“Children are like buds in a garden and should be carefully and lovingly nurtured, as they are the future of the nation and the citizens of tomorrow,” said Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru, on whose birth anniversary Children’s Day 2019 is also celebrated. And aptly so, if they are taught the right life lessons and shown the right path, they can change society for good.
On Children’s Day 2019, let’s hear from these young achievers, who have proved that age is no barrier if one truly wants to achieve something, whether climbing the highest peak or making your way to the Guinness world record.
14-year-old Akshat Singh, a class X student of Birla Vidya Niketan, Delhi, was recently crowned champion of the Korea-India Friendship Quiz Competition 2019 staged in the national capital. For students who want to become quizzers like, he says, “My message to other quizzers, who aspire to win competitions like The Korea India Friendship Quiz is that the key to winning a quiz is to be able to retain the maximum amount of information and hence you should use study methods which you find the most comfortable, like flashcards or mnemonics for difficult names.”
He further adds, “But my experience has been that you should not overstudy and saturate your mind just before the quiz because that leads to mixing up of information and caused me anxiety. The way I boosted my confidence was mainly by thinking positive but that’s easier said than done and for that, I mainly took the help of a couple of my school friends, asked them to test me and talked with them.”
Balancing study with extracurricular activities: Akshat manages his extracurriculars and studies by prioritizing stuff. “The tests for which I have to study come first then come practicing the subject I am weak on and then I give time to recharge myself. I personally think distractions like social media or video game help, but only as a distraction not as an addiction. I don’t stick to a particular schedule and study things according to what my brain feels like unless there is a compulsion or a need to do a particular thing. Everyone should make the most of their free time and not be afraid to ask for help or advice from either their friends or family.”
While Aabir, who studies at Navrachna International School, Vadodara believes dreaming is the first step to success. He says, “Teenagers as the country’s future leader should have a mindset to pursue their idea. There is a quote that says, dream big and keep on dreaming big. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft dreamt that one-day people would have their own personal computer. People laughed at him and his dream is now a reality. If we dare to dream, we can turn the dream to reality through hard work and determination.”
Aabir also explains creativity and patience is the key to success. “Many young students fail to accomplish their dream because they can’t handle the pressure. They become frustrated and devastated due to unsatisfying outcomes, such as fewer marks, no success and more. The only way to cure it is to be patient and optimistic, for there will be a break-even point and followed by success. Finally, we must bear in mind that being in such activities doesn’t interrupt our duty as students.”
Sukanya Nandy