Road ahead for average students

Garima Upadhyay Rawat

History stands testimony to the fact that success more than often stems from failure. Look up the success stories of eminent personalities like Isaac Newton, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein or our very own prodigy Dhirubhai Ambani, and you will find how all these people battled failure, not once but many times, to reach their destination. Case in point is that of Thomas Edison who failed more than 1,000 times when trying to create the light bulb. When asked about it, Edison allegedly said, "I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb. That's positive attitude for you!

If you are one of those students who could not make it into your dream course or college, don't lose heart! Surely the decision that led you to arrive at the conclusion was well thought out, and was the best possible solution for you. Now is not the time to lament over things that could not be, but to rise and shine with all that you can do now.

"Students at this hour can go for degree programmes from distance learning universities like Delhi University, IGNOU, M. D. University and Guru Jambheshwar among others that offer a variety of courses at under graduate level," suggests Nitesh Gupta, CEO - Smartprep Education Pvt Ltd.

Ask Gupta if the distance learning tag would have negative connotations and he says, "It really does matter to study in a renowned college and it will also have an impact on the package and job offered. For example, SRCC placements saw 27 companies offering an average placement of 4.5 lakh per annum whereas in lower rung colleges, placements may not even see the light of day. However, if you get good marks in college, you can reclaim your chance. You must plan your career and make sure that you get through some of the best colleges at post graduate level later."

Sharing some advice on maintaining a positive temperament, Dr Kamna Chibber, consultant clinical psychology at Fortis Hospital advises, "Now that the decision is taken you should focus on your long-term career goals. Understand that an undergraduate degree will not decide your life. Your marks and performance in the said course determines which way you are headed. When you apply for a postgraduate programme, rarely is your college noticed. You get admission on the basis of your marks. So, it is very important to focus on what you are doing right now."

Adhunika Nautiyal, a career counselor also echoes Dr Chhibber's views. "Be clear that you don't have to run after a college versus a career. Whatever course you are doing, whether you like it or not, work hard to get good marks. Don't bring down your percentage of marks. The better you score, the more chances you'll have to get into a better college for a postgraduate programme."

Other than staying focused and studying hard, you should also think of doing add-on courses. Advises Nautiyal, "If animation excites you, you should go for a course in animation while pursuing graduation. Similarly, you can enroll for a foreign language course, which will enable you to learn something new and also add up to your CV."

"Vocational subjects can also be explored when in college. A lot of institutes and colleges offer vocational courses, which can add to your resume as well. Go for internships, trainings while at college to make the most of your spare time in college. Don't sink into a state of inertia and keep blaming yourself for not having made the cut," advises Dr Chhibber.

Listing down some hot courses, Gupta says, "A student opting for B.A. (H) Economics should look for doing something in actuarial sciences whereas a student going for B.Com. (P) should look for courses in Tally etc. A student can also go for professional courses like CA/CS/ICWA, which do not require one to be a regular programme student. Apart from this, a student can opt for vocational courses like Tally, Hardware and Networking, Travel &Tourism programmes (IATA certified), GNIIT etc."

With so much to do, shun your negative thoughts away. Make the most of your time in college and explore your strengths by engaging not just in academics but also in extra-curricular activities. Keep calm, stay focused and have fun! This is what college life is about.

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