Anushka’s secret of success: Prioritise, strategise, commit

Manama : Anushka Mehta of class 12, New Millennium School –DPS, and her family are in a festive mood. Her focus and hard work over the past couple of months have finally paid off and she is one of the island toppers this year.

The CBSE topper has perfected the art of studying, not without finding some time for extra curricular activities. Yet, she remains humble as she thanks her teachers, school and parents. In an interview with DT News, Anushka shared her thoughts on how she became the Kingdom’s topper.

Q: Can you share your study methods, so that it will benefit other students? 

More than a defined study method, I believe in a study concept, that is ‘work hard and work smart.’ Over these two years of pressure and deadlines, the infinite number of directions we can pursue adds to our misery. In this chaos, it is easy for any student to break down. 

So I embraced three basic steps: prioritise, strategise and commit. I strongly suggest everyone to decide on their long-term objectives in terms of competitive exams and colleges. After all, aiming for a few but with sheer tenacity is always better than aiming for all, but half-heartedly.  

Having clarity in my goal helped me clear my mind and focus on my goals. Once you have prioritised your vision, you need to chalk out an action plan. Portions are in vast chunks and swallowing them all at once will only make you throw it out. Rather, break them into smaller digestible pieces so that you can retain them in your memory for long. A few things that I found extremely beneficial while preparing for exams were:

1.Plenty of past year papers

2.Shortcuts for math questions like matrix multiplication, probability etc. They’ll save your 5 markers.

3. Formulae are important. Go through the same set every night before you sleep and you’ll be surprised at how many you can learn.

Finally, any preparation is incomplete without commitment. 

 Q: What are extra curricular activities?

Two years of consistent hard work exhausts you mentally and physically. My hobbies were the only solace to me and they rejuvenated my energy and motivation. I was part of several activities like painting, drawing, dancing, debating, badminton and Model United Nations. 

Q: What are your future plans?

Over the past two years I had Computer Science as my major. Under the guidance of our brilliant teacher, I have developed keen interest in the field and I hope to pursue my undergraduate studies in the same at one of the best institutes in India. 

Later, I aspire to pursue specialised master’s degree further before entering the industry for work.

Q: In what way are you indebted to the school?

I believe that the most powerful people are not politicians, businessmen, presidents or bureaucrats, but teachers from every nook and corner of the world. Teachers control the future of world by shaping young kids into responsible youths. I am truly fortunate to have been a student of such a reputed school and its teachers who did not just teach the topic, but instilled in me, a sense of curiosity and interest. 

I am grateful to each and every teacher for they have been involved in crafting me at each step during my metamorphosis. My friends, the atmosphere in the school and the school faculty has together made NMS institution a great experience.  

Q: How did your parents influence you?

They have been a part of every step, every decision of my life and I cant thank them enough. My father Ashok Mehta, a gold medallist from IIT Bombay, has always taught me that nothing can substitute hard work. He has been consistently ranked first throughout his undergraduate studies at University and post graduate studies at IIT Bombay.    

My mother Vaishali Mehta taught me perseverance and patience. Grade 12 has been full of ups and downs and withstanding the pressures would have been arduous without them. 

They’ve done their best in every way to keep me and my sister happy. They have never put too many restrictions but have had full faith in my actions, which I am so grateful for.