I had a productive day. Did Maths 40 pages, Newspaper, one current affairs class and 10 pages of CA magazine.
28/03/21
I tried to wake up early. But it's so damn difficult! I guess once SFG starts, the discipline will be better. I've been sluggish throughout the day. Hoping posting here would give me the extra fire needed.
Waking up early meant spending the entire morning sleepy-headed until I could finally take an afternoon nap. I guess changing my sleep patterns would lead to a rough few days initially
Based on how my day went, I'm reminded of this quote - "Most people overestimate what they can do in a day, and underestimate what they can do in a month" I hope this proves true by the time exams come
My experience has been that once I work really hard for 3-4 days, by the fifth day I'm completely drained out with no motivation to study. Do you also experience something similar? How do you cope? I'm thinking having one day a week as a light day with good rest and minimal study. Any other advice?
Doing just the prelims portion is taking up almost the entire day. I don't think doing optional in this time would be feasible. Will try to squeeze some portions in anyway.
@Omen libraries won't work for my place but Thank you :)
You can give a try to online study sessions. Study with me on youtube or twitch can be helpful.
I'll second that. I used Study with me sessions on Youtube during lockdown, particularly the live ones. Helped me out of my inertia.
There are also Zoom, Google Meet sessions where you can participate and study with strangers. It's a bit more involved than watching streams on youtube. You can check this site ->https://www.mooclab.club/groups/24-7-virtual-study-space.129/
Inspired by@nerdfighter , I've decided to time my sessions as well
Maths Linear Algebra PYQs ->6 hours
Current Affairs 2 classes ->3 hours 31 minutes
Newspaper ->26 mins
Total ->9 hours 57 mins
Looks like a productive day. Keep it up. :)
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There are some things we should be mindful of when we are counting hours though. Somw time back, I wrote aboyt this. I am just copying and pasting it here.
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I haven’t been studying as much as I should. Heck, I haven’t even been studying as much as I think I have been. In a week, I manage a day with 10+ hours of study, about 2 or 3 days with 7+ hours of study & the remaining days with less than 5 hours of study. With these efforts I wouldn’t even reach Delhi, let alone Mussoorie. But even these dismal numbers may be an overestimation of my personal productivity.
The Tailless rats of Hanoi
It was the year 1902. The French ruled Indochina, a group of colonies in Southeast Asia that included what is now Vietnam. With the French, came their toilets. With the toilets, came the rats. Apparently a 15-kilometre-long sewage pipeline was the exact thing that the rats of Hanoi had dreamt all their life. To deal with the rat menace, the authorities thought of a way out. They would pay the local population for every rat tail they brought to the authorities. What could go wrong?
Kill the rat, you feed yourself for a day. You don’t kill a rat but you just cut its tail & set it free, you feed yourself for life. That is exactly what the ratcatcher did. Rats from neighboring towns were imported so that their tails could be presented to the authorities. Some entrepreneurial minds even started breeding rats. The metric of rat tails instead of measuring the reduction in the population of rats ended up disincentivizing people from killing them. The measure had become a target and Goodhart has warned us that this is something we should avoid.
When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure
Goodhart’s Law
This phenomenon is found in almost every field. For various reasons, the government of India likes to keep its fiscal deficits low. The point of having a low fiscal deficit is to ensure that the government isn’t spending a lot more than it can afford to. But this measure has become a target & the government has found various ways to keep the fiscal deficit low even if it is spending more than it should.
I have been using the pomodoro technique for the last 6 years and it has served me well. More number of hours studied at the end of the day gives me an indicator that I am on the right track. However, there are days when I am just too lazy to do the real work. As I just need to push up the number of hours, I have this habit of choosing the path of least resistance. So, sometimes I start reading a non-fiction book on a topic in syllabus & I count it in my total hours of study. Sometimes, instead of reading notes for two hours, I sometimes watch a video lectures on the same topic for four hours while being aware that the former two hours are at least twice as effective as the latter four.
I need a new measure. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I have some ideas in my mind like giving different weightage to different category of study but for the time being, I’ll try to be mindful of this & try doing more of the real work. Let’s see how it goes.
Thanks for sharing this. That story is really illustrative.
My desire to start measuring my time started when I first read Deep Work by Cal Newport. He advocates measuring the hours you engage in deep work (which is by nature different from lighter, shallow work). Using the example you gave, shallow work would include reading the non-fiction book or watching video lectures. Deep work would be memorising facts, writing answers, revising your notes etc. i.e. work that has intensity and is thus hard.
The temptation you point out is very real. I want to engage in shallow work (the path of least resistance) in order to boost my time. It may give me a temporary sense of satisfaction but doing this constantly would undermine my own success.
To avoid this, here's what I think would work. Have a daily list of things you have to do. This should ideally have as much deep, effective, intense work as possible. The primary aim of the day would be to complete that list. The secondary aim would be to measure the number of hours you spend working. Thus you can make sure you're measuring the right things without running blindly after the number of hours.
If you think about this, we're doing this already. For instance, you mention the daily targets beforehand. Then you post whether you've completed it or not. Plus you mention the number of hours you studied.
If you want a new measure, you can divide whatever you do into deep and shallow work and post that also. That would also work admirably.
Not able to focus at all today. Woke up late. Slept again. Spend some time reading some non-fiction. Watched some episodes of a sitcom. It's like I am doing everything except studying. I think I'll begin again tomorrow as day 1. Will try to finish the economy portion I planned.
I am either disciplined w.r.t everything or nothing. Like, if the start of the day is bad, it is very difficult for me to recover.
I completely agree with that last line. I experience the same frequently.
I agree with what Chamomile said. I do the same too. Short naps help. But frequently they turn to long groggy sleep.
One thing I've noticed is that when I work for 2-3 days with extreme intensity, I'll be tired and unmotivated by the third or fourth day. Then that day goes waste. I saw you studied nearly 11 hours yesterday (which is like an unattainable record for me :P). Maybe your body and mind are just recovering today?
I've personally tried to reduce my intensity a bit so that even though I study less in a day, my weekly total should be higher.
Anyways, I'm sure tomorrow you're gonna blaze through the day. Aag laga dena! :-)
@nerdfighter I'll be studying for Mains till August 15th and then shift back to Prelims mode.
My plan is rather ambitious. I'll be trying to do one complete revision of both my optional and GS but not directly.
My major focus would be on Maths, since it betrayed me in my previous two attempts. :P. Will do 3 chapters completely plus try to solve last 10 year PYQs.
For GS, I've enrolled in Dipin Sir's CA classes. There are about 10 pending classes which I am doing right now. Then when the classes start again, will continue accordingly. On the days when I have no classes, I'll spend time going through PYQs. I am doing so to analyse trends, update my notes, plus practice elements of answer writing (won't write answers. Just create basic structure + brainstorm).
For both GS and Maths PYQs, I'm going topic wise so will do a reading of my short notes simultaneously. So hope to get in one revision of both by mid August.
Again this is the best case scenario. Based on previous experiences, even if I get 80% done I'll be happy. So I've sort of made a priority list so that I can do the high priority stuff earlier and not compromise on them.
PSIR: Study Class Notes for Plato & Machiavelli; Study PYQs; Make Flashcards
GS-IV: Watch Class 3, Read handouts for Class 1,2 &3; Write answers to 2 PYQs
Governance: Study NGO & SHG Booklet; Make flashcards
Anki No Due
Spent most of the time on PSIR. Studied class notes, not entirely. Will have to finish them tomorrow. Wanted to glance the respective chapters from the reference book & ended up reading the entire chapters. Made copious amounts of flashcards & reviewed most of them.
Also did NGO booklet. Updated current affairs. Watched a backlog video class related to NGOs. Anki No Due.
Did not finish SHG booklet & ethics class. Will try to do it after this point.
First half of the day was incredibly productive. Second half was disappointing. I disabled my blocker in the noon. And that is the reason why. Will try not repeat that again. The first 4 hours were beautiful. Did not even realize as the time went by. Felt like I was in, what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls, the "flow" state.
Total Hours Studied: 8 Hours 2 Minutes
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Chill Reads: Read the Amartya Sen wala book for 45 odd minutes in breaks
Good going!
I had the opposite of flow state today. Was distracted throughout the day.
Also how's the Amartya Sen book? I've always wanted to read more about him.
I am struggling here to study for long hrs. So i need some suggestions. How do i increase my duration of study sessions? What should i do on breaks so that i get back to studying without (or with less) resistance.
What do you do in your breaks or for how long do you study in one go?
Any suggestions?
I was a night owl - studying at the 11th hr for every test or exam. But this time i am trying to study over the day, with a schedule and planning.
I'll try to share some things that work for me. Maybe some of this would be useful for you too. I'll try to answer your queries one by one
1) How do i increase my duration of study sessions?
Do you mean the duration of one session or overall duration? I'm someone who finds it difficult to sit for long continuously so I always have short/medium length sessions. One good way is the Pomodoro technique. It basically means studying for 25 mins and then taking a 5 min break. (Please do google this for further details if you're not familiar) You can customise your timings. I like to sit anywhere between 30 mins to 1 hour for each session and then take a 5 minute break.
Another thing that works for me is to break the monotony by switching subjects after each session. For instance, if I do my optional for 1 hour, I'll do GS related something for the next 45 mins. Something like that.
To increase the duration of each session, you can start slowly (at 25 mins per session) and then gradually increase that to 1 hour or something. To increase overall duration, you can similarly measure your daily total number of hours and then compete with yourself to increase that over time.
The analogy here is that of working out/going to the gym. You don't start doing a 100 reps of everything from day 1. You start at your current level and slowly work towards bettering yourself. Over time, your strength increases and you level up. Similarly, as you study over time, your mental stamina, concentration levels, attention spans - all will increase. Just strive patiently and continuously.
2) What should i do on breaks so that i get back to studying without (or with less) resistance. What do you do in your breaks or for how long do you study in one go?
The rule here is simple. Don't do anything that distracts you. Your breaks are meant to rest your mind not occupy them.
If I have access to my phone, I'll inevitably find a way to get distracted. So using my phone during breaks, no matter how tempting, is a strict no. For this purpose, I keep it switched off. I also write down beforehand at what time I'll switch it on so that I'm not tempted to use it before.
As to what I do in my break, I don't do anything if it's a 5 min break. I just wander around the house, drink water or go and poke my sister :P. I take longer breaks with my meals. So after eating, I'll relax for 20-30 mins. At that time, I may surf the net, watch YouTube videos, watch a sitcom episode, listen to music or read a book. I've found listening to music and reading books most enjoyable and refreshing. But sitcoms and youtube are what I end up doing most. :P
What I've shared is what's working for me + what I think is helpful. Whatever appeals to you, adopt it. Whatever doesn't, reject. Listen to whatever else the others will also be posting. Hope you are able to increase your output soon.
I woke up early. Too early. Was sleepy/tired throughout the day. Hence couldn't be as productive as usual. However, I'm going to bed much earlier than before so hopefully my sleep habits will be better soon.
Tomorrow's targets
1)Maths 3 lectures 2)CA one pending class 3)Newspaper 4)Ethics revision
Current affairs class ->completed class. Need to update notes which I will do tomorrow.
Newspaper ->done
Today morning + afternoon wasn't that productive. Sat down to study but was distracted throughout. By evening changed my tactics a bit. Most of what I did today was achieved after that. Basically I've started setting really specific goals for each session (like doing this many minutes of a lecture, or this much pages of notes in 50-60 minutes). Hoping this will sustain my studies further.
@DeekshitaP Congrats on the 10k! That's a mighty awesome achievement.
Thanks a lot! Would love to run a half sometime in life :)
One of my medium-term goals is to participate in and complete the Airtel Delhi half marathon. Hoping to get to do that once the pandemic ceases.
Oh hey fellow runner! Same even I do really want to run the ADHM. My father runs it’s quite regularly so I’ve also been very inspired to do it myself.
Oh that's quite awesome. How was his experience? I've heard running in Delhi's polluted air can be quite taxing.
I'm not actually a runner though :P. Atleast not yet. More like someone who has read books/ watched interviews of quite a few long-distance runners and want to emulate that.
Finally felt good studying today. Also achieved my daily targets after not reaching them for 4-5 days on the stretch. I hope the good feelings sustain.
Targets for tomorrow ->1) Finish Fluids (5 lectures left) 2) Ethics 2 answers 3) revision of current affairs notes 4) Newspaper
Finally fluids over!! :D. This has been THE topic which I've been afraid of and failed to do well for the past 3 years. Feels good to banish those demons.
I still have to revise them though. Maybe a couple of weeks again next month.
Targets for tomorrow ->not much. Would be a rest day. Might write an essay. Maybe spend a couple of hours consolidating ethics notes. There's a good chance though that I will end up binging Family Man S2 the entire day and not do anything else.
I feel a little better now. Though, there is some body ache, I think I can start studying. For the next two weeks, these are the things I should focus on. These things and nothing else.
Environment for Prelims; Santosh Sir lectures & Booklets; Study them and Ankify them
IR static portion; Read the class notes and make short notes; make flashcards where necessary
GS4 Classes and Handouts
CSAT 1 hour a day
I won't be able to study on 20, 21 & 22 due to some really important personal obligations. So, I'll need to up my productivity game for the next two weeks to compensate for that loss.
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# Target To-Dos for Day (1/14): 06/06/21
Environment Lecture 4 (2 Hours)
Environment Booklet 1; Study + Ankify (2 Hours)
Ethics Class (3 Hours)
CSAT 1 Hour
Anki No Due (1-1.5 Hours)
Bro you are supposed to rest. Vaccine bhi tumhe rok na paya :P Sahi mei fighter ho.
All the best for your next two weeks. This reminds me to make up my own medium term plan. Might spend some time on that tomorrow.
I could have done more. But it was a slow day. Had to push myself to do even this much. On one hand, I'm disappointed in wasting time. On the other hand, this was the sort of day that earlier would fully go to waste. So glad I'm making progress little by little. Baby steps
I am probably going to start posting here too for some accountability. I wish someone stepped out of the screen and slapped me when I dont meet my targets. 😭
This reminds me of the guy who hired someone off Craigslist to slap him if he was wasting time :P
From tomorrow I will try to improve and increase the number of hours. I know I can do it.
Also, I tend to switch between topics very frequently (in optional specifically). For example, yesterday, I was doing mechanics but today I switched to complex because for me former is difficult.
Please scold me if I switch again. 🙈
Speaking from experience... Please don't frequently switch topics, especially in Maths optional. It will leave gaps in your understanding as everything is sequential and interlinked.
Many topics are hard. But you'll have to persist through them. Sometimes it might even take 2-3 revisions before you finally 'get' a concept.
Keep striving though! 5 and a half hours is a great start!
I didn't feel too productive throughout the day. It helped that I had reasonable (and not extreme) targets set. Even then, required a late night shift to try finish everything.
Tomorrows targets ->1) Limits and continuity 2) CA class remaining portion 3) Ethics 2 answers 4) Newspaper
I just got back from a 5 day break. I finally saw my grandparents and a few cousins after a long gap (3.5 years).
On the one hand, it felt super great to see them all after such a long time. I've never felt so loved before :P Also, it was the first time after Jan that I spent more than a couple of days not thinking about the preparation. I hope this refreshed mind pushes me on in the coming days.
On the other hand, in all that excitement, I hardly feel like studying now. So I'm purposefully writing down my targets here to feel some social pressure to complete them
Targets for tomorrow 1) calculus - differentiability 2) Current Affairs class 3) Newspaper (news items excluding editorials of previous 5 days) 4) Ethics 2 answers.
Newspapers ->last 5 days excluding editorials done
Ethics ->2 answers done
I have to say. This was a highly wasteful day. I could have done double of what I ended up doing. It helped that my targets were really small so it looks like a productive day. I think it will take a couple more days to get back into the groove.
Also your messages are inspiring. However, at the risk of sounding evil, I kinda love the 'unproductive days' wale comments more. It makes me feel human and normal.
Earlier, I always expected perfection from myself with the inevitable guilt, shame and anger when that didn't materialise. Mostly it was because I had this image of toppers studying 12-16 hours a day, 7 days a week. But now I realise how foolish I was. So it's lovely to see people here showing how normal they are and also owning their bad days. Kudos!
Now I'm gonna go watch France vs Germany. Been looking forward to this game for quite a while now.
I had such a strong start to the day. Thought I'll crush everything. Then the afternoon laziness struck. Ended up binging a few episodes of 'The Tick'. Don't even know why I decided to start watching this show.
Finally I tried to study in the evening. Got through some portions. At that moment a cousin showed up. Spent the remaining time catching up with him.
After he went to bed, thought I'd watch my class. At that instant, my laptop decided to stop working. Now I'll have to take it for repairs. Hope my files are safe.
Anyways... I hope tomorrow is a more peaceful day. My targets will be completing what's pending from today. Have a great day y'all!
Subconsciously, I've always thought of lunch to be the middle of the day. It was such a stunning discovery to realise today (in the shower - where else :P) that the middle of my day (based on when I wake up and sleep) was somewhere between 4-5 pm.
This has entirely changed my perspective. Even if I have an afternoon slump, I can remind myself that I have more than half a day remaining to do something. Hope that now I can have more inspired evening and night sessions.
I had a slow start. Today was the first day lockdown began easing in our area. So went to buy some stuff in the morning. Spent about an hour doing that. Oh how beautiful is the outside world! I never ever thought I'd miss traffic this much :P
Once I came back, I found it difficult to focus. My study sessions were in bits and pieces.
Whatever meaningful work I did, I got it done post 7pm. Before that everything was scattered.
One thing that helped me push myself late in the day was the realization that I had failed to hit my targets for some days in a row. This despite me setting mediocre targets. A further failure today would have been bad news. The thought of posting about this here gave me some motivation to study more. So I did my best to somehow get to a respectable level.
Tomorrow I'll try to increase my output a bit. Targets are uniform convergence in Maths (one of my most feared topics), current affairs class, ethics 2 answers, newspapers
So Goodnight all gentle, loving and wonderful peeps :) (plus every other adjective you desire).
How are people completing 100% of the day's targets? Like how many hours one is devoting?
By keeping realistic targets.
Again realistic means different levels at different times. Right now, I'm not too motivated to study. So I'm setting smaller targets which can be achieved even if I waste half the day. The daily small victories keep me going.
A time will soon come when I'll be more pumped up (most likely because the exam dates are too near). Then I'll be setting targets that can be achieved only with putting in really good hours daily. Some people here are already at that stage and you can see them putting in 8+ hours daily. All power to them.
As you see, there's no fixed formula as such. Just do what you think is best.
I had a great start (despite constant interruptions by someone or the other). Then had some guests over so skipped studies for a couple of hours. To do something different, I played Badminton today quite intensely. That was quite tiring and I found it difficult to concentrate henceforth. So I'm calling it a day today (earlier than usual)
Learning for the day - >wake up early (for instance, nerdfighter said how he finished much of his work by 11 am. I began my studies by 11 am). So will now try to slowly wake up earlier and earlier.
@thesleepyhead that's the second straight day a poem by Robert Frost has impacted me.
Kal Patootie had posted about the Road not taken. I spent an hour yesterday reading the poem (again and again) and various analysis of it. Aaj ke liye ab ye poem mil gaya
@thesleepyhead that's the second straight day a poem by Robert Frost has impacted me.
Kal Patootie had posted about the Road not taken. I spent an hour yesterday reading the poem (again and again) and various analysis of it. Aaj ke liye ab ye poem mil gaya
Kal read If by Rudyard Kipling (only if you haven’t already) :)
Sure. Thanks for the reminder. I've been meaning to revisit that for some time now.
The funny thing is I've read all these poems before in school. I hated them then. Now I understand these poems (particularly in the context of upsc prep :P).
Woke up with a slight headache. Didn't do much today. Wrote one ethics answer. Studied a few pages of maths notes. Total time of 2-3 hours.
But then my headache got worse (although thankfully full on migraine stage not reached). So decided to take a break from studies.
In the evening, I watched Portugal vs Germany with my family. What a cracking game! Wish every match was like this.
Anyways tomorrow I've kept aside to complete pending work. So I need to complete CA classes, consolidate notes, complete one maths topic (uniform convergence), newspaper + some time on essay.
Back after a week away from studies. I hope this is the last major interruption I'll have.
Today was a slow day. Did Lagrange's Multipliers in Maths, attended half of a current affairs class and wrote one ethics case study. Also now watching The Good Place. All those ethics references in the show makes me so happy!! I feel so learned :P It's a great show otherwise too.
In this past week, more than anything, I missed coming here and reading your comments. It feels good to be back posting. Stay awesome, peeps!
Pretty productive day. And thus the month ends quite satisfyingly. Did Taylor's theorem for multiple variables, extreme values for multiple variables and some miscellaneous questions. Wrote one ethics case study. Attended one CA class. And read newspaper.
Guys. I’m taking a break from being active on Forum.
@AzadHindFauz and@whatonly, all the very best for your interviews. I genuinely hope that you both make the cut. Lots of love and hugs.@AzadHindFauz , always remember that if you must choose between UPSC and your beloved football thread, do the right thing brother. :P@whatonly,the amount of respect I have for you is crazy. Let nothing ever dim your shine, my friend. I’ve seen you grow so much over the past year, and I hope you will keep doing that.
@MaeveWiley , October 10 will be your day. I recall all of our conversations. Especially the first one and the one after last prelims. Thank you for reaching out to me when I needed it the most. I will forever be grateful. This time, you will be sure after prelims. I know it in my heart. Make sure you make the prelims victory count. Onwards and upwards, my friend.
@SergioRamos,remember your comment on the interview thread. You know which one I’m talking about. I feel you have a very sound understanding of the exam and it’s just a matter of time till you actually follow through on the things you know you can do, to your satisfaction. Keep working on it. You’ve got this.
@Sherkhan1428 , you were a vibe when you were active, my man. I’ve missed reading your comments. If you read this, I hope you’re in a good place mentally.
@Reticent@thepolicydreamer, @Alexandersupertramp,thank you for reaching out to me when I was in the dumps. I hope you are all keeping well and your families are safe. Keep working on yourselves and your goals. Keep your head above the water, and remember to breathe. Do the little things right, my friends. It’s easy to forget the progress that you have made. Don’t make that mistake.
@thesleepyhead@chamomile@Loxodonta I’ve interacted very little with you all, but all of your personal messages came to me at a time when I really needed someone to give me a hand. I found support from you all when I was shattered inside and was trying to put on a brave face. Thank you for reaching out.
@nerdfighter ,@sjerngal Keep working on fighting the pain, you guys. It doesn’t necessarily get any easier, but we shall refuse to give up and keep soldiering on. We owe that to ourselves.
@Villanelle I cannot count the number of times I have openly laughed seeing your comments. And yesterday, you topped it with that wholesome comment about your mother. I am a little intimidated by you and the width of your reading to be honest. There’s so much swagger about you, and that makes you one of the pseudonyms from this platform that I most want to get to know in person. Thank you for bringing joy to my life in whatever way you could.
@LetsGetThisBread , as a wise person once said, today may be bed but tomorrow will be butter. There’s so much life in all of your comments, and that has such a ripple effect. Even if you feel you aren’t making progress on a certain day, always remember to be grateful that you have invariably brought a smile to at least one stranger’s face every single day.
@ssver2 and@Joeyisthebest , I’ll see you idiots on the TG group soon enough. :P Optional isn’t truly optional without you two.
I’m sure I’ve missed so many people who have had an impact on my life through this platform over the past year. The above list has been impacted by recency bias of course. So, I hope you can forgive me if I’ve missed you.
The beauty of this platform is that it is built on the kindness of strangers. There’s so little in the world that is like that. I’ve said this before and l’ll say it again. I see infinite beauty in you all.
And with that, I take your leave.Thank you for playing the significant part that you have played in my story. I’ve been more open with you than I have been to most of my closest friends. Thank you for being the light that I was so desperate to find.
I hope to see you all again on the other side. I hope to have stories and experiences to tell you, and I look forward to the little glimpse of your wonderful lives that you may choose to share with me. When you feel down, whatever the reason, know that somewhere in the World, a Patootie wishes you well and cares for you deeply.
Hello. I don't know if it's the right place to post, but I just wanted to know how to prepare Modern Algebra. If there any aspirants with Mathematics optional, kindly answer. TIA.
There's a Mathematics thread that you'll find scrolling down the main page. In the future, you can post there.
Modern Algebra was the subject I was most scared of when I began. Now it's my favourite chapter (along with LA). It still is the toughest part of the syllabus, to be clear. But there are definite things you can do to improve.
1) Choose your source and do it thoroughly. I did it from IMS notes. They are more than sufficient. If you feel unsatisfied with the notes, you can check out books like Bhambri Khanna, Gallian etc. I haven't used these books so refer to some topper's booklist for a better idea about them.
2) The biggest problem with Modern Algebra is that it is too abstract. It's difficult to understand and visualise things. For a more intuitive understanding, see this playlist (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi01XoE8jYoi3SgnnGorR_XOW3IcK-TP6) It's about 3 hours in length but totally worth it for a proper conceptual understanding. You'll fall in love with the subject.
3) Do all questions in IMS notes, including the assignments (or do all solved questions from your book + other questions if time permits). Then do all PYQs (at least for past 10 years). Then for more practice, you can solve previous IMS test series questions (only if you have time)
4) If along the way you feel that you don't understand the books/notes, you can instead take lectures from youtube channels like Mathocrat, Exademy or any BSc Maths classes. You can even refer to NPTEL for rigorous lectures. All these are time consuming; hence do them only if studying from notes/books isn't working out.
I hope this should be more than enough. Remember that Modern Algebra is requires multiple revisions. Initially everything will go over your head. But after 6-8 revisions max, you'll be really comfortable with the topic.
One caveat ->even then you might not be able to solve all questions in the exam. So be well prepared with other topics so as to leave Modern Algebra's tougher questions.
@nerdfighter Great write up bhai. Especially loved the bit of how books taught you to think linearly, logically and meditatively. I've never thought of it this way.
May you blossom on the paths of Deep Work
PS - Deep Work has to be the book that I've readthe most number of times. So glad to find a fellow Cal Newport fan here
I did some portions of Multiple Integrals (about 20 questions) + 1 ethics case study. The total is small in terms of hours spent. Yet I'm proud of myself because in spite of all the other work I have, I could squeeze out time to study effectively.
By July 4th I'll be back in Delhi. All my current interruptions will hopefully end and I'll be able to spend solid hours studying. So looking forward to then.
Finally landed in Delhi yesterday. Today was spent mostly in unpacking. I solved some multiple integrals problems in some spare time I got.
I had also set apart some time to review my progress till now (from the time postponement of prelims was announced). Based on that I made a plan for the next 42 days. After that will shift completely to prelims.
I hope you all are doing well. I pray that when October 10 comes, you all will be looking back at these few months and feel proud of yourself. Stay awesome!
Woke up with a migraine so couldn't study much till lunch. Accordingly I modified my targets for the day.
Maths ->Multiple Integrals 22 questions done. Ethics 1 case study done. Half a CA class done. Newspaper done.
Tomorrow's targets =>1) Maths ->45 questions of Multiple Integrals 2) 1 CA class 3) Read Atul Sir case study notes + attempt 1 case study 4) Newspaper. If I complete all these targets, I'll reward myself by watching Spain vs Italy. :P
If everyone's talking about malayali, can be just talk a bit about their food. Not want to disturb the momentum of thread but all the malayali's out there on this platform@LetsGetThisBread and patootie, I love the food from your part of world. I can't tell how much, but if I have to describes , I would say I have reached to a point where I want to marry ONLY a malayali guy!
My tryst with kerala cuisine started with sadhya from times of onam. I fell absolutely in love with that. And now, I have made my north indian kitchen into a south indian kitchen, with my mother being forced to cook all the recipes I see online.
I just love your food andddd the smell of your houses which is extremely different(visited a friends house, I don't know what was that but kya khusbhu thi) . I wish kerala hi cadre mile.
A big big time foodie signing off!
Wow! That's the first time I'm seeing a non- Malayali acknowledge Kerala food. Usually people just club all of South India together. Thank you for distinguishing!!
If you are in Delhi, there are Malayali restaurants in almost every part of the city. You can have your heart's fill here.
As for food, Onam Sadhya (special meal at Onam) is a different level. For people not aware, a small-sized sadhya contains rice and 20+ side dishes (all vegetarian). Some of the famous ones (like at Christ University Bangalore) have 200+ dishes. IN ONE MEAL! That always blows my mind!
My favourite dish though is Malabar Porotta. It's like paratha but not quite a paratha. You can have it with any curry (veg korma, sambhar or usually a non-vegetarian dish). As I sit typing this, my mind is drooling :P
I'm pretty sure my dreams are gonna be about food now. Or a nightmare of a giant Porotta monster attacking me :P
If everyone's talking about malayali, can be just talk a bit about their food. Not want to disturb the momentum of thread but all the malayali's out there on this platform@LetsGetThisBread and patootie, I love the food from your part of world. I can't tell how much, but if I have to describes , I would say I have reached to a point where I want to marry ONLY a malayali guy!
My tryst with kerala cuisine started with sadhya from times of onam. I fell absolutely in love with that. And now, I have made my north indian kitchen into a south indian kitchen, with my mother being forced to cook all the recipes I see online.
I just love your food andddd the smell of your houses which is extremely different(visited a friends house, I don't know what was that but kya khusbhu thi) . I wish kerala hi cadre mile.
A big big time foodie signing off!
Wow! That's the first time I'm seeing a non- Malayali acknowledge Kerala food. Usually people just club all of South India together. Thank you for distinguishing!!
If you are in Delhi, there are Malayali restaurants in almost every part of the city. You can have your heart's fill here.
As for food, Onam Sadhya is a different level. For people not aware, a small-sized sadhya contains rice and 20+ side dishes (all vegetarian). Some of the famous ones (like at Christ University Bangalore) have 200+ dishes. IN ONE MEAL! That always blows my mind!
My favourite dish though is Malabar Porotta. It's like paratha but not quite a paratha. You can have it with any curry (veg korma, sambhar or usually a non-vegetarian dish). As I sit typing this, my mind is drooling :P
I'm pretty sure my dreams are gonna be about food now. Or a nightmare of a giant Porotta monster attacking me :P
Are you from Kerala? I don't live in delhi, but I live in South, 200 km from kerala. SO would visit the heaven itself for food.
Mine is aviyal anytime!
My parents are from Kerala, although I've spent my entire life in Delhi (except for the occasional visits). You're about 3000km closer to Kerala than I am. :P
Avial is also the name of one of my favourite bands. :D
@CelebornDoes Christ university organise food fest or wht?I missed it😒Btw we r hijacking grp main purpose 🙃
This happened a couple of years ago on Onam when my friends were studying there. They shared photos and videos. That's how I came to know. I'm guessing either some department or some student's society organised it. Btw, you studied there?
Its so nice of you@The Mechanic (hope your week also goes well) and great to know@LetsGetThisBread@Celeborn are from Kerala ( now I can disturb you guys regarding Malayali movies and when it comes to food from Kerala I can’t forget” Pomfret” and sweet made up of coconut don’t remember the name but can’t forget it’s taste)
Comrades- Have a great day
Coconut is a very elusive description, given that our very blood is made out of coconut oil. :)
My nickname was/is Coconut among certain friends - because every food item I brought in my tiffin had coconut in it :P
Today's start was poor. Didn't study much until evening. Then went for an hour long jog/walk. By the end, my body was completely tired but my mind was refreshed. So I could study much better in the second half and end up almost completing my targets.
Love the symmetrical date today. But this wasn't a productive day.
The after effects of the vaccine are somehow still there. Yet today's waste of time wasn't due to a physical block but rather a mental one. Maybe it's because of the three days I spent doing nothing.... In blunt words, I really didn't feel like doing much today and I ended up quitting quite easily.
Completed 1 optional class, half a CA class and newspaper.
Also, today was one of my close friend's wedding. Alas, I could only watch on YouTube (since the wedding was down South). Still, throughout the video I had a smile pasted across my face, whenever I saw the couple. Love can be so beautiful!
I hope tomorrow is a better day. I hope I wake up with a greater resolve. And I wish the same to you all. All the best!
It's official now. I'm going through a bit of a mental slump. Calling it a day quite early as I was anyways not getting anything done.
Completed 1.5 maths classes, parts of newspaper.
I hope, miraculously, that I wake up feeling better tomorrow. Need all the energy to have any chance of completing my targets.
I was there. Stuck in a rut for a long long time.
Just accept that you're going through something difficult and take a couple of days to do something that makes you happy. Even more if need be. You'll be fit and fresh for the days ahead. As long as you keep trying, things will eventually get better!
All the best :)
Thank you! Took your advice. I'm already feeling much more fresh and lively.
16/7/21
Completed 2 maths classes, half a CA class, Newspaper, + some CA topics for Mains.
Maths 2.5 classes (of Statics) done, CA half a class done, newspaper done.
@Archand Maths gang is unexpectedly strong here. Jabki overall numbers mei we're clearly a minority compared to Humanities optionals. Isliye extra happy to see you all :)
@Shailputri you're going great! And the dopamine rush you're talking about! Uff! On the extremely rare occasions when I'm able to study to my max potential, I feel so good about myself! In all the excitement I can hardly go to sleep at night. The body aches all over from the effort but the mind is fully satisfied. Truly the pinnacle of studying! Hope you (and everyone else for that matter) get to experience that more often :)
Completed 2.5 classes of Maths (Statics + Dynamics), 1 CA class
Tomorrow is a new dawn. A new day, and a new week. In that spirit, I'll try to increase the intensity a bit more. The aim is to go full throttle in time for Prelims prep and then Mains. Targets for tomorrow ->2 classes of Dynamics + CA class + Newspaper + CA revision 8 topics
Dynamics 2 classes ->done; CA class ->done; Newspaper done ->CA revision ->5/8 topics done (although 2 of those were budget and economic survey so took a lot more time than expected)
Overall this was a satisfactory day. Even if I didn't complete all my targets, I could work harder than previous few weeks.
Dynamics ->2/3 classes done; Newspaper ->done; CA revision ->50% of planned done
Today was a weird day. I woke up late after a night without much sleep. This meant I was groggy throughout the morning until I had my afternoon nap. Anyways I managed to squeeze in some study hours throughout, especially in the evening. After dinner though, prelims anxiety struck. Unable to do anything, I sat down and made a detailed plan for prelims. This took me about 2 hours but the good news is I feel calm and optimistic now. Tomorrow I'll set even more ambitious targets.
Anyone over here appeared for sfg before, how is the experience?
I took part in SFG twice (2020 July-August-September and 2021 March-April ).
2020 SFG was a boon for me. It was the best decision in terms of my Prelims prep. In 2021, I had the opposite experience. I left the program midway after attempting less than 10 tests. The difference between the two years was not the program; but rather my circumstances and needs.
1) SFG at this stage is good for you if you done multiple revisions of the basic books but now need to take it to the next level. If you're unsure of what exactly to do and how much time to devote to each subject i.e. you need a readymade comprehensive plan, then this SFG is perfect. By dividing each subject topic-wise, you get a good revision plan.
2) SFG through the daily tests can push you to study harder. If you lack motivation, then this may work. It was perfect for me in 2020 as the pandemic meant I was hardly studying (as libraries were closed). But in 2021, I was already used to studying at home so I didn't really need the SFG pressure. I managed well without it.
3) The biggest strength of SFG is also its biggest downside. It's rigorous and inflexible. This can be good if that's what you need. However, if you already have a personalised plan, then SFG can spoil things. For instance, let's say the days allotted for Polity is 5 days and that for History is also 5 days. But based on your preparation level, maybe you need only 2 days for Polity and 8 days for History. The rigour of the program and the fear of the tests may mean you end up studying Polity all 5 days, missing out on the History portion. This was the main reason why I quit in 2021
4) SFG questions are quite hard and detailed, beyond average UPSC questions. To answer them, you'll have to know your books line by line. This is helpful in a way as you learn how to stay calm even when faced with the toughest questions. On the flip side it can demotivate you. Further, this means you end up studying more for each test. Hence if you have planned to cover some extra work, you may miss out on those.
5) The online mode means that a lot of people will be cheating. So don't bother about your rank. Instead, try to maintain your marks above 50% (which is good enough). Ideally, aim for 60-70%.
So choose wisely. If you're lacking motivation and don't have a clear plan, take up SFG. It can help you clear Prelims. If you're confident on your own and need to do things in your own way, you can skip SFG. It's not a must do
Dynamics ->3 classes done; Newspaper ->done; CA ->60% done
Today was a better day. I'd switched off my phone throughout the day. This meant minimal distractions. And so I could end up completing almost all my targets. I went for a long walk/jog in the evening. That left me tired. So my late shift was unproductive. Otherwise could have easily blazed my targets.
Overall it was a satisfactory day. Looking forward to more :)
Thanks @Shailputri . Although I couldn't carry forward the momentum today. I'm trying to fix my sleep schedule so woke up earlier than usual. Hence I spent the entire day sleepy and unproductive
Dynamics classes ->33% done; Newspaper ->done; CA revision ->Not Done
Now I hope I'm able to sleep earlier and thus wake up earlier.
Going by the date, today was supposed to be 24x7 studies. But ended up studying essentially 0. (except maybe half an hour of CA revision). The reason was that I met up with my college friends after quite some time. Spent the whole day with them. After that, I hardly had any energy to study. But overall a fun, fun day. And probably the last outing before Prelims.
Mapping is taking some time - Pending(World Geography)
Geography Test - Pending
Haven't been in full throttle mode. Need to cut some time from Flute and Volleyball with friends.
Let's be hopeful and keep working because -
Bhai! Flute AND Volleyball? Those are two really cool things that I've been a fan of since childhood, although I have zero expertise in them. I remember in my childhood buying flutes at the local market, only never being able to play a single tune. Plus my Dad used to play volleyball. All his stories have always made me fascinated for the game.
It's refreshing to see someone with a not so mainstream hobby.
Good morning friends (slightly later than usual, but better late than never) targets for 24.7.21:
PSIR- IPT
Polity
April C/A (2/2)
AWP
CSAT
Daily C/A
Editorial- IE+ Hindu
Write with left and right hand
Did all except my PSIR, but that was me stretching anyways, so no biggie. Will be doing that tomorrow. In other news, I made a fruit cake for no reason, other than I just felt like it
Inotherother news (and this might be TMI but I found it funny so sharing, please feel free to shut me down if any of you find it inappropriate) my parents thought it would be cool to casually bring up marriage after dinner, so decided to throw them a curveball and tell them that maybe I should join bumble/hinge or something like that. My parents did a reverse uno on me and told me that there are a lot of f-bois on dating apps, so they would make one a profile to look out for me. I sincerely hope they were joking (they didn’t look like it though). WELP!
Good to hear your mom is better now.
That cake looks delicious! Do you take parcel orders? :P
I tried the same thing with my mom one day. Tried teasing her that I'll bring home a pardesi bahu. Her reply - "Bas bol sakta hai tu. Jab koi milegi nhi, mere paas hee aake royega ki koi dhund ke dilaado".
Targets were unrealistic for me. Promises were made in josh.
Also, some close peeps arrived at home unexpectedly. That took like 4 hours of my time.
Tommorow, half a day will be lost due to a personal obligation. Also an opportunity to chill. Will try to finish of remaining stuff in tommorow half a day.
___
--
I am feeling various stuff today. Like, I feel grateful that I have so many nice, caring people in my life including some new people I met recently. But also, people who used to be so close act like strangers in matters of month. Got to accept it. Hope to get a good sleep. In the process of transitioning from a nightowl routine to a normal routine.
Hope you all had a great day.
Sometimes I wonder about all the people who've been everything to me at one point of time, but now have just moved on. I think about everything I shared with them and realize something. A lot of my likes and dislikes are borrowed from them.
I fell in love with Messi and FC Barcelona as a child because my older cousin brother was a fan. I started watching Anime because my friend was always talking about it. The TV shows I loved - like Friends or The Office, I watched them as my peer group was watching and discussing them. That one particular Satya ke gravy momos I loved or the Butter Chicken Pizza from BYD, all are loves I shared with my closest ones.
Almost everything I love today is something I shared with my closest ones. In this way they form a part of who I am. In this way I carry them wherever I go, even if I seldom realise this.
And that comforts me. Knowing that the closest people in my life, the ones who have impacted me the most, live on through me, even when they're gone.
Dynamics ->3/4 classes done; CA revision ->50% done;
Couldn't complete my targets. Had a headache throughout the day so it slowed me down. Even then, with a little more effort, could have done more. I'll do my best to have a more productive day tomorrow.
Fluids revision (2/6) ->done; CA revision->50% done; Newspaper ->done
I had a decent day today. I came here at around 11pm to post as I was a bit tired. However reading your comments motivated me to sit for some more time. In that time I completed some more of my targets. So I guess this accountability thing works
Fluids revision (3/6) ->done; CA revision ->done; Newspaper ->done;
Today was a productive day. I finished all my targets. In fact I'm able to go faster than I expected in Fluids so instead of 6 days, might get it done in 4. Hoping the mojo continues
@Shailputri Glad to see you putting up those insane hours again. If this thread was the Olympics you'll be a medalist for sure. :p
@nerdfighter Hang in there buddy. It's darkest before dawn. Take a couple of days slowly. You'll be back to your all-conquering self in no time.
@fortarach63 All of us have days where we waste the entire day. But very few of us own it. You showed courage and true accountability by posting here even on your bad day. Take heart in that. Hope you'll be back crushing your targets in no time.
@SergioRamos Bhai it's good to see you again. Welcome! And your message on the Mains thread was inspiring, to say the least. Gave me the 'bum pe laat' that I so badly needed. Hoping to increase my intensity now.
Today was one of those meh days. Just didn't feel like doing anything. I tried everything to motivate myself but didn't have the energy.
Thinking over it, I realise I need some proper rest (been many days of continuous studies now). So I'll keep tomorrow light and try to refresh my mind.
A really productive day today. I started measuring my time and joining the forumites group on Yeolpumta. This helped me to push beyond my usual study times.
Fluids and Mechanics revision + PYQs ->done 80% of targets
Environment Red Book revision ->done 75% of target
CA Revision ->done 60%
Newspaper ->done
I had set really ambitious targets today to help me push more than usual. They turned out to be a bit out of reach. Also, I played football in the evening instead of the usual jog. This meant I was more tired than usual so my post 7pm sessions weren't too productive.
Nevertheless, this was a good day. I did more than I usually do.
@Marigold,@piano,@Newton981 Welcome to the thread! Hope to see you all become regular members here :)
Fluids and Mechanics revision + PYQs ->done 80% of targets
Environment Red Book revision ->done 75% of target
CA Revision ->done 60%
Newspaper ->done
I had set really ambitious targets today to help me push more than usual. They turned out to be a bit out of reach. Also, I played football in the evening instead of the usual jog. This meant I was more tired than usual so my post 7pm sessions weren't too productive.
Nevertheless, this was a good day. I did more than I usually do.
@Marigold,@piano,@Newton981 Welcome to the thread! Hope to see you all become regular members here :)
Today I couldn't focus much. Even when I sat to study, my speed was much slower than usual. Plus a friend has his Personality Test tomorrow so I spent a couple of hours helping him with some last minute prep.
Today I am at a loss for how to best use test series solutions. How do you do it, my dear forumites? Highlight solutions, write on book or maintain dairy of errors? Enlighten pls...
I usually do three things
1) If the question is from a particular topic I already have studied from my material (standard books/notes for static; CA magazines for current), I'll go to the relevant page of the material and write in the margins if there's some new info. This helps me mentally locate the info in its correct place while revising, and helps with easier recollection.
2) If it's something new, or some topic which I might have studied but don't remember from exactly where (which happens always with current affairs questions), I'll underline/highlight in the booklet itself. I have tried making separate notes in the past but it takes a lot of time. It's more efficient to directly revise from there.
3) In the booklet, I circle/tick-mark those questions I got wrong/unattempted or having some new info. So when I'm revising the test series, I'll skip many questions and just do those that are relevant (i.e. those that are marked). This again saves time.
Fluids PYQ 2010 - 2015 ->done. 2020 questions are left (which I'll do tomorrow). With that this portion would be finally over.
Environment Red Book revision ->done. There's so much detail on every page. Memorizing this is taking a lot of time. I think it would take me a week more to finish the book.
Newspaper ->done
@Infinitybeyondinfinity That's so lovely! Please keep creating and posting such beauties regularly. It would make our day
Today was a very distracted day (particularly with the shock of the Messi news). I was tired too. That meant not so effective studies. I'll take a break, as planned, on Sunday. So I'll try to push myself as far as possible tomorrow.
Thanks for the group bro! I will have to admit that seeing you guys clocking so many hours consistently has given the external push that I usually require to keep the momentum going. Special thanks to -@Infinitybeyondinfinity@LetsGetThisBread@Celeborn@sjerngal you guys are doing great keep up the great work!
True bhai! The number of hours I study has doubled this week compared to last week. All thanks to you all
Today wasn't productive study wise. I was tired throughout and just didn't feel like it so I'll take a break tomorrow.
Neeraj's victory was so beautiful! Made my day. :) More importantly, I'm sure this moment will inspire millions.
This Olympics has converted me to become a passionate sports fan across all disciplines. I wish we'll get to see India becoming a proper sports powerhouse within our lifetime.
What are you people referring for environment. Shankar is standard I believe , but seeing many people talk about other sources . So just wanted to confirm
I'm using Forum Red Book + Current Affairs magazine. In previous attempts I relied on my class notes + current affairs compilation. I was able to answer most questions (since majority were CA related).
Shankar is still the most popular choice. If you've already done it, stick to it + do CA religiously. You'll be safe. Otherwise you can pick any standard source anyone is mentioning.
Overall it was a really productive day. Besides my studies, I went for a long walk, read a book (Dante's Divine Comedy) for an hour, watched a football match (Barca vs Juventus). It was one of those days where it looked like I had all the time and energy I needed. I guess the main reason is that yesterday I took a break so I'm feeling completely rejuvenated today. Let's hope the momentum carries on. Goodnight amigos :)
I had to delete my YPT app with a heavy heart guys, its been making my device really glitchy and it keeps crashing all my apps. Let me see if it gets any better after deleting the app, I’ll miss using it but keep clocking your impressive hours guys :)
Done mostly for the day. It wasn’t as productive as I would have liked but oh well, you’ve got to do what you got to do. Any other alternatives to YPT? Will this be the moment that I cave and purchase forest? Or willi get my shit together and get things done without needing a constant timer above my head? Stay tuned for the next episode…
If you're looking for a timer/planner similar to YPT, try Todait. It has a similar interface. (again it's a South Korean app). It doesn't have the group accountability feature of YPT though. Plus I'm not sure if it has the ability to lock away your phone like YPT does.. It's been a while since I used Todait so there may have been updates with new features.
It was another productive day. I had set ambitious targets which I didn't think could be done. I was planning to wrap up by 11. But then just a doable amount of work remained so I sat for another 50 mins and finished of my targets (yayy!!)
Tomorrow I'll keep the load lighter as there's bound to be a drop in energy.
I slept off in the afternoon. So I couldn't go for my usual walk. Otherwise the day was good. I'm happy that at least for now my intensity and consistency both are going strong. Let's hope this continues.
Today maths took most of the day. This was a difficult topic so it took a lot of time to understand fully. It was frustrating at times too so felt demotivated. All in all, it wasn't as productive a day as the other days this week. Hoping for a better tomorrow :)
Statics PYQs done (about 20 Questions left which I'll finish tomorrow)
Environment done (finally finished with the Red Book)
CA revision done (now I just need to revise. Won't do any new monthlies)
Newspaper done
Time studied 8 hours 15 mins.
Yesterday I couldn't sleep. I went to bed at 12 and just lay there till 5 trying my best to fall asleep. I guess it was due to a mix of anxiety + excitement. So today I was tired throughout the day. But this is the endgame. So I pushed myself as much as I could. It paid off. I'll go to bed a relieved person. Hope I sleep like a baby tonight.
@sjerngal I've had similar experiences with my chuddy buddies too :P. A couple of weeks ago, I was on a video call with a group of my childhood friends. In that 2 hours ka call, I might have spoken for max 2 mins. Reason was sab log apne life ke baare mei share kar rahe thei. And I didn't have anything remotely interesting happening in mine.
Granted that most of these people are working from home. It's not exactly the most happening thing. But they still have office gossip, workplace politics etc to talk about. Mai kya bolta - ki Santhal rebellion 1855 mei hua tha?
It's like someone once said - The hours and days of UPSC prep are slow and long; but the months and years feel so short.
CA ->June July 2020 done.. CA class handouts not done
Newspaper ->done
Time studied ->7 hours
Studying for Prelims is so much more boring and harder.. Mains feels way more interesting. So while the time I'm devoting to studies has stayed roughly the same, right now everything feels more hard and effort-full. I'm guessing it's similar with many of you.
Goodnight everybody :) All the best for everything
@Celeborn Hi buddy ! Any special strategy of doing polity in less time ? how are you doing it ?
There's no special strategy as such that I'm using. I've revised polity many, many, many times. That's the main reason why it takes less time.
One thing, though, that has added to my effectiveness and efficiency, is having cue-words (or mini questions) on a separate sheet of paper (attaching an image for clarity - https://ibb.co/34n7pZk). Basically it's every relevant fact on every page converted to question form in my own rough words. I start by looking at these and trying to recall the fact/ point/answer. If I can't, I'll read and memorize. This helps me skip what I know and move onto what I don't. It also ensures that I'm not just reading the text but actually learning. (this is basically a jugaadu hand-written way of ankification)
Today's study was punctuated by bouts of anxiety... I had some productive sessions and then some sessions where all I wanted to do was cry. I'll be taking 2 days lightly and try to get back to normal by Monday.
Good morning everyone! I woke up later than I wanted to. Let's hope I'm able to catch up.
Targets for the day:
1) Environment revision (5 chapters of Red Book)
2) CA environment Aug - Dec 2020
3) MCQs from Forum question bank
4) Newspaper
@nerdfighter Thanks for sharing that bhai. I love watching YouTube lectures. I'll surely watch this one too as it is a topic I love and want to learn + it's by one of my favorite authors.
Good morning everyone! I woke up later than I wanted to. Let's hope I'm able to catch up.
Targets for the day:
1) Environment revision (5 chapters of Red Book)
2) CA environment Aug - Dec 2020
3) MCQs from Forum question bank
4) Newspaper
@nerdfighter Thanks for sharing that bhai. I love watching YouTube lectures. I'll surely watch this one too as it is a topic I love and want to learn + it's by one of my favorite authors.
1 ->done
2 ->Aug - Oct done.. Nov Dec pending
3 ->done
4 ->done
Time 9 hours 17 mins
Had a productive day. I'll try to finish environment in coming 2 days and then do geography.
Physical geography took more time than expected. Plus I wasn't able to concentrate fully throughout. So my productivity was lower than usual 1) 80% done; 2) Aug, Sept done, Oct not done; 3)done; 4) only 25% done; 5) Not done; 6)Not done
To people who are using Environment Red Book as primary source, did you find it adequate?
In my previous attempts, I've relied on just my class notes + current affairs for environment portion.. And that has been enough. Red Book has thrice the coverage that my notes had so it definitely feels more than adequate as your primary/only source along with current affairs.
There are some concerns/conditions though:
1) This has a high density of facts. So even though it looks small, this will take a good amount of time to do. (for me it took 1 week to read, then 1 week for 1st revision and 3 days for 2nd revision. I'll still do 2 more revisions - of 1 day each - before prelims)
2)A lot of facts that were part of the past few years current affairs are arranged thematically in the Red Book. If you're a beginner, you may be overwhelmed by all the facts but if you're a veteran, this will feel quite familiar and doable.
Baaki a decent number of PYQs can be solved directly from the Red Book so I feel this would be enough (atleast for the easier questions).
I don't know the real names of most of you wonderful people here. I don't know what your stories are. Yet every day I look forward to posting here and reading all your comments, updates and musings. Thank you for creating and being part of a wonderful community! On that note, like everyone else here, I feel really happy for you@sjerngal .Continue winning your battles one by one.
As for my day, it was sadly a not so productive one. I woke up with a migraine and didn't study in the morning. Even after the meds kicked in, I was distracted and couldn't do much. I could have done better if I'd tried though.
Tasks accomplished ->Phy geo completed, 1 CA (S&T) class attended, Newspaper done.
Time studied ->4.5 hours
I hope tomorrow would be a better day. Will try to complete mapping tomorrow.
Today being a Sunday was my customary day off. I solved full length papers (GS and CSAT). In the remaining time, I was resting and recharging myself. Time spent: 5 hours.
Saw Ayush sir's session. I'll be making slight tweaks to my strategy based on that. But otherwise things will remain the same.
@sjerngal All the best for the next 40 days. Will miss your updates here. See you on the other side. :)
@Freakhoto Not changing source. Not making any major changes as such. I'll be revising PYQs instead of other MCQs. I'll put in more hours. And I'll wake up earlier than my current time. Bas ye hee hai.
I will give an extreme case w.r.t solving mocks. Last year, I gave my first prelims but I did not prepare for it specifically and I hadn't studied geo and environment, art and culture specifically till then for mains or for prelims. I was studying totally with mains in my mind.
I did not write a single mock test, I did not solve a single mcq. But I scored 100+ which wasn't too bad. This time, I have just decided to be good with PYQs & revising my primary stuff till death.
The mocks have a lot of what I call "asshole" questions. UPSC has like 2 or 3 of these kind of questions, which are to be left alone. PYQs really give you a perspective on what to expect. UPSC isn't trying to act "unattainable". It wants people with a good understanding of the country. Even the questions that look factual are related somehow to conceptual & important stuff. We feel they are out of nowhere because we haven't studied that subject in a structured manner and that's why we can't locate them in a particular place. Like after I studied Science and Tech with Santosh Sir, every single S&T pyq fell in place. Similarly, this year Art & Culture with Nikhil Sir kindda help me do that. Now, we need to be forward looking and ask if this was asked, what else I should be prepared with.
The mocks are just trying to act smart and they aren't helping. They are like those people who act "unattainable" because of their own insecurities. Don't take the pain they inflict too seriously. The one (UPSC) is a lot more understanding and full of empathy.
I am solving about 20-25 mocks. They have their utility in the sense that they put me into the groove of solving MCQs. Also I am trying to solve question banks (Vivek Singh 550 MCQ thing, Laxmikanth objective, etc) to test if the topic I have prepared are well done. This can help me avoid dumb mistakes. They all give me an idea which topics I am not good at. So, a good feedback mechanism. But mocks aren't a reliable indicator of where I stand. Let us keep a good balance. Let us not fetishize the mocks. All we can do is learn from mocks. Like a mock can tell me that I am not good at solving questions from a particular topic at a particular depth. If I worship mocks, I would first cry & waste some time and then go on to fill that gap in my knowledge base by studying that particular topic in that particular depth. But guess what, it's just too much maan. So, if PYQs are my primary guide. I can also look at the question I couldn't answer and ask if they are aligned with the core of PYQs. If yes, only then you go on to study those topics at the required depth.
It's my opinion. But it is something I am convinced is the right way right now.
Someday I hope you write a book. I'll be waiting in line for an autographed copy.
I didn't sleep much last night. That resulted in me being distracted, tired and sleepy throughout the day. So while I sat for a decent amount of time, I couldn't do even half of what I usually do.
Targets:
Modern History (75% done)
CA 50% done
Newspaper not done
PYQs not done
I'm stopping earlier than usual and going to bed in the hope that I wake up refreshed tomorrow.
Had a headache yesterday and today morning so couldn't finish Modern History. I've kept aside it for now and started with ancient medieval art and culture.
Hey guys, hope everyone is doing fine and studying well. Today, I don't know why I just feel very weird. A strange feeling. I am not tired.. I am not even sad per se. I just feel weird. I did not even have a bad day.
I just don't feel like studying anything today... but I also want to study... It's not like I want to burn my notes or something.
I don't consume sugar, but today I went to a shop at 9 Pm to get chocolates.. I had one after I dont know how long.. Such a weird day...
I just want to listen to sad songs and cry... Yes, maybe I want to do that ..
Bro, I have to say that you're really brave. It's not easy to constantly open up publicly about your struggles. I hope you emerge victorious.
I get the same feeling you're describing. It's like a general sense of uneasiness but not knowing exactly what's wrong. And there seems to be no rational explanation why you're feeling this way. Till date I haven't found any quick solution to this.
The danger here is that this can quickly spiral down and form an anxiety loop. All sorts of negative thoughts and fears may arise. "What if I miss more days" "What if this hampers my chances" Soon your 'what ifs' trigger more anxiety, like a self-fulfilling prophecy. That is the problem. Not the initial uneasiness.
The solution that works for me is to accept this uneasiness. Allow it to pass through. Remind myself that it's just chemicals in my brain acting weird. That the real world is fine out there.
What you're doing is good. Eat chocolate. Listen to those sad songs. Cry. Maybe take tomorrow slowly, even if it means studying a couple of hours less than usual. And continue posting here if it makes you feel better. Just don't give in to the lies in your head.
Polity and M His - Left over portions Done (it was not in the plan and just happened. So today's subjects get shifted to tomorrow).
QA - Not Done
This is going to be a banter/cranky post. So, 25 days before the exam I try to do all things that keep me in good spirit. I exercise, eat healthy, sleep well, study hard. But my grandparents go the extra mile to make me (and everyone else) feel pathetic. All their life, they have only spoken ill. They are capable of making a perfectly healthy person and environment sick. I am not the disrespectful kind to show my back on them while they are addressing me. It consumed my 2 hours today and I am still so full of negativity. No, my parents can't help in this either. They are themselves victim. Such a nasty feeling after talking to them.
It's commendable that you are trying your best to do the right things. It can be really discouraging to hear your loved ones pull you down. Especially because you can't really ignore them.
Do know that even if they're older, doesn't mean they are right. While we respect those who are elder, sometimes age does not equal wisdom. Emotionally it may be hard to ignore their words but rationally we can choose to not accept their truths.
Also realise that you're strong. We've seen you post continously here on this thread and other threads. We've seen the hours you put in on the YPT app. You're doing great. You're on the right path. And now you only need to hold on for a few more weeks. From your words it seems as if this isn't the first time this is happening. It means you have survived this before. It means you can survive this now.
Also there are times when things are out of our control. One thing that helps me in situations like this is to imagine that experience as a training moment. For instance, right now this experience can strengthen you so that in the future when you take the tough decisions as an officer, even if the whole world is against you, you will hold on. You're training yourself so that even when no one believes in you, even when there are countless barriers before you, you overcome everything and blaze forward in glory.
So go forth and do your thing. :)
I hope you wake up feeling better. Wish you all the best.
Yesterday wasn't a good day. I didn't study anything substantial.
In the past I've had this problem that one bad day is followed by another. Today I'll try to not give in to that loop.
My aim is to study 7 hours. My targets are 100 pages of Economics + Newspaper + CA notes on Eco. I'll update in the evening whether I managed to accomplish everything or not.
Yesterday wasn't a good day. I didn't study anything substantial.
In the past I've had this problem that one bad day is followed by another. Today I'll try to not give in to that loop.
My aim is to study 7 hours. My targets are 100 pages of Economics + Newspaper + CA notes on Eco. I'll update in the evening whether I managed to accomplish everything or not.
Done all of this + did half of agriculture. So a good day.
My centre is in RK Puram. The good news is that I've been there a few times so I know the place well. The not so good news is that it's 1.5 hours away. I guess I've never gotten a centre (prelims or mains) that's closer than an hour :p
Now that the admit card is here, the last lap starts. Time to gear up and push on.
I had a pretty frustrating day. Acc to my timer, I studied 7+ hours. But I know I was unproductive for a good chunk of that time.
I want to study. I know I have to study. Yet I'll end up doing anything except studying. :p
I hope tomorrow I wake up refreshed and more energetic. According to the schedule/plan I made, I have to wrap up everything by Sunday and begin the final round of proper revision on Monday. I just hope I get back to top productivity in the next 2 days.
The last two days have been so-so. I've studied a bit, but mostly I feel sick of studying. The anxiety is crippling. I thought I'd be better this time, since I'm an 'experienced' aspirant by now. But self doubt always remains.
It's good to see all the messages here. So much positivity and inspiration being shared. So much honesty and vulnerability being shown. The great solace is that even in this trying times, we're in it together.
Thank you all! And all the very best for the coming few crucial days.
It's lovely to see you all back here posting. Reminds me of the Avengers scene when all the OG heroes, back from the dead, assemble to help win the final battle :P
Today was a better day. I've stopped setting targets. Rather I'm just studying as much as I can, howsoever I can. It's helping me reduce my anxiety quite a bit.
Had a good day. Gave the two mocks + studied Geography and current affairs.
Last two days weren't great. I can't explain it though. It wasn't that I felt anxious or worried. It was more like wanting to give up; just passively waiting for the end to come. While I tried to power through, it didn't really happen.
Then I took some time out, read through Neyawn's articles over the years on Prelims. Wrote down every tip that I found useful. Not gonna lie, that really pumped me up. I implemented some things today. I'll now implement the rest from tomorrow. Hoping to have two weeks of extreme effort.
I mean through the yearly compilations or some other way? How much to be invested into it.
Not doing them per se. Only doing the monthlies/CA and thus covering whatever scheme is in news. In my opinion, the benefit-cost ratio is poor; it's better to spend that time on something more fruitful.
If you don't want to take the risk of skipping it, take any compilation of schemes and go through the index. Try to remember roughly which scheme is under which ministry. And for those schemes which seem important to you/which seem familiar, go read the details. Skip the rest.
The day began really well. Then 92.51 haunted the entire evening. Agar cutoff 104 hota, tab bhi shayad itni hee waat lagti, thinking ki itna kaise laaye. :P
Managed to work harder than previous days though. Studied Modern history + IR + Current affairs today. Tomorrow I'll do Ancient + Eco + CA.
Done for the day. Did economy + ancient history today. I couldn't complete current affairs though.
When the Mains marksheet came, it was a shock. I had genuinely thought I would be close to the cutoff (maybe 10-20 marks off it). Turns out I'm nowhere near good enough at the moment to even dream of getting an interview call.
There must be fundamental mistakes I'm making (either in strategy or execution), which I have to figure out. I'll do that later though. First prelims needs to be dealt with.
This does fill me with a sort of anger/motivation. I want to do better, much better. And I'm ready to work as hard as it takes.
First, prelims. Gotta make the most of the remaining 12 days. And then figure out what to do.
Spent the whole month of September studying the best I could, and just when the exam is round the corner, I am somehow unable to devote even half of the time I used to spend earlier in studies. The worst part is, I don't even waste time anywhere... No chit chatting with friends, no going out, no random scrolling on internet.
Feeling such a loser right now.. Just when it matters the most, my brain has decided to give up on me.
Is it just me?? Or does this happen to anyone else as well?
It's the exact same with me bro. I've had a not so good day today itself. In fact, I guess that's how the last few days have gone for me everytime before prelims previously. And I'm sure a majority would be feeling that way. So you and me and anyone else are not losers. We're all just human.
Two things
1) I'll completely second what@Archand said so beautifully. That's been my motto in these days. To just keep moving.
2) We know more than we think we know. In the exam hall, you'll recall facts that you studied ages ago, even if you can't recall them right now. Your gut will tell you that certain statements are right or wrong, without offering any reason. It will usually be correct. All that's needed is to be calm on D-Day.
So hold on, my friend :) And I'll try to do the same.
Its weird how same it is for all of us here, I too am feeling that I was studying with more intensity 2 weeks ago than I am doing now. Everything is scattered.
I dont know why but this ignites in me an intense urge to listen to an indie song that doesnt exist. It goes like this: "Sab Bikhra Bikhra Pada Hai."
I'm now waiting for Rashmirathi to post some poem with that exact title :p
Studied Medieval + Art and Culture + Environment + Current affairs today. Today was definitely better than the past couple of days. Hoping it continues to be the same.
Yesterday was exhausting. Completed a little bit of this and some of that. Today I have to finish this round of revision, doing what's left (includes portions of geography, modern history, environment, science and tech, current affairs).
Now that HCS mains dates are out (starts on 3rd dec) my anxiety has reached to some another level. I am so worried about how am I going to complete my optional - mathematics (which is so humongous) in such a short period of time!
Maths folks here, I would be requiring your help soon :’) @Celeborn@Archand and others.
@Celeborn bhai we both are in the same boat - I have also finished all subjects + CA today and going to start the last or final lap from tomorrow and finish it off by 8th
I'll be posting my targets here at least untill the results come. Since 2021 is the aim, it makes the most sense to do so here.
At the same time, I agree with@sstarrr too. What has kept me going personally has been the community here. And it feels like a virtual Partition to see us all divided into two threads. Hence even if I don't post in the 2022 thread, I'll try my best to remain active there. And same for those choosing to post there. You're always free to come here and share your thoughts and stories. It's like a joint family that decides to buy the apartment right opposite to their original one, so that the newly married younger brother can move in there. They may be in different houses but they're still free enough to turn up at each other's houses uninvited. :P
Weird metaphor - I know - but you get the point right?
Today couldn't complete all targets. I did sit for a good number of hours.. But occasional bouts of anxiety meant I couldn't get too much done. I'd say I completed 70% of what I could have done.
Tomorrow will write an offline optional test + AWFG entrance + study Society + newspaper.
Hello friends I write this with as much frustration as you can imagine a bread to have (hoti h). For the past 2 days I have relatives over/ some or the other bum-job errand to run and today seems to be no different as already I’ve been told that I have more relatives coming over. Mere studies ki band baj rahi h iss chakkar m. On top of that setting targets and not being able to meet them is leading to more anxiety, so no targets for today, will update aaj raat ko how much I got done. Also in other news, I really want to eat chole- bhature, but this clean eating nonsense thing I’m trying out is getting in the way.
More pav-er to you folks! (if you thought days of bread jokes were over, think again…)
I must tell you, Chhole Bhature are such a godsend. On 11th, I went and had them. Trust me, I could feel all the pain and stress of the exam vanishing with each bite. Please have them! :D
And don't order no, go out and eat!
Jaise songs ka thread hai.. waise hi we should have a thread for food as well. 😂
PS - I am new to Delhi. Any suggestions for chhole bhature places here would be great...
Yesterday wrote the optional test. It was voluntary torture.
Also wrote the AWFG entrance. I knew ki bas aivi likhna hai. There's no point in getting a top 100 rank as being an MGP student, I'll get discount anyways. Yet the perfectionist in me couldn't resist googling everything I could to make my answer a bit better. Wasted a couple of hours on that. Didn't do anything else
Today starts a new week. I'll try to do Modern Algebra as much as possible today (maybe finish groups) + try to complete one rough reading of Society. Plus newspaper, as always.
Didn't complete my targets. Whatever I did, the majority was done before lunch. I just didn't have the strength to do much post lunch. I thought by taking a small break I'll feel better. I don't, up till now. I now hope that tomorrow I'll wake up feeling refreshed and energised.
Can anyone please review Dipin sir's CA classes? Anyone please help!
+ves ->1) The content is really good. You get quality value addition points 2) You learn a lot about answer writing especially how to structure your answers. 3) The coverage is good. I joined after Mains last year. Before joining I compared last year's papers with the class notes. A good number of questions could be attempted from the handouts
-ves 1) It can get overwhelming. Each class has a lot of content. Plus if you join now, there will be 30+ classes uploaded on the portal that have already been conducted. You'll have to cover them along with the ongoing live classes (approx 2-3 per week). 2) The classes do get a bit monotonous,especially when there is no audience for interaction. It's difficult to complete a class in one go. I usually watch at 2x speed in two shifts minimum. With offline classes resuming, things will be a bit better though.
If you don't have any financial constraints, you can go ahead and join them. If things get too overwhelming, you can just skip the classes and directly study from the handouts. Even that will be useful in itself.
Didn't complete my targets. Whatever I did, the majority was done before lunch. I just didn't have the strength to do much post lunch. I thought by taking a small break I'll feel better. I don't, up till now. I now hope that tomorrow I'll wake up feeling refreshed and energised.
@Celeborn how much difference is there in videos and handouts?
Depends on the topic actually. But on average it's about 1 A4 size page worth of extra content that I note down. The rest is just explanation of the points in the handouts.
Have joined awfg and planning on doing it sincerely, irrespective of the prelims result . Any of you interested in peer review , please batana , we can make a small group
Guys, where are you preparing Indian society portion in GS-1 from?
I've done vision's classes (Smriti Shah ma'am). While they are really good, they are time consuming. Check them out if you have enough time though.
hey! can u tell how much same/different are her notes from the vision's printed study material of society and social justice?
I have just glanced through the printed material. Haven't read it deeply. The printed notes look like an abundance of content. The class notes are a bit more selective/refined.
Also some topics covered in class are not directly mentioned in the theory section but are there in the solved questions given at the end of the chapter. Eg. Dalit Capitalism, Feminization of agriculture. So coverage wise, nothing seems missing. In fact, the printed material has way more content than the class notes.
There are some keywords that ma'am used in the classes. (eg. Broken Window theory, feminization U hypothesis etc). They are more value addition points than core concepts. I didn't find them in the material. That seems to be the only thing missing.
The language/wording is different while the points are roughly the same. So class notes are a bit more easier to read/understand. But otherwise, in terms of content, 95% of class notes is in the material.
Night fully reserved for Ind-Pak match + Bar- Real Madrid + PSG match (Also relevant for UPSC now)
All completed. Bad day as all the three-match results were not what I wished for. New Targets -
PSIR - Marked questions solving
WH
Notes refining for GS3
Newspaper
Less bakrr about result and cutoff. @sjerngal Toppers notes + CA + NCERT society for topics like urbanisation and you will find good case studies
@LetsGetThisBread How is migraine now? You faced it a lot during the prelims days also.
Ok only thanks for asking. I really don’t know why it flares up randomly for no good reason, other than to waste my time.
Hi fellow migraine victim here. I am sure you must have prescription for your symptoms but I recently got a medicine from my doctor called Naxdom which you are supposed to take as soon as the migraine strikes, during the blurred vision phase. It really helps me reduce my symptoms. The pain level reduces and i get relief within 1 or 2 hours. Do discuss about this with your doctor if he hasn't prescribed this already. Hope you get well soon enough.
I'll second this. I'm using the exact same med for about 4 years now (same ingredients - Naproxen and Domperidone. But different brand name - Napra). Migraine became almost a non issue with this.
But I made a mistake. I started popping this pill every time I had a headache. Even when I could have borne the pain instead. Now I've reached a point where the pills don't work anymore. I'll either have to increase the dosage or get some other medication.
I guess the lesson is to try to not over - rely on the medication. Too much of a good thing wagera wagera.
I scored 323 + 132 and 331 + 120 in GS + Essay (in 2019 and 2020 respectively). These are really low marks if one has any ambition of getting into the services. Here are some things I learned.
1) Mains is as much a test of your temperament and mental strength as it is about your knowledge and writing skills. Don't lose this battle. No matter what you have done in the past, a lot depends on how intensely and seriously you work in these 2-3 months. Atleast 9-10 hours of sitting are required are every day to boost your chances. Learn how to manage your anxiety. Learn how to be resilient (that is, how quickly you can bounce back after a setback - like a poor test score, a bad start to the day etc.). In the past two attempts, I felt these are the areas where I lacked mostly.
2) You can't just write general answers in easy to understand words. You have to use the keywords specific to the subject + substantiate with data & figures. I made this mistake in society, social justice and governance. I just studied them from newspaper and current affairs compilations. This time I've prepared from standard sources.
3) Practice writing. Take as much tests as you need. And write all of them on time, a) because it prepares you to be able to write answers to questions you didn't know, and b) if you postpone even one test because you're not ready, you'll postpone the subsequent tests until you end up not writing the last few tests. Again even though I enrolled for MGP+ last year, I just wrote the first 5 tests. Affected my performance in the exam hall.
4) Don't take anything lightly. Give adequate respect for every paper. I made this mistake with the essay. Since it was supposedly my strong area, I just practiced 2-3 essays (to spend leftover time for GS + optional). In the exam I wrote a beautiful first essay. But managed my time badly plus got mentally tired. So lost a lot of marks in the second essay.
5) Keep adequate time for revision. I'm keeping the last month exclusively for that.
6) Decide what you're gonna do for the remaining days, fixing your sources as per the time left. Don't chase new material, compilations no matter how attractive (until and unless you feel you genuinely need it). Don't expect to cover every aspect of every topic. It's a good practice to allocate yourself the time you'll do something and then move on, even if you haven't finished.
7) Also the answer writing video uploaded by Ayush sir last week is gold. It's a must watch. And it has showed how much was wrong with my answers. I'm working on everything he mentioned. Hoping it pays off.
These are thoughts highly influenced by my particular failings. See what seems useful to you. Ultimately, everything depends upon how you execute what you planned, in these coming days.
I scored 323 + 132 and 331 + 120 in GS + Essay (in 2019 and 2020 respectively). These are really low marks if one has any ambition of getting into the services. Here are some things I learned.
1) Mains is as much a test of your temperament and mental strength as it is about your knowledge and writing skills. Don't lose this battle. No matter what you have done in the past, a lot depends on how intensely and seriously you work in these 2-3 months. Atleast 9-10 hours of sitting are required are every day to boost your chances. Learn how to manage your anxiety. Learn how to be resilient (that is, how quickly you can bounce back after a setback - like a poor test score, a bad start to the day etc.). In the past two attempts, I felt these are the areas where I lacked mostly.
2) You can't just write general answers in easy to understand words. You have to use the keywords specific to the subject + substantiate with data & figures. I made this mistake in society, social justice and governance. I just studied them from newspaper and current affairs compilations. This time I've prepared from standard sources.
3) Practice writing. Take as much tests as you need. And write all of them on time, a) because it prepares you to be able to write answers to questions you didn't know, and b) if you postpone even one test because you're not ready, you'll postpone the subsequent tests until you end up not writing the last few tests. Again even though I enrolled for MGP+ last year, I just wrote the first 5 tests. Affected my performance in the exam hall.
4) Don't take anything lightly. Give adequate respect for every paper. I made this mistake with the essay. Since it was supposedly my strong area, I just practiced 2-3 essays (to spend leftover time for GS + optional). In the exam I wrote a beautiful first essay. But managed my time badly plus got mentally tired. So lost a lot of marks in the second essay.
5) Keep adequate time for revision. I'm keeping the last month exclusively for that.
6) Decide what you're gonna do for the remaining days, fixing your sources as per the time left. Don't chase new material, compilations no matter how attractive (until and unless you feel you genuinely need it). Don't expect to cover every aspect of every topic. It's a good practice to allocate yourself the time you'll do something and then move on, even if you haven't finished.
7) Also the answer writing video uploaded by Ayush sir last week is gold. It's a must watch. And it has showed how much was wrong with my answers. I'm working on everything he mentioned. Hoping it pays off.
These are thoughts highly influenced by my particular failings. See what seems useful to you. Ultimately, everything depends upon how you execute what you planned, in these coming days.
Could you please post a link of the video by Ayush sir? Can't seem to find it anywhere.
Yesterday couldn't study much. Need to reset today.
Targets:
1) Write Maths test
2) Governance class
3) Polity
4) GS Test analysis
5) Newspaper
Where are you doing the governance classes from?
Vision. I'm taking their printed material (not VAM) as the base since there's significant overlap between printed material and the class. The class is not exceptional as such.. It's just for some conceptual clarity which I sorely lack.
1) Roughly what did you do in the 3 months between prelims and Mains?
2) For practice purposes, what do you think gives better return in the exam - practicing PYQs or Previous IMS test series questions? Or is there something else you'll recommend?
Q1: I revised my notes ~ 2 layers (1 layer for some topics). These are mostly just the important IMS questions, either from their notes or test series. After that focused on practicing more and more:
- Did IMS 2020 TS in Practice Mode (only 2 tests in TEST MODE)
- Did IMS 2019 + 2018 TS in Practice Mode.
- Did Shankar 2020 TS + SuccessClap TS for Practice.
- Did PYQ 2011 to 2020 in Practice Mode
- Any other Question Bank/Source
Revised the notes made on the basis of above.
Also revised micro notes (which are formulas + some tricks). See Kanishak Sir's Micro Notes for reference.
Q2: If you haven't done either before. I think do the PYQs from 2011 to 2020. Then move to IMS test series. But if you have done till 2011, then go for Test Series instead of going beyond 2011. This is keeping in mind the paucity of time.
Thank you for the detailed response! And wow you worked really hard!!
I've reached a point where I'm sitting for many hours. Now I need to improve my effectiveness in making full use of those hours. So from now on aiming to work harder.
Hey.. Any idea when will DAF I for UPSC CSE manis 2021start?
I'm new here.
Last year the result came on 23rd October and the DAF was released on 28th October. By that measure, DAF should have been released by now. But no worries. Next week surely it should come.
I've reached a point where I'm sitting for many hours. Now I need to improve my effectiveness in making full use of those hours. So from now on aiming to work harder.
Targets for tomorrow:
1) Governance (3/3)
2) Polity - some pending portion
3) Numerical Analysis theory + PYQs
4) CA class
5) Newspaper
1 - done
2 - done
3 - 60% done. Computer programming part is left
4 - didn't have time. Instead finished off governance class
@Celeborn@sjerngal have you both started writing 2 tests in a day? In 9-12 and 2-5 slots, because both your targets includes two tests for today.
I'm trying to club together the tests I have to give, to save time. Not giving in specified slots as such. But yeah that means I'm trying to write 2 tests a day now whenever possible
In how many days are you all getting your evaluated mgp copies?
Initially things are very fast as only few write (I got my first two tests this time in 1 day and 3 days respectively). Then it starts taking time. Like last year it took between 7 - 12 days (especially since I was writing tests late).
Can anyone compare Rau's mains compass and vision mains 365 on basis of RoI and given the time constraint?
Rau's Mains Compass is easier to read. Also things are better explained.
Vision Mains 365 has better content density and higher coverage. But it takes a lot of time.
If your basics are good, go for vision but do it selectively + make short notes. If you lack time, study Rau's and supplement those topics with data/examples from Vision for those topics. And skip the remaining filler topics in Vision.
The thumb rule is do only those things which you can revise minimum 3-4 times before exam and actually recall in the exam. The rest (especially facts and data) are a waste of time.
I know it might sound silly to almost everyone....but which is more tuned to UPSC.....The Hindu or Indian Express?
I switched to IE because a) it's language was easier to comprehend b) the explained page was really good c) it looked more attractive and hence felt nicer to read.
There are differences in approach between the two. But as such I haven't found major differences between the two, in terms of 'tuning' wrt UPSC. So safely choose anyone based on your personal preferences and which one you like most.
Polity - Atish Mathur crash course + some parts of what I studied for Pre + Dipin sir's classes for current
Governance - Vision VAM
Social Justice - Dipin sir's classes + last year's notes I made from Rau's Compass
IR - Dipin sir's classes + last year's notes of Mains 365.
If I was beginning afresh, I would have gone for Sunya IAS booklet or Only IAS Prahaar ; since they are single source for all topics so would save time. As of now, I'm using Sunya as value addition (like data and examples for governance portion)
Yesterday wasn't a good day. I felt like shit. So I took an unplanned break.
I realize how much I needed that break.
I know I'm working harder than ever before but it never feels enough. And then eventually the pressure accumulates and I break down.
Just having some non-study time gave me the freedom to reflect on the past couple months. I've realised that I've intentionally subdued my anxieties and fears, to fool everyone including myself that I'm handling this well. Spoiler alert - I'm not.
But that's probably how it's supposed to be. This is one of the toughest things I've ever done. I can't expect it to be a cakewalk. And so I will have bad days. I will feel overwhelmed. My goal shouldn't be to not feel any of that. But to keep moving forward in spite of all. To keep giving my best, even if sometimes 'the best' means to simply get out of bed and sit at my table.
So today I continue my fight. Hopefully wiser than yesterday. Definitely more energised than yesterday. And willing to keep moving forward and give my best.
Can anyone please share their approach for compulsory language papers? I am kind of freaking out as if the optional and gs were not manageable already, these papers won't even be checked if the language papers are not qualified.
Answering from the perspective of Hindi paper.
I was in a similar situation in my 1st attempt. I speak my mother tongue at home and study/read in English. Hindi is something I'll use casually with friends only. Plus the last time I wrote even a Hindi word was in class 10. Understandably, I was freaked out. I tried doing a lot of things (reading Dainik Jagran editorials, looking at previous year papers, learning some grammar etc.). Even after the paper I was afraid I'll fail (because I ended up writing a lot of nonsense). When the marksheets came, turns out I'd scored in the 140s.
This year, I went through 100s of marksheets of candidates who gave Mains (selected as well as not cleared) {its available in a telegram group}. I found one candidate who'd failed hindi and 1 candidate who'd scored 82 (passed). Everyone else, no matter the language, had scored above 100. Of course there's some selection bias here as people who scored less probably won't post. But still the trend is clear. It's easy to pass the language exam, provided you prepare well.
Here are some things you can do:
1) Go through past year papers to get an understanding. Plus solve atleast 1 year's paper fully.
2) Focus on the grammar section (Q6). With some effort, you'll score above 30 easily here. I spent about 15 mins a day for two weeks memorizing the paryavachi shabd. And about an hour going through muhavre (all available online). That's sureshot 14 to 20 marks. In the remaining 2 parts, you'll know some answers atleast without any prep.
3) Translation portions are easy (Q4 & 5) (especially Hindi to English). If you can't remember specific technical words, write simplified versions. Or you can even write the word in quotes in its English pronounciation (like I wrote 'ऑफिसर' because I didn't remember Adhikari or something similar). You may not get great marks but at least you won't be stalled
4) In the summary question as well as the reading comprehension (Q2 & 3), I directly used the words from the passage itself. Again this is not a high scoring method. But it's a safe method to pass. The key is to avoid silly mistakes.
5) I attempted the Essay at the end. The reason was I knew anyways I won't score much here so better to capitalise on the other portions. Another reason was that by the end, I'd read through the entire paper. So I knew roughly where certain words were. This became useful because I used the words from the question paper only to write my essay. This helped me avoid silly spelling mistakes. Also I chose the topic which I understood and had some GS content (like in 2019 I wrote on divyango ka sashaktikaran because this was the only topic I could understand :P plus I had decent GS points).
If you've noticed, I didn't spend a lot of time beforehand on preparation (in 2020 atleast). I spent about 5-6 hours memorizing paryavachi + muhavre. And I reserved half a day before the exam to attempt one previous test + some general revision. The rest was all utilizing the question paper maximally.
You can start by going through previous year papers. Solve one. If you're not satisfied, read editorials and practice more papers (just for the sake of your piece of mind). But otherwise, besides the grammar portion you won't need much work.
I missed out on a few days of studies due to sickness. So I really need to make the most of these remaining 10 days to cover up for that. Will be posting daily targets to amp up the pressure.
Targets for today:
1) Must Do
a) Solve 2 maths mocks (including extra questions)
I missed out on a few days of studies due to sickness. So I really need to make the most of these remaining 10 days to cover up for that. Will be posting daily targets to amp up the pressure.
Targets for today:
1) Must Do
a) Solve 2 maths mocks (including extra questions)
b) Essay brainstorm 4 topics
2) Do if time permits
a) 30 minutes for data revision / short notes
b) Revise one 2020 maths mock
1) a) 75% done b) 50% done
2) a) not done b) 25% done
Yesterday was a better day in terms of momentum. But I still need to do more.
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