Vrinda Goenka

Vrinda Goenka, a student from Jamnabai Narsee International School scored a perfect 100 in IGCSE Mathematics and became the World Topper. This bright young girl took up 10 subjects in IGCSE, including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Ext. Math, Additional math, Economics, Art, English Language, English Literature, and Hindi as a second language. Along with her studies, she was also practising piano and took part in the student exchange programme in her school. A true all-rounder, she was always active in the inter-house competitions in her school. She gives the credit of her success to her parents, teachers, friends, hardwork and intermittent breaks. She got 7A*s, 3As including 100 percentile in Ext. Math, and the highest score in English Literature in her school. She considers herself fortunate as she was constantly surrounded with healthy competition and motivating peers and elders that guided her through it all. Art being a very time consuming subject resulted in her having less time to study for other subjects, however this young artist in the making doesn’t regret it as she has discovered her potential in the subject and learnt new skills that she never knew she could achieve before. In this interview to Priya Sarin, Vrinda will share her success journey and guide you for your upcoming exams. Let’s follow her footsteps.

Vrinda Goenka, IGCSE World Topper

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?
>>    My parents and teachers were the wind beneath my wings. Academically of course, but they also helped me sail through this entire rigour with a balanced mental health. They trusted me with my choices and it is their trust and belief that motivated me to do my best and not let them down.

What is your least favourite subject? And how do you manage it?
>>    Biology and Economics were my weaker subjects. After my first Economics test in the 9th grade, I lost interest in it. But somewhere I realised that if I gave it up now, I would regret it for a long time. Hence, to overcome this I started studying Economics with a friend who was extremely passionate about it. Along the way, I started to develop a keen interest in the subject and have therefore taken it as an HL subject in IB. By the end of the 10th grade, I jumped from a grade D to a grade A in my boards. As for Biology, my sheer determination made me work very hard. It was my choice to take up the rigour of 10 subjects and I would not let Biology let me down. The challenge here was that Biology was my least favourite subject and memorising was not my forte. Let me say I spent about 25% of my time studying it and still scored well in my boards.

Little things make a big difference. Can you share some simple study techniques and tips that you followed?
>>    A very important thing to remember is that there is no hard and fast rule of how one should study. Everyone has their own methods. For me, solving past papers and the questions in the textbooks gave me a lot of confidence.

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?
>>    I can never study under pressure. I used to drink plenty of water to calm myself down. Spending time with my father was also extremely relaxing. His attitude of caring more about whether I was enjoying my studies rather than taking it as a burden was what kept me going. Ice cream breaks and late night drives helped calm my nerves. I hope all parents are able to provide this relaxed atmosphere for their children rather than pressurising them.

Most students forget what they have studied in just a few days. Any tips for improving the memory and ensuring better retain and recall?
>>    It’s pretty simple actually-revision! Revising with a friend is extremely helpful. My friends and I would get into intense conversations discussing our doubts and revising our chapters together. The nights were action packed with queries and solutions blasting my phone.

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?
>>    My passion is not only piano and social work, but also art. I worked on this passion by taking it as a subject in the IGCSE. This way, art wasn’t just academics for me, but also a co-curricular activity. I discovered my potential in it and learnt new skills during the numerous all-nighters I pulled to complete my submissions.

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?
>>    Not getting too worked up about bad grades in small tests, but learning from the mistakes I made in those tests is what I learnt through my two years preparing for the IGCSE board exams. In addition, I made sure I had my downtime with friends and never perceived those outings as a regret or a mistake. I knew that my ultimate goal was to get good grades, but I also knew I would never be able to achieve these with stress, I can clearly state that my time was divided studying, chilling and pursuing my hobbies. Good mental health was a result of this good balance.

Breaks are essential to ensure effective studying. What are your favourite break time activities?
>>    Playing the piano, listening to music, going for short drives with my father and watching funny TV shows were some of my favourite break time activities. I enjoyed doing all of these things and they would re-energise me. It would refresh my mind enabling me to study more effectively and efficiently.

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?
>>    Surrounding myself with motivating and hard working friends helped me a lot. We all believed in each other and that helped us believe in ourselves too. I did not deprive myself of break times, nor was I too harsh on myself when I got low grades or wasted time. I was surrounded by healthy competition that constantly made me want to do better and reach my highest potential.

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?
>>    It is a good idea to surround yourself with likeminded and positive people. Friends who may be your competitors but also uplift you when you need them most are a blessing. I was blessed to be surrounded by many such friends. We would spend sleepless nights helping each other regardless of how stressed we may have been to appear for our own exams.

~  Priya Sarin
priya[at]thestudentsdigest.com

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