Nitya Bothra
Nitya Bothra, a topper from Udgam School Ahmedabad has some simple yet effective study tips for you. Besides being a topper, her passion lies in elocution competitions, speeches and debates. She is a state level elocution champion. And she received the prize of the best debater at Yuva Sabha 2017 and high commendations at H.L. Commerce College Model United Nations and Urban Republic Model United Nations. Apart from acing her board examinations, she also aced her entrance examinations by getting All India Rank of 476 in Common Law Admission Test (CLAT ’18). She is now pursuing BA LLB from Gandhinagar National Law University and aspires to get into International Law and represent our country at international forums and organisations. Her hobbies include sketching, painting and writing poems. She loves reading books of all genres, ranging from the Bronte sisters to J K Rowling and Jane Austen to various inspirational biographies. And as a true all-rounder, she also pursues sports such as swimming, basketball, tennis and badminton. She plays basketball at college level and has also played tennis at the district level. She counts her mother as her main inspiration and credits her for always been a source of constant support and encouragement. She also expresses her heartfelt gratitude to her teachers for their guidance and motivation. Here are some wise words from this young Champ!
What role did your school and parents play in your achievement?
>> Apart from being supportive and helpful in every possible way, my parents and my teachers provided me with every possible means of reaching the ultimate goal. My mother supported me in the tiniest of ways that made the huge difference and my teachers guided me through the rough spots. Without them, this success would have been unachievable.
Students consider physical health as well-being but winners like you that well-being is a broad concept which includes good brainpower too. Any specific tips you would like to share for boosting the brainpower and improving concentration and memory?
>> You know yourself best. There are people who can wake up at 4 in the morning and there are people who prefer going to sleep at that time. Figure out a way that works best for you. While studying, always keep a pencil with you and underline and make notes. It is always a great idea to mark the important stuff so that revision becomes easier. Avoid all kinds of distractions. Social detox and putting away your cellphone helps more than any other tip or advice you can get.
Most students label ‘lack of time’ as the main hurdle on their road to success. But your results show that you surely know how to manage your priorities and create a balance in your life. Can you share some tips regarding how you prioritise your life and make the most of your time?
>> The worst enemy of a student is procrastination. And in the end, you’ll have tons of works to do, friends to meet, family functions to go to. So, it’s best to not procrastinate and prioritize your studies over everything else.
How did you overcome exam related stress and anxiety? What were your stress busters?
>> Talking to my friends worked really well. I had an amazing friend with whom I used to set targets. We used to promise each other to do a couple of chapters and then ring each other up. This always boosted me up and kept me in check. Other than that, using my phone for a while seemed to relax me. But it is always important to limit that time.
Self-motivation and self-confidence play an important role in success. How did you ensure that you stayed motivated and confident?
>> My motivation came from my teachers and my friends. And somehow the fact that I had to make my parents proud played a key role in keeping me motivated all the time. Apart from that, what works really well is setting deadlines. For instance, I used to set a deadline to revise a certain amount of chapters in 2 hours. And when I completed that, it felt victorious and made me keep going.
Achievers tend to lead an organised life. How do you deal with clutter and ensure that it doesn’t come in way of your success march?
>> To be very honest, my mother took care of all the mess I made. She was the one to help me organise my books and notes.
Can you share a few study techniques and tips that you followed to make studying easier and fun?
>> Making flow charts really helps in learning because it makes things fun and easier to learn. I also used different coloured pens to underline and highlight. Also using post its and sticky notes makes it really easy to learn everything.
Little things make big difference. And exam day is rightly called the D-Day. Any specific things you kept in your mind while giving your exams?
>> It is very important to keep yourself calm. Because more than all of the studies, the 3 hours of the exam are the most important. They are the deal-breaker. I always had a cup of coffee before I went for exams. It really helped me be alert. Apart from that, if you’ve prepared well, have confidence in yourself and all works out in the end.
~ Priya Sarin
priya[at]thestudentsdigest.com
Loading ...