Could Ringo Starr possibly prepare for the CAT while being in such an overpopulated band? (Photo: Jao Haupt)
When I read a comment in PaGaLGuY seeking advice on preparing for the Common Admissions Test (CAT) while living in the chaos of a joint family household, it brought a smile to my face immediately. With all due respect to the joint family system, I could actually picture a CAT aspirant running errands for his extended family, appearing tired and haggled and struggling with his preparation while there are kids running around all over the house. Living in a joint family is a great experience (surrounded by all your near and dear ones) but it can also make for a difficult situation when you are trying to put in some dedicated and focused study hours while juggling responsibilities towards your extended family.
We can map the problems faced on a ‘Space-Time’ graph with four quadrants,
Quadrant 1: When you have ample space to study (a room to yourself) and ample time too (no one to bother you while you are practicing questions or revising some concepts).
Quadrant 2: When the time is available (you have completed all the other chores assigned to you) but every room in the house is occupied.
Quadrant 3: Neither time available nor the space (when your parents are entertaining guests and you have to play your role of a dutiful son/daughter); “How often do they visit?” being the common retort to your protests.
Quadrant 4: When you have a nice comfortable space to study but there is no time because you have to run errands for someone or the other in the household (or when you have to babysit your cousins/nephews/nieces).
Even as you find yourself battling your way to clear the CAT while sitting in one of these quadrants, you would observe that living in a joint family is still a blessing in disguise. Here are a few successful strategies that some of my friends used to squeeze into their preparation to make for quality study time even while living with more than 10-12 people in the same house.
Try not to study at home
A couple of my batchmates used to rush off to the nearest café at least 2-3 times every week for a couple of hours or so during the afternoons when the cafés were the least crowded, especially on the weekends. It took them time to get used to the study environment there, but they vouch for the fact that it was much better than studying at home and getting disturbed every now and then by someone or the other. Of course, listening to soft music on headphones helped.
Study at the library/test-series centres
Some of my batchmates used to stay back in their college after classes to put in a couple of hours of extra study for CAT. They used to carry some snacks with them for the evening hunger pangs and used to head straight to the library after the classes. This helped them put in a couple of hours every alternate weekday in the most peaceful environment possible.
A couple of other people I know had joined test-series courses of renowned coaching institutes. Since they were working, they used to take their tests on the weekend. After finishing their tests they used to sit at the reception, library or inside vacant classrooms at the centre to put in a good 4-5 hours of study. This used to be their principal study time during the week. Another important advantage of the center was that the resources from the institute’s library were at their disposal and this meant that they had the best, most carefully chosen material to study from.
Keep everyone updated
A particular person I met had this very interesting experience to share. He said that while he was preparing, he used to keep everyone in his joint family updated of the scores he was getting in the mock tests, the latest developments in his preparation, and the topics he was doing good in, etc. This, he said, made everyone feel that they were stakeholders in his preparation and consequently they started feeling that it was their responsibility too that he studied and performed well. From cooking for him, to providing him complete peace for studying, to even buying him practice books – they made sure that they contributed to his success.
Using short concept notes
You might not be able to take tests at home. But revision using short concept notes came in very handy during the office hours. These notes could be easily concealed and could be read even while traveling back by company buses, local trains, taxis, etc. This helped them put in at least an hour of study every day while traveling to and from office.
Altering your sleeping and study schedules
Personally, I found this the most difficult idea to implement. A friend of mine used to come back from office and sleep early. He then used to wake up at around 4 am when everybody else at home was fast asleep and then put in a couple of hours of study. The idea was to sleep when the activity in the house was at its peak. If you are not a morning person, this can be really tough to follow. But it is the most effective of the lot.
Become a social recluse
This helps especially when someone in your house is entertaining guests frequently and you have to be present to pay your regards. I used to vanish from the house during this time on some pretext or the other – of going to the park for a walk, or of going to a friend’s place on pretext of some emergency but actually ended up in a public library to study. The mantra in this case is simple – you are not out to win a popularity contest here, so you might as well take care of your current priorities first.
It is important to remember that the rules of the game remain the same – study, practice, analyse and revise. The only hiccup in this case is managing the study time.
(Deepak Nanwani is the co-founder of One52.com, an online adaptive solution for GMAT, MBA and UG exams. An alumnus of IIT Guwahati and IIM Bangalore, he is a master strategist for all competitive exams.)