I’ll also start from tomorrow maybe. I’ve been away from forum to detox myself from virtual world. Failure at prelims level was also a setback for me, needed time to recover fully. I had almost left this preparation cycle. But some success results of my friends and classmates motivated me.
For next 7-8 months, only prelims specific and optional (as I changed it this time) preparation. This time, I don’t want any excuse from myself.
Here’s how it’ll go:
Morning- Optional (3-4) answers daily + Ember & Ember (or other optional book)
Afternoon- not expecting too much (as I feel sleepy, and other commitments). But I’ll try to read CA and Newspaper.
Evening- Revision of the previous day tasks.
Night- GS part for Prelims. Expecting to cover all subjects before SFG starts.
I am very poor at consistency. Hope that doesn’t happen this time.
Can you jot down the first principles about the prelims? Things that you to be 100% true about the prelims. Work on them. No blame game. Just premises which you know are 100% true about prelims.
Sir, I’ll need some time to think over it.
- Content building: First to cover some basic books, which everyone is referring. There should be multiple revisions before exam. Since the syllabus is huge, we need to specify the boundaries. The boundary will decide core, over which the peripheral concepts can be built. 4 sources to gain knowledge: teachers, self study, friends and time.
- Preparation for the exam: Multiple revisions of books and simulating exam like conditions through test series. Though test series will be very different from the actual exam, but attempting them is important, to fill the knowledge gaps and to prepare ourselves for the D-Day. Analysing PYQs to identify pattern is the most important thing. CSAT is important too.
- Actual exam: Gauging the toughness level of the paper to attempt optimum number of questions, Presence of mind, minimising wrong attempts. (Sabse pehle hame ghabrana nahi hai).
07/11/2021:
Optional Topic 1.4 completed. Had to refer to P. Nath.
What I learnt this week:
- Blockchain and decentralising models: Cryptocurrency vs Digital currency (decentralised vs centralised currencies), Web 3.0, NFT etc.
- Yojana February: Evolution of literature in India. (Not much relevant for upsc)
- Pentagon report on Chinese ambitions
- TH Editorials: Climate laws, Global trade & WTO negotiations, False criminal cases, One South Asia etc.
- Mapping: J&K, Ladakh, Punjab, HP, UK, Haryana.
Is it just me or has the music thread somehow disappeared?It was thread by NaadanParinda I think, ask him, I think he might have deleted it or tag root.
In my defence, I was just uploading a song, and then found the thread nowhere. I might have deleted it by mistake, I don’t know. And I don’t know if it can be recovered.
Hello everyone,
Been dealing with some issues from a long time. Just recently came across this platform on forum to discuss various things about the preparation. So I'm sharing it with this hole that somebody might suggest something useful. I'm based at home doing cse prep. So have exhausted two attempts couldn't clear prelims this time was scoring around 85. Done with the syllabus too for the core subjects ,but didn't had a mains oriented approach so haven't done much answer writing and also haven't done my optional very well too.
But my problem isnt any of this. You see I came to this preparation about 2 years back because of my parents will but then I worked hard from my side too but I feel suffocated sometimes not just sometimes but quite a lot. Last year during covid when the libraries got shut I was in this huge depression...alone...nobody in my family to understand my problems...even suicidal...that was for 2-3 months basically that was a huge loss to me..for my prep. I came out of it through medications and other self help methods. Since then have tried to not fall back to that place. But every and then I start to slip in that zone especially when the results are not showing. I have quite a conservative family which won't let girls live outside home etc. I gave up a job after Btech and every now and then that decision bites me of what I have got myself into basically giving up the independence I could have had. Its this feeling of despair and suffocation that kills me sometimes especially when the journey seems neverending.
My apologies for sharing this rather negative post in here. This might feel like I'm overexaggerating things but I've been dealing with this since a long time and no matter how hard I try to just study and not think of the results...sometimes it becomes really overwhelming.
A general advice. Don't stress too much. Always remember, your emotions are temporary. It'll pass anyway.
One of my friends had summarised Vipassana as: "We experience the emotions, positive or negative, for a very few moments. If we could control our emotions for those few moments, we'd have control over ourselves. Vipassana trains us for that same purpose".
Now, sit alone, quiet for some time. You would notice that your mind wanders every where. You think something for a moment, then suddenly your mind jumps to another thing. Then to another. The main reason is our lifestyle. We are doing so many things at the same time. We think that everything is under our control. But it's not. We can only focus on one thing at a time.
So just do one thing at a time. And take out time for yourself to just sit quietly, alone. See what all your mind thinks. Train your mind to wander less and focus more on one thing. To organise your thoughts, you can write journals.
See, there is a feedback loop in our minds. If you think only negative things, your mind will make a negative loop. And you'll be stuck in that negative loop only. But if you channelise your thoughts towards positivity, a positive loop will form. Then you'll not worry about the consequences, rather you'll enjoy the process.
Make some good friends. Discuss ideas and your feelings with them. If you don't find such friends, better to not make any. Go for morning walks. Plant some trees, see them growing. Develop some habits. Eat healthy. Live happily. Let off your ego. Write journals. Avoid social media. Avoid Netflix too (kabhi kabhi chalta hai). Listen to the music (without using headphones). Don't expect to achieve too much in a day. Learn something new everyday.
If you need medication, go for it, and never discontinue it without doctor's advice, even if you feel alright after some time. I say this because I've seen people suffering just because of negligence.
I saw so many posts related to the condition of media and Judiciary in our country. I'd say, don't watch those channels. Those are not meant for us. TV is a propaganda tool.
And don't bother about the 'Game of thrones'. These are the struggle for power between The Sparrows, the 7 kingdoms, Dragon mother, while White walkers are at the doorsteps of our Kingdom. We should identify our role in this big game, and work towards serving our people. Because "All men must serve (Valar Dohaeris)", and "Winter is coming".
Last time, the winter (cold war) was very long. It's going to be even longer, it is said.
P.S: GoT fans will get it.
People already in the services seeing today's paper be like, acha hua phele hi nikal lia upsc , ye toh na ho pata.
As Naadan Parinda, I too want to get some insights, how would you have addressed these topics.
Haha. Good one. Paper was really tough.
I shared the paper to discuss with one of my friends, and his immediate reaction was, "I think you would've written Q3, isn't it?" They have seen me changing over the past few years. Aur iss saal upsc se break lekar yahi sab to socha hai maine :p
I would've attempted Q3 and 6.
Q3: (The question on wantlessness and materialism.)
I would've started with two opposite phenomena seen in China: Tang ping and 996 work culture. Similarly The Great Resignation and Gig work culture in western countries. I would then raise certain questions associated with such phenomena and try to explain one by one. Then would've gone ahead with ideas of Buddha, Mahavir and Gandhi. Then towards the end, advocating for Middle Path.
Q6: The question on Research
This question reminded me of this video, which I had watched during my College days, to figure out of research is actually my area of research. I would suggest you to watch this.
I'd have started my essay with Left brain meeting right brain. How they support each other in arriving at a logical conclusion and how there's a synergy between the two approaches. Then example of America, the concept of University, the magic factory approach and the idea factory approach etc. I'd also mention ethical dimensions to it. And in conclusion, how India should cultivate it's brilliant minds.
Out. I was scoring 95+ in paper 1, according to various answer keys. It’s probably because of CSAT.
I had wildest of dreams like I’ve reached wrong centre, forgot to take pen with me, something wrong with admit card/ I-card, not able to recall anything in the exam hall etc. But never had it occurred in my wildest of dreams that I won’t be able to clear CSAT.
Even remember telling someone, it’s a sin not to qualify in csat if someone is an engineer. I have committed that sin this time.
In retrospect, I think it was inevitable, given that I didn’t attempt even a single CSAT paper.
All the best to all those who have cleared the prelims.
