance is maintained and they stay well on track.
With a little bit of effort and guidance from the parents, the best of social media can be absorbed by the kids, and the worst can be averted. While you cannot escape social media, you need to make sure the use of it is controlled, at least while your children are in school/colleges.
Education as a value system is one that is built on the ideal of effective communication. Right from the time of the Indian Gurukul system, where oral tradition of passing on knowledge from one generation to another occurred, to modern times, where content is delivered on online platforms for students to access worldwide, talking and delivering as well as listening and receiving, form imperative parts of the process of learning. The only way forward is to channel this communication to make the process most effective and useful.
Feedback is a relatively new concept, being used by teachers and students alike in order to identify and keep best practices and strengthen areas of development. While teachers/mentors/parents need to keep in mind that feedback must be constructive, specific and action oriented, the same applies for the approach of the person on the receiving end.
Following are a few tips that will help you make the finest use of feedback and create the best version of yourself.
Understand that the person giving you feedback are ones with experience and learning in the field. There are no vested interests or partiality here, all is said and done for your betterment. Keeping this in mind, and trusting that you are being helped, will allow you to open your mind and thus facilitate learning and progress.
If you have been given feedback you don’t seem to understand, or feel is misplaced, take the time out to resolve this with your teacher/mentor/parent. Approach them with an open mind, so as to understand the context of the feedback and the reason behind them making a statement. When you do this, you will better know the place from which this feedback comes from and will allow you to change your mind. Incase you feel the feedback is not constructive, communicate this.
There is an effect of feedback only if an action to act upon that feedback is taken. Analyze the feedback given to you, and perhaps discuss it with your mentor in terms of next steps. If you have been given appreciation for a particular area, identify how you can keep your successes. Similarly if you are given suggestions on areas of development, try to plan a way to strengthen them. An easy and effective method for the same is backward planning. Look at the feedback, and set a goal with a timeline. Then break it down into small goals, and targets with smaller timelines.
Set achievable and realistic goals. Talk to someone if you don’t feel prepared to set these goals. Remember, things don’t turn around in a day, nor can everything be fixed in one go. Take one thing at a time, and focus on your current priority. Even if feedback is given for various things to be worked on, choose what you think is most important and go for it!
Somewhere down your timeline and action plan, go back to feedback. Check for progress. Approach the person who gave you feedback, and look for change. If you are still stuck with the same feedback, you need to tweak your plan.
When you receive feedback, human tendency often makes us stress on the things not in our favor and we tend to forget the successes. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, their life, context, strengths and weaknesses are vastly different. Look at all the progress you have made. Applaud your successes, however small they may be to motivate yourself and keep going.
Together, we can be better!
We often have an existential crisis not knowing about what’s going on or what’s going to happen, or even if the decisions we’ve taken are the correct ones or not. Have I chosen the right subject? Have I opted for the right stream? What if I change my mind? What if I can’t do this in a few months? Pause. Take a break, and allow us to tell you that you are ABSOLUTELY FINE! The good thing about this feeling is that it is completely normal and it’s in fact natural to second guess your choices and doubt the direction you’re heading in. We’re bringing you 4 tips that will help you realise that you’re doing alright! –
So it’s okay to feel low and confused, take time off and answer these 4 points, and you will realise that you’re doing just fine. No matter what stage in life you are at, you;ll sail through. Just keep these 4 points in mind 🙂
When it comes to studying and exams, everyone seems to drown in chaos as time passes by swiftly, and the deadline edges close. But it doesn’t always have to be last minute study sessions and hasty, selective learning to pass! We’re bringing you 5 simple but proven study tips that work and get the job done, provided you utilize them!
1 – Take short study breaks and go for a walk – Sitting in one place and trying to absorb knowledge can get very irritating, especially if you’re someone with a short attention span ( which is the case with most millennials) or someone who fidgets a lot. Rather than forcing yourself to sit in one place while your mind wanders away, take short brisk study breaks. Walk a little to refresh your mind and get the blood flowing to all the parts of your body so both your body and mind can wake up, and get back into study mode!
2 – Teaching someone else – You might have noticed this, but nothing gets an idea or concept firmly planted in your head like when you’re explaining it to someone else! You can’t really teach someone else a concept unless you completely imbibe it yourself, and in the process of brushing up to teach someone you end up revising and rehearsing it for yourself, which is basically a win-win!
3 – Shuffle Subjects – You should always make the best use of your surroundings and what you have at hand, and this couldn’t be more fitting than in the case of studying. When you get too saturated with Math you can switch over to English for a refreshing change and still keep the learning going, or when you’re too bored with Science you can switch over to the enthralling tales of Indian history and still keep the learning spirit up!
4 – Get Good Rest – This is probably the most important tip and pretty self-explanatory too! To stay in the best shape both physically and mentally you need to get at least 6-8 hours of sound sleep every night. Rest, sleep on time so that you can begin your day fresh and stay alert and attentive throughout.
5 – Take Tests – And last but definitely not the least, take more tests! The lesser the gap between each test, the fresher the content stays in your memory and you’re able to revise and remember what you learn again and again. When the big exam day comes, you merely need to peek back into your mind and the answers will flow involuntarily!
Try these the next time you are studying for an exam, and you’ll realize you don’t need to wait for a deadline to appear before you’re well versed with your syllabus!
At Vidya Mandir, students excel beyond expectations and go on to realise their true potential…but not without good reason.
We utilize a few fundamental techniques and concepts on which the basis of ‘teaching’ was founded and carried out but later on forgotten somewhere in the advancements and commercialism of modern times. We prefer keeping it simple, but highly effective!
Here are a few of the techniques we use to engage our students and keep them active –
Told you, we believe in keeping it simple, yet highly effective.
The biggest question that both students & parents have is that while it’s easy to stay in touch during the academic year, how does one keep the ‘Nerd Mode’ on during the vacations?
Once school is shut for the break (like the Diwali break now), the books take a back seat, collecting dust as they sit on the topmost shelves of the study tables. Opening them after the holidays are over feels like you’re opening them for the first time, which means that all the effort spent before the break goes down the drain if you don’t manage to keep in touch. Sounds all too familiar, doesn’t it?
Well, it’s really not that hard and all you need is a little streamlining and planning with which you can have fun during the vacation as well as gain an edge above the rest of the students in the vacations in terms of staying in touch with the syllabus.
The method we’re going to tell you now is a top secret that most scholars have been using but never spoken about, but since you’re the lucky ones we’re going to be telling the ultra-successful mantra to staying motivated during the vacations – Pick one or two study partners and have a group study session every alternate day or every day for even an hour, and follow a timetable.
The good thing here is that you have no exam to prepare for so you don’t need to study under pressure. Pick one or two friends that are like minded or who’s company you enjoy so that study sessions aren’t boring or demotivating and treat the study more like a game, ask each other questions in a friendly quiz and set up a weekly score card where the winner gets ice cream or lunch from the loser. If you manage to make it fun and give just an hour of your day every alternate day or everyday depending on your schedule, you can easily keep in touch with all the subjects and revise what you know, forming a strong base for the coming term.
Try it, and study to learn more and not just for marks…you might actually end up enjoying it!
At Vidya Mandir, Mathematics isn’t just another subject one has to study in order to pass their exams. Mathematics is much more than a subject we need to study; it is a way of living. Allow us to explain. We’ve all known people who’ve been scared of maths, or we ourselves have suffered from the fear of numbers, and given up at the idea of doing well in Mathematics saying, “I can’t do it” or “It’s not my cup of tea” But is it really the case? Or are we just too afraid to look beyond the initial layer and get into the depths of the subject?
At Vidya Mandir, we believe that anyone and everyone can learn to love maths, if only they give themselves a chance to open up to this fear.
At Vidya Mandir, we believe in understanding the subject before preaching it to our students. The reason that so many people have a problem understanding maths is that it is a subject different in nature to the more conventional subjects like languages, history or social sciences. Not being able to score well in maths leaves student with a feeling that they are not good enough. If you’re reading this, we want you to know that this isn’t true! You are all very intelligent, you just need to find what you’re good at, and work towards being happy. As far as mathematics is concerned, do not worry. We request you only one thing- come to us with an open mind, ready to accept failure, and ready to learn from it.
Personally, I see the relationship each student shares with maths. Those who love it- I discuss problems and solutions with them. Those who do not- II still do the same! The point is to treat everyone a equal; it’s just that someone who doesn’t understand a problem might take longer to learn compared to someone who is scientifically inclined. That’s not a problem, I make sure my students leave only once they’re confident of what they’ve learnt. It might take an hour, 2 hours, maybe 5 classes even, but I have the patience to make sure you love my favourite subject 🙂
We ensure our students not just excel in maths, but fall in love with numbers and understand the joy one can experience by solving puzzles and arriving at the correct solution! Numbers aren’t all that hard to understand as long as you understand the pattern behind them so that you can experience the thrill of solving each problem!
The good thing about studying is that as long as there are students that are willing to give their 100% our teachers make sure they leave no stone unturned to get the concepts across to the students/ Through regular tests and in-class discussions the teachers ignite the flame of curiosity in the student’s mind where they actually WANT to solve the problem and don’t attempt it simply because they have to.
You don’t really have to fear Mathematics, come to Vidya Mandir and develop a new relationship with your arch enemy and who knows, it could be a love affair of a lifetime!
At Vidya Mandir, the words ‘TIME MANAGEMENT’ are more than just a jargon expected to solve all your problems. It is in fact a skill that we look to impart in our students, via the various teaching methods and programs conducted so that they learn to balance their academics and manage time well enough to fit in all that’s necessary, without leaving anything neglected. Most importantly, we teach them effective time management keeping in mind that this is a skill required for life.
This is why time management is important, not just for school, but for life too-
People often underestimate the importance of time management, especially at the school level which is the very base of a person’s identity and if learnt at the right time, will stay with you for life and make it comfortable. We understand the importance of this, and make sure our teachers inculcate this habit into our students’ lives.
At Vidya Mandir we use the most lethal weapon that the educational arsenal consists of – Tests. But there is a lot more to it than what meets the eye. We do not believe in conducting tests just for the sake of judging how much our students have learnt. We believe in doing things differently. Read on to know what we mean.
The tests we conduct are not meant to differentiate the smart students from the weak students or as a means for some students to show off, and brag about marks. We use our tests as a tool to accurately show where our students stand in terms of preparation and understanding of the subject matter. The idea behind the tests is not to rule out answers based on right and wrong. We don’t believe in “right” or “wrong” answers.
Confused? Continue reading.
Our tests show us how much our students have understood a topic. Instead of concentrating on how much has a student scored, we concentrate on the student finding out WHY he went wrong. This way he/she understands his roadblocks, and learns how to solve them. We believe that simply telling them they’re wrong won’t serve any purpose, and will only scare the student away.
At Vidya Mandir, every class starts with quick fire verbal tests that increase the tempo and energy of the class, and this way we make sure that the students have remembered and absorbed what was taught in the previous lesson. As a student we believe you don’t need to go home and study a lot, as long as you’re on your toes in our class you’ll be on top of your game throughout the school year!
Once the corrected answer sheets are handed back to the students, there is an open discussion as well as an individual discussion of the papers to see where each student went wrong. Problems are approached on an individual level. The open discussions address common doubts where questions are encouraged and students can learn through each other’s weak points too.
Here, we encourage our students to learn with examples rather than just mugging up the theory. When they leave our doors, they know a concept through and through well enough to explain it to anyone simply using apt examples from things around him. Once you know the concepts well, the battle is as good as won!
We are sure you want your children to study in the best institutions with the best faculty, and understand that the hunt for the perfect coaching class must be a difficult one, seeing how it plays a large role in shaping the future of your child. We focus on a lot more than just a Board Exam. Read on to know more.
If we see that a student isn’t enjoying what he’s learning, we take out time to understand the personality of the child and gauge what his learning style is. This way we can make learning fun for him. Our ultimate goal is to see our children happy.
We do not propagate one line of thought when it comes to choosing streams. While certain subjects are important for school & the students have n option other than to ace them, we make sure we encourage our children to learn newer things and explore new opportunities for the future.
We coach them for life. We teach our students how to be responsible, successful and happy individuals. We teach them the importance of leadership and time management. We share tips on productivity. We believe these skills can be useful for the rest of their lives, and not just a temporary Board Exam.
We know that perfection isn’t human, and we want our students to embrace this fact too. It is not possible to be the best, but it is important to understand what’s stopping us from being the best, and slowly work towards it. We teach our students the importance of learning life lessons through failures.
We want them to learn things for life. Marks are temporary; we want them to leave with lessons that will help them climb high in life.
We are a fun, happy family. Because we’ve always believed that happy people are successful people. Our results prove this. Our students are in touch with us even after a decade of passing out. Our students are successful, independent, happy individuals and this is what makes us proud.
At Vidya Mandir we don’t believe in putting aspirants through rigorous examinations in order to further prepare for rigorous examinations! If that was the case, you could probably prepare by yourself. We’re here to guide you and help you excel, no matter what your current academic stance is with two important qualities deciding your admission to our institution – curiosity and the determination to work hard.
Isaac Newton didn’t discover gravity while he was sitting for an examination; he discovered it sitting aimlessly under a tree, questioning the happenings around him. We believe that true learning stems from the fundamental drive to know more and stay curious and more importantly to gather knowledge because one WANTS to, not because one HAS to.
Over the last few years, exams have developed into the know all and end all of one’s mental capabilities. Society tends to judge individuals based on their academic prowess, often forgetting that some of the biggest names in the corporate world today such as Mr Bill Gates didn’t even complete his education! While that might be a one off case, the point is that the drive to know more and learn genuinely is far greater than simply mugging up knowledge and vomiting it out on a piece of paper – something that most students end up having to do in the examinations that are going to define their life.
Here we believe in something greater, something that will actually impact your life positively and guide you to succeed the right way! So if you do have the fire of curiosity burning within, and the urge to succeed and genuinely learn, then there’s no better place to be.
As long as you’re in school, preparing for the exams throughout the year, it’s quite normal to forget everyday routines that can help you stay strong while you charge ahead. Teachers will focus on assignments, parents will focus on results and you’re left striving extremely hard to make everyone proud. While that, of course, is the ultimate goal; you cannot expect great results if you’re physically and mentally weak.
“I don’t have time for fitness”
“How does physical fitness even matter now?”
“At this age, what can I do to keep myself fit and active for studies?”
Allow us to explain.
While you might be tempted to gorge on junk food, especially during those long study hours, we suggest you refrain from those fatty foods and focus on eating clean instead. Even eating a lot of home-cooked meals works. The idea is to avoid junk food. Junk food tends to make you feel uneasy, and also makes you feel drowsy and sleepy. Plus it will lead to unnecessary and drastic weight gain. But make sure to fuel up with food also because your brain needs glucose to function well.
Not drinking enough water will lead to headaches, sleepiness and fatigue. Carry a bottle of water with you at all times, and drink whenever you can. Keep a reminder around you to drink as much water as possible. It will help you stay alert and fresh too.
Preparing for exams usually means a child is sleeping late and waking up super early to study and revise. The child thus misses out on the healthy, recommended 6-7 hours of sleep, which in turn leads to headaches, sleepiness, mental fatigue, irritation, hunger pangs, forgetfulness and weakness. So how does one sleep AND study? Start preparing well in advance! Make a time-table keeping in mind your sleep schedule too. You don’t want to be sitting in the exam hall staring at the question paper wondering what the answer is, because you’re too sleepy to remember.
This does not mean you go for movies and parties every day. Dedicate an hour every day to some sort of activity that you enjoy, preferably outdoors, since a change of scenery will refresh you and help you study better. Allow yourself one day a week where you can go out for 2 hours instead of only 1, but make sure you earn those 2 hours of stress-free living. “I will watch the movie only if I complete 5 chapters of this book” sounds like a good deal, doesn’t it? This way you will also be motivated to study more. Plus taking time out for entertainment will recharge your mind.
Do not be scared to express yourself. If you do not understand something, ask your teachers. If you do not like a subject, let the teacher know (the teacher won’t be able to remove the subject from your reading list, but will definitely help you with techniques to make you learn better) Reach out to your loved ones if you feel stressed and troubled. Discuss your exam fears with your parents. Talk to teachers and parents about your life plans. Talking will help you ease the stress. Give it a try and you will know 🙂
These tips sounds extremely simple, don’t they? But you’ll be surprised to know how many people ignore the basic habits because of exam tension. Do not let it get to you, children! We’re here to help you prepare yourself for life. Reach out to us, and let’s work together to build a solid foundation for you 🙂
Choosing a stream right after your 10th boards is one of the trickiest decisions that you’re required to make, with a very limited idea of the options available. The stress around this decision is maximum, since the subjects you select in standard eleven and twelve are studied in depth – and you would like to be wary of making the wrong decision. Of course you can change your path once you’re done with Class 12, but even studying something you don’t want to for 2 years can affect your learning curve in a negative way. In fact you might lose the will to study too! Don’t stress, while you’re with us, you don’t have to worry about your education because we help you make the choice that makes YOU happy.
While the options have been laid out clearly – Science, Commerce and Arts, the choice you make directly affects the path you choose for further studies. While it is important to make the most ideal decision, it’s equally important to know the tools to minimise your stress and be more confident of your choice. Here’s how you can go about it. Knowing what you DON’T want is also important. It is important to narrow down your options with reference to your interests and your grades. While this basic education for about 10 years is just a small step to dig into something deeper, pick out the subjects that interest you. Remember that there’s nothing wrong in being unsure of the subjects that interest you – it could be a cross disciplinary choice as well, but it’s important to gauge your interest in terms of how your mind is involved while studying these subjects and whether you make an extra effort to be more involved with them. Eliminate your weaknesses if you can’t identify your strengths – and make the choice accordingly. Check your grades, check your interests, or eliminate the options that don’t work for you – that’s the ideal concoction to making a wise choice.
Research career prospects At the age of 15, you’re rather unsure about the everyday life of any career prospect that may interest you – whether it’s a chemical engineer, an investment banker, a researcher, or a graphic designer. Remember, at this age, with the limited knowledge and exposure, it is impossible for you to wholly understand the job roles of any professional or artist. Don’t let this stress you out; instead, consult people from different fields and ask them more about what they’re required to do at work every day. Of course it isn’t easy to understand their job roles even after you learn about it from them, but a vague area of interest is important. Remember that your mind is going to evolve a lot in the next five years, and that is completely dependent on the choices you make.
Understand who you are from your parents, teachers and mentors Understand your strengths and weaknesses from people who are close to you. It’s important to take in another perspective while making life choices. You may be interested in journalism – for example, there’s much more to the field than reporting and current affairs. It’s important for you to understand if this job interests you – if you’re actively interested in reading, current affairs, and you’ve got strong people skills and research skills. These skills may exist at a very nascent stage, but make sure you consult your parents, teachers and mentors and take in their opinions as well.
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Remember that in the end, you know best. You will not be an expert since the beginning, but the next two or three years are just a training for you to dig deeper and understand what direction you would like your life to be headed. It’s not easy to make the choice at the age of 15, with limited knowledge, but remember you know yourself, and you’re surrounded by people who are looking out for you – you are going to make the best possible decision.
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