Enduring the pre-med years

by Fatima Qamar

“Beta yehe dou saal hain mehnat ke matric pe. Baad me phir sab asaan ho jata hai!”
 You nod innocently believing it to be the last of your 8 year struggle with books previously. 2 years seem harmless right? I mean after all, its just ending finally. (finally!) It really is easy to believe because its pretty early for the big bad truth to set in yet - that growing up is NOT easy!
Two years pass. You plan for the ultimate breezing-through college like a piece of cake. But…. waaaaahaaat?! Academy? AGAIN?! Wait there’s more. There is a thing called entry test too? ANOTHER two years to the previous two?! You nod again. Bitterly this time.Kahen tou aa jaega sakoon. You hope to the fullest. 
So, prolly, most of you poor souls are still “latkay huwe”. In the hope to see the light of the day that has been blocked by the stacks of books, notes, key books, objective series, past papers and what not!
Oh well, I think I painted a rather sorry picture than reality. No, you don’t agree? That’s because it feels comfy to make people pity you because you secretly wish that they would expect less. Haina? But really, the misery ends once you shun the idea of being a ‘victim’. Just think about your life and how you would wanna live it. No one would deny a luxury. We all do dream of a big mansion or a round the world trip or experiencing spa from Thailand or visiting the pyramids etc. Or a BMW for those who have different tastes and so on and so forth. And since you can’t play Neil in White collar or gamble away dollars in Vegas, let’s go for a realistic approach. Making your own game plan. And being confident that you can do it. Because really I and you are not different. So once you've agreed that :
a-No escape.
b-Let’s not waste a year or time to argue you can’t make it because you can.
c-You want a BMW/spa/mansion/ Disney land trip etc etc.
The whole point of this blabbering was to set a stage for the kill. Lol, just some pearly wisdom thingies now and then. It’s not a lecture, mind you. It’s just letting you in on things as honestly as possible. Your success sab se pehle aapka he hoga. No one is going to take it from you. Kamana aap ne he hai and you have to live your life as such. So be concerned about yourself and your future. You DO control your life and results.
And you should pay a heed to me because :
a-Been there, done that.
b-I’m being honest here.
c-Advice from seniors really helps. Because something they say really DOES help you somewhere.,
So, at this stage naturally, you feel fear. A sinking feeling when someone mentions entry test. A state of awe upon seeing those topper kids or university people in engineering/medical/awesome colleges/universities. Its inevitable. It’s okay. The pressure of responsibility and expectation is huge. But the key here is not to be absolved by fear. But being chalaak and letting this serve as a fuel to ignite you. Easier said than done, huh? Oh and I sound like a rote learned English essay? Ah well. Mane bhi Fsc me yehe dialogues maarey the essays me.. Number aa gaye the phir :p
So, why are we stressed? And what does it do? Let’s look at what it does. It jams your mind and gropes you in fear. And really this whole 4 saal ki zalalat is a test of nerves. Because university is something demanding. Ab pta laga? Growing up is not easy bachon. But you have to grow up anyway. So instead of shivering in your blankie, be a man/woman and get a grip. It’s nothing outta this world. Is liya dramey kam karo aur focus zada.


The causes now. Expectations. Fear of failure. What ifs. Lack of self-confidence. This sounds theoretical and all of you, at the back of your mind, know this. So the issue is to address this and make this a win win situation.
The person one is most concerned about in this world is…*drum rolls* yourself! Oh you knew it you actor! So, wouldn't you want to be in say a white coat so that the faces of your parents glisten with pride? Dramatic? Seriously it is awesome to know you've done something for yourself. Parents come later. You carve out your own identity. And har kisi ko apni “mai” buhat pyaari hai. So pull up your socks and make up your mind. Logo ki expectations don’t matter. Either way they would talk. You need to listen to no one but YOU. Yes, you yourself. And teh kar lo is baat ko that you are not gonna let yourself go to waste. Na-uh!
The crux of your success lies in a thing called Faith. Surely you know it but how far have you experienced it? How unwavering is it? Trust me no one, NO ONE, loves you more than 70x moms. Here’s a nice thing that drives me often,
“There are pieces of your life, moments, events, decisions, that you saw no significance in as they happened. You may even despair. Its only when time goes and you look back that suddenly you see your whole life like a perfectly designed puzzle. Don’t be afraid of the puzzle piece you’re in now. It will perfectly just like the rest. How could it not? The Designer is PERFECT.”
That dear people, is faith. 



Be optimistic and hopeful. Also passionate. But make this not a matter if life and death. Trust me there are better options out for you. So never give up. Give your best ,not letting yourself be screwed by stress, and then, pray. That does the trick. Simple as that. 
So let’s hurriedly point out a few ways and try these out and see whichever works for you. 
Mentally- Self talk every day that I can do this. Try it in front of a mirror or just really buck yourself up. It helps, trust me. The key is to keep your spirits high and hopes higher.
Physically-jog, exercise if that relieves you. Punch the pillow. Scream maybe? On another note, take very deep breaths. It helps. Recite darood once or twice and then batter up!



Emotionally- By far the most important one here. You’d feel like crying. Giving up. Sitting in a corner or dying. Be positive. Ese dosroon me koi alien like cheez nahe hoti which you lack. It’s just the application of effort. No one’s telling you to study 24/7. Just do this. Khail k time khail and parhae k time parhae. And be very sure of what you do. Aaj agr aik chap parha, tou itna acha parha k yaad raha. That's it! 
And I’d end on this. Remember, it’s never the end of the world. And you do best when focused and relaxed. Tbhi when I was giving my MCAT, people froze or hallucinated outta fear. As a result, they ,being more studious than me, let nerves get the best of them. I didn’t worry about a thing. I just felt sad about my chocolate bar that was taken away.  Wapas bhi nahe mili mjhe. Tsk.
Besta luck guys. Pray. Hope.

 Work hard & always, ALWAYS keep the faith!
Stay blessed.