It is that time of the year when young students of 10th and 12th will get to know their results. It is that time of the year when,even people, who rarely talk to you will be curious to know about your results. I know how it feels. But don’t let anyone’s reactions affect you. I was scared when I was eagerly waiting for my 10th std results. I wasn’t really happy.I scored 78.67% in 10th std. I wasn’t happy. Because at the back of my mind, I knew that I hadn’t given my best.
But then again I also knew that there is no point in regretting now. Before the results were declared, I decided to do follow some things to take the right decision for myself. As you still have time for admission process to begin ,make sure you read and implement this. Here’s what I did:
1. Take a deep breath. Be calm.
The scores are surely important for getting into good colleges but not at the cost of harming your self-esteem. It is okay if you haven’t scored the kind of marks you had expected for. Accept it and move on.
2.Figure out which stream you want to opt for, irrespective of the mentality people have of it.
Every stream is important and deserves respect. Don’t belittle people or make fun of their choices.
For 2 months or so, I was trying to search for options in Arts but couldn’t express my desire because I had assumed that they would not allow me. And this assumption led me to express my desire of opting for Arts two days prior to my result day. That day was quite stressful for me as I was hesitating for a really long time. Luckily, they allowed me and it made me realize that all you need is a little courage.
3. Search for new options in your respective streams.
For instance, Science is not just about engineering and medical field. There are a lot of options. Sometimes, your parents will not easily agree with your choices. And this disagreement is mainly because of their lack of knowledge regarding the new options emerging in a particular field. So this is the time when you should do your homework and gather information regarding your desired course to discuss with them. They might get impressed on how well you have thought about your course,thereby, giving them some kind of an assurance and a sense of relief.
4.Borrow materials from your seniors.
Borrow the books of that respective stream from your seniors. Take a brief look of the syllabus/course structure. If you find one topic interesting, start reading it. I am not saying that you should start studying but make sure that you get a basic idea about the stream before filling that admission form.I remember reading a chapter of an NCERT commerce text book and I just couldn’t find it interesting.And eventually,I realized that I really had no interest in Commerce though earlier, I had considered it as one of my options. This little but important task saved my energy and peace of mind.
5.Interact with people of that particular stream.
Make the best use of all your social media handles by talking to them, asking questions regarding the qualifications, challenges and perks of the field. Talk freely. But don’t rely on only one person. Consider different perspectives of people but make your own decision.
6.The kind of college you choose will matter.
Explore the websites to check the cut off, courses, subject combinations and eventually select the ones which you like the most. It really worked for me as I had decided my subject combination and submitted forms to only few colleges. Talk to your friends or seniors of that particular college.
If you don’t have one, use Quora to ask questions regarding college’s atmosphere, cut offs, extra-curricular activities.
7.Opt for career counseling and attend seminars if you want.
Go for it if you are really confused about choosing the right stream for you.Personally, I didn’t opt for it because I was quite sure about my choice. Moreover, there are times when the results of the test don’t really match your personality. Make sure that you don’t blindly follow things.
8.Don’t let people influence you.
Your parents,your relatives will bombard their opinions on you. Being a student of Arts, I was prepared for the mixed reactions. There was a time when that negativity hit me so much that I questioned my decision and started getting second thoughts about it. But don’t let it affect you.Stick to your decisions and don’t let any inhibitions prevent you from pursuing your goals.
9.Change is constant.
So remember that there are people who switch to different streams once they realize their interests. It might happen that you would want to opt for something different later in your life. And that is completely okay. Don’t freak out. Keep your options open. There’s no point in getting stuck just because you have already spent X amount of years in that stream. We can adapt to change and start from the scratch.
10.Introspect.
Spend some time with yourself and rewind. Think about the things that happened-be it your achievements and mistakes. Analyse your mistakes and move on. Remember the lessons you have learned as you are about to enter a new phase in your life!
You might think this is quite a huge task but consider this as one of the most important things you could do for yourself in order to make the right decisions. I wish you guys all the best for all your future endeavors.
If you think this might help you or your friends, then please share and help them!
Happy Reading!
Also I have a blog where I write poems and other stuff. Do check it out!
https://madhurabilimogga.wordpress.com/