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MENTAL BARRIERS FOR STUDENTS

A mental block can be described as a psychological obstacle that prevents us from

performing a particular skill. Mental blocks frequently occur in academics, sports, public
performances, job interviews, professional career and almost every field, yet many of us
may not recognize they happen as we do not use appropriate techniques to quickly
overcome them. For example when you are taking examination in one of your favourite
subjects which you have prepared well overnight, you seem to forget answers to very
simple questions and confuse with the formulas or derivations. But as soon as you leave the
examination hall you seem to recollect all that you have messed up and start kicking
yourself. How often you see your favourite cricket team winning almost every match in the
tournament only to lose in the finals?

You all seem to have done well in your intermediate examination and have secured decent
ranks in the competitive EAMCET. Then why there are so many failures or drop-outs in
the 1st semester of engineering? The reasons: many students simply cannot make the
necessary transition from high school to college level academics, and therefore do not
fare well. Some are purely homesick and can’t take the stress and loneliness of the first
year. Some students, shocked by the amount of work they’re required to do at college
level, drop out. Some conclude that the main reason they are in college is to please their
parents and well-wishers. These students realize that college is not one of their own
personal goals, so either they drop out or take longer time for graduation making repeated
attempts to clear backlogs. Others taking benefit of freebees sanctioned by the
government take up the engineering course and feel that it is good enough to spend 4
years in the campus to secure a degree of graduation that would fetch them a decent job.

Our thinking aspect, our mental side, is the force behind everything that we do during life.
For most of us, for some reason or the other there are some mental blocks which can be
preventing us from progressing in our career and/or development, meaning it’s important
to understand the root of such mental block and work out the methods to overcome them.
These mental barriers can arise from a number of reasons; a few of them have been
discussed in the following pages.
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1. Habits
A habit is something we do regularly without consciously thinking much about it. It is an
automatic mental and behavioural activity. Habits make it possible for us to do things
without spending exorbitant mental effort. They make everyday life possible - for good or
bad. Habits are the basis of your success - or maybe your downfall. Unfortunately very
few people know much about their importance and how they influence your career. Habits
can be classified basically into two categories :
Non-academic : Daily routing work, punctuality, recreation, sports,
exercise, meditation, reading habits, etiquettes, social
consciousness and other virtues.p’

Academic : Attendance, time consciousness, attentiveness, obedience,

study, assignments, performance in examination, classroom
discipline, attention in the classroom, active participation in
laboratory practicals, honesty & integrity in the
examinations etc.

a) Non-academic :
 Take care of yourselves physically and emotionally --- eating a well-
balanced diet, exercising, taking two times bath a day, getting
appropriate amounts of sleep, dealing with stresses/difficulties in
positive, healthy ways, etc.,--- so you can have the concentration
needed to make it through each class session and the stamina needed
to make it through the ups and downs of a long semester successfully.
 Many get actively involved in athletics and sports for sheer love of the
game. There are also significant benefits from these extracurricular
activities as well, such as feeling and the honour of representing the
institution or the community, enjoying the fun of team rivalries and
competitiveness, and keeping the body fit & active.
b) Academic :
One main characteristic of successful college students is that you act in a
professional way. This is demonstrated in your attitude and day-to-day
actions/habits. If you are a student with good academic qualities &
consciousness, you should be doing the following:

 You will never be absent from a class meeting unless a true emergency
arises. Even on those days you don’t feel like showing up or it’s not
convenient to do so due to minor health issues, you push yourself and
attend anyway. Genuine and unavoidable absences might include
personal illness (being contiguous, under doctor’s orders to stay home
etc.), family emergencies (serious illness, funeral, etc.), legal
requirements like court appearances, etc. or unexpected transportation
issues like strikes, curfew etc.
 If you have to be absent, you take necessary action to ensure not to
fall too far behind in the syllabus and improve your chances of doing
well on upcoming tests and assignments. You call or email the teacher
as soon as you know you that will miss class in order to find out what
will be done during that class meeting and anything you will need to do
to before the next session. You will arrange to pick up copies of any
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important hand-outs, study guides, assignments, etc. from the teacher

or copy notes from your classmates before the next class on the same
subject is conducted.
 You always come to class prepared. This means consistently having the
course syllabus, the textbook ( if required by the instructor), a
notebook containing past handouts, past notes, calculator, pens, pencils,
graph paper, drafters etc.
 You are consistently on time or even a little early so you can be
prepared for the class. Being on time is a demonstration that school is
important to you, and it’s also an important personal habit to apply to
all like situations.
 You are respectful to the teacher and you will pay attention during
lectures regardless of whether or not the topic being discussed is
interesting by staying awake, working hard to listen, maintaining at
least fairly frequent eye contact, etc. You will avoid doing anything
that will be distracting to others in the room, like having running
conversations with classmates, having chat on mobile phones, text
messaging, or doing anything else unrelated to what’s going on in class
at that time.
 You realize that most college classes require several hours per week
for homework, review, and other types of studying. With that in mind,
You will schedule time to study regardless of how you feel at any given
time because doing well in school is very important to you.
 You will work hard to follow all college and course rules and directions,
written and verbal. This includes not being afraid to ask the teacher to
repeat/clarify instructions during or after class, reading all written
directions carefully, double-checking work for accuracy, etc.
 You will make a major effort to complete all homework assignments on
time or early, realizing the problems that can be caused by late
submission such as losing marks, lower grade, consequent punishment,
stress, etc.
 You will seek to learn from their mistakes and treat non-performances
like low grades as motivation for doing better on future tests and
assignments rather than giving up or getting discouraged easily. You
will talk to their teachers in such cases so you can improve their
performance as the semester goes on.

2. Procrastination
Procrastination is an act of putting off, delaying or deferring an action to a later time or
slowness as a consequence of not getting around to it. The reasons we procrastinate are
easy to identify. You might feel overwhelmed by the task, or you may be perfectionists, or
maybe you get distracted easily, or perhaps you are just plain lazy. Whatever the reason,
the fact remains: procrastination creates more stress in our lives, and never yields the
best results.

How often you squander away useful and free time and put off important tasks you should
be doing them till it’s too late and hovering over the books and laptops while cramming for
semester exams?
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Since the demands placed on first-year college students are high, it is important to enter
college knowing, first of all, that procrastination can severely hinder your academic
performance. This is true in school, college as well as in life. With this in mind, it is
essential to have a realistic game plan for overcoming procrastination in college:

 Assess the task by segmenting into smaller tasks taking into account the
volume of work and the targeted time available for achieving successful
completion
 Just begin, start slowly but confidently, and incremental progress will
follow. Remember, once begun, it is half done.
 Review your progress/achievement everyday and modify your game plan
with realistic goals in your mind.
 Reward yourself: after completing each action session relax for a while,
recharge the energies and take pleasure of your achievement.
 Be perfect but reasonable. Do not get overwhelmed with the success of
the first few goals or lose hearts should you fail. It may not possible for
you achieve success in all efforts you make. But you must have the
confidence and the conviction to get it 100% right.

Procrastination can affect the entire life of an individual. If you are a procrastinator you
may miss numerous opportunities that life offers every day; the reason is that you are
unwilling to make active efforts in regard to the important spheres of life. Though you
may think you are too tired and unwilling to step out of your comfort zone, you are
perhaps comforting yourself by promising to do it later or justifying yourself in any other
way---in fact all these thoughts and obstacles are illusionary. Human beings need new
experiences, physical activity, emotional charges and discharging to function properly and
feel well. By being procrastinating you are denying yourself from this, and excluding
yourself from the course of life, which leads to mental stagnation and intellectual
degradation ultimately.

3. Laziness
Laziness is the quality of being unwilling to work due to dislike of the use of effort or
having no intention to spend one’s energy. Students are often engaged in other activities
that cause them to lose focus on their studies. They rarely study or do their assignments
and normally copy assignments from their friends or seek the help of professional project
suppliers who do the work for them in exchange of a fee.

Others spend most of their time going out with their friends and partying. This means
that they do not get time to study or do homework and assignments. Laziness in college
ultimately translates to failure and leaves one’s parents disappointed. Students should
cultivate a culture of working hard to ensure success. A good majority of students
maintain a strong aversion to waking up early in the morning and commuting. And this
aversion is probably the strongest in the undergraduates of recent professional colleges.

The basic reasons for laziness are :

 Lack of willpower : Even though you know exactly how important a specific
task for you can be, you still don´t have the willpower to get started. This
type of laziness is experienced by students who have the exams round the
corner but they are not yet charged up.
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 Lack of motivation : This mainly due to not having proper goals and aims,
having no purpose in life or when people do not know how to get motivated
effectively. If you take up various professional courses like engineering or
medicine without predetermined goals and commitment to them, or because
your career path is decided by your parents or close friends; you lose
focus and soon get demotivated.
 Mindset : Some students do not want to come out of their comfort zone
and take pleasure in not doing anything because either they are over
confident of their capabilities and not time conscious or trying to play
delaying tactics to avert the work.

Laziness in students negatively affects his/her relationships with their friends and
teachers due to certain behavioural standards they usually develop at work. In particular,
lazy people tend to handover their work to someone else, often because of expecting that
other people are more responsible students and will accomplish additional tasks anyway.
They often procrastinate, justifying themselves by various reasons or getting distracted
by less important and more enjoyable tasks. Lethargic individuals develop a habit of
complaining about their circumstances, or to put themselves in a favourable light and show
that they work faster than their friends. Later on when they pursue their career they
continue the habit of evading work, shirk off responsibilities and are generally rendered
unreliable and undervalued in the organization. These behavioural patterns usually result
into the loss of a job, with the follow up of anxiety, depression, and other psychic
disturbances.

Another negative aspect of being lazy is connected to physical health. Lethargic persons
are physically less active than those who prefer to throw themselves to any working
condition. Logically, idle people spend more time without movement and therefore spend
less energy resulting into obesity, heart issues and many more irreversible ailments.

All human beings need new experiences, physical activity, emotional charges and
discharging to function properly and feel well. By being lethargic a person denies
themselves from this, and excludes themselves from the course of life, which leads to
mental stagnation and intellectual degradation.

Remember, laziness is a habit, not a personality trait. Being lethargic or unproductive is

ultimately just a habit. By breaking out of your old habits and creating new ones, you'll get
used to being active as the new norm. Even if you still don't totally know what to do with
your days, you'll be more motivated to find something to move on to.

One effective way to do this is to use a checklist for your gaols. This will allow you to set
specific goals for yourself and mark off when you do them. This provides two major
benefits. First, it reminds you what you need to do and helps your past self and keeps you
accountable. Perhaps more importantly, it shows you how often you've succeeded

4. Unwilling To Change
As you transition from high school to college, you need to learn how to take greater
personal control of their learning, which often includes changing aspects of their academic
behaviour.
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The first problem is that many students fail to seek help. Students, particularly those at
the lower academic achievement levels, do not readily participate in academic support
services unless they are required.

A second problem is that students who enrol in academic support programs often fail to
attend sessions or classes on a regular basis.

A third problem is that students who do enrol in academic support programs often fail to
benefit from such programs or courses because they do not change their academic
behaviour. It is very difficult to change the study skills that students have acquired,
usually over many years of study---older students are more resistant to change. Although
most programs in which the thrust is study skills use by university students, the efforts
on study skills are minimal.

Without realizing it, many students have probably automated their study habits through
their repeated use during the 12 years of schooling prior to college. Changing such
automated behaviours requires considerable commitment, effort, and time, leading some
students to conclude that they lack the willpower and inner strength and therefore cannot
change. What makes matters worse is that when students are under pressure, such as
preparing for an important mid-term exam, they often resort back to their existing
automated skills even when they know that these skills are not as useful or effective as
the new skills they have learned or practised. The combination of the ease with which
automated skills function, the effort that it takes to change this type of skill, and their
tendency to reassert themselves when students most need to shift to new skills causes
some students to believe that they simply cannot change their existing inefficient
academic habits.

Student resistance arises from a variety of sources, most of which are societal and
psychological.

Our dominant cultural values, institutional structures, and social climate promote
competitive individualism, hierarchy, and the belief in meritocracy. This leads people to
view dominant groups as normal and superior, to accept the unearned material benefits
awarded to those groups. The society encourages such groups to be self-focused, to see
others as threats, and to protect their own interests and resources. Thus the drive for
self-advancement can diminish the concern for greater equity. Parents who are in
privileged positions tend to resist changing a system from which they benefit.

One of the biggest roadblocks to addressing instructional rigor in schools is the

resistance to change that is displayed by teachers, students, parents, and other building
and district leaders. Every person deals differently with change. Some are more
accepting, others more resistant.

People respond to change in different ways. Some are early adopters and eagerly embrace
innovations. Some will never adopt a change; nothing can get them to embrace the
innovation. But most people can be moved toward support if given sufficient time and
information. People resist change for two primary reasons: they don’t see the value of the
change, or they are not sure that they will be successful with the change.
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5. Awareness Of Competition
Competitiveness means an aggressive desire to compete. Everyone has immeasurable
potential for growth and development. Competition inspires a student to realise his
potential by measuring his intellectual and physical capacities against those of a rival
competitor. Surpassing others in performance enhances a student's self-esteem. It
motivates him to greater efforts to improve further. Competitive opportunities provided
by the academics are a mechanism for upgrading the productive forces and also to
formulate norms for selection of leaders in various fields of technology.

Competition has greatly raised the academic standards over the last few decades.
Competitive spirit enters a student’s mind unobtrusively at an early age. Competition is a
part of life that can’t be avoided. Even when we don’t realize we are doing it, we all try our
hardest at what we do everyday trying to rise above everyone else. Often on the school
level many types of competition are nurtured and encouraged. Right from the level of
nursery school, the student gets competitive excitement when he out-performs his
playmates. He discovers that he has to master language and develop his verbal skills if he
is to make good impression on others. The periodical tests, debates, quiz events are all
designed to foster a spirit of competition among the young.

For every successful person in competition, there are many who fail and after having
failed stop making efforts at developing themselves. They withdraw into their shells and
sulk. It is a loss not only to them individually, but the family is also deprived of many
promising personalities which never attain full stature and do not contribute to the
collective growth of the community.

Academic competitions can be disadvantageous for students when they lead to fear,
anxiety and disappointment. Students might worry that they won't measure up or will
disappoint their teachers or parents. To help reduce anxiety, teachers often promote
friendly, age-appropriate games, grade-level-specific exams and academic competitions
that encourage students to beat their own previous individual scores. By focusing on
personal academic goals and individualized progress reports, parents and teachers
encourage students to do their personal best, rather than competing against peers.

Some students feel so much pressure to succeed at academic competitions that they put
everything else on hold. They might give up extracurricular activities, sports, musical
interests or community events to focus solely on academic challenges. Competition can be
negative when it leads to unbalanced living or forces students to give up their other
interests. Parents and teachers can encourage such students to have a balanced approach
to preparing and executing academic challenges, without sacrificing their other passions.

Why do some students perform better than others even when they have the same level of
ability or past performance? Why two students with equal academic abilities can respond
in remarkably different ways to frustration, with one relishing the opportunity to learn
and the other becoming demoralized and giving up. Such responses, in turn, affect
students’ ability to learn over the long term.

The beliefs about your academic ability influence your academic tenacity. If you are going
to invest your effort and energy in the academics, it is important that you first believe
the effort will pay off. Your belief in your ability to learn and perform well in college is
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your self-efficacy, which can predict your level of academic performance beyond the
measured level of ability and prior performance.

There are students with a fixed mind-set believe that their intellectual ability is a limited
entity, and they tend to worry about proving it rather than improving it. They are often
full of concerns about their ability, and this can lead, in the face of challenges and
setbacks, to destructive thoughts, for example “I may not perform well because the
subject is tough” or “because I am not keeping good health” or “I have certain domestic
responsibilities/obligations”, and so on. By contrast, students with a growth mind-set will
often perceive the identical challenge or setback in an entirely different light—as an
opportunity to learn.

Further, two students with equal academic abilities can respond in remarkably different
ways to frustration, with one relishing the opportunity to learn and the other becoming
demoralized and giving up. Student with an academic tenacity responds with persistence
and an excitement of challenge with constructive thoughts like, “Maybe I need to change
my strategy or try harder”. This mind-set allows the student to transcend momentary
setbacks to focus on long-term learning. Students who endorse a growth mind-set tend to
seek out academic challenges, persist on difficult academic tasks more, and develop their
abilities more readily.

Competition plays an important role in academic achievement because it often spurs

students to pursue excellence. Competitive spirit has raised the performance standards
enormously. Due to the proliferation of the engineering colleges all over India, it has
become really very difficult for students of average ability to get selected in professional
- medical, engineering or management - courses. Industrial acceptance is highly
competitive, so students who can stick out their necks, having worked hard to be at the
top of their academics only can receive the reward of getting decent job offers.

6. Lack of Goals
Most of us have big dreams that seem impossible to accomplish. It is easy to feel
discouraged when you’re staring at a massive, seemingly insurmountable mountain. Goals
propel you forward. Setting goals for yourself is a way to fuel your ambition. Goal setting
isn’t just about creating a plan for your life and holding yourself accountable, it is also
about giving you the inspiration necessary to aim for things you never thought possible.

Every year nearly 2,00,000 engineering students take admission in the state out of which
around 50% only qualify to get the coveted degree in the engineering, others fail. Even
you clear the academics in the 1st shot, the next day you will be queuing up in front of
recruiters to get your dream job. The job opportunities are limited and isn’t it logical that
the recruiter takes the best man available? Will that be you? Some are rejected over and
over for many occupations during their entire lives, and they often blame everyone but
themselves. Honest self- analysis is critical to success for the wise. We all make mistakes,
but it is the wise that are successful in adjusting to prevent the future failure in
achieving goals. The impact of failure can cause lasting damage to self-esteem, and the
consequences can influence an entire lifetime. The reasons why students fail to achieve
the goals are many:
a) Not understanding the amount of work required
The difference in the amount and quality of work demanded by a
reasonably good college and that required by professional colleges is much
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greater than most students realize. Prior to college, school work is usually
parcelled out in small units and students usually spend a minimum amount of
time studying. In college, you may actually have to work harder than you
ever did earlier and still may find that the efforts are not sufficient.

b) Priority of other activities

College may be considered important to those who have defined career
goals. But some students get into academic difficulty because college is not
really very important to them. But if they do not really understand the
importance of studying in college and if they let other activities get in the
way, chances are they will not do very well in college. Watch what other
meritorious students do and how they spend their time. Actions reveal true
values and reflect where students really put education in their personal
scheme of things. While social activities are important, discerning students
will put academics before other activities.

c) Vagueness about long-range goals

No doubt, many realize that success in college demands a great deal of
hard work. However, the desire for pleasure and fun is also a very strong
need among adolescents. One of the signs of maturity is the ability to
delay immediate pleasure and look at long-range goals. These goals do not
have to be specifically defined, but they must be your own. You must have
a sense of working toward a goal or reward that you really want, whether it
is the pleasure of a good grade, a still undefined career, or status and
security.

d) Inappropriate choice of a branch/specialization

There are few students with a very clear idea of themselves at the age of
18 or 19; consequently, many students initially may choose inappropriate
fields of study. One of the purposes of college is to help students discover
or create their identities through education. Students must be aware of
their own development and adjust previous goals and decisions to
accommodate personal growth.

e) Poor language skills

To a large extent, the success or failure of a student in college directly
hinges on mastery of the language, English in particular for the engineering
students. A student must be able to read, to write, to speak, and to listen
effectively. Being ineffective in the language abilities can lead to academic
difficulty. All college students, no matter how bright, are expected to
improve their language skills. Listening with comprehension is a particularly
neglected skill, and students often must overcome a life-time of poor
listening habits.

f) Lack of personal standards of quality

Before college, judging a student’s work is largely the teacher’s
responsibility. The trouble with this process is that many students do not
learn to evaluate their own work and to develop high standards of quality.
They frequently overestimate their understanding of college material and
the quality of their written work. This factor alone may lead to taking
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criticism too personally, placing blame on instructors, and claiming

personality conflicts with teachers.

g) Interference from psychological problems

College is a time of growth and development and establishing emotional
independence from parents, determining a personal value system, finding a
career goal, establishing relationships within peer groups. While these
demands are normal age-related tasks, they may sometimes become
overwhelming and seriously interfere with academic performance.

h) Failure to assume responsibility

Perhaps the greatest change and challenge facing students is dealing with
the increased freedom which students experience when they are away
from home. Choices are presented regarding the use of time, personal
habits, social activities, and even whether or not to attend class or do
assignments. These choices are accompanied by consequences. Although
friends, parents, and faculty may advise, the choices and consequences are
ultimately the responsibility of the student.

i) Selection of the wrong college

There is an enormous range of institutions and academic standards.
Students may find themselves at a college for which they are unprepared.
The campus climate and/or size may not be personally suitable. The right
match of student and college is an important ingredient of college success
and satisfaction.

j) Poor high school preparation

Some students find that their educational background or their lack of
effort has not prepared them for the academic demands of the higher
education in colleges. They may need remedial programs to make up for
past deficiencies.

The basic steps to setting a goal are:

Identify your short and long-term goals and put them in writing. Think about what you
would like to accomplish; what skills you would like to master; what connections you’d like
to make at the college/university. Make sure your goals are realistic and fit your
personality, lifestyle and values.
.
7. Lack of Comprehension
Comprehension is more about how you interpret something where knowledge is more based
on memorization of facts.

In today's world of exponential growth of knowledge, the issue of quality education and
students' learning has become a topic of concern. The knowledge is considered by most of
the students to be a body of information to be transmitted to them and the job of the
teacher is to present this information to the students in an organised fashion. This view
of knowledge has now been profoundly changed. You have to play a much greater and active
role in the acquisition of knowledge and in the development of your cognitive abilities. You
as a student should play an active role in learning and should be able to construct your own
knowledge and meaning, instead of cramming factual information. You are no longer
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required to memorise piece meal facts and isolated bits of information, but to
demonstrate high intellectual abilities to develop proper understanding of the subject
matter and be able to apply this knowledge in real life situations.

Your ability to retain information while performing concurrent processing, often referred
to as working memory, is critical to the acquisition of increasingly more complex knowledge
and skills. The working memory is a short term memory, analogous to the RAM in your
computer. However, your ability to master the content of daily instruction largely
depends on your ability to successfully process information in working memory and move
the information to long-term memory where it is stored indefinitely and also retrieve the
information effectively when needed. Most students are able to do so successfully.
However, if information that you are trying to process overloads your working memory,
which has the capacity of handling not more than 7 at a time, learning and understanding
will be negatively affected.

In order to make the working memory work effectively, you need to look out for the visual
aids like animations, videos, and models which can serve as an outside memory and can
therefore help you retain information easily and more effectively.

Sometimes keywords, coding can also help you recollect information point-wise when a
large no. of data is required to be retrieved. Coding can be a personal choice, but it is
better if you can use some acronyms which make sense as a word, to be more effective.
For example if the answer to a question : “what are the costs you must control to make an
organization run efficiently”, is maintenance, operational and production costs”; you can
codify it to “MOP”, an acronym which makes sense and is easy to remember.

Grouping or chunking information can be accomplished by organizing visual or verbal

information according to specific categories. Chunks are clusters of items that are stored
as a single unit, which increases the number of items that you can recall. A simple example
can be of remembering the mobile phone nos : it is easier to remember a no. like 984-432-
2641 than 9844322641.

The lack of comprehension in students can be attributed to the following :

a) Attention and Concentration
 difficulty focusing and maintaining attention on academic tasks
 short, but intense attention span; tasks will either bore or hold
attention of student for long periods of time; student can seem off
task
 easily distracted by even a minimal level of noise
 disorganization accompanied by snap decisions; often loses things;
careless errors
 difficulty juggling multiple task demands or abrupt change in direction
 distorted sense of time; unaware how long it will take to do something
 get tired or overloaded quickly; need frequent breaks when studying
 hyperactivity and excessive movements may accompany the inability to
focus

b) Lack of proficiency in language

 not able to follow the language
 not able to follow the pronunciation
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 not able to represent in writing

c) Organizational and Study Skills

 organization problems in written notes and compositions
 poor time management
 difficulty in organizing tasks into manageable parts
 repeated inability to recall what has been taught on a day to day basis
 inefficient use of resources like internet, library
 inefficient preparation for tests and taking tests

d) Psychological barriers
 takes a long time to get focused and get thoughts organized
 frustration associated with unsuccessful attempts to read, write, spell
and speak correctly
 anxious about deadlines
 classroom distractions like mobile phones and disengaging
 napping

e) Memory related
 cannot quickly retrieve names from memory
 difficulty memorizing formulas
 confusing or mixing up, forget basic information

f) Indiscipline
 absenteeism
 arriving late or leaving early
 gossiping during class
 malpractice during exams

High achieving learners regardless of discipline typically possess three characteristics :

First, they think deeply about the subject matter rather than superficial memorization of
concepts.
Secondly, they are adaptive in their learning process rather than repeating or relying on a
single method.
Finally, high level learners have an attitude that reflects a willingness to put forth
cognitive effort

8. Physical Health
Your physical health can have a large impact on your immune system, your stress levels,
and even your academics. Daily choices such as the food you eat and the amount of sleep
you get affect your overall physical health and your ability to achieve your goals.

Being physically active can reduce stress and help you feel more energized and alert,
making it a lot easier to focus on studying, completing assignments, and preparing for
exam. Healthy mind exists in a healthy body and that is exactly why educational
institutions emphasize a lot on physical education. Physical education is unique as it is the
only programme that provides students with opportunities to learn more skills, develop
fitness and self-confidence. In order to keep yourself physically fit, you must be doing
the following :
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a) Balance Your Diet

Fruits and vegetables are a natural source of energy and are the best eat-on-the-
go foods. Eat regular healthy meals to help keep up your energy. Fast food stalls,
all-you-can-eat dining facilities, vending machines, and easy access to food 24
hours a day make it tempting to overeat or choose foods loaded with calories,
saturated fat, sugar, and salt and finally end up in obesity.

b) Take care of eating disorders

Eating disorders are serious medical problems and are more common in females
than males. Although they are marked by severe disturbances in eating behaviour,
they are more than just a problem with food. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa,
and binge-eating disorder are all types of eating disorders. Eating disorders often
develop during adolescence or early adulthood, but can occur during childhood or
later in adulthood.
Although there is no single known cause of eating disorders, several things may
contribute to the development of these disorders:

 Extreme craze for thinness : It has become a social and cultural ideal
particularly in girls who define themselves by how physically attractive
they are and they starve themselves by what they call “dieting”.
 Personal characteristics. Feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, and poor
self-image often accompany eating disorders.
 Emotional disorders : Mental health problems, like depression or anxiety,
occur along with eating disorders.
 Stressful events or life changes. Things like starting a new school or job or
being teased and traumatic events like rape can lead to the onset of eating
disorders.
 Biology. Studies are being done to look at genes, hormones, and chemicals
in the brain that may have an effect on the development of, and recovery
from eating disorders.
 Families. Parents’ attitudes about appearance and diet can affect their
kids' attitudes.

Healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer and
other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and
minerals, fibre, and other substances that are important for good health.

c) Alcoholism & Drug Abuse

Alcohol & drugs use accounts for substandard job performances and a no. of
deaths per year in this country. It contributes in the form of suicides, violent
crimes, accidents-both industrial and traffic-related and majority of all domestic
violence incidents. Consumption of alcohol causes low blood pressure, headaches,
stress, insomnia, dry mouth, hallucinations, irritability, rapid mood swings and
prolonged use can cause liver cirrhosis leading to death.

Consumption of marijuana and other psychedelic drugs may cause poor academic
performance, isolation, distorted perception, rapid heart-beat, lack of balance &
coordination, impairment in memory, anxiety, paranoia and a weakened immune
system---over-usage may also cause death.
 14

Why do modern college students indulge in alcoholism?

 Pressurised to use drugs or alcohol at social gatherings for giving company
initially, because everyone else seems to be doing it, only to become an
addiction later on
 Carrying a false notion that drug or alcohol abuse offers a way to escape from
college or work related stress, financial worries or relationship problems
 Some feel that alcohol or drugs provide a way to compensate for feelings of
shyness or low self-esteem
 Sometimes, alcohol acts as a substitute for satisfying relationships,
educational accomplishments, or self-fulfillment and celebrations
 Some take boozing as a symbol of status & dignity and fancy to have a bar in
the living room as a proof of affluence

d) Physical activity
You should get at least 2-3 hours of physical activity a week. Regular activity helps
improve your overall health and fitness. It also reduces your risk for many chronic
conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Find something you
enjoy, such as jogging or running, dancing, or playing sports like football, cricket,
volley ball, tennis etc. Regular physical activity reduces health risks and lessens
the symptoms associated with some common chronic mental health disorders.

What are some of the possible benefits of exercise?

 Reduced psychiatric symptoms

 Reduced stress resulting from burning off stress chemicals such as
adrenaline
 Release of endorphins -- chemicals that have a naturally relaxing and
calming effect on the body
 Improved memory
 Increased energy
 Improved sleep
 Improved focus
 Better regulation of mood
 Weight loss
 Increased sense of accomplishment and self-esteem
 Distraction from negative thinking
 Opportunities to meet others with similar interests

On the other hand, over-exercise is when someone engages in strenuous physical

activity to the point that is unsafe and unhealthy. In fact, some studies indicate that
young women who are compelled to exercise at excessive levels are at risk for
developing eating disorders.

e) Adequate sleep
Have a good sleeping environment. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and relaxing.
Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on
the weekends. Avoid all-nighters by scheduling your timings properly in the evening.
Sleeplessness may cause drowsiness and sluggishness during the day and will cause
trouble in concentrating & participating in class, taking tests, or making decisions.
 15

9. Mental health
Thousands of students enroll in engineering colleges for the first time every year. For
many of these students, the transition to college life can be overwhelming. From newfound
freedom to the rigours of college-level coursework and everything in between, the
pressure and stress can take its toll. On top of that, many mental health issues tend to
emerge during an individual’s early or late twenties. The shift to a new life at a
professional college can trigger previously undetected mental health issues.

Mental health disorders among college students are on the rise, which has made the
mental and emotional well-being of young adults a growing concern within higher education.
More students are seeking help for various types of mental health issues, from eating
disorders to emotional problems to self-injury. Awareness and treatment are essential if
schools want to prevent crises that result in failing classes, dropping out and severe
emotional issues like suicides.

Some of the most common mental health issues the students face are:

 Stress : It is a very common issue which affects the body both physically and
emotionally, Students are stressed by the pressure of academics, assignments ,
the financial cost of the course, homesickness in some cases and increased
competition to succeed. The symptoms of stress are : increased heart rate,
fatigue, lack of focus, short-temperedness, sleeplessness, irritability etc. Good
nutrition, good time management, exercise & physical exercises, meditation,
relaxing techniques, peer support and involvement can relieve you of the stress to
a great extent.
 Anxiety Disorders :
It is a feeling of fear and unease about something that might happen. Although a
helpful response at times to prepare for the future, it can interfere with your daily
life and can be a problem. People with an anxiety disorder run a higher risk of
experiencing health problems. It can be of 4 types :
 Generalized anxiety disorder : The anxiety can be due to worry or fear
before confronting something challenging such as a test, examination,
recital, or interview or matter related to family, finance and health.
 Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by high levels of anxiety
when separated from a person or place that provides feelings of security
or safety. Sometimes separation results in panic, and it is considered a
disorder when the response is excessive or inappropriate.
 Panic Disorder is a type of anxiety characterized by brief or sudden
attacks of intense terror and apprehension that leads to shaking,
confusion, dizziness, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
 Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is anxiety that results from previous
trauma such as military combat, rape, hostage situations, or a serious
accident.
While Anxiety can be treated medically, with psychological counselling, or
independently; it can also be treated at home :
 by learning how to manage the stress
 by doing physical exercises that provide relaxation
 meditation
 16

 counselling by elders and close friends

 distracting mind and taking a break

 Eating Disorders
They are often triggered by major life transitions, such as going away to college.
The three most common eating disorders are:
 Anorexia nervosa: Distorted image of the body that leads to dieting
even when severely underweight.
 Bulimia nervosa: Bingeing on large amounts of food in a short amount of
time followed by forced vomiting.
 Binge-eating disorder: Uncontrollable, obsessive eating followed by
extreme feelings of shame and guilt.

These disorders can be corrected by good time management and counselling by

parents and close friends.

 Alcoholism& Drug Abuse

If you're feeling low or stressed, you may be tempted to drown your sorrows in alcohol
or relax by smoking cannabis. Consider how this may make you feel in the longer term
though, as your mood could slip, making you feel a lot worse. Smoking cannabis can give
many unpleasant experiences, including confusion, hallucinations, anxiety and paranoia.
There's also growing evidence that long-term cannabis use can double your risk of
developing a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia.
Ecstasy and amphetamines can also bring on schizophrenia and can induce other forms
of psychosis.

The reasons of addiction to alcohol or drugs normally are :

 Pressurised to use drugs or alcohol at social gatherings for giving company

initially, because everyone else seems to be doing it, only to become an
addiction later on
 Carrying a false notion that drug or alcohol abuse offers a way to escape
from college or work related stress, financial worries or relationship
problems
 Some feel that alcohol or drugs provide a way to compensate for feelings
of shyness or low self-esteem
 Sometimes, alcohol acts as a substitute for satisfying relationships,
educational accomplishments, or self-fulfillment and celebrations
 Some take boozing as a symbol of status & dignity and fancy to have a bar
in the living room as a proof of affluence

A strong determination, will power and proper parental guidance can help the student
avert addiction to alcohol and other psychedelic drugs. Chronic cases have to be
referred for medical help.

 Suicides
Students with untreated depression due to repeated failures in examinations, debts,
severe pain & chronic health issues, frustration in love affairs often feel helpless in
solving their problems, which often leads to suicidal thoughts. On top of that many
students resist treatment because of the stigma associated with it; so some may feel
 17

that committing suicide is the only way out. Though it sometimes seems like a
desperate act, one that came without warning, there are often clues that tell when
someone has reached that level of hopelessness that makes them believe taking their
life is the only alternative.. The signs aren’t always as clear in everyone, and they
differ from one person to the other : high depression, sudden change in behaviour,
trying to stay aloof, giving hints of the suicidal thoughts, etc. People having such
mental condition have to be handled very carefully, need counselling from parents and
psychiatrists and should never be allowed to stay alone.

10. Emotional & Psychological Health

College can be an overwhelming place, especially for students just starting college, and the
shift to a new life at school can trigger previously undetected mental health issues such as
depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. Many college students experience some type of
mental health problem : Emotional issues that were absent, controlled, or hidden in high
school may start to cause problems in the new environment. Everyone goes through rough
patches or has a day every now and then when they feel down, sad, and even hopeless, but
real depression is more than that. The student who goes from being socially engaged and
following a normal routine to retreating from regular school and social activities could very
well be depressed.

 Social withdrawal
 Loss of appetite
 Sleeplessness
 Marked change in appearance, self-care, hygiene
 Excessive self- criticism
 Tearful calls
 Talk of hopelessness
 Loss of motivation
 Excessive fatigue or lethargic mood
 Extreme increases in energy, rapid speech and thoughts
 Inability to think and concentrate, dramatic change in grades
 Development of symptoms of self-harm or suicide
 Becoming introvert
 Frequent crying

People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their emotions and their behaviour.
They are able to handle life’s challenges, build strong relationships, and recover from
setbacks. But just as it requires effort to build or maintain physical health, so it is with
mental and emotional health. Improving your emotional health can be a rewarding
experience, benefiting all aspects of your life, including boosting your mood, building
resilience, and adding to your overall enjoyment of life.

Mental or emotional health refers to your overall psychological well-being. It includes the
way you feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, and your ability to manage
your feelings and deal with difficulties. Good mental health isn't just the absence of
mental health problems. Being mentally or emotionally healthy is much more than being
free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Rather than the absence of
mental illness, mental and emotional health refers to the presence of positive
characteristics.
 18

A sound mental health will ensure the following :

 A sense of contentment.
 A zest for living and the ability to laugh and have fun.
 The ability to deal with stress and bounce back from adversity.
 A sense of meaning and purpose, in both their activities and their relationships.
 The flexibility to learn new things and adapt to change.
 A balance between work and play, rest and activity, etc.
 The ability to build and maintain fulfilling relationships.
 Self-confidence and high self-esteem.

Being emotionally and psychologically healthy doesn’t mean never going through bad times
or experiencing emotional problems. We all go through disappointments, loss, and change.
And while these are normal parts of life, they can still cause sadness, anxiety, and stress.
The difference is that people with good emotional health have an ability to bounce back
from adversity, trauma, and stress. This ability is called resilience. People who are
emotionally and mentally healthy have the tools for coping with difficult situations and
maintaining a positive outlook. They remain focused, flexible, and creative in bad times as
well as good.

11. Mental Disorders

It is very uncommon for students to experience varying degrees of stress, anxiety, and
depression during their time in college, in as much as they encounter both academic and
non-academic stresses during their college experience. Some examples of non-academic
stressors include personal relationships, work life, and family. Moving away from home to
college hostels can aggravate existing mental illnesses or trigger new ones. Some of the
cases of diagnosable mental disorders may manifest later, after graduating, however
mental health issues must have emerged before or during college—either ignored or not
taken care of properly. The common issues are :

 Depression
Depression is the number prime reason students drop out of school, if left untreated,
could lead to other symptoms or suicide. Depression is a common but serious illness
that leaves you feeling despondent and helpless, completely detached from the world.
It interferes with your life, making it difficult to work, study, sleep and eat.
Depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain and are likely caused by a combination
of genetics, biological, psychological and environmental factors. It is caused by a
chemical imbalance in our brains, so the way one displays depressive signs is not,
necessarily, the way symptoms emerge in others. There will be similarities, but how
each person reacts and behaves is determined by how they handle change, where they
are in their lives and their proclivity to becoming depressed. Symptoms of depression
are :
 Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
 Change in appetite or weight
 Slowed thinking or speech
 Loss of interest in activities or social gatherings
 Fatigue, loss in energy, sleeplessness
 Feelings of guilt or anger over past failures
 Trouble concentrating, indecisiveness
 Anger or frustration for no distinct reason
 19

 Thoughts of dying, death and suicide

The stresses of being away from home, managing coursework and finding your path
can lead to intense feelings of inadequacy.

 Anxiety
It is a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety
of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behaviour or attacks of
panic. It is a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some
ill-defined misfortune.

Anxiety disorders can be categorized as :

Generalized anxiety disorder – constant, severe anxiety that interferes with day-
to-day activities.
 Obsessive-compulsive disorder – unreasonable thoughts, fears and
obsessions that lead you to repetitive behaviours or compulsions.
 Panic disorder – characterized by frequent sudden attacks of terror, panic
and constant fearfulness.
 Posttraumatic stress disorder – a condition that’s triggered by
experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event.
 Social anxiety disorder – when everyday interactions cause irrational
anxiety, fear, self-consciousness and embarrassment.

The symptoms are :

 Feelings of stress and apprehension
 Irritability
 Trouble concentrating
 Fearfulness
 Sweating and dizziness
 Shortness of breath
 Irregular heartbeat
 Muscle pain and tension
 Headaches
 Frequent stomach upsets

The reasons for anxiety disorders can be the genetics, naturally occurring brain
chemicals, life experiences or stress.

 Eating disorders
These are emotions and attitudes that revolve around food and weight issues :
 Anorexia Nervosa – Characterized by an unhealthy fixation on thinness,
distorted body image and fears of gaining weight, this disorder results in
disturbed eating behaviours and emaciation.
 Bulimia Nervosa – This is a binge eating disorder, involving recurrent and
frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food, followed by
behaviour that compensates for binging, like purging, fasting or over-
exercising.
 Binge Eating Disorder – Characterized by constant cravings that occur any
time of day and that then result in binge eating. This is often associated
with poor body image and low self-esteem.
 20

The symptoms are of the above are :

 Distorted or poor body image
 Excessive exercise
 Irregular heartbeats
 Dehydration
 Feeling like eating is out of control
 Fear of eating in public
 Constantly making excuses for eating habits

 Addiction
An addiction is defined as a dependency and an abnormal craving for repeated
abuse of a substance such as drugs or alcohol. What starts as a social tradition in
partying can become a full-fledged addiction and if not controlled can lead to
several health issues and even death. The symptoms of prolonged addiction are :

 Slurred speech, bloodshot eyes or impaired coordination

 Fearful, anxious or paranoid for no apparent reason
 Changed behaviours, frequently get into fights or trouble with the law
 Deterioration of physical appearance, such as weight loss or gain, and
change in personal grooming habits
 A sudden change in friends, activities or hobbies

 Suicide
Suicides are one of the major issues of the premature death of students other
than accidents. The main reason why students take this ghastly step is depression
while for others it is likely to be an impulsive act, perhaps triggered by a
traumatic experience, for example the death of a loved one, loneliness, repeated
failures in exams or getting a job, break ups, unmanageable debts and chronic
health issues. Some of the feelings and experiences that may contribute to
someone feeling suicidal are:
 Depression, negative change in mood, sense of hopelessness
 Talk of suicide, wanting to die, or dropping hints about suicidal thoughts
 Abrupt change in personality and behaviour
 Extreme physical and emotional pain
 Drop in academic performance
 Avoiding friends or social activities
 Sudden calmness after a long period of depression

 Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder that affects a person’s ability to think
clearly, manage emotions, distinguish reality from unreality, make decisions, and relate
to others. It is a complex, chronic medical illness whose first signs typically emerge in
the teenage years or early twenties. The symptoms of schizophrenia are

 Hallucinations: hear or see things that are not there

 Delusions: believe things that are false, such as that people are
reading their thoughts, or they are controlling other people’s minds
 Lack of expression: Inability to start or follow through with activities
 Lack of pleasure/interest in life
 21

 Confused thinking and speech

 Slower movement, repeating rhythmic gestures

Schizophrenia seems to be caused by a combination of problems, including genetic

vulnerability as well as environmental factors that occur during a person’s development

12. Food
Healthy eating has been linked to higher grades, better memory, more alertness, faster
information processing and improved health leading to better college attendance. Your
body needs the right fuel and regular exercise, lifestyle and mental attitude to achieve its
true health potential. Healthy eating with a balance diet can help you in following ways:

 Improve your physical strength

 Give you vitality and energy for life
 Help you stay at a weight that's right for you
 Maintain the essential parts of your body like heart, liver, kidneys and
lungs
 Boost your immune system
 Improve your memory power
 Improve sports performance
 Delay the effects of aging
 Keep you active
 Help beat fatigue
 Protect teeth and keep gums healthy
 Enhance your ability to concentrate more

Good food habits constitute :

 Low Fat
Cutting down on all fats from fatty and fried foods, butter, cream, margarine and
oils is agreed on by nutritionists the world over as a way of making the modern
diet healthier and reducing weight. Cutting down on saturated fat in particular is
important for the heart.

 Starchy Carbohydrates
We have forgotten how important rice, pasta, potatoes, bread and cereals are to
our health. Forget the stodgy image of starch from years gone by! Starch is in
again and may turn out to be just as critical as fibre is now.

 High Fibre
Fibre, that largely indigestible part of our food and often the part that really gets
us chewing, is responsible for so much good. It not only keeps our insides moving
smoothly but it helps to lower cholesterol, prevent gallstones and bowel cancer,
and keeps our weight in check. Wholemeal and grain breads are full of it, as are
brown rice, barley, lentils, beans and vegetables. To start your day, there is a
wonderful array of wholegrain and bran breakfast cereals.

 Vitamins, Minerals and Anti-Oxidants

Vegetables, fruit and grains carry an abundance of vitamins, minerals and
numerous other natural substances (called phytochemicals) which scientists are
 22

only just beginning to discover. Phytochemicals function as anti-oxidants, which

fight off free radicals that could otherwise damage our cells, membranes and
DNA. Numerous studies show that people who eat lots of veggies and fruit have
lower rates of heart disease and cancer.

 Variety
Variety doesn't mean 10 different cereal packs in your cupboard, but rather a
variety of botanically different foods. Pasta, bread, puffed wheat and couscous all
look and taste different but are all derived from the one basic grain i.e., wheat. So
they all provide similar nutrient. Substituting other grains like oats, barley, corn or
rye for some wheat adds diversity to your diet and ensures a wider range of
nutrients. The nutrients you miss from one food, you can make up from another.

 Less Sugar and Sweets

Sugar in modest amounts adds to the flavour of cooking and is a useful fuel for
athletes and other active people. In excess, however, sugar adds unwanted
kilojoules and can displace other more important foods - particularly for children
and teenagers. In chewy and sticky form, sugar also can cause dental caries (or
tooth decay).

 Less Salt
Our modern diet is laden with salt. It's not until you avoid salt for a few weeks
that you notice how it masks the true flavour of foods. As 75 per cent of our total
salt intake comes from everyday commercial foods (including bread, biscuits,
cereals, butter, deli meats and snack foods), it is imperative to buy salt-reduced
or no-added-salt products.

 Plenty of Fluids
Two litres (8 glasses) of fluid a day is needed to keep the body hydrated and the
kidneys working efficiently. In hot weather, even more fluid is required. Alcohol
and strong coffee do not count, as these act as diuretics and force the kidney to
excrete more fluid than normal.

 Enjoy Mealtimes
Stress, tension, rushing and eating on the run all take their toll on your digestion
and health. Try to relax and take the time to really appreciate the food in front of
you. Not only will it increase your enjoyment and satisfaction by having a
comfortably full stomach, this technique is often recommended as a strategy to
help people lose weight.

13. Slow Learners

A slow learner is a student who has the ability to learn necessary academic skills, but at
rate and depth below average peers of same age. In order to grasp new concepts, a slow
learner needs more time, more repetition, and often more resources from teachers to be
successful. Reasoning skills are typically delayed, which makes new concepts difficult to
learn. A slow learner does not necessarily have intellectual disability or mental retardation
learns slower than average students and will need additional help to succeed.

Typically, a slow learner has difficulty with higher order thinking or reasoning skills. This
suggests that it will be more challenging to learn new concepts. This can be difficult when
 23

the majority of the class has already mastered a concept and is moving on, while the slow
learner needs more time resulting in gaps in basic knowledge and concepts for him. They
are prone to anxiety, low self-image, and eventually may be quick to give up. It becomes
necessary finding other activities that the student can be successful taking emphasis on
his strengths as well. Such students require will require additional help, support, and
accommodations through :

 Repetition, until a concept is made more concrete.

 Encouraging other related activities in which the student can experience
success and keep them connected.
 Doing frequent class room exercises, homework and revision exercises.
 Tutoring- This helps fill in gaps in basic skills through more person-to-person
contact and it helps a student stay caught up.
 Teach study skills to help the student become more efficient in studying
 Teach the most important concepts and leave out some of the less important
details.
 Peer tutoring
 Linking academic learning to real-world experiences like study tours.
internships, industry visits

Slow learners sometimes perform at a higher level when information is presented in a

concise fashion. The more abstract a concept or teaching technique, the more difficult it
is for them to learn. They do not transfer or generalize skills, knowledge, and strategies
as well as their same age peers. Sometimes they tend to learn what is taught quite well
but have difficulty transferring and applying the concepts taught either verbally or in
writing due lack of proficiency in language. They have difficulty in organizing new material
and assimilating incoming information into previously acquired information. They gradually
develop a habit of memorising lessons and reproducing in the examinations verbatim. the
most exasperating trait is their inability to have long-term goals. They live in the present,
and so have considerable problems with time management perhaps due to a short attention
span and poor concentration skills.

Are you a slow learner? Then there are some issues you may need to take care on your
own:

 Improve your listening skills. Maybe you are not mentally present in the classroom
or getting distracted by worries, eager to go home early or planning how to spend
the evening.
 Identify your problem areas and focus on them seeking extra tutorial help from
teachers
 Make use of the library and the internet facilities to go through the topics you are
finding difficult to comprehend. You may find an easier and better way of
explaining than you had in the classroom.
 Work out various numerical exercises—both solved and unsolved to improve your
confidence level.
 Peer support is sometimes most effective…take the help of your classmates to
solve your difficulties.

14. Limitation Of Brain : Lack Of Oxygen, Food, Rest, Meditation

 24

The brain is the human supercomputer and it is that differentiates humans from all other
animals. The brain is a continuously evolving organ, and it is always a work in progress – it
keeps revising or remodelling, improving or declining, depending on how we use it. If the
brain is properly exercised, it helps you boost your intelligence level significantly, at any
age. But if you let your brain remain idle, it is bound to lose its sharpness. Here are a few
ways to make your brain work better:
a) Physial Exercises
As you age, the birth of new brain cells becomes slower, and your brain tissue shrinks
in size. However, regular exercises can reverse this age-related decline. Regular
exercise –cardiovascular exercise in particular, boosts the blood flow to your brain,
which helps deliver much-needed oxygen to brain cells. (the brain consumes nearly 20%
of the oxygen in our body). Studies have shown that people see a significant increase
in brain volume if they exercise regularly.

b) Oxygen Requirement
Oxygen is the most vital nutrient for our bodies. It is essential for the integrity of
the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs. The brain consumes 20% of the oxygen
your body requires. Decreased supply of oxygen to the brain cells may cause hypoxia
which may be caused by suffocation, drowning, or asthma, hypotension or cardiac
arrest. People, particularly the aged and those who have low blood pressure problem
often are susceptible to hypoxia when they visit places of high altitude. Shortage of
oxygen on a sustained basis may result in insomnia, mental sluggishness, hearing &
vision decline, hallucinations, amnesia, and muscle spasms.

One of the major secrets of vitality and rejuvenation is a purified blood stream. The
quickest and most effective way to purify the blood stream is by taking in extra
supplies of oxygen from the air we breathe. Pranayama or breathing exercises taught
in yoga are the most effective methods ever devised for saturating the blood with
extra oxygen.

Oxygen purges the toxins in the body; in fact, most of our energy requirements come
not from food but from the air we breathe. By purifying the blood stream, every part
of the body benefits, as well as the mind.

c) Bloodlessness
Shortage of RB cells in blood which carries oxygen to the brain cells affect the brain
considerably and may cause anaemic anoxia. It is therefore important to maintain
healthy blood chemistry in the body. Consumption of alcohols, narcotics and
psychedelic agents result in harmful consequences due to interference of the toxic
material in them with the oxygen supply. Leafy vegetables, fish, fruits, nuts,, cinnamon
are known to improve brain health.

d) Breathing habit
A lot depends on your breathing habits. Slow and deep breathing improves oxygen
intake in your body and blood circulation which are necessary for your brain health. It
also calms down nerves, relaxes muscles and strengthens lungs & heart. With the
increased assimilation of oxygen, your brain automatically produces neuro-chemicals
that calm you down.

e) Meditation
 25

It is a state of profound, deep peace that occurs when the mind is calm and silent, yet
completely alert. It is not just the mental concentration on something that gives us
peace or satisfaction as it is generally conceived. In reality, meditation is a state of
thoughtless awareness, not an act of doing. Meditation relieves you from stresses,
improves memory power, relaxes your muscles and improves breathing. During
meditation following activities take place :
 The frontal cortex, which is the most evolved part of the brain responsible
for reasoning, planning, emotions and self-conscious awareness goes
offline.
 Parietal lobe is a part of the brain which processes sensory information
about the surrounding world, orienting you in time and space. During
meditation, activity in the parietal lobe slows down.
 Thalamus focuses your attention by funnelling some sensory data deeper
into the brain and stopping other signals in their tracks. Meditation
reduces the flow of incoming information to a trickle.
 Reticular formation is the brain’s sentry; this structure receives incoming
stimuli and puts the brain on alert, ready to respond. Meditating dials back
the arousal signal.

Meditation improves the focus when you are not meditating. The neural connection
which triggers your anger when you are aroused, or causes unrest when you are scared
is loosened up and enables you to take a rational approach to the situation. The
emotional stimuli come from amygdala, the emotion centre of the brain. During
meditation the activity in this part of the brain calms down and you develop a sense of
compassion and relief from stress.

15. Bad Company

There is very popular proverb in English : “A man is known by the company he keeps”
Most of the time, watching someone else move causes a ‘mirroring’ effect — that is, the
parts of our brains responsible for movement are activated by watching someone else in
action. We humans usually absorb some of the emotions of the people we deal with then
experience a change in our own mood even though nothing bad happened to us.

Almost everyone knows that their friends can affect their life in a way or another but
what most people don't know is that this effect is far more powerful than they can
imagine. Stronger students do have an impact on their peers and actually help improve the
overall academic performance of the peer group.

Friends don't just influence our decisions but they can alter our view of the world, change
our perception and turn us into a different person. Having friends can help us get more
friends. People tend to like others who have a reputation for being nice and helpful, and
they like people who like them. These qualities will help get us on our way toward building
our social group.

There is also a dark side to friendship. The people who we know the best can also be the
ones who have the most power to betray us, should the relationship sour. If our friends
are doing something bad or harmful, we tend to be more likely to do so as well, the reason
which is very common these days why young people get in to the habit of drinking or drug
abuse.
 26

Bad friends can also cause stress to us when they get in the way of other important goals
or relationships.

They affect your self-confidence: friends alter the perception of each other, if the
majority of a group thinks that a person is arrogant or snobbish then this belief will be
transferred to the whole group. Since believing that someone is treating you in a bad way
might be interpreted as a sign that shows that you are not that worthy and such a belief
might affect your self-confidence badly. The pessimistic view of doing a challenging job
that your friends receive from their peers close to them is often reflected on you in the
form of suggestions and expert advices such as “no, this job a very difficult one”. This is
enough to create a mental block and discourage you from realizing our full potentials.

People who are anxious unconsciously may transfer to you some of their anxiety and this
can make you feel uneasy around them. Negative people can slow you down towards
achieving your goals. Whether they know it or not, they end up discouraging you from
being ambitious or following your dreams by questioning what you are doing and planting
doubts in head.

Negative energy from these ‘toxic’ people may affect your energy level, the stress and the
anxiety. There is a difference between someone sharing with you their struggles and
challenges vs someone who constantly complains. The difference is someone who is
genuinely struggling is willing to listen to the constructive feedback and is open to change.
Conversely, whiners and complainers don’t want to change and just want us to feel sorry
for them. They shoot down our ideas, which is pretty common---sometimes subtle and
harder to notice. Even though it may sound like they are giving you advice, in the end they
are just putting more doubts into your head because your actions may bring up their own
fears and insecurity.

It is better that you always surround yourself with people who think positive, support your
ambitions and encourage your ideas no matter how scary, risky, or seemingly unknown the
outcome could be, because they know how important it is for you.

16. Attitude
Attitude is a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and
dispositions to act in certain ways. Much of your behaviour depends on your attitudes. If
your attitudes are negative, you can expect to be vulnerable to addictions and
psychosomatic disorders, and the resulting lack of focus and concentration may degrade
every area of your life. A positive attitude can be developed by monitoring and disciplining
your thoughts on a moment-by-moment basis.

Attitudes are organized collections of thoughts about a particular issue. To think

positively, you need to eliminate certain negative thinking patterns that nearly everyone
indulges in at least some of the time. These include the four major types of negative
thinking filtering, personalizing, catastrophizing and polarizing. Filtering refers to
psychologically screening out the encouraging aspects of complex scenarios. Personalizing
means automatically blaming yourself every time something bad happens. Catastrophizing
is expecting the worst possible outcome in any situation, and polarizing is a type of black-
and-white thinking that defines failure as any result short of perfection.

The components of attitudes can be abbreviated as ABC :

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 Affective component: this involves a person’s feelings and emotions about the
attitude object, like “I am scared of dogs’
 Behavioural component: the way the attitude we have influences how we act or
behave. For example: “I will avoid dogs and scream if I see one”. Behaviour is a
consequence of your attitude, the strength with which you hold an attitude is
often a good predictor of behaviour, you usually expect the behaviour of a person
to be consistent with the attitudes that you hold. The stronger the attitude the
more likely it should affect behaviour.
 Cognitive component refers to the thoughts and beliefs one has about an attitude
object. For example you may be scared of the dogs because they may bite you and
you may catch rabbis.

All three components of an attitude are important, but their relative importance will vary
depending on your level of motivation with regard to the attitude object.

Fixating on thoughts and emotions, day in day out, affects all aspects of our lives. Learning
to be mindful of your “internal dialogue” helps you recognize thought patterns and how
they may be affecting the way you handle the situations of daily living.

Many people have found that, when they tune in to their internal dialogue, much of it is
negative. Thoughts like, “I could never do that” and “What if I fail?” can seriously impact
the way we behave. Stress, apparently associated with attachment to this negative
internal dialogue, in turn, affects every aspect of your life.

When you are stressed, specific hormones circulate in the body. Released infrequently,
these hormones are harmless, produced continuously, they are associated with serious
damage. Cardiovascular disease is related in part to continuous bombardment of stress
hormones and arterial damage caused by free radicals created in the process.

Letting go of attachment to these negative thoughts and emotions is liberating. This is a

process in itself that is well worth the effort. Very effective methods to help to place
the mind at ease have been developed over thousands of years, what is known as
meditation.

How do you realize a life of ease and well being ?

 Be still, look within. See the mental restlessness, dissatisfaction and uncertainty
 There are apparent causes of this view of unease.
 Know that within there is the potential to be at ease.
 Attaining mental openness is associated with full knowing and ease.

Positive thinking can result in longer life, elevated moods, lowered stress, a boosted
immune system, a stronger sense of well-being and better coping skills during stressful
events. Because of the connection between the body and mind, the psychological benefits
of positive thinking tend to reinforce its physical benefits, and vice versa.

How do you do that?

On average you get around 25,000 to 50,000 thoughts a in day, the first step is to know
that you have the ability to seize control of your mind. You will then have to train yourself
 28

into a moment-by-moment awareness of your own thinking patterns by the internal

dialogue, "What am I thinking right now?" Once you develop awareness of your own
thinking, you should identify negative thinking patterns and replace them with encouraging,
realistic and constructive thoughts--redefining a near-perfect job as a success rather
than an imperfect failure, for example.

Now how do you develop positive attitudes?

 Listen to your internal dialogue

 Learn to communicate honestly without any intention of harming/not harming
 Always be helpful
 Allow love in your life. The ability to love and be loved is a most basic human trait
 Do meditation regularly and find your spirituality
 Add humour in life
 Participate in physical and mental activities to improve confidence levels
 Communicate your needs effectively
 Follow the principles of holistic health – enlightened body, speech and mind in
harmony.

Attitude is how you approach others with your outlook on life, your manners, your posture,
your feelings, your mind-set, your way of thinking, and your way of behaving. You can
either be masters of our attitude, or be controlled by the bad attitudes of others. A
choice is given; an opportunity arises; it is up to you to respond. Attitude is essential for
love to flow, for character to be exhibited so that effective relationships can be built.

17. Not Studying & Completing Assignments

Writing assignments and homework are two of the most common ways in which instructors
give you an opportunity to develop, apply and demonstrate new knowledge. Assignments are
also an important means of summative assessment, providing you with grades that the
faculty hope reflects students’ level of effort and learning. Therefore, they deserve a
fair degree of attention on your part if you hope to make your learning a valuable
experience.

The reasons why students these days do not bother to study or complete home
assignments are :

 Not adequately prepared for post-secondary work and may lack foundational
skills (such as the ability to write clearly, comprehend readings, follow
instructions, etc.) that interfere with their ability to achieve passing grades.
For some reason, many students do not learn these skills throughout primary
school and high school, and so when they reach college they are not ready for
what it demands.
 Underprepared for college-level work in terms of basic writing, reading and
thinking skills. For example, they have an inability to think critically, an
inability to express oneself in a written format, and an inability to comprehend
the nature of assignments.
 Lack of organizational skills including time management and setting priorities
 Lack of academic preparedness and poor study skills, note-taking skills,
reading, and scientific reasoning skills, lack of experience, and more, without
directly attributing responsibility.
 29

 Pre-solved ‘important’ or ‘possible’ questions with answers are available in the

market in the form of ‘All-in-Ones’ which the majority of students consider, is
adequate to get good grades, rather than ‘wasting’ time in the classrooms
 Leniency and relaxation in benchmarking of the minimum no. of credits
required to qualify a semester by the universities time and again
 Malpractice by the students in exams conveniently ignored by the invigilation
for the benefit of good overall performance.
 Chronic absenteeism by the students due to various reasons, other than
genuine sickness.
 Distractions such as watching TV, excessive sport events or late night
partying.
 Alcoholism and drug abuse.
 Poor financial condition of the family requiring additional efforts by the
students to make a living.

Doing homework allows you to revise content learnt during the day with a fresh set of
eyes and a clear head, away from your friends and other distractions. This also provides
parents with an opportunity to get involved in their child’s classwork, providing assistance
and additional insight when needed. The benefits of doing home assignments are :

 Increases your individual involvement in applying specific skills and knowledge while
enjoying learning.

 Gives you an opportunity to demonstrate skills taught in class; to increase speed,

mastery and maintenance of skills.

 Builds responsibility, perseverance, time management, self-confidence and feelings

of accomplishment; develops and recognizes your diverse talents and skills that
may not be taught in college.

 Submitting homework also provides a good lesson in responsibility and diligence,

often with disciplinary consequences if homework is not returned or completed to
the required standard.

 Homework allows teachers to track your progress, meaning that they can spot
when you are struggling with content or falling behind the rest of the students in
the class.

Remember, when the teachers grade homework, making red marks for each wrong answer,
not only that they are helpfully pointing out how you can improve, but also telling you that
they are at the same time judging their efforts in teaching, not the final results.

18. Not Preparing For Unit Tests Or Exams

Like many students in the college, you may be unhappy about the results you attain in
exams. You may feel that even with all you are doing there must be something more — or
different– you could be doing to get better marks. It is often the case that students seek
effortless, short-term solutions to studying for exams, trying to learn a full year’s work in
the matter of a few days’ intensive studying. It is commonly believed that student who
only studies a couple of hours, pulling all-nighters, for final exams scores well. Please note
the following:
 30

 The difficulties you have with preparing effectively for exams stem from a need
to develop fundamental skills such as time management, reading for
comprehension, note-taking, and coping with anxiety.
 Maybe the difficulties you experience preparing for exams are related to
constraints on time, lack of preparation of appropriate kinds, and a misplaced
focus on the course material.
 You may have difficulty in developing an adequate understanding of the theoretical
perspectives of the course concepts and applying this understanding of one part of
the course to another and you end up writing irrelevant and unsolicited answers.
 Or you maintain the very popular approach of choosing to memorize answers to a
few selected questions which you might call “important” or “possible questions”.
This may turn out to be risky, may cause to you increased anxiety and a chance of
“blanking out” in exams.
 Majority you do not attend lectures, and factors such as lack of preparedness for
examinations, peer influence, pressure from work place and lack of confidence are
contributing to indulging in malpractices in the exams.

In order to study effectively with reasonably good performance in the exams, you should
be adopting following measures :
 Complete all necessary or central course readings and compile all of your notes
from various sources : teaching notes, assignments, textbooks & reference books
in the library, internet leads
 Share and exchange your class notes from peers
 Review past assignments and test papers for topics, question types
 Set a realistic goal for the exam and determine a daily amount of time to study
each subject
 Balance study and home assignments during this preparation period
 Locate visuals, videos and presentations on related topics from the internet to
reinforce your concepts and their practical applications
 Never skip some subjects in the semester with a plan to take them in the next
supplementary exam to score better grades
 Don’t ever venture malpractices in the exam and lose two years of career in
bargain

19. Attendance
Most of the students and parents view engineering education as a means of getting a job
to make money and fail to understand the importance of knowledge and its application in
building overall character and leadership skills. Once admission into an engineering college
is secured, both the students and parents relax, not bothering to understand the
importance of attending classes, as they think that obtaining the degree and a good job is
assured.

You may be absent on account of family functions, marriages, unavoidable domestic work
or due to short time ailments like indigestion, dysentery, headache, common cold, fever,
etc. The academic authorities in the university have made a provision of 25% absence to
take care of such eventualities. Further, another 10% relaxation has been incorporated
togetherwith the above to take care of prolonged illnesses like typhoid, malaria, jaundice
and physical unfitness due to accidents with a medical certificate in support of the above.
However most of you skip classes at your will considering the above as freebees and when
 31

you really fall ill or meet with accidents many of you start demanding for leniency in the
minimum required attendance for promotion.

Some have financial issues back home with their parents like insufficient funds to raise
the family, debts, prodigality due to alcoholism, etc. Although the Govt. is supporting
students below the poverty line with scholarships, free education and food, some of you go
to colleges only with the intention to avail such benefits and consequently, studying and
attending classes becomes a secondary issue or does not make any sense to them.

The presence and negative impacts of peer pressure are not just limited to elementary
schools. Influence of bad company at college can be much greater than at school. So, make
sure to become friends with the right people who can help you study and not run away
from it if you really want to perform better and improve your grades at college.

Some of you get themselves enrolled in courses they are not much interested in, either
due to pressure from family or when they fail to get admission in their desired course. In
any case, it is mainly the lack of motivation which doesn’t let them succeed. If you want to
overcome this hurdle, find out about the pros of subjects you are studying and give in your
100% efforts to achieve success.

The student may be absent because of many distractions like movies, alcoholism, drugs,
communal and political activities, cricket and other amusements.

Absences create a dead, tiresome, unpleasant classroom environment that makes students
who come to class uncomfortable and the lecturer irritable. Absenteeism disturbs the
dynamic teaching-learning environment and adversely affects the overall well-being of
classes. In quality terms, absenteeism is a waste of educational resources, time and human
potential. Student absenteeism also causes deviation from lesson & teaching plans, rework
and wasted time for lecturers. Lecturers who spend class time re-teaching lessons take
instructional time away from students who attend class regularly. The extra time spent
going over absentee homework and class assignments takes time away from lecturer
planning periods and time needed to provide individual assistance. When you are absent
from class, you miss valuable information resulting from peer-lecturer interaction and the
benefits of the specific examples lecturers use to clarify difficult concepts. This valuable
part of the learning experience cannot be replicated when lecturers re-teach the lessons
to the absentees.

Absenteeism is detrimental to students’ achievement, promotion, self-esteem, and

employment potential. Students who miss college fall behind peers in the classroom, which
in turn increases the likelihood that that they will become at-risk students and will end up
in college dropout.

20. Not Listening In The Class

Even in presence of sound financial condition and support from family, some students may
find acquisition of academic success challenging because of their poor study habits.
Sometimes students are used to of laid back attitude and procrastination when they join
college after a long break and eventually fail to form an effective study schedule even
when needed.
 32

What students in general fail to realize is that college education needs much more
attention and dedication than that of high school. So, you need to take study time at home
seriously and make a workable study schedule if you really want to improve your results in
college.

Besides all these factors, they are many other things that influence academic
performance of students on various levels. Being a student, achieving success can become
an impossible task if you get caught up by these factors and make no efforts to overcome.
So, make sure to identify all negative factors that influence your academic performance
and eliminate them by taking appropriate measures. University examinations form the final
and most integral part of assessing any student’s achievement, knowledge, skills, and
attitudes.

For an effective study and a reasonable performance in the examination you need to take
following corrective steps :

a) Complete all necessary course readings and compile all of your notes from various
sources like text books, references and internet links given to you
b) Review past assignments and tests for topics, question types, and feedback and
re-read the syllabus for the course focus and description. Often past assignments
highlight key course concepts and offer example questions which you can use to
test yourself
c) Set a realistic goal for the exam and determine a daily amount of time to study
each course
d) Try to balance the study and regular class assignments
e) Locate as many study aids, such as course notes in the library, past exams, or
study guides, as possible

21. Using Contents, PPT, Important Questions In The Library

Spending time in the classroom and listening to the teacher alone will not suffice to
ensure learning. In most cases the contents and the sequence of the lessons in the syllabi
are based on the topics in the authorized text book recommended by the university.
However the teacher may add material to improve the comprehension of a student in the
form of notes or power point presentations. Sometimes supplementary material may need
to be added to address the requirements of a specific topic with more examples, solved
numerical problems, visuals, graphics and internet links where such a material is available.
The teacher may feel that the content needs to be changed because it may not suit you at
your level of comprehension and because of the listening skills of the class as a whole. A
teacher may decide to reorganize the syllabus of the book, and arrange the units in what
she or he considers a more suitable order. Or within a unit the teacher may decide not to
follow the sequence of activities in the unit but to reorganize them for a particular
reason.

Not only that the contents of the lessons prepared by the teachers are directly relevant
to your academic relevance, but also can develop expertise among staff, giving them a
greater understanding of the characteristics of effective materials. Institutionally
prepared materials do enhance the reputation of the institution by demonstrating its
commitment to providing materials specifically for its students.
 33

Teachers at the beginning of the semester provide you an asset of objective questions
togetherwith a question bank of 6 sets of question papers sorted out unit-wise as an
opportunity for you to take a practice in the mock version of the end-exam. These
questions are used as a teaching tool by teachers to assess students’ knowledge, promote
comprehension, and stimulate critical thinking. These well-crafted questions lead to new
insights, generate discussion among peers, and promote the comprehensive exploration of
subject matter. Student-initiated questions increase higher-order learning by requiring
them to analyse information, connect seemingly disparate concepts, and articulate their
thoughts.

The benefits of mock tests are :

 Mock Exam programme gives you the opportunity to practice your exam skills and
technique.
 Mock tests provide the first real look and feel of the examination and drives away
stress & fear
 Repeated practice aids later retention
 Gaps in the knowledge and comprehension are identified
 Tests facilitate retrieval of knowledge that was not tested
 Mock tests prevent interference of prior material when learning new material
 Mock tests provide you a real time rehearsal of the end exams and the time
management
 Testing provides feedback to teachers

The quality of learning outcomes cannot be concluded based on the number of hours used
for teaching. The evaluation of the quality of learning outcomes cannot be based on the
number of hours used for studying. Learning takes place in student’s time and through
student’s learning activities.

Please note that the mock test is an important part of the learning. If you don’t take it
seriously or if there is no time for you to undertake such learning activities, it is
impossible to learn.

22. Argumentative & Show Off

It is always expected that all students have the right to learn in a stimulating environment
not disrupted by poor behaviour or interruption. Teachers use a number of strategies to
teach and maintain good behaviour and one of those strategies is assertive discipline.
Assertive discipline involves teaching good behaviours and praising those who are
respectful, courteous, follow the rules and work hard. If a rule is broken the students are
helped to get back on track by being given a warning. This is an invitation to make the
right choice. You should not be cheeky, disrespectful or argue with the teacher but accept
the warning as a reminder to re-focus on learning.

If you feel that you have been disciplined by mistake, you must keep calm and not argue.
You should ask to speak to the teacher at the end of the lesson and do so politely. Arguing
with the teacher in the lesson is disrespectful and disrupts the learning of the whole
class.

Not all arguments that occur in class between teacher and student are destructive. In
fact, the right kinds of disagreement can be used by teachers to teach critical thinking
 34

skills, and help students understand that not everything can be explained in strict black
and white, oversimplified ways.

On the other hand, when you argue, not about issues, but are trying to disrupt the class,
there is a problem, because those are not often constructive learning experiences for
anyone. Or, when class arguments become power struggles, particularly with defiant
students, they are not often constructive either.

The argument can take place on two reasons :

 The First type: when you express disagreement, but in a reasoned way :
There's a growing awareness that critical thinking, and communication skills are
important for students to learn, and to do that, students need to test their
thinking against other people. Provided the student is trying to establish a position
on an issue related to the topic, even when the teacher disagrees, that's a learning
opportunity for everyone.

 The second type: of argument teachers encounter tend to disrupt the classroom,
either because you are arguing something that is only of interest to you (e.g.
getting marks increased, or making excuses for not doing homework - trying to get
away with something, etc.), or arguing simply to argue. The latter is quite common
for adolescent college students who seem to relish the idea of exercising attempts
at power, and flexing their wings a bit.

In these cases, the "arguments" need to be closed down, or at least, entertained

out of the view of other students. Not only does this decrease disruption, but it
also removes the scene of students showing off in front of their peers, which
often fuels these kinds of arguments.

Argumentative students, regardless of age, can drive teachers crazy, and disrupt the
class, particularly if teachers get drawn in, and handle it badly. The worst time to argue is
while the teacher is trying to teach the class. The teacher has a lesson plan he wants to
get through before the period ends, and telling you "no" takes less time than listening to
you. More importantly, in the classroom there is an audience of students. The teacher
thinks, if give this student what he or she wants, all these students would think that he is
a pushover. For the rest of the year, every time any student wants anything, whether they
have a good reason or not, they'll argue and waste so much time. If you confront a teacher
while the class is watching, the teacher may decide that resolving your problem is less
important than making an example out of you.

To win, you do not need the teacher defending himself, even when you are right and the
teacher is wrong; you want him listen and understand your problems. This is why it is
better to say, "I don't understand why I got these marks. I felt the work deserved
better", instead of saying accusatively, “Why did you grade me unfairly?"

If you approach a teacher calmly and respectfully, offer thoughtful arguments, show that
you're listening to him, do not show him up in front of the class, and come prepared to
offer compromises if needed, you can work with the teacher to solve nearly any problem.
And even if you do not win that argument, you may still win in the long run — because even
if that teacher will never admit he was wrong, he may still think about what you have said
 35

and then treat you more fairly in the future. Better than winning an argument, it is not to
have one.

Some parents completely disengage themselves from their obligation to oversee and
ensure the successful education of their children. Some parents act as if the
responsibility to educate, and even care for their child, is primarily the responsibility of
the educational institution. As a result, teachers and colleges have been forced to become
surrogate parents, expected to do everything from behavioural counselling, to providing
adequate nutrition, to teaching sex education, as well as ensuring full college and career
readiness. Teachers rarely receive meaningful support or engagement from parents and
occasionally face retaliation when they attempt to hold a child accountable for bad
behaviour or poor academic performance

On the other hand, actively engaged parents sometimes feel that the educational system,
and even some teachers, are insensitive to the unique needs and challenges of their
children and are unwilling or unable to give their child the academic attention they need
because of an overburdened education system, obligated by law to be all things to all
people.

23. Handwriting & Speed Writing

Handwriting is an essential skill for both children and adults. It activates the brain more
than keyboarding because it involves more complex motor and cognitive skills. Handwriting
contributes to reading fluency because it activates visual perception of letters. Good
handwriting is a predictor of success in other subjects, because it has a positive impact on
grades. Many standardised assessments are based on written work, particularly in time-
limited written examinations. Without fast and legible handwriting, students will miss out
on learning opportunities, under-achieve and may fall behind. Good handwriting remains as
a major form of assessment for many formal qualifications.

Illegible handwriting can cause poor self-esteem. Poor self-esteem can trigger loss of
confidence. Examiners need to decipher what is written. Otherwise, pupils will achieve
lower marks, even where the content may be good. Many state standardised assessments
and handwritten essays emphasise the importance of handwriting. Without fast and legible
handwriting, students may miss out on learning opportunities and under-achieve
academically.

Handwriting is critical to creative, well-crafted text affecting both fluency and the
quality of the composition. Legible writing that can be produced comfortably, at speed and
with little conscious effort allows a child to attend to the higher-level aspects of writing
composition and content. Handwriting contributes to better writers. It is also crucial for
note taking. Taking notes by hand while the lecture is on is vital for all students of all ages
because it improves attention, comprehension, and results. Students’ notes must be self-
legible, otherwise they are worthless. In competitive exams or regular school exams, a
particular method for assessing an individual's ability is followed, wherein one's knowledge
is tested within a particular time. Failure to do so not only affects the performance, but
also has an adverse effect on the confidence of the student.

Good handwriting is essential even after graduation. In our modern world, in all walks of
life, people are judged by their handwriting. Jotting down a shopping list, taking down a
phone message, writing official noting, writing personal diaries, filling out various forms,
 36

etc., handwriting is part of our daily lives. It is on show to others and may be used to make
judgments about us.

Learning to write letters and numbers correctly is especially important when writing down
e mail addresses, website URL’s, and phone numbers. One wrong letter or number can
prevent communication. Good and legible handwriting on the blackboard enables the
teacher to communicate with the students better.

Good writing skills can help you in life. If you’re trying to get a job, good writing skills
make you more appealing to the employer. One of the first things an employer looks at is
your cover letter or resume.

Writing within the allotted time span with legibility and speed plays an important role in
everyone’s life, whether a student or a professional. Writing with speed and legibility has
an important role to play. It enables you to compose with correct spellings, punctuations
and quality content to express your knowledge about different subjects. It has been
proved in various studies that speed adds to one's ability to think and also play a vital role
in learning the language and its vocabulary. It also adds to the quality of verbal
communication.

A person with slow handwriting has poor mind-motor coordination, which affects his ability
to remember spellings, has problems in letter formation, shaping the letters and ill formed
upper and lower cases.

24. English Language

India is a country with diverse regions and citizens with diverse languages. As India was a
British Colony, English became an official language of India, for all diplomatic and
administrative conveniences, and thereby came to be widely used in both spoken and
literary contexts. But the reason that English remained an official language after
independence is attributed to the fact that as a language it played an important role in
unifying regions with different people under one constitution. All the prestigious schools
and colleges use English as their medium of instruction. Today, careers in the field of
science and technology, business and commerce require a good knowledge of English. Most
of the works in the field of space, nuclear technology, medicine etc. are available only in
English.

Globalization directly influences industry’s needs; a global engineer must be able to easily
cross national and cultural boundaries. This in turn directly affects engineering education.
Every Indian university teaches in English and most Indian universities consider a good
knowledge of English as a prerequisite to pursuing academic studies. Most graduates feel
they have gained analytical and problem solving skills, subject-specific knowledge,
research and improved decision-making abilities through their degrees. Despite this, it is
commonly seen that many of them lack in :
 Oral communication skills.
 Awareness of their discipline’s development
 Management skills.
 Understanding the other points of view and other cultures.
 Confidence and competence to work in international environments.
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Evidently the knowledge of English is essential in order to pursue engineering or any other
technical career. Good command over the language complements a fundamental component
of the generic skills forming part of the engineering graduate’s professional development.
The selection of English to be vital for the prosperity of technical students must be
considered from a clear comprehension of the fact that although the technical component
of the engineering degree may not rely heavily on the English language; it is the
professional development component of the engineering degree, which requires the
student to possess the ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in written
English.

We have these days excellent facilities for improving the language and the communicative
skills in our academics but the trouble is that students do not go beyond what is exactly
taught in the class. The communication cannot be confined to a specific ‘syllabus’ for the
sake of writing exams. The best way to master the writing & speaking skills is to (i)
converse in English with each other even outside the classroom (ii) read English novels,
journals and magazines (iii) watch English movies on TV and compare the usage and
pronunciation with the subtitles if available.

25. Spoken English & Presentation

Learning English language in India has become well-accepted for technical education,
business, commercial and cultural reasons and particularly for internet communications
throughout the world. English is a language that is deemed a benchmark not because it has
been accredited by any ‘standard’ organization, but because it is extensively employed by
many information and technology industries and recognized as being standard.

No doubt, knowledge and technical knowhow are clearly important, but these require to be
presented with excellence. Effective communication re-enforces positive impression of
the engineer. Lack of serviceable communication skills contributes to the low profile of
engineering in general public. A more proactive and accessible style of communication can
be more engaging for the people. Indeed oral skills, presentation skills are considered one
of the best career enhancers and to the single biggest factor in determining a student’s
career success or failure.

You might say that doing business in English does not require perfect usage or complete
understanding of the language in order to be judged successful. But remember, that one’s
speech, to a great extent, indicates one’s character, refinement and education. It is said
that good grammar represents your character, as well as your thoughtfulness towards
other people. It helps you develop presentation skills, sharpens the writing skills and gives
you the confidence to face the person whom you are communicating to. Readers are more
willing to think highly of a writer or a presenter who uses good, simple language and uses
good grammar than one that uses large, complex terms. Poor English during a presentation
makes you sound unprofessional and can lead to laughs at your expense.

The key to good English writing or speaking is simplicity. No doubt it is important to have a
good vocabulary but it is more important how best you can write simple and correct
English.

26. Not Being Versatile

A person is said to be versatile when he exhibits great variety and diversity in his or her
skills, is competent in many areas and able to turn with ease from one thing to another. In
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view of the proliferation of engineering graduates and comparatively less opportunities,

the job market remains fiercely competitive across practically all industries, particularly
for entry-level positions. When you attend job interviews, you need to show not only your
best skills, but also the unique skills you possess that help you stand out from the other
potential recruits at your position. Most of the employers emphasize communication skills,
team-building ability, and critical thinking skills—all pillars of effective leadership, to
prepare the new recruits to rise through the ranks of the employment, rather than
confine themselves to a certain profession or rank.

The lifeblood of an organization is in how effectively it adapts to change. In a job market

that favours employers, employees should be flexible to meet employer requests. For
example, cross training teaches an employee the necessary skills to perform other job
duties. Consider a company that may find it useful for mechanical engineering graduate to
learn about supply and operations management or an electronics engineering graduate may
be required to take up software development. A versatile employee is a valuable asset to
any employer. Some young recruits do not show willingness to learn about other job
functions. An employee resistant to change will soon be out-of-work and can become a
liability to the management. The more in demand your particular skill set is, the more
leveraging power that you have. Therefore, as a student, be flexible and open to learning
new skills, not necessarily pertaining to your own discipline.

At present in view of eroding economy, the corporate managements are continuously

downsizing their companies, resorting to multitasking and looking for employees that can
accomplish different tasks with minimal supervision. They are focused on getting the
maximum productivity out of each employee. The ability to manage time and priorities is a
critical skill to possess in today’s job market and unless you exhibit some of your
multitasking abilities you could miss the opportunity.

Innovation is appreciated in any job field, anywhere today. There is a huge need for
professionals that are creating, designing, and developing new goods or services. Unless
you come out of your comfort zone and think something new, out of the world you may be
left behind.

27. Lack of General Knowledge

General knowledge is the culturally valued knowledge about any topic relating to the social
interests of the society, history, civilization, politics, science, sports, books and so on. It
is the knowledge of every aspect of human life, not necessarily a part of the academics of
a student. But if you are unaware of the things going on around you in the state or the
country you live, you could make a stupid picture of yourself not being able to take part in
any healthy discussion. You will not be able to contribute your comments as you will hardly
figure out what others are talking about. On the other hand, a person with good general
knowledge always conquers the discussion that he is part of and wins everyone with his
knowledge.

Your personality will be judged by your up to date information of various subjects may or
may not be related to your area of specialisation. If you do not have the proper knowledge
of many things in the world, you will not able to decide what you are going to be and you
will have to rely on the information and advice of others only.
General knowledge can be of a great importance to the young graduates seeking jobs.
Almost all competitive exams require a lot of question based on general knowledge and
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thinking. A major portion of the exams like CAT, MAT and tests for various high posts
including IAS, IPS etc. is dedicated to general knowledge questions, which carry a
comparatively high weightage of marks as compared to other technical subjects. Even the
personal interview session that follows these exams, consists of general knowledge
questions. During interviews the candidates are usually asked about current affairs and
also asked about their views on different on-going current events, which a candidate can
only answer if proper knowledge of the event is with him. General knowledge helps you
grow your confidence level and may prove to be of some great help during interviews. You
may start to talk to any person on any topic, but your knowledge is something that
determines your conversation and your impression in the interview, a good knowledge of
everything around always impresses the people around you.

Having a sound knowledge of different cultures and communities promote effective

interaction among people of different culture. A person having a good knowledge can easily
adjust in the people of different communities if he has a prior knowledge about their
culture and region. Also interaction with different people becomes really easy and
enjoyable when you have proper knowledge about them. A strong command over general
knowledge and current affairs will help you get rid of the fear of public speaking as you
will no longer be worried about filling the long pauses and gaps. You tend to gain
confidence and become really easy picking up new topics and speaking about them.

Expansion of knowledge occurs through constant reading either in the means of books,
magazines or newspapers or watching TV or browsing the internet for updated
information. It is of much benefit to inculcate reading newspapers regularly as a habit if
you really intend to enhance your knowledge in the most inexpensive way.

Discussion on current topics is an informal way and perhaps one of the best ways to
improve your general knowledge over various issues and different areas. These discussions
tend to stay in our minds better than information gathered through any other method,
since these are the things that we enjoy while doing hence the tendency to retain is more.

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