Thursday, February 28, 2013

TIPS FOR EXAM PREPARATION


Most of the students are scared of exams.  They feel high pressure whenever they think of the Exams.  The expectations are very high and thus the excitement and anxiety.  Why is there a fear and why should a student get worried about Exams??

How to get relieved of this tension, pressure, anxiety and excitement?  The best way is to treat the exam as a letter writing experience.  Why should we think of Exam as a life threatening experience.  It is afterall a letter writing experience according to me.  The paper setter is writing a letter and the student has to write a reply.  The paper setter's letter and the student's reply is then sent for evaluation to a third person called Examiner.  The Examiner looks at both the letters to decide if the two parties have perfect meeting of minds.  In that process he ends up giving some marks.



I feel parents and students should first get rid of the fear of exams.  Treat it as a letter writing experience and feel comfortable to go through that experience.  Do not worry about the results.  In Mahabaratha also Krishna is adising Arjuna to stay focussed on the task on hand and not worry about the results.  If the task on hand is performed with total devotion, attention and concentration then the effort will definitely yield very good results.  While making that effort if we start thinking about the results, then the effort is diluted to that extent and thus the effort will not be 100%.  If we do not make 100% effort how can the results be 100%.  The result will be directly proportionate to the efforts made by us.

The following are my tips for Exam Preparation:

  1. Treat the Exam as a letter writing experience and do not be overwhelmed - feel relaxed
  2. Cover the entire portion in each subject.  Do not make selective preparation by expecting a certain question paper as you do not know what is in the mind of the paper setter.
  3. Read for the sake of understanding.  Do not read for the sake of examination.
  4. Have a clear daily plan and timetable.  Stick to your timetable and daily plan.
  5. Go to bed early and get up early in the morning.
  6. Sleep for minimum of 7 hours in the night and take a power nap of 30 minutes in the afternoon.
  7. Eat well and stay positive
  8. Take short breaks every 30 minutes and when you get back try to recall what you have read.  This process is called the "Registration" process.  By doing recall you will be able to register what you read in your mind.  If your recall is not complete then you have to study the same topic again.
  9. Do not keep reading till you enter the exam hall.  Stop reading the subject atleast two hours before the exam and keep the mind free.
  10. If you have remember something try to create a "Mnemonics" for the same.  For example the order of arithmetic operation is Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Additions and Subtraction - to easily remember this you can create a Mnemonic - Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.
  11. Write model exams or take up mock tests at home so that you can practice the same a few times in order to ensure that you are able to answer all the questions well within the time allotted in the Exams
See below the short video which emphasizes some of the above points:

If you write the placement number of each alphabet in the list of alphabets (A is 1; D is 4; T is 20) and see the total then words like ATTITUDE and DISCIPLINE will add upto exactly 100.  If you have positive Attitude and Discipline you will achieve the 100% desired results.  The word TEAMWORK adds up to 106 which shows that you will get more than 100% if you work in a team.  Joint Studies are good as long as it does not end up in waste of time.


SUCCESS is assured if you have the right ATTITUDE and DISCIPLINE.  I wish all those who are taking up their Exams in March/April/May all the very best.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
28th February 2013

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

FILL AND FILE YOUR LIFE


Life is full of wonderful experiences and life is to enjoy.  We can lead the life the way we enjoy the most and get involved only in things which brings positive energy.  We do things unwillingly at times and get into a mess.  We sometimes do things that is not giving us the joy or satisfaction and hence complicate our life.

It is important to first Fill the life with activities that gives us lot of satisfaction and joy.  In order fill the life we have to plan the day/week/month/year well in advance.  It is important to decide on broad objectives for the year and plan the calendar well so that we are able to fill the life with lots and lots of activity.


Filing the life experiences is as important as filling the life with activity and experience.  We sometimes do not create a file of what experiences we have gained.  Today with the advancement of technology we could capture the life experiences in several ways including photos, videos, blog, eBook, Facebook, emails, etc.

I changed my lifestyle and started filling my life in August 2010 (quite late in life).  I plan the activity for the year and try to fill the year, month, week and day with plenty of activity that gives me immense pleasure and joy.  By becoming active in Blog and Facebook I have also managed to file the events and experiences.


To enjoy life we should stay positive and indulge only in things which we like the most.  See this video of Donna where she clearly explains how to fill the life with things which gives us joy in order to Enjoy Life:



Life is short.  Life is wonderful.  Life is full of experiences and events.

Fill it, File it and Enjoy it afterall it is your life.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
26th February 2013

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

THE HOUSE OF MG


The House of MG is a heritage hotel in Ahmedabad.  This is an old building which has been converted into a Hotel and it is a stunning structure in the heart of the city.  I visited this Hotel and had dinner hosted by the Professors of IIM Ahmeadabad for the Batch 7 of the General Management Programme.

This beautiful and imposing building was built in 1924 by a wealthy textile merchant Shri.Mangaldas Girdhardas and has been later restored and converted into a beautiful hotel.  I went to the "Agashiye" restaurant on the roof top.  "Agashiye" in Gujarati means on the terrace.  They served a very sumptuous Gujarati Thali.  The items kept coming and it was really a challenge to eat them all.  It is a set menu and the waiters keep coming in a queue and keep filling the plate.  It is a non-stop eating challenge for which you need a good empty stomach.  The food is very delicious and is presented and served elegantly.


Watch this mouth-watering video on the Thali at the House of MG:



A visit to Ahmedabad is incomplete if you miss visiting The House of MG.  I have decided to not only dine there but also stay there during my next visit to Ahmedabad.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
19th February 2013