One Last Push And Some Social Distancing || Kritika Mittal, IIM B' 22

I was bound to give it my best shot and go out of the usual to prepare for the exam. I knew this price was too less against the prize that was waiting on the other side. I reduced my sleep cycles and spread them across small naps to optimize my time but also preventing myself from getting too sleep-deprived. I decorated the rooms of my wall with post-it notes with any last-minute tips.

These all were signified of the extra effort I was willing to put in those final weeks, I took the route that I knew could not be sustained beyond 2-3 weeks but that’s exactly for how long I followed that. I tried to push my limits but never to a point that it became suffocating and caused stressed.

So long story short, please get off your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for the next 2 weeks. One doesn’t realize the amount of time and mental energy they erode. For relaxation, have a conversation with a friend instead (preferably on non-CAT related topics) or a quick 30-minute workout. Social media is not the answer. Something as harmless as news or current affairs could be addictive! While it may seem awkward to self-discipline for a 22-24year old, it’s worth it!

In the end, while enumerating various things that could give me anxiety about my exam, the feeling of being underprepared and not giving my best were significantly reduced due to my “valiant” efforts. “Valiant”, an adjective that I can now use without hesitation because it was not an easy undertaking but one that helped me and I hope would help other CAT aspirants as well.