It’s just a month to go for the GATE exam and I receive many mails saying that students lose focus and cannot concentrate on studies. They are constantly requesting for help and tips to stay focused. It’s a common problem of every average student therefore I decided to write a post and share my experience.
I am and was always an average in life. Being average is not bad but being lazy and unfocused is. If you know what you are you know the best thing in the world. You can correct yourself to stay ahead and do well. If you live in illusions and close the doors of reality you will never get a chance either improve or realize what’s wrong with you.
When I was in B.Tech one thing that I know was everything just need time. I used to calculate and just give that effort. I used to think if a smart student needs 1 hour to understand some concept I need four. If highly unlikely that I won’t understand what others can even I sufficiently work on it. With this only thing in mind I used to sit and sit a lot in library so much so that when I was graduating librarian said to me that library may not see a extensive user than you.
The idea I adopted was to go to library and sit there whatever it is. If you bunk classes you are in library studying something that you like. If you have a break you are in library, if you reach early to college you are in library, if you want to meet someone give them library address. Be surrounded with books don’t leave that place until you really need to.
Movement is a killer for concentration, if you move from one place to another you need at least 5 to 10 minutes to concentrate and if are around TV or comp forget the concentration. Friends and family members add to distraction with their little questions and care.
Okie okie let me bring few points for concentration.
First and foremost is to make a comfortable place and sit there and study till you really need to move.
Second, don’t be around TV and Computer, especially internet to get distracted.
I am not a fan of group study (it depends on person to person) so I never told friends where I am going for study. Keep away from all distractions because nothing is going to help when you don’t show up great results.
Fourth is to keep your prayers on time and stay really focused. And ask for what are you preparing for, this will help you to understand what are preparing for.
Fifth is to spend some minutes every day to think how you prepared and who screwed, people, TV, internet, friend, family members, or some useless work. Check these and try to eliminate and avoid from coming day.
Always remember that you have just a few days left that can change your life upside down. If you still don’t take it seriously you will never get a chance to learn the subject you didn’t in last few years of study and also miss a chance at the end.
Set priorities just before doing something. If its really not super important just leave it for next time. All TV programs can be watched later, all comments and replies on Facebook can checked later. Nothing should fascinate you except GATE. That’s how you can reach and concentrate.
Even if you don’t make it great in GATE you will learn a lot during this time and I am sure this will bring much confidence in you to takeup next challenge in life.
With this I would like to take a leave and go home it’s so cold here -8 degrees and snow everywhere. I wish you all a great luck.
To read more about my views refer to personals tag. To read more about GATE preparations please refer to GATE 2013 preparation Guide.