Author: Prerna Arora

LAST MINUTE EXAM TIPS

Fighting Those Last Minute Jitters!

Our country has started to unlock once again after the dreadful second wave. With the unlocking various statutory bodies have announced the dates for entrance exams that were earlier postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Even though we received extra time for the preparation of our exams, we humans tend to procrastinate and assume we have a lot of time. However, now that time is over. We need to get back up on the horse and cross that finish line. We have been preparing for a months and it is time for the final revision. Last minute revisions are very beneficial because it helps in refreshing all the facts we already have in our mind.

Let’s look at some last minute exam tips to avoid panic when the exam date is finally announced:

  • Recheck the syllabus: Since the dates have yet to be announced you have a little time to recheck your syllabus and see if you have left any topic uncovered. If so, take a day or two and finish those topics first. Do not take a chance with those topics because the questions can be asked from anywhere and you still have time to cover those. Also, you need to remember to not spend too much time on such topics either. Just read enough which will help you score.
  • Prepare a Schedule: Planning is an important part of preparation as well as revision. During the final days make sure you have a schedule but for a limited number of days. Do not make schedules for a week straight. Make a plan every 3-4 days with a different approach. Revisions tend to be monotonous as you have already read the material and making long term schedules might lead to loss of interest by the end of the week.
  • Solve Previous Year Questions: Previous year questions are the key to clearing the entrance exams. You get to know the kind of questions that can be asked. The most important advantage of such papers is that it lets you know how frequently questions are asked from a particular topic and you can shift your focus onto those topics first. However, before the exam it is not optimum to solve too many previous exam papers. Solve one paper every 2-3 days to maintain efficiency.
  • Flash Cards: Create flash cards for the topics you find extremely hard to remember. Note down the important topics and review them once before the exam.
  • Use Audio-Visual aids: For those students who find revising from the book tedious and repetitive can also use YouTube for the same. The tutors always have something extra to offer and their revision tactics are easy to retain. Watching videos makes preparation interesting and gives you a break from reading the same material again and again.
  • Block All Social Media: It might not seem like a big deal but turning off social media a few days before the D-Day has tremendous amounts of benefits. Avoid all distractions that are a hindrance in your learning process.
  • Adequate Sleep: Do not stress too much over the exam. Do not lose your sleep during those final days. Inadequate sleep adversely affects your schedule and your health. Make sure you sleep the required 7-8 hours and try to optimize your time during the day without having to sacrifice your sleep.
  • Take a Rest: Between every schedule take a rest day to recover from the stress. You can do any kind of recreational activity during that time but try avoiding excessive use of social media.

The final days before the exam are extremely stressful and you continuously find reasons to avoid studying because your mind is occupied with fear and anxiety. However, that is no reason to slack off. Every aspirant goes through this phase but the one who soldiers through it are the real winners. So, in order to be a winner one must not lose their focus during those ultimate days. One day you will look back and be thankful that you didn’t give up when every bone in your body wanted you to. Power through and keep your eye on the goal.

WATER FASTING

Fasting is considered as a part and parcel in the process of losing their weight and staying healthy. When it comes to fasting there is no one approach that is suitable for all. As the time progresses newer ways of fasting are coming to light. On the one hand we have diets that involve eating only during a certain time window (Intermittent Fasting) and on the other hand we have a diet that involves not eating at all for hours. This type of diet is known as Water Fasting.

Water fasting is a type of fasting that restricts the consumption of any kind of solid foods as well as drinks (even zero calorie drinks) except water. Someone who wishes to pursue this diet must only intake water during the entire timeline of their fasting. Even though the practice of restricting food intake has been around for a long period of time but people normally don’t do it for a period long enough for it to actually work. Water diet is as extreme as other forms for dieting and it a little bit tougher follow as compared to other forms of fasting too. However, before considering following this diet one must be familiar with both sides of the coin.

ADVANTAGES:

+ The main advantage of water diet is that it helps in loosing weight.
+ Water diet helps in improving blood pressure and keeps blood sugar levels in check too.
+ It helps in breaking down broken cells and further recycles them.
+ Consuming so much water for days will detoxify you body and ensure all toxins are excreted.
+ Some studies have shown that water fasting reduces the risk of certain types of cancer and diabetes too.
+ It has physical as well as psychological benefits. It helps in improving the cognitive functioning.

DISADVANTAGES:

– This fasting might help in weight loss but the results are short lived.
– Giving up food for long period of time can trigger an eating spree leading to development of disorders.
– It might sound odd but drinking that much water can lead to dehydration. You could feel dizzy, nauseated and might even develop headaches.
– It increases the risk of kidney stones.
– Consumption of only water can lead to nutrient deficiency in the body.
– And lastly, water fasting can worsen many other health conditions and impact you body negatively.

WHO SHOULD NOT DO IT?

As you would have been able to judge by now that water fasting not as easy as it sounds, there are certain categories of people who should avoid it at all costs. The categories include:
1. people having eating disorder
2. pregnant women
3. people with severe diseased
4. people who have heart problems, diabetes and migraines
5. people who are underweight

Except from the people mentioned above, everyone who wants to follow the diet must consult their doctors once to avoid complications in the future. These kinds of fasting are physically tiring so try to avoid exercising and undertake the fast on days when you can take ample rest and the effects don’t take a toll on you. Doctors recommend a person not to fast more than 3 days at a time. The fasting period can be anywhere between 24 hours to 3 days.

Fasting and different kinds of diet might look appealing but they work only if you are regular and if your body agrees with it. No one should push their body to its limits just to loose that stubborn belly fat. Start easy and then progress. Remember that you must not loose your healthy self in a race to loose weight. Consume whatever is healthy and best suited for your lifestyle.

INTERMITTENT FASTING

What it is and How to do it?

There are all kinds of workout regimes out there but workouts are not the only thing that can help you loose those extra inches. There have been all kinds of development in this field too. One of the things that don’t require you doing intense workouts is Intermittent Fasting. Intermittent Fasting is a dietary approach that involves eating only during certain hours of a day and fasting for the rest.

HOW TO DO IT AND WHAT ARE THE APPROACHES?

There are various approaches depending on whether you are a beginner or an expert. You must remember that that should start easy and not start with the hardest part first thinking it would fast track the weight loss process. Let’s begin:
1. The 16/8 approach: It involves fasting for 16 hours and eating only in the eight hour interval. Your diet must be controlled and full of proteins for energy. You can easily pencil in two to three meals a day. This diet requires you to have your dinner by 8 pm and then eat nothing till lunch i.e. skip breakfast. If this timeline is tough for you to follow, you can go in for 14/10 approach. Again, you will be fasting for 14 hours and can eat in the 10 hour interval. This way you won’t have to skip your breakfast if you have your last meal by 8 pm.
2. FAST DIET: Also known as 5:2 diet. It involves having your regular meals 5 days a week and doing intense fasting for 2 days. During intense fasting you limit your calorie intake to 500-600 instead of your regular 2000-2500 calories (depending on your age, weight, etc).
3. ALTERNATE DAY FASTING: As the name suggests, in this approach you fast every other day. During the fast period you can drink as many fluids as you want but they all should be free of calories.
4. EAT STOP EAT: This involves fasting 24 hours once or twice a week. However one must be careful while pursuing this diet because not enough nutrients go inside your body and it could lead to low blood sugar levels and low energy levels.

You can pursue these diets according to your body but remember not to push yourself too hard. If you are able to develop a resist food after a certain time, make sure that you re regular in your approach because fasting takes time to show the results. Another important point to keep in mind is to not consume high calorie meals during your eating window. You must only take in your normal diet. You will not loose any weight if your eating window is full of high calorie meals.

ADVANTAGES:
– helps in cell repair
– prevents obesity
– helps in weight loss
– improves brain function
– keeps the heart healthy
– reduces the risk of diabetes
– helps in gaining muscle mass giving better physical performance
DISADVANTAGES:
– consumption of high calorie meals can lead to weight gain
– skipping meals can cause dizziness and nausea
– restrictive eating can influence eating disorder
WHO SHOULD NOT DO IT?
Intermittent fasting is not healthy for everyone. It should not be done by teens under the age of 18, pregnant women, people with diabetes or blood sugar problems and lastly by people who have eating disorders.

Thus, before diving deep into this lifestyle you must know your body so you don’t face any side effects in the long run. Again, you must start by picking a easier method and evolve as you go on. If you don’t feel like giving up your meals, you can always take the road of exercising for weight loss. But if you are strong enough just make sure you have a nutrient rich diet and don’t go nuts during the eating period.

FAILURES

Do Our Failures Define Us?

In today’s fast moving and overly competitive world, all people care about is being successful. And for the ones who are already there, it is hard to believe that they faced no failure on their way to the top. Failure is a part of success, it is the part of our lives. That one failed moment is enough to make you think about what you can do if you give it one more try. People want success but what they don’t desire is failure.

You must have heard life stories of many great people but I bet everyone had their challenges. If you try to do everything perfectly, made sure that everything goes according to your “plan” and leave no scope for failure, do you really think life would be easy to live? Is it that easy to control every aspect of your life? I think not. I am not saying you must leave scope for failure but you must consider it as a possibility because sometimes things are just not under your control. You need to know that failure is one of the key ingredients in the recipe for success. Failure is what pushes you to keep going. Failure is what keep you humble. Failure encourages you to take that risk again and we all know that ‘greater the risk, higher the reward’. Yes, failing at something you worked this hard for can take a toll on our emotional and mental health. But you have to think about the fact that now you are aware of your mistakes. You finally know what you have been doing wrong and if that isn’t a good thing then what is.

DO OUR FAILURES DEFINE US?

Your failure is not what defines you but your capability to pick yourself up, defines who you are. As it is rightly said that if you fall, the person to pick you up should be ‘YOU’. It is understandable that after a point of time failure takes you down mentally but you still have to believe in yourself because as Marilyn Monroe once said “Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie?” . All you have got is you. Life is full of challenges and it is for sure that a life full of challenges will teach you more about the world then a smooth sailing one.

Another thing you have to realize is that you are not alone in this. Everyone falls. Some more often than others but the people who refuse to stand up and begin again are the real failures. You cannot just give up. If you do, you will live with the regret of what you could have been if you got up, dusted yourself and gave it one more shot. The feeling of regret is worse than failure because if you never try you shall never know what you were capable of all along. Let me ask you a question, during your final days what are you more likely to think about- your current status or the time you didn’t recover from that one failure which could have been your shot? Well, if the latter is your answer then you have to get up, make a new plan, go out there and show everyone who ever doubted you that your failure is not what defines you but your success will.

I’ll leave you with this quote by Nelson Mandela,
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

HOW TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE WEEKEND

Nothing brings a human joy more than a weekend. Friday evening, when you logout of your office and take a huge sigh of relief, nothing could beat that. We often make huge plans for the weekend but end up curled up in bed doing the bare minimum. And this is a universal phenomenon. Weekend brings a wave of laziness with it and we give into it. Although weekends are made for resting but doing something productive could be a cherry on the cake.

Some things you can try to do to get something extra out of your weekends are listed below:
1. Firstly, to do anything you need to have a plan. You must figure out what tasks you have to complete in those two days and the amount of time then left for all the rest and leisure activities.
2. Household chores always come at top of the list. These are the only two days when you can oversee everything.
3. Next do something you have been putting of for a long time. For example- exercising, meditating, gardening, etc.
4. Some people like to go out every once in a while. Weekends are the perfect opportunity to go out and meet your friends and family.
5. Some people like spending this time alone and honestly, that is the best use of the weekend. You need to give yourself time to rejuvenate from the chaotic week you had.
6. Lastly, take the trip you have been delaying for so long. Go to your nearest spot, have a picnic and make a day out of it.

The most important thing you can and should do is disconnect yourself from social media. Just for two days, try being away from the world. We use this time for rest but if we stay on our phones all the time watching useless videos then what’s the point of it all. Instead of letting social media dictate how you spend your weekend, keep your phone aside and go outside. Go for a long drive, eat at a restaurant, go to the gym, just do anything that would keep you away from those adorable cat videos on the internet. Another thing to keep in mind is that you not only need to disconnect from social media but the world all together. Stop being available for people on the weekends unless it’s an emergency. Use this time to be with yourself. You must set boundaries especially with your work colleagues. You can check your messages once in a day but letting people think you are available will only take away your weekend joy.

The above tips were for people who like to do things according to a plan but there are a lot of people who are spontaneous. I need not tell them how to spend their weekends. They will go wherever their heart takes them. It could be a short trip, a weekend long party, a get together, etc. These are the people who know how to unwind properly. You must rest but you should also do something productive before you head into another hectic week. Spending your weekend doing nothing will only lead to regret in the coming week while accomplishing even a single task will keep you satisfied and you can look forward to another fun filled weekend. Lastly, weekends are a great opportunity to plan ahead for the coming week and ensure you stay productive throughout the week.

Go ahead, have some fun, it’s the WEEKEND!

KEEP HUSTLING

You are closer to your goal than you think!

Do you ever open your social media and feel like everyone is progressing but you? Do you get that sinking feeling? and often takes over every other emotion and all that is left is dismay. We often hear things like “don’t be fooled by social media” or “everyone shows their success not their failure” but in the end one still ends up thinking about how lucky those people are without knowing what they have been through. That is the power social media has over our minds and emotions.

Thinking about what’s wrong with our lives and not realizing how better off we are than most people makes us an ungrateful human being. Instead of thinking what goes on in other people’s lives wouldn’t it be more beneficial if we just focused on our own. Well it definitely would be but it is easier said than done. Every night we go to sleep thinking that tomorrow I will get my life together and the next morning if even a single things doesn’t go by our plan, we abandon the plan all together. If this keeps happening we slip in a phase where there is only one thought “why aren’t good things happening for me”. Well let me tell you this, if you keep waiting around for things to magically happen, you will be waiting forever. All you have to do to make things happen is HUSTLE.

Again, it is easier said than done but we all have to start somewhere. Let’s begin with adopting a positive mindset. In order to do so we must accept that everything that happens, good or bad happens for a reason and the outcome will only make us stronger. If we proceed towards our goal thinking about the joy and satisfaction it would bring us then maybe we won’t have to struggle so much to begin. Next, we must not procrastinate. Procrastination is the mother of all problems. Try to finish your tasks when you receive them. This will give you the sense of accomplishment you so desire. Put everything you got in the task. Give it your best shot and let your work speak for itself. Another thing to keep in mind is to never let a third party discourage you. A lot of people desire what you have and they will try to stop you from going further. You must never let anyone come between you and your goal. Keep going until you know you are there.

Hustling is a part of life. You have to constantly work on yourself to reach where you want to go. Nothing in life comes easy. If everything was that easy you wouldn’t be feeling so dejected all the time. When you do all the work and see the results yourself, let me tell you there is no greater satisfaction than that. As they say “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. It takes time for great things to happen and if you keep going they eventually workout. So, don’t be fooled by those posts on social media because you need to know that even they worked hard to get there and who knows how many failures they have faced even though they don’t show it. All you need is a new perspective towards your life and it is a smooth sail from thereon.

Procrastination

Ah! I’ll do it later.

If there is one habit that can easily be regarded as a “disease” it would have to be our habit of procrastination. Procrastination is a habit wherein a person keeps delaying a task that should be a priority and focus on the tasks that are clearly not that important.

It is often believed that a person delays the task because he/she is lazy but that is not the case. Laziness involves unwillingness to do the task but procrastinating has a larger scope. We often procrastinate when we feel we do not have the potential to complete the said task on time or at all. There is a little voice inside us that often says that we are not up for it so let’s delay it. I am sure everyone can relate to this. We often find ourselves putting off assignments that require a lot of time and effort. In fact we delay it so much that after a certain point it starts to feel more like a burden and that is the time we think we would have been better off if we just did the task on the first day. This feeling does not go away until the task the completed. The reason I called it a disease is because it is hard to cure. You procrastinate in doing one task and the next thing you know you have a list of tasks to do in the end moment.

Dr. Piers Steel, a professor of motivational psychology at the University of Calgary and the author of “The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done.” has accurately said that procrastination is “Self-harm”. If you think that delaying stuff only affects your time management skills then you are wrong. Procrastination has adverse effects on your mood, your potential and of course your ability to complete anything on time let alone the important tasks. The more you put off doing things the more you start to doubt your potential. You develop the fear of failure. You have the constant fear that you won’t be able to it and so you keep on delaying until a time comes when you have to do it in a hurry and half-heartedly, which is definitely a blow to your potential abilities. And so you do it more because you don’t trust your capabilities.

Your emotions are also take a giant hit in the process. You are constantly irritated and everything around you makes you unhappy. We humans always focus about having a good mood for a short period of time rather than thinking about long term. So we slowly start to procrastinate until we are in a good mood without thinking of the long term consequences. The worst part about this is the self blame that is followed by low self-esteem. This not only has an impact on your emotions and your brain but your entire body suffers.

Procrastination might sound like a normal thing involving putting off tasks but it has a deeper impact which is clearly not healthy. You know you are gonna have to do the task so why not just start with doing it. If you feel low in the middle just switch to easier tasks but don’t give up on the important ones. Once you start prioritizing you will feel your schedule changing and you will feel lighter in the long run. So, next time you feel like procrastinating just think about the consequences and that would be enough to get you started and with time you will get over it completely.

Lessons From My Favorite Book

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom

One should never underestimate the power of a good book. Books have the ability to help you discover your inner self. If you like books that force you to think about life and yourself, Tuesdays with Morrie is the book for you. Tuesdays with Morrie is my absolute favorite book. It is a memoir written by author Mitch Albom describing what his sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz taught him while he was slowly dying of ALS.

Here is a list of all the lessons I learnt from the book for which I will be forever grateful:

  • Stop feeling sorry for yourself: There are moments in our lives when everything seems to be out of control. During these moments we think about everything we have lost. However, Morrie taught me that it is okay to feel sorry for yourself but you must not focus on the bad part only. You should be grateful for everything good in your life especially during those low moments. Self-pity and loathing can rob you of everything good that’s going on.
  • Regrets: Regrets are a bigger part of our life than we admit. Spending your days thinking that if you did something differently your life would have been better now. These regrets have the capacity to eat you alive. If you stay hung up on the past mistakes, how will you ever have a better future. We are taught about forgiving others all our lives but why is forgiving so hard when it comes to forgiving ourselves. You must not torture yourself for a decision that could have gone either way. We cannot change our past because somethings are just out of our control. The healthy thing to do is move on and hope for a better future.
  • Death: “Learn how to die, and you learn how to live”, haven’t heard more accurate words. No one appreciates life like a person who is on their deathbed. They appreciate the little things in life that people generally take for granted.
  • Feel your emotions: Many a times we have these emotions that we aren’t able to let go. What I learnt is you should give yourself the freedom to feel them and have a good cry about it. Don’t let your emotions control you. As Morrie said, “Turn on the faucet. Wash yourself with emotions”.
  • Learn to Detach: This lesson is a bit complicated. It is about letting go and more. Morrie said that in order to let go of something, first you need to fully accept it. You need to let that experience, that emotion penetrate you and them you can detach yourself from it. If you don’t let yourself feel, you would never be able to let go because you would be nothing but afraid. Once you have felt it all, you would know that you need to detach yourself from that fear. Just step away.
  • Greed for Money: Since childhood we are taught that money cannot buy happiness but as we grow up we have learnt that buying things can bring you happiness but there is a catch. The happiness you feel is temporary. You use money to compensate for the love you never received. There is a difference between what we need and what we want. We must learn to separate the two. How much ever money you spend, you would never be able to receive the satisfaction you want because you would find yourself wanting more and more. And to be perfectly honest it is not entirely our fault because this is what we have been taught, “More is good”. In the words of Morrie, “Money is not a substitute for tenderness”. You must devote yourself to helping other people that is what would bring you real joy because only a life lived for someone is a life lived worthwhile.
  • Love: They say that people are never really gone, they stay alive in our hearts and it is absolutely true. Love is what keeps them alive always and forever.
  • Forgiveness: Forgiveness is tough. Whether it’s forgiving others or your own self, sometimes you just can’t gather the strength to wipe the slate clean. And yes I wrote ‘strength’. It takes a lot of courage to be the bigger man, to forget every exploitation and to move on. Morrie narrated a story where he and his friend had a falling out and how he regretted not giving him another chance before he died of cancer. Vengeance and pride can destroy you. These emotions are too heavy to be carried throughout your life. You need to make peace with everyone around you and then forgive yourself for everything you did wrong and everything you regret you didn’t do at all. Forgive those who hurt you and have the peace of mind you longed for before it’s too late.

One book, so many extraordinary lessons. Using any kind of adjective to describe this book would be an understatement. These kinds of books must be read, they must be felt and must be carried throughout life. That is the power of an exceptional book. I suggest you hurry and buy yourself a copy today.

Enjoy!!

IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A HOBBY

We live in a fast paced world. The world around us is changing so quickly that we barely have the time to accept those changes. While the things around us change and our lives with it, we need to have something that stays constant. Something that brings us calm every time things go too fast or too slow. Something that helps us relax when we get a break and ensures that we are enjoying life in that moment. The thing being referred to here are our HOBBIES.

Having a hobby enriches your life. Sometimes they provide you with calmness and relaxation but there are times they turn into something bigger and can also become a career path. Whatever the case maybe but either way having one does significant good. Hobbies act as an escape from an already chaotic life. This is the time when you discover yourself because you are at content doing the thing you love the most. They push your creative boundaries and you enter a state of trance where everything makes sense. It offers many new challenges and opportunities to grow. Your hobby could be as small as just doing a routine task but for those moments you are in a state of peace.

Having a hobby does not only enrich your day to day lives but also have a significant impact on your professional development. People talk a lot about work-life balance but when they actually get a break, they find themselves watching television, using their phones or worse- thinking about their job deadlines while they should be enjoying their leisure time. What people don’t realize is that they need this time to rejuvenate so they can bounce back to their work life with a fresh mind. Let us assume that since you were a kid you enjoyed writing your tasks down, you enjoyed collecting coins or stamps, now as you grow up these little hobbies have turned into something bigger. Your habit of writing stuff down now helps you prioritize your tasks and collecting stamps gave a boost to your organizational skills which now come in handy at work. Sometimes when the hobby is impressive and fits in with your career goals, you can also put it in your resume.

Keeping the professional life aside, hobbies are an asset for your personal growth. It not only helps in relieving stress but also encourages you to take regular breaks and gives you time to restore your mind. It is very important that you disconnect yourself with the world for a few moments everyday. Some people meditate but there are other ways. You could start learning an instrument or paint or draw or learn how to cook or read a book, just something that keeps your mind away from the stress and helps you relax. Your hobbies don’t have to be productive. You can do something as minimal as building a soothing playlist or make origami or you could dance it out but what’s important is that you do something.

So, let’s start doing something new today, something that brings us joy. Let’s take it one day at a time. Go cook something, build something or learn something. It might take a while for you to get the hang of the it but learning something new is always exhilarating. Everyone needs an escape from reality and hobbies can help you get there. Find something that tickles your creative side and get started. You will be amazed to see what you were capable of all along. In the years to come, you would be so grateful that you started when you did.

PINK CITY OF JAIPUR

A City With History In Every Corner

India is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Every street, every corner has a story to tell. One of the cities that attracts the most tourists is: Jaipur, also known as The Pink City. Jaipur is the land of history and monuments. It is the capital city of Rajasthan and was founded by Maharaj Jai Singh II in 1727. The city is an architectural beauty. It is said that the Maharaj consulted various books before drawing the layout of the city. The entire city is built on the principles of Vastu Shastra and is a historical landmark. Here is a brief overview of my favorite attractions in and around the city:

AMER FORT: The most magnificent attractions of Jaipur is the Amer Fort. The fort was built by Raja Maan Singh and is situated about 11 kilometres from Jaipur. The fort is divided into four courtyards and each section has its own entry and exit. Each section represents a different and interesting part of history. The fort interior is something to die for. The parts of the fort include:

  • First Courtyard or Jaleb Chownk
  • Second Courtyard where Deewan-e-Khas and Deewan-e-Aam is built
  • Third Courtyard is the site for Jai Mandir ( also known as Sheesh Mahal or the mirror palace) and Sukh Niwas. The two buildings are connected by a garden which are same as the Mughal gardens.
  • Fourth Courtyard is the place where the royal ladies and their helpers used to reside. The king built twelve rooms for his twelve queens.

The construction is so alluring and all the details have been well taken care of. Each and every section narrates an incident you would want to hear.

JAL MAHAL: A fort situated in water, how can someone not appreciate such a beauty. Jal mahal was built by Pratap Singh of Jaipur who was the grandson of Maharaj Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur. The fort was built in 1799 and is situated in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. It is a gorgeous five story palace made entirely of red stone. The interesting thing is that four floors of the fort are beneath the water and only one of the floor is visible. Tourists are not allowed to enter the fort but can appreciate the scenic from afar.

HAWA MAHAL: Hawa mahal is an example of pure architecture marvel. The structure was also built by Pratap Singh in 1799. The entire structure is made of pink and red stones. It is a five story building with 953 windows called Jharokhas which have been designed with intricate latticework. The structure was built for the ladies to watch special occasions and interestingly no one from the outside can view the interior of the building. Also, there is no main entrance. Tourists have to enter through the City Palace to see the building from the inside. Another fascinating factoid is that the structure has no foundation and is the tallest structure in the world with no foundation.

CITY PALACE: City Palace is another eye candy in the long list of historical monuments. The palace is situated in the heart of the city and has several sections and courtyards like Deewan-e-khas, Deewan-e-aam, etc. Mubarak Mahal and Chandra Mahal located in the courtyard of the place are two beautifully built structures with carving in white marble.

BIRLA MANDIR: Birla Mandir was built by B.M. Birla Foundation in 1988. The entire mandir is made of white marble and is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Lakshmi. It is one of the fourteen Birla mandirs in India. This temple is particularly famous to the devotees. Apart from the main temple, the Birla Temple complex incorporates a museum that displays the ancestral possessions of the Birla family, and a garden with a shopping complex.

MARKETS OF JAIPUR: Jaipur is the home to some of the best market areas. One of them is Bapu Bazaar. Bapu bazaar has all kinds of stuff from clothes to artificial jewelry to decoration pieces all available within a reasonable price range. If you ever plan on visiting this marvelous city, you must visit the bazaar and grab yourself a souvenir as a memory of the trip.

So, if you are planning a trip you must keep Jaipur in mind. There is so much in the city that you can absorb. The idle time to visit would be during the winter season when the sun rays are a bliss. You visit Jaipur once and you will find yourself craving to visit again and to learn more about its history.

VEGANISM

It is no surprise that our youth blindly follows the western culture. They mostly choose their lifestyle according to what is “in” and not according to what is right for them. However, there are certain things that are a blessing and one of them is adopting a Vegan diet. Veganism has been around for a very long time but has caught the eyes of the world only a few years ago.

Veganism is known to be as a supreme form of Vegetarianism. It is lifestyle choice where a person chooses to give up everything that is prepared as a result of animal cruelty and exploitation. Vegans boycott all the products that are tested on animals and/or extracted from animals in any way possible. For example: dairy products like cheese, leather clothing, all kinds of meats, etc. They believe in leading a plant based life.

HISTORY: The vegan society was founded in 1944 but its origin can be traced back 2000 years. Pythagoras, the sixth century Greek mathematician was against animal killing. In 1806, Percy Bysshe Shelley, a romantic poet, was one of the first people who publicly objected to the consumption of eggs and dairy products on moral grounds.

VEGETARIANS v/s VEGANS: These two terms are often interchanged but they differ in principle. Vegetarians do not eat meat but they do consume products like eggs, honey, leather, etc. They do not mind using animal based products but are opposed to animal killing. Vegans, on the other hand are opposed to animal killing, animal testing and using animal based products. They believe that large scale suffering of animals is caused during production of such goods and it is against their aim to stop animal cruelty. Some of the examples of such cruelty are: killing of old male hens because they don’t provide eggs, killing of male calves because they are expensive to raise, killing old cows when they don’t provide enough milk, and the list goes on.

Before adopting a lifestyle, we need to consider both sides of the coin. There are certain pros of being a vegan and some cons too.

PROS:

  • Saving animals from suffering and brutality is a major incentive to pursue this diet.
  • Vegan diet is full of nutrients and fibre.
  • Adopting the plant based lifestyle could help improve you health internally and provide the body with all the nutrients it requires to function properly.
  • This diet can reduce the risk of heart diseases.
  • It helps in keeping the cholesterol levels in check and also promotes weight loss.
  • It keeps your skin glowing and radiant.
  • It not only keeps your heart healthy but also improve kidney function.

CONS:

  • Excessive weight loss can cause health problems.
  • Vegan diet lacks certain essential nutrients like vitamin B-12 under-consumption of which could lead to a variety of health diseases including loss of bone and muscle mass.
  • Non vegetarian foods are a great source of protein and vegan diet might not deliver the adequate amount of protein required by the human body.
  • Many people might feel discomfort following a plant based lifestyle and it might not agree with their health in the long run.
  • Vegan foods are more expensive than regular foods. For example: buying soy milk would cost you a lot more than cow’s milk.

No matter how beneficial something is for you, you must always consider both sides of it. Adopting a vegan lifestyle just for the sake of activism could do irreversible damage to your body. Such decisions must be made considering all the aspects. Becoming a vegan just to follow a trend is not right. While some people might benefit from such diet, many would fail to receive all the nutrients required. Veganism does a lot of good for the environment but you must make choices that are right for you and your body and not the choices that would make you look like an activist while your body silently suffers.

NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY TEST PREPARATION: TIPS AND TRICKS

National Eligibility Test also known as UGC-NET, is an exam conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) to determine the eligibility of a candidate for the post of assistant professor and/or Junior Research Fellowship awards in universities and colleges. It is a national level exam, conducted twice a year (June and December) and over 5,00,000 students appear in the exam per attempt. A total of Eighty-one subjects are offered and applicants choose the subject they have a masters degree in for the exam.

UGC-NET is one of the toughest exams to clear and requires a lot of planning and dedication on the part of the applicant. Not only the applicant is expected to have knowledge of the topics in the syllabus but should also be familiar with related topics.

There are two papers:

Paper-1 General Paper (50 questions for 2 marks each, Time given: 1 hour) : This paper is common to all. The syllabus entails topics such as Teaching aptitude, research aptitude, Information and communication technology, logical reasoning, higher education, etc. Many students have a hard time cramming the concepts. Here are some tips and tricks:

  • Students normally take the route of coaching centers which is very helpful given the faculty is reputed.
  • For everyone who is preparing through self study needs to have a proper timetable according to their sitting capacity.
  • Next, you need to start with the topic that looks the most interesting so as to get you to begin your preparations.
  • Once you choose the topic, you must first read the chapter thoroughly from the book you chose to begin your preparation. Mark every important date, the name of an author, etc.
  • Next, go to YouTube (you will find a gazillion videos on a singe topic), find a lecture on the topic selected and listen to it carefully while taking notes. Online tutors always have something extra to offer. They have an interesting way of teaching which helps to learn things faster while keeping the learners engaged.
  • Now you have all the information related to a particular topic. Revise it at regular intervals to keep it fresh in your mind.
  • You can now move on to the next topic. Repeat the cycle and don’t forget to make detailed notes.
  • Once all the topics are thoroughly covered, you must attempt a few mock tests to put your knowledge to test.

Paper-2 Specific Subject Paper (100 questions for 2 marks each, Time given: 2 hours) : This subject is chosen on the basis of the subjects a candidate has during their post-graduation. There are total 81 subjects to choose from. Since you have already mastered in the subject, there is not a lot of cramming involved. Some additional tips you could follow are:

  • Paper-2 demands you to have vast knowledge of each and every unit involved. There are a hundred questions which can be asked from any topic directly or indirectly.
  • You must first study the syllabus properly and since you have already studied those topics in you masters, it would be easier for you to find out the easy and the difficult ones. For this, I would suggest you prepare a schedule that involves studying for the easy unit and the difficult unit on alternate basis. This will ensure that you are not left with only the difficult topics in the end.
  • YouTube classes are a must in this case also. There is no book that would fully cover the syllabus for this paper and thus you need you follow a reputed online tutor. Again, their tricks will make the subject easier and will enable you to reach at the depths of each unit.
  • Detailed notes will come in handy before the exam, thus make sure that all your notes are up to date and arranged perfectly.
  • When all the units are covered make sure you attempt regular mock tests and keep a track of your scores.

An aspirant must start their preparation ideally 3-6 months before the exam since the syllabus is vast and every topic is important and should not be skipped. If you stick to your schedule and revise everyday, nothing can stop you from clearing the exam. However, it is necessary that the applicant takes regular 3 hour mock tests (or solves previous year papers) and diagnose them later to find out the mistakes. The more mock tests you give, the more you will be sure of your success. However it is important to keep in mind that checking the tests is as important as giving it. You must know where you lack and go through that unit again.

Lakhs of students appear in this exam every year and only a handful manage to clear it and with proper time management, planning and scheduling you could be one of those handful aspirants.

ALL THE BEST!

PATIENCE IS THE KEY

You’ll end up with whom you are supposed to be,

doing what you love,

living a life you’ve always desired

Everything will fall into place

Patience is the key.

This is the first thought that dawns upon my mind every single morning. Every day I remind myself that whatever happens today will happen for a reason. Don’t stress over things that are beyond your control. Rather than resisting and fighting just stop struggling. Unhook yourself from every situation or person or experience that is holding you back.

Recently I read a book by Mark Manson named ‘the subtle art of not giving a f**k’. There is a paragraph in the book which hit me hard and I realized how true it was, ‘When “real traumatic shit” happens in our lives, we begin to unconsciously feel as though we have problems that we’re incapable of ever solving. And this assumed inability to solve our problems causes us to feel miserable and helpless.
But it also causes something else to happen. If we have problems that are unsolvable, our
unconscious figures that we’re either uniquely special or uniquely defective in some way.’

You know what things fall apart, bad things happens and the one who refuses to surrender in those situations is the real hero. There is a lot of stress out there and giving up on yourself will not help in reducing it.

Life is full of challenges. If you surrender then there shall be no opportunity left to grow. You look at your friend’s life and feel that he has it easy but what you don’t know are the struggles he went through to reach at this stage of his/her life. And the struggle does not there, life is an uphill battle it rarely ‘comes easy’. Instead of looking at other’s blessings, one should be grateful for the life they have. There are a lot of people who desire what you have and this thought should be enough to make you feel grateful for everything good in your life.

There will be moments in your life when you feel dejected but those are the moments that make you stronger. When big things fall apart, all you have to do is appreciate the smaller things in life and just be patient. Adopting this outlook won’t stop negative events from occurring, but it may help prevent us from over-emphasising their importance in our lives.

Someone once said, “Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that is patience.”

Being patient won’t make life easier but it will definitely guide you and help you find a way out of the tough situations you might face. We have often heard, “God has a plan”, let’s trust the plan for once. Let’s stop overanalyzing things, let’s be at content with what we have and let’s just work towards achieving our personal goals and patiently wait for God’s plan to unfold.

I would like to end it with a Greek proverb, “One minute of patience, ten years of peace.” This should be the motto.  

LIFE OF AN INTROVERT

It all started when I was in preschool. I never really engaged with the other kids . I always preferred to play by myself, have lunch by myself and do my own things. It took my parents some time to figure out that I was an introvert and so they admitted me into a different school which my cousins attended so that I could meet new people but nothing really changed . I used to cry every time the school bell rang and my cousin had to take me with her to her classroom and she used to sit with me until I stopped crying.
Life has not been easy since then. The life of an introvert is not an easy life to live. Introverts are tend to be very misunderstood. Webster dictionary defines introvert as ‘shy and reserved’ which may be true but it’s much broader. Not all introverts are shy and introverts are definitely not failed extrovert, we just need some time to get comfortable with the other person and once it’s done it’s a whole another story.

Interestingly, introverts experience less loneliness than extroverts. Extroverts need people around them all the time but we don’t. We are not socially awkward people who are always looking for reasons to avoid all kinds of social events. For us all those situations or interactions from which nothing can be gained are useless (and then again this is who we are).

Other than the advantage of being at peace there are certain disadvantages of being an introvert . We don’t have many friends and that is why we are the ones who are affected the most when people leave us high and dry but then again we have our own way of dealing with it . I personally believe that if you were happy before someone came into your life, you can be happy after they are gone (which is something everyone should believe in).

We may not have many friends and we may not go out very often but for us the depth of our relationship with our friends is more important than the number . I have 4 or 5 friends but the bond I share with each of them is unique and special and that is what I want. It’s not like I have not tried to find my way out of this lifestyle but this is just who I am and I’ve embraced it .


Social experiment : Place an introvert and an extrovert in a solitary confinement and it is obvious as to who will be the first one to get anxious.

CHALLENGES OF TEACHING AS A PROFESSION

We have often heard that teaching is the noblest of all jobs. Being able to carve out beautiful young minds brings its own kind of satisfaction. The impact of a teacher’s lesson extends far beyond the four walls of a classroom. They not only teach us how to face the exams at school but also how to excel at the challenges and tests life throws at us. Needless to say, teaching is the most thankless job of all.

Although teaching offers a great deal of contentment, it surely does not come easy. Being a teacher, a mentor requires a certain level of dedication and commitment that is hard to attain for most people. There was a time when anyone could be a teacher because the practice was standardized. There was a set curriculum to be followed and the teachers would stick to it. But now the time has changed. Educational institutions are looking for teachers who are experts in their fields. Someone who is capable of designing their own curriculum, someone who can challenge the students to flourish in all aspects. A job that was easier to find has now become one of the most challenging jobs out there.

There are a number of reasons for the job being so demanding and rewarding at the same time. With a growth in the field of research, new topics are coming to light every day. For becoming a teacher/professor, it is necessary for the candidate to have expertise in a particular field that can be gained only through carrying out thorough research in the said field. The research programs are long and intense and thus fail to attract people’s attention. Moreover, many institutions do not provide the teachers with the autonomy to carry out things their way. In addition to this, they are supposed to frame standardized tests which do not really challenge the intellectual capabilities of a student. The Indian education system and its emphasis on theoretical knowledge and its poor grading structure do no good either. The level of stress involved in planning a lecture is enormous. A teacher has to take into consideration the aptitude level of each and every student in the class while preparing a lesson. This could build up the pressure and lead to burnout. Some other challenges of being in this profession involve constant arguments with the management, lots of paperwork, lack of sufficient funding, having to handle too many students and tasks at the same time, etc.

It goes without saying that every great profession comes with certain challenges that might make it look unappealing but the sense of achievement one feels at the end of the day cannot be matched. One must choose to do something that challenges them and bring out their intellectual and creative side. So, if teaching is what you desire you have to get ready for the never ending research, having complex schedules, managing students from different backgrounds, keeping up with the recent rends in education and doing all this while staying focused and calm. However, we all can agree that being someone’s mentor, a confidant and a friend will bring a great amount of joy and delight into our own lives.