10 to 14 hours of studying every day. Or at least that’s what the previous board exam toppers have in common.
I personally believe you don’t need to obsess “99 percent”. And you certainly do not need big grades to do big things in your life. It’s a hypocritical notion that pitiful Indian parents and mainstream media have collectively created that’s virtually ridding kids of not just happiness but also their lives.
In India, a student commits suicide every hour. Read that again. And read it one more time. It is an outcome of a pathetic culture where students are pushed and demanded to study hard in the garb of being competitive and success in their lives.
So, if you, too, are the victim of the same notion, made to believe that you must score 99% in your board exam, make note of this: YOU DON’T NEED TO. Scoring less – or even failing – wouldn’t mean you have failed in life, and neither would (and should) it be disappointing to the parents.
That explanation done and aside, here are next 8 powerful tips that will put you on the path to score 99 percent in 10th board exams:
1. Understand the syllabus
Before jumping on any subject, spend time with its syllabus. Understand it. Refer it over and over again.
Does it ever happen to you that when you hear a song, you automatically recall the whole music video or movie—right from its visuals to actors? The same concept works here—the syllabus is your song and the subject is your music video. When you remember the syllabus, you will automatically recall all the things you have learned in that subject.
So, spend time with the syllabus; understand it. It will make the learning process so much easier.
2. Eat healthily
Many students do not understand the importance of eating right.
When you have to study for a longer stretch, you need the right mindset and enough energy. And this is where eating healthy and on time comes to play a significant role. The right food can keep your mood elevated, avoid tardiness and help improve your concertation.
So, aside from keeping yourself hydrated all the time, take special care to what you consume the entire day. Avoid fast food. Don’t eat anything that has lots of oil. Invest more in green veggies and fresh fruits. Eat Indian rotis instead of chawal. And most importantly, avoid heavy meals; eat in small quantities but at a regular interval.
3. Try Pomodoro Technique
It is a time management and productivity technique. The process is simple. You divide your task into several 25-minute intervals; the interval is called Pomodoro. After completing every interval, take a short break of 3-5 minutes. And after you’re done with 4 intervals, take a long break of up to 30 minutes.
Note: the length of the intervals can vary depending on your requirements.
There are many Pomodoro apps in the market. Download any one. Or better, to keep your smartphone distraction away, use traditional watch or clock to track your time intervals.
4. Set aside your entertainment time
All work, no play makes Jack a dull boy.
You can’t expect yourself to study for long stretches and not get bored. To that, after a threshold of continuous studying, your productivity level is bound to drop. So, it’s important that you spend time on entertainment avenues.
Another benefit of having a separate entertainment time set aside is that you will always be in know about when to study and when to chill. Your entertainment needs won’t intrude with your study time; and vice versa.
So, set aside no more than 60-minutes of entertainment time spread through your day in proper intervals.
5. Let’s talk about friends…
There’s a division in opinion about group study and how effective it is. This is where talking about the group of friends becomes important.
If you’re grouping with a bunch of friends who never study or are weak in studies, it’s likely that they will end up influencing you to be like them. You will fiddle with your phone, talk about everything that doesn’t matter, and will never study seriously. The entire group time will be unproductive.
On the other hand, if you’re teaming with studious students who score good grades, there’s a good chance that their habits will motivate you, and the group study will be highly rewarding.
So, if you’re planning for group study, be a critique of your friends. See how they can influence your habit and the group session. If it’s a positive one, spend around 2 hours in group studying, If it’s negative, you’re better off studying alone.
6. Watch YouTube
Yes, the internet is the biggest source of learning today. If used well, it can literally make your learning so much easier and interesting. To that, learning from online videos is much more rewarding and quicker. After all, there’s a reason why they say visuals are powerful than written words.
So, shoot your YouTube and watch relevant instructional videos. The website is flooded with very high-quality educational resources for school students. The right video and instructor will ensure you learn faster and better.
Remember, though, to not get carried away with the distracting prank videos.
7. Spend time with previous years’ questions
It’s quite a no-brainer, but worth mentioning. Buy question banks and booklets of previous years’ questions; you can easily get them online. Spend time in understanding the question pattern and in solving each of them. The more you practice and answer the previous years’ questions, better you will be prepared for the big day.
8. No more “tomorrow”
This is going to be the most difficult part for you. But if you are to score good in your 10th board exam, it’s important that you say goodbye to your habit of postponing everything to “tomorrow”. Because that tomorrow never comes. And in no time you will find yourself a week away from your exam, still not prepared.
So, give up your bad habit of procrastination. Have well-defined small goals for your every day. And then work hard daily to achieve those goals. Try to finish your syllabus at the earliest so that you have enough time for complete revision at least twice before the exam.
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These are, in total, 8 tips that will put you on the way to score 99 percent in 10th board exam.
Sure, it won’t be easy. And you will have a hard time. But push yourself out of your comfort zone. Surprise yourself and everyone with what you can really do. Try to enjoy the process.
