Preparing for an exam in the first place, itself is quite an ordeal... and many of us aspire for the coveted first rank (or score the highest). Once the exams are over, we heave a sigh of relief and wait quite anxiously for the results to be announced. I reiterate that this process, right from preparation all the way till the results are announced, is quite a stressful experience to begin with already and just imagine how frustrating it becomes when there's a paper leak or some other scam, because of which we have to reappear for the exams that we are already through with? The latest TSPSC question paper leak comes to mind.
Thereby being forced to relive this experience! Quite devastating, I know. Some things are just not in our control and hence, today's agenda is to prepare you to handle yourself better in such situations.
Whose fault is it anyway?
The first important aspect that I want you all to remember is... it's not your fault. Once you understand this, it'll be easier to accept that it isn't just you and that you're not alone. I begin with this line of thinking as it is crucial for us to be in the right frame of mind or headspace.
Yes! I completely empathise and already agree that it's quite demoralising, demotivating, frustrating and disappointing... and it's completely fine to feel all these emotions, but the time that we take to realign ourselves, pull our socks up and get back on track is what makes us perform better the next time.
Blessing in disguise?
In more than a decade of my experience, the one thing that I've come across during student interactions before re-exams is that they still feel that they've missed out on studying something or the other. Why not consider this as a blessing in disguise and cover those topics too? You've already studied and given your exam once hence, you're already prepared, use this opportunity to study that which you've missed or need more attention to and prepare even better.
It makes a big difference when we look at it from this perspective, isn't it? Even if you feel that you've studied everything, use this opportunity to revise and become even more perfect. Consider this as a wonderful opportunity where you've gotten a real mock exam, simple!
Be unrealistically optimistic
It's easier said than done, but humour me. Always remember that one of the biggest factors that influence us during this time is how we allow ourselves to be. We are already going through a range of negative emotions and if we allow ourselves to be consumed by them, we are only making our journey ahead difficult. We are in control or rather remember that you are!
Look for a positive in every negative during this situation, if you feel that you may not be able to do better next time, remember that you've gotten more time to prepare. If you feel that this was unfair, just take a step back, recalibrate yourself and compare yourself with your seniors who never received an opportunity to prepare better than you have.
Look at this as an opportunity that you've been given to outperform, or at the least perform better, which is actually giving you an EDGE and is advantageous which is contrary to what we were feeling in the first place. You have the power to become much more powerful, all it takes is a small turnaround time for you to re-set, re-align and re-calibrate yourself to think positively.
PRO TIP: Distraction is good! Confused? Read on...
Distractions are discouraged during exams, yes! But I'm referring to creating those that will help you become better and stay away from negative thoughts. Distract yourself by focusing on teaching others or even approaching others (teachers, lecturers, friends and so on) to learn that which you feel you need extra help with. If you do the former, you'll become even more perfect with the subject and if you do the latter you'll become even more confident about the subject. Win-win!
If you still feel that you're in a slump or feeling low, don't be afraid to catch hold of a family member or friend to whom you can vent or someone who can just lend you an ear. But do not brood! Vent out and get back to preparing better.
Last but not the least, always remember, this situation is not your fault and isn't in your control. Shift your focus onto those things that you can control and use the tips above to reinforce positivity.
All the best and I'm sure you'll all do amazing.
With Best Wishes,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
"Your Coach"
