This one goes out in contradiction to my previous review...’’Is that fair enuf’’...I just sat pondering over our negligence and found myself putting the following on paper...
“Adolescence-Pressure and Anxiety”. Firstly, let me clear the long prevailing misunderstanding about the meaning of Adolescence…most of you would define the term as the age when minds shrink and undesired thoughts expand, the time when a person is under the state of utmost confusion about whether to grade self under children or rather get fixed under the category of adults. But the truth is adolescence, however crucial period may it seem…is certainly the golden era of one’s lifetime. As each thread of gold is valuable, so is each moment of time. So these years aren’t supposed to be grumbled at and wasted simply for we’re sure to regret their loss at the very entrance of adulthood.
Now coming to the so-called “pressure” and “stress” that my worthy opponents are thinking about…They might state that there are loads of studies to be done, heaps of homework each day, the examination tension approaching, no time to rest…play and so on…Let’s give all of it a break, folks! Think…just feel it truly, do you think all this complaining, making such a lot of noise about the burden of homework, etc. is going to yield any good? Is this issue of finding faults with the educational system going to help you pass an examination…instead it is marking the loss of your own valuable time! What will all this baseless propaganda end up in? Nothing…plainly nothing!
And not to forget, our physical exertion…Most of us hardly indulge in outdoor sports in the evenings, not even an hour a day is spent outside the walls of the house! The reasons…it’s not the lack of time or the burden of studies that is keeping us back! We never study all day long, never always with our heads buried in books!!! But when any outsider questions, the instantaneous answer will be, “What? I don’t even have time to spare for having lunch, leave aside coming out to play! This year, I’ve got my BOARD…you think it’s a joke?!” and things like that continue. You mean you continue thinking about your exams each minute, cant spare an hour for some exercise?
Get on the true tracks friends, while hanging out with pals, during a party or a get-together, if one of you by chance mentions about the test on “Mughal Dynasty” coming up soon…the others run to stop him from uttering anything else…the party mood is lost, you see. During those times, there is ample amount of time to gossip about the latest pop sensation or the upcoming movie of your favorite film stars…then where does the tension of exams disappear? It’s human, the entertainment part is all what everyone desires to stay in. Let’s get to reality… Who are we trying to fool? Our conscience? Let’s stop blaming the trend of competition and the period of adolescence itself. All we are trying to do is gain attention of everyone around stating that we’ve loads of work to be done when actually nothing’s with us.
A little bit of responsibility given to us shapes itself as a big huge favor wanted from us in return…we can’t even handle that properly. Just a word of help required from siblings irritates us, and the consequences…all of you are aware of, a full day curfew back home. The moment a child steps outside Class 8 or to be precise, reaches the age of thirteen, he starts feeling that everyone around him is expecting a lot more than what can be digested or rather even accepted in particular! He tries to behave like an adult recognizing his obligations partially well to stay in the good books of his parents, teachers or others, in general. But have you ever given thoughts to what your parents feel? After giving you the best of everything, all the comforts needed, is it really unfair of them to expect just a little bit of responsibility and duty from us? And that too not for their sake, just to enrich our character. But what in return do we, the 21st century teenagers reply, “Uffoh! Mumma, there’s tones to do already or “Oh Dad, you know how crucial this year is for me, let me study please.”
Coming back to the exams, the Pre-Boards of 9th and the “rest-eaters” the Boards of 10th…as my opponents would describe are supposed to be worked over right from the beginning of the year in order to score good marks at the end. But folks, the reality is that it’s only at the eleventh hour when we struggle maximum, it’s only then when the actual sense of exams peeps in our over-crowded minds. The crowd is nothing but the tough thoughts we gather in our mind…they are the ones which actually pressurize us. Studying right from DAY 1 is indeed beneficial, but where is that enthusiasm in us today? Is there anyone around here who prefers staying a book worm …to enjoying parties? Do any of you here study each day as if your exam was to be held tomorrow? No one, truly nobody!
All around the world, so many children suffer from the thirst of knowledge, they too want to get recognized and many do strive hard and reach the desired post too. They’re children like us too…they’re of the same world as well…had they been complaining and shedding tears over matters like these, they’d have never achieved success and recognition. So let’s stop acting like delicate darlings and dodging reality…to state in brief…Let’s quit cribbing and breathe in the fragrant essence of life which is waiting for us with open arms, a world full of fun and frolic, miles to go before adulthood.
Wavering minds shall only pressurize all our joys but the broad ones shall trust their conscience and realize the true meaning of this golden period which we are granted by God as a gift to handle both, childhood as well as adulthood.
Let’s lead through successfully living each moment of it to the fullest!
--Ruchi