Sreelakshmi – AIR 1
A student of Bhavan’s Varuna Vidyalaya in Kakkanad, Sreelakshmi secured 499 marks out of 500 and clinched the first rank in the Class X board exams. And following the legacy of Bhavan’s institutions of imparting quality education and her principal Mrs Usha K’s dedication to serve the society, this sweet girl, who aspires to pursue the noble profession of medicine, is here to help you achieve your aspirations.
What role did your teachers and parents play in your success?
>> My parents and teachers played a crucial role in my success. They were always by my side and supported me throughout my journey. I was really gifted to have an extremely dedicated group of teachers who cleared my doubts and corrected my minute mistakes. My parents were always there to make my mind calm when I was stressed out during exam days.
Well-being is must for success. How did you take care of your physical and mental well-being during the hectic exam season?
>> I used to go for cycling and avoided taking food from outside to ensure that I stayed fit especially during exam days. Whenever I was stressed out or bored, I used to spend time with my parents and shared my anxieties. They would pacify me and make my mind calm and relaxed. I also used to watch comedy shows and used to hear lot of songs to beat my stress. I always ensured that I studied the daily portions irrespective of the circumstances. Perhaps it was the main reason I was able to achieve such a big success.
Achievers keep their priorities in order. How do you align your short-term goals with your long-term goals?
>> During my 10th standard I had 2 goals – to study my daily portions and to study for my exams. I always ensured that I studied the daily portions irrespective of the circumstances. Perhaps it was the main reason I was able to achieve such a big success.
Theoretically, toppers are more vulnerable to exam anxiety because one mark here and there can make a big difference in their outcomes. How do you deal with exam anxiety?
>> I am a person very much vulnerable to exam anxiety, so realizing that I make sure that I study for my exam within the given time ( i.e without keeping anything for the last moment). And on the day before the exam, I stay relaxed and just revise what I had learned. I feel that being tensed only result in losing marks, so once I enter the exam hall I make sure that my mind is calm and relaxed.
Toppers are considered superheros. But then, even a superhero has some weaknesses. What are yours? And how do you overcome them?
>> My weaknesses were sleep and food. Though food didn’t affect my studies much, sleep remains my enemy. Though I tried hard, I couldn’t completely tackle it and went off to sleep at 10 ‘o’ clock. So I ensured that I utilised each and every second to study before going to sleep. Though I sleep early as compared to other students, I made sure that I finish studying my daily portions before going to sleep and also tried to wake up early.
Nowadays, social media is a big distraction for students. How did you ensure that it did not negatively affect your performance?
>> Social media has always been a great distraction for me because once we start using it we continue using it for hours. So I promised myself that I will not touch the phone or any other social media during exam days. But I used to watch a movie once in 1 or 2 weeks. I firmly believe that making promises to oneself with firm determination is more effective than making your parents remind you to not to do so. Once we set our goal and begin to work for it , we must be able to restrict ourselves from all such distractions.
Can you share your success mantra in a few words?
>> My success mantra is very simple – I set my goal and was determined to work hard for it, not caring about the consequences. I worked hard daily and was regular in studying my daily portions, followed the advice of my parents and teachers and did all my duties with cent percent sincerity and dedication. Finally I got the result. It’s just that we will surely get what we wish for if we are ready to work hard for it. My only request to the juniors is that whatever happens, they must study their daily portion or else it would be a great difficulty to study the entire syllabus 2 or 3 days before the exam.
What was your exam game plan? Any study strategies you would like to share with your juniors?
>> At first I didn’t have a clear idea of completing the exam as I was unaware of the new system of examination .But slowly I got a picture of it and by then I had a clear cut plan. The first and foremost thing is that I studied the daily portion and was thorough with the NCERT text. Though I didn’t use any guide for theory reference, I used question banks and practised lot of question papers before my exams. This is really helpful to test our knowledge as well as to build confidence in oneself. My only request to the juniors is that whatever happens, they must study their daily portion or else it would be a great difficulty to study the entire syllabus 2 or 3 days before the exam. They must be confident and realise that they can achieve anything if they have a will to work hard. At the same time, they must make sure they are not stressed and must stay relaxed during their studies.
~ Priya Sarin
priya[at]thestudentsdigest.com
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