Geetali Gupta
Geetali Gupta, a topper from Jamnabai Narsee International School is here to share her success journey with you all. Currently pursuing Economics at National University of Singapore, she opines that the IB Programme is a journey that requires a lot of courage to embark on, but even more determination and perseverance to complete. However, after these two years at Jamnabai, through the long nights and arduous days, she feels that she has truly understood how hard work always pays off. At the same time, developing a sense of self and discovering new facets of her personality have also been a key factor to her success. She believes that a thorough immersion in the IB course has allowed her to access a huge pool of knowledge and a trunk full of skills, both of which have prepared her for all that lies in university, as well as the challenges that are likely to follow her to the ‘big bad outside world’. Let’s read more about her success journey and learn a thing or two from her.
Geetali Gupta, Jamnabai Narsee International School
It is said that behind every successful student stands a teacher. How did your teachers and parents help you in your preparation for the exams?
>> In the two years of IB, everyday starts to seem like a test and no matter easy or tough it may be, it always pays off to have someone help you through it. I was lucky enough to not just have supportive teachers, who guided me every step of the way – be it the weekly tests, the IAs or the board examinations, but also an amazing non-teaching staff at Jamnabai, who made sure the students had the emotional support they needed at all times. At home, my family has been my pillar of strength, making sure I kept moving forward every time I lost confidence in my abilities and forcing me to take breaks and relax, whenever I ended up working too much. In this way, these people have not just helped me prepare for exams and do well, but they’ve ensured that I passed IB as a better individual, someone who was a little less confused and a lot more independent!
What is your least favourite subject? And how do you manage it?
>> I was lucky in terms of my subject choices since there weren’t any that I was particularly not fond of. However, every two weeks I found a new subject challenging because there were too many assignments due at the time! I think the one thing that always works is putting the work you’re doing in context – asking how it helps you as an individual and how it helps you grow in the long run opens your eyes up to the fact that even if something is tough, it still is worth doing with just as much passion.
Little things make a big difference. Can you share some simple study techniques and tips that you followed?
>> So even though this may seem basic and repetitive, I can’t stress enough on the importance of regular studying. This is not just in terms of completing assignments because the stringent deadlines will make sure you stay on track regardless. The regular studying is focused on making sure you understand concepts the day they are taught in class, it is based on realising areas of possible difficulties when they are being discussed in class and asking questions right then, and it emphasises on making notes and studying smart from the beginning of the semester itself. Regular studying is what saves you from having a panic attack when you get the exam schedule and realise you only have 12 hours to finish 5 chapters; it is what differentiates a good student from a topper.
A good mood is essential for good marks. Ironically exam season is the time when you don’t have time to uplift your mood, but you need it the most. What are your shortcuts to a good mood during exam season?
>> Group studies sessions, I think, are the best way to make long study hours interesting. I have personally spent a lot of time on conference calls or in impromptu study meet ups during exams because while it may seem like it can act as a distraction, having the right study group actually allows you to learn new approaches to studying, find new resources and materials and develop a deeper understanding through mutual doubt solving sessions. Planning a good study timetable is also really rewarding. Making sure you have scheduled in enough breaks and giving yourself time to relax after a productive study session makes you look forward to opening the book again after a while and has worked a lot better for me as compared to 8 hours of straight studying, which has not proven to be nearly as efficient.
Most students forget what they have studied in just a few days. Any tips for improving the memory and ensuring better retain and recall?
>> Brushing up on concepts the day they are taught in class has helped me to really understand what I’m being taught and I have found this a lot better than simply learning rules and equations. Making notes, referring to different resources and often learning through videos can also be really interesting and it definitely helps retain information a lot better; Post-Its and TedTalks were my best friends in IB.
Many students find it hard to balance academics and co-curricular activities. And hence, they tend to sacrifice one for the sake of another. But an all-rounder like you can surely share some tips on how to keep a balance in life and keep learning new things?
>> There is a tendency to assume that learning is only limited to academics and that activities outside of the classroom are purely recreational. I strongly disagree with that. I have discovered that it is not just about finding a balance between academics and co-curricular activities, but it is more important to find the right co-curricular activities for yourself. For me, for example, taking part in debates and MUNs has been a great way to take a break from studies and it has been an intellectual simulator simultaneously.
Toppers recognise that well-being is very important for their academic and personal success. They know that being well is a key to doing well in life, and it helps them to perform to the best of their ability day in and day out. But then, many students ignore their health for the sake of studies? How do you take care of your physical and mental health?
>> As cliche as it may sound, ‘health is wealth’. Not allowing studies to take a toll on your health is not just something that parents need to remind you about when they bring up food to your room but it is something that each student needs to know for themselves too because no matter how well you plan your timetable, a day lost to being sick is still a day lost. In fact, I only really understood this in my second semester of Year 1 but when I did, I made it a point to incorporate things like gymming and swimming into my timetable and giving myself a good hour to have dinner with my family, away from books. It was very easy to immediately start seeing the benefits because not only was I feeling better about my health, but I found myself more relaxed and focused during my study sessions too.
Breaks are essential to ensure effective studying. What are your favourite break time activities?
>> When it comes to break time routines, I have found myself to be a typical teenager who loves the company of Netflix, a good book and some music or simply calling up friends and gossiping about the week. The truth is, you don’t need to devote every minute of your time towards ‘building a good resume’; sometimes it’s okay to just do something because you want to or because it’s something that you enjoy.
There is an increase in the levels of stress and anxiety among teenagers. Any tips for dealing with negative emotions and ensuring that they don’t come in the way of your success march?
>> I remember having assemblies regarding time management and stress every semester, and during each assembly we would be told about different ways of approaching it. The one that stuck the most with me was ‘stop looking at stress as a negative emotion and use it as a productive force instead’. I have tried to implement this by using stress as a motivator to make efficient use of my time. Anytime I felt that there was way too much to do and I was being overwhelmed, I would divide the tasks over the week and tell myself to take it one day at a time. This way I knew that as long as I was sticking to the schedule, I could get all the work done; additionally, every morning I knew exactly what the plan of action had to be so I didn’t waste time figuring things out. Essentially, you need to figure out what works for you; you need to find the strategy that allows you to not be overwhelmed by stress but instead be encouraged to get all the work done.
Your friends influence your behaviour. Do you agree? If yes, how do you capitalise on it so that it has a positive effect on your performance? If your answer is no, how do you remain uninfluenced in this connected world?
>> I think the influence that friends have on your life depends entirely on you. Having a good group of study-buddies helps you to stay on track and get concepts cleared out well before exams; on the other hand, neglecting assignments just because everyone else is and following a herd mentality does not leave any winners at the end. It is thus not about how friends influence you but how you choose to absorb the positive aspects of their personality and aim at not letting any negative aspects get to you.
~ Priya Sarin
priya[at]thestudentsdigest.com
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