Board examination in India, is the public examination conducted by the CBSE, CISCE and state board at the end of 10th and 12th class of schooling. It is considered to be one of the unpredictable and tough exams compared to the rest of exams in the year.
The students undergo vigorous training so that they score well in the board exam and at the same time bring laurels to their respective institution. This training is put to test by the end of the academic year, usually between March and April.
Stressful Year of Board Exams Till March 2020
Everyone who has completed their schooling can agree to the year with board exams being more stressful than usual. The peer pressure, pressure from family and teachers, everything increases ten folds. You are excluded from all the extra-curricular activities and your only routine is study. This is the time when books become our enemies as well as friends.
Even if you are expected to be buried in books, as kids you still find a way to enjoy with your friends and sneak out. Those are the moments that keep you sane and decrease your stress a little. You become immensely tired even if the only thing you do is study.
You also start questioning your decisions of why you opted for such a thing or that you should have studied way before. Those little dilemmas, problems and syllabus used to be the only trouble till March 2020. That’s when all of these troubles may have increased ten folds along with few more problems. Don’t you agree, who are studying for the boards now? But how? Most of you must be thinking, isn’t it actually easy for them?
Since March 2020, Everything Has Changed!
It isn’t easy for the students who are writing the board exams this year. In fact, for everyone who is writing exams amidst the pandemic, it is difficult for them. But how? They are sitting at comfort of their home and having classes, so how is it difficult?
The fact that they are at the comfort of their house, with their family around is exactly the reason why it is difficult. The education mode turned from offline to online all of a sudden without any warning. Adapting to anything new takes time, which is true for this as well.On top of that, being cooped up in a room and attending classes from morning till evening is even more exhausting than going to school.
How Is That Possible?
It is possible because you are tired mentally. Physical tiredness and mental tiredness, both can be exhausting but mental tiredness is even more exhausting because you are unaware of how to rest. When you are physically tired, you come home and lay down, take a nap or eat something.
But when you are mentally tired, you really don’t know what brings you peace. Is it music or binge watching a series or going for a walk? And as we know, students can’t afford to lose time, or can they? Studying for 12hours or more can get really tiresome if it becomes a routine for a long time.
Our mind only has just so much capacity to deal with knowledge. Getting assignments during this time becomes even more difficult because when you are at home, it is your comfort zone and you are bound to be a bit of a couch potato. Finding the right amount of motivation is always lacking and students don’t know how to cope up with it.
Parents who are witnessing all of this, start taking control of their actions because now they know what’s happening but it is even more stressful for the child. Gaining knowledge needs to be done under free will otherwise the knowledge gained will be easily lost.That is exactly what is happening now. Kids are studying, but they are studying just for the sake of marks and since its online, they have their cheat sheet ready.
How Is It Affecting Them?
Pandemic has taken a major toll on everyone’s life. Mental health has been the most affected for every single individual. The students are affected because they do not have a source to let their negative emotions get out. An outlet to convert their negative emotions into positive.
They can’t do it with their family, because there’s always a limit. Having online classes and then talking to friends, online, just causes a series of complaints and rules from their parents. If they crib in front of their parents, that’s again a risk because you don’t know what is going to be their reaction. So how exactly are they going to vent out?
Without venting out, their minds are preoccupied and a preoccupied mind is less productive than a mind which is free and has space. So, they are going to find ways of not studying because they are unable to keep the knowledge in them leading to disappointed within and from their parents.
How Can We Make It Better?
Everything can be made better. Nothing is impossible. To turn this around, parents can first begin to give them a bit more space and privacy. Working on making your relationship stronger is more important in order to give them the comfort of confronting you about the issues they face.
Giving them a cheat day from studying all day will encourage them to study other days because you are giving them the time to rejuvenate. Privacy needs to be respected the most because all of you are under one roof for 24/7 and just like you are getting irritated so are they.
Do not get disappointed if they are unable to score good, instead sit down with them and try to clarify their doubts because online classes can not be easy to understand as it is accompanied with network issues and a lot of distractions. Give them the opportunity to explore something new in both career as well as their talents and hobbies.
The Conclusion
The coronavirus has taken all of us in for a wild ride and you don’t know what to expect. Be on the same team. Fight against the corona together and not individually because it’s taking a toll on everyone. Be there for your kids because they are also in for the ride along with you.
Take this opportunity to know more about them and how they have grown up. Be more positive and support them for their decisions because times have changed. Their decisions might not be what you wanted but you need to remember that their times are different. You weren’t in a worldwide pandemic during your time, so keep that in mind.
Lastly, a reminder for all the students, I know it’s a really difficult time for you too but be considerate about your family too. You can face this board exam with all your might! Be confident and keep preparing. Practice makes a man perfect, so do it! Most importantly, don’t lose hope! Don’t feel disappointed! Don’t give up! You can do it.
Written By - Farheen Firoz
Edited By - Nidhi Verma
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