Why you will clear prelims in 2023
UPSC Gyan at lunchtime
UPSC Prelims in 2023 is the best thing that is going to happen to you, presently you may not realize that because you are clouded by fear, stress and uncertainty, once you see the paper all your fears will fade away, you will feel like a feather and feel so lite, with such peace of mind you start the paper, then you blink and puff 2 hours gone, without even realizing you did extraordinarily well.
You won’t think about, the outcome, the stress, expectations, none of those things are in your mind, you were busy with solving the paper, you even remembered some random fact that you read a few years ago, you have always been that good, you just accepted that in the exam hall.
You have been investing in the journey for such a long time, you have done the basic books, current affairs, mocks, pyqs and CSAT. Likewise, you have done all the right things, solved the mocks and realized how to believe in your own hunch, how and why not to overthink, believing in the first guess, and lastly which questions to leave completely, you think it’s every one’s cup of tea, nope.
You even realized that you need no attempt 1-100 in the same order blindly, that you can jump to areas which are your core strength, how silly it sounds after all this time, right, you nicely deducted that Prelims question paper is like a Jigsaw puzzle, once you see the right pattern and pieces, it’s easy to fill the rest in the right places. You might start by finding the polity, then may be the economy, then the rest, will follow with momentum.
Furthermore, you today are the sum of all your past hard work, accumulated knowledge and experience, reading thousands of pages, has made you wise in so many areas, your EQ is so good now that you are in the best shape of mind a day before the exam, maintaining that emotional balance is vital, Of course, you did realize that during the preparation. And you even have affirmed yourself it’s just an exam, one more exam you will clear, and sleeping like a baby for 7–8 hours these two days, is the best productivity hack you have.
Having worked so hard, you have everything to gain, nothing to lose. You are the best version of yourself, your past success or failures only made you smarter and wiser, the past failures are only a learning curve, not a prediction for the future., you with sheer will and commitment have made sure you have outgrown your weakness, so you are better than your old self. Kudos!!
Lastly, you know that prelims preparation is like playing chess, make your moves in the last two days carefully, calm mind produces best results. Everything you did in the last 1.5 years is on one side, and what you will do in the next 1.5 days is on the other side. Revise without aims of perfection, you should do well.
To sum up
Stay calm and you will rock !!!
Practice, Practice, practice
Checklist
Admit Card
Passport size photographs
Black ball point pen suggested: 0.7 or 1 mm, take extra pen.
ID Proof you've mentioned in the form
Water bottle (preferable transparent) some centers will do hungama and over action.
Chocolate if needed.
Some cash if you are alone.
Summer care: Summer clothes + handkerchiefs etc., exam centers may not be in the best shape. Be ready for sweaty conditions.
Before the exam Night
No discussion with friends. If they are your pillars of strength, yes.
Get moving, play or walk, get tired so that you will get good sleep.
Read fiction if you have the habit, or watch a movie if feeling tensed.
Exam day Morning
Lite breakfast + fruits or fruit juice.
Reach the center before time.
Walk for 5 minutes before you enter your classroom, reduces stress
Prayers if any, or sleep on desk peacefully.
After GS Paper
Under no circumstances discuss the paper.
Don’t google/ChatGPT for solutions.
Don’t listen to cutoff predictions right out of the classroom
Don’t call others to ask how it went.
Sleep for 15–20 minutes. — helps in CSAT
Fruit juice or fruits - helps so stay fresh.
Have a decent lunch to function properly in CSAT
All the best.
Kalyan