With college festivals over and special days almost done with, switching back to study mode can be very depressing

When the ‘fun’ phase ends...

With college festivals over and special days almost done with, switching back to study mode can be very depressing

Participating in college festivals gives you a real high. Standing in front of cheering crowds, visiting different campuses, making friends... Like the Jack Dawson character essayed by Leonardo Di Caprio in the movie Titanic, you want to stand up and scream, 'I'm the King of the World.' Perfect strangers come up and congratulate you for a well-delivered speech or niftily executed dance step. Actors with a meaty role in plays get besieged for their first autographs from swooning fans... It feels as if you have finally 'arrived' in life. Your presence in college gets noticed, every hairstyle change commented upon as if you were MS Dhoni or Katrina Kaif. Suddenly, one day, the Rose Day deluge is over, Valentine's Day is the last signpost and fun comes to an abrupt end. The time table provides a harsh reminder of what attending college entails at the end of the term. From now onwards, your status or worth will be determined only by the marks you score. Nothing else matters. However, the change is so swift that the mind is sometimes unable to cope. Instead of getting on with the academic workload, the mental faculties may just slip into depression mode if one is not careful. Being in denial at this stage is dangerous. Counter any feelings of helplessness or frustration at missed opportunities with positive thoughts and be focused on the exams. Engage your mind A depressed student approached his professor and asked, “Sir, if I wake up on exam day and my mind is totally blank, what should I do? Will praying to God help me pass?” The professor replied, “By all means pray to God for a moment. Then immediately pick up my notes and start refreshing your memory in the few hours available!” Coping with change - Take stock of remaining days, assign tasks. - Manage key subjects when fresh and alert. - Schedule easy subjects when you are tired. - Switch to 'exam' mode; focus on solutions. - See previous patterns; segregate portion. - Understand formats that get you marks. - Avoid people with a negative attitude.