Going ahead with extra lessons

College life may be synonymous with fun but the present generation has other priorities as well. But studies are of great importance for them.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the regular college hours but the hours spent at coaching centres burying their head in reference books and question papers. But how do they manage to find time for this in between various activities?

Many students tell Metrolife that what’s important is time management. While it might be a difficult task, it doesn’t deter them from pursuing what they believe will decide their future.

There are various coaching classes for competitive exams like CET, CAT, GMAT and others. The students aspiring to answer these exams do not want to be left behind. One such student, Ian Patrao of Cathedral PU College, didn’t think twice before he joined a coaching centre right from his first year of Pre-University.

He says, “It is very difficult to crack the CET examination. So I wanted to make the best use of these two years of my college life by joining a coaching centre.” But doesn’t he find it a bit too hectic to go there before class hours? He says, “On the contrary, it is very refreshing as I go there early in the morning, at seven. This helps because after my classes get over in the evening, I can hang out with friends and then go back home and study again.” This is what many students feel as they want to make the best of both worlds.

Even Gagan, a student of Surana College, agrees, “When you go for coaching classes, it is very difficult to make time for friends. Especially when you have to go everyday. I make it a point to maintain a balance between attending classes and meeting friends. But I know where to draw the line.” 

This is the mindset of many students who take up coaching classes. They do not see it as an additional burden but as something that complements their studies as well. Says Shreya Nagesh, who is awaiting admission at an engineering college, “For me, coaching classes have always been helpful. Whenever I missed classes in college, I used to make up for the lost hours with tuitions. So it was like a second revision for me.”

She feels one should take coaching classes seriously. “The exams and tests you
answer in the coaching classes come to use when you have to appear for your regular
college exams too. So I didn’t feel it was a burden but rather it made things simpler as I could finish my studies easily and well before my examinations.”

The timings are sometimes a cause of concern for a few. Shreya agrees, “I had a friend who used to go for IIT classes. She used to find it so hectic that she didn’t have time to meet any of us.” But as Vardha Fazal, a student of Jain College says, students need to learn to manage their time fruitfully.

She says, “When you go for coaching classes, you tend to forget about everything else like taking part in activities and hanging out with friends. But these things are important too and it is important that you allocate time for everything.”

So while coaching classes and studies are important, friends, family and extra-curricular activities shouldn’t take a backseat.