Kushagra Jain
Kushagra Jain, a student of The International School Bangalore got the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award in Chemistry in his tenth grade Cambridge IGCSE examinations. He expresses his heartfelt gratitude to his school, especially the chemistry department. He believes that preparing thoroughly is the shortcut to feeling confident. A true all-rounder, Kushagra started his MUN career back in 9th grade, and since then he has participated at MUN’s in and outside of Bangalore. He has a strong inclination towards business, and has won many national and international business competitions. An active participant in the classroom teaching-learning process, he strongly believes in the power of active listening and understanding concepts. And this is exactly what he will be stressing upon in this interview to Priya Sarin. Let’s learn from the best!
What role did your school teachers and parents play in your preparation for examinations?
>> Looking back, I can say with some conviction that a few teachers really influenced my academic performance. Specifically the gems of TISB chemistry department- Ms Lorraine and Mr Naveena who patiently cleared all my doubts. A strong support system like this within your school can really help a lot more than the often redundant private tuition, although it does require a bit of initiation and drive from the student’s side as well.
In my interaction with students as an author, I found that some students are overconfident while others are under-confident. But toppers know how to maintain optimum confidence. How did you ensure that you stayed motivated and confident?
>> A lot of my motivation was because of my parents and teachers, and confidence stemmed from having prepared thoroughly.
Can you share a few study techniques and tips that you followed?
>> For one, last minute cramming is highly underrated. What I have observed living in boarding with plentiful students around me is that the few days leading up to the exams are when you are most motivated. It’s when you begin to really prioritse studying, and tend to focus better and remember better. It’s always easier to recall something you read yesterday than two months ago! Although, this is easy to misread. It is still absolutely essential that one understands all the concepts and theories at least once way before the exams. Trying to understand 400 pages worth of knowledge in one night is borderline egomania!
Secondly, I don’t like wasting my time making flash cards or excessively extravagant notes. Rather, I believe that reading the content and literally sitting and studying is far more effective. Flash cards or notes may prove effective with some people, but you may be surprised with how much you can remember by just repeating what you’ve learnt out loud! Basically, it’s important to not be deceived by the notion that you’re learning a lot if you’ve spent 3 hours making colour coded manuscripts on just 3 pages of the textbook. Efficiency is essential to success!
For students of this digital age, focusing and working on one thing has become the biggest obstacle. But your results show you know how to concentrate while studying. What are the main things that students can do to concentrate better?
>> Your study environment undeniably matters. Studying on your bed can make you feel sleepy and no one our age has some natural, magical will power to beat the temptation of logging on to Facebook when working on their laptop. If you’re serious about what you’re learning, you must study on a desk with a physical book in hand so you really limit your mind. I do agree no one can go for more than 90 minutes without getting distracted, myself included. So, I would advise all students to try to divide their study time into 45 to 60 minute intervals and remain in a controlled environment for that duration. During breaks, try not to let your mind wander and practise brief independent activities that warm-up your concentration or mood like drawing or taking a walk.
Notes are a student’s most important weapon. And winners like you have powerful weapons. Any note-making tips for your juniors?
>> Well, the subject that I topped was Chemistry and about 4 months into grade 9 I lost my Chemistry notebook. In fact, I never made another one because I realised its ineffectiveness. I went one and a half years without a notebook, writing on scraps of paper and “accidentally” misplacing them once I left class. However, what I did ensure was that I understood every single concept taught in class by actively listening and participating. For a lot of students writing independent notes serves as an excuse for not learning the concepts during class hours and more often than not the product of their class notes is just a messy trail of thoughts than actual organised pointers. They spend most of class time trying to tidy and perfect their notes but don’t care to analyse what is and isn’t entering their head. Honestly, it depends on the subject. Some subjects do require detailed writing that simplifies very difficult concepts. Or timelines and mind-maps that reiterate memory. But I would suggest it’s more important to really pay attention to when you’re writing something, if you are at all, and never do it just for the sake of it.
~ Priya Sarin
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