Shreya S Menon – AIR 5

Shreya S Menon, a student of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Tripunithura has secured AIR 5 in the CBSE Class 10th board exams with 99 percent. Her school played a significant role in her achievement and she is very proud to study in Chinmaya, a school with remarkable reputation all over the world. She is grateful to her school for not only helping her in her academics, but also for providing opportunities for her to be on stage and face the audience. Chinmaya Vidyalayas are known to bring out the best in their students and enable them to find their true potential. They help their students spiritually and mentally and make them ready for any kind of challenges. Shreya’s school principal Mrs. Priya C Pillai believes that school is where you tame the spark that will enlighten your way to evolve, to grow, to realize your full potential, keeping alive our culture and values and become better human being.

Shreya is certain that Swami Chinmayanda’s grace will be with us always. She is extremely thankful to her parents and brother for their support. Above all, she thanks Lord Almighty. Let’s learn some study techniques from this young champ!

In my interaction with students, I have observed that toppers give credit of their success to their teachers and parents. And I have also observed that non-achievers blame their bad performance on their parents and teachers, i.e., on anyone except themselves. Your take?
>>  When I heard about the results of class 10, I was really happy and excited. But I am sure that if anyone was more excited than me, it would be my parents and teachers. I am so grateful to have such amazing parents and teachers who have always supported me. My teachers clarify all my doubts and they are ready to sit with me for any number of hours. My parents and teachers never lost faith in me. If I have reached anywhere, it is certainly because of my parents and teachers whose love and support have been with me throughout. I take this opportunity to thank all my teachers and my parents.

Can you share some of your preferred study techniques with your juniors and guide them on the path to success?
>>  Making notes is an extremely useful method to remember the main ideas and concepts in the lesson. We will study automatically when we make our own notes. The number of hours one needs to study is relative which may vary from one person to another. Some would prefer to sit and study at night while some prefer getting up in the morning. We need to follow a method which suits us. If we go through the daily portions regularly, it would be easy during the examinations.

A little stress is a good motivator and acts as a driving force, but a lot of stress is harmful and hampers our performance. How do you ensure that stress does not negatively affect you?
>>  When we are over-stressed, we lose control of our temper. We won’t be able to concentrate in any of the work we do. Usually when I am stressed, I talk to my mother. She would help me out and make me comfortable. Even if we lose marks in an exam and feel disappointment, that feeling of sadness motivates us to do well for the next exam. Prayer helps me to feel calm and I find myself boosted up with invigorating spirit once again. When you are stressed, find the strengths in you and utilize it in the best manner. Believe in oneself. Have faith in God.

 Our environment heavily influences our productivity. Can you suggest some ways to build an organized environment for studying that ensures proper efficiency?
>>  Our environment definitely influences our studies. First of all, we need to keep our rooms tidy. Anyone would faint after seeing huge stacks of books dumped here and there. We need to make our study place pleasant and welcoming. Also avoid any attempt to learn in a noisy environment. Isolate yourself and learn the lessons with full focus and concentration. Do not allow any external factors to disturb your studies.

Revision is important to ensure that you are able to retain and recall your lessons. How do you ensure a quick and effective brush up before exams?
>>  It would be really effective if we follow three methods of learning for each lesson before the exams. First, we need to have a thorough study of the lessons. Dive deeper into the intricacies of the concepts. Ensure proper understanding of the chapter.
Second, we need to work out as many questions as possible for each lesson. For that we can refer extra books. Be familiar with all the different types of questions you can expect from each chapter. Finally, have a revision and refer the notes you have made. This pattern has helped me a lot. We also feel confident once we finish with the revision.

We know that we need to eat right, exercise regularly and get adequate sleep to stay healthy. Now numerous scientific studies have confirmed that happiness is an integral part of well-being. What are the things that make you happy? Any tips for your juniors?
>>  I love music. Listening to music releases all my tensions and make me happy. Books are also my friends. Reading books relaxes our mind and we feel full of positivity. When we are exhausted with all the learning, we can practice those activities in which we are interested in like- music, dance, sports, drawing, yoga or anything which fills you with pleasure. Spending time together with our family makes us feel optimistic and then we understand that nothing could have been possible without our family. Once we engage ourselves in something we feel happy about, we will be filled with enthusiasm and energy when we go back to study later.

Self-control plays an important role in life especially during the formative years. In this digital age, how do you avoid temptations and ensure that you remain focused on important things?
>>  In this digital world, there are so many things which we love and we feel tempted. Some like to watch movies while some may be after sports. On my part, I like to watch movies. But I remind myself about the more important things which need to be done.
Even if I go for an entertainment, I ensure that I have done all the crucial works. Never leave anything pending. Always have a plan and manage time properly.

Do you believe in multitasking or monotasking? Which one of these do you think is better for excelling in exams? And why?
>>  In some circumstances, multitasking is good since it saves time and also challenges our ability. But for studying, I feel that monotasking is the best. If we can bring all our sense organs to our studies it will be really effective. It sharpens our sense organs. While studying,our eyes, ears, mind and brain should concentrate only on learning. When we do this, we will be able to study very quickly and our brain will retain all the knowledge. However, if we study our lessons while doing something else simultaneously, it is unlikely that the key points will be retained in our memory. Make sure that you give your full attention to your studies. Concentration is the method for effective learning.

~ Priya Sarin

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