Q After my results, I have become rather confused. I have got average marks which means I will not get into the best colleges. What shall I do? My friends tell me that average marks are okay and I should not worry. But I feel guilty because I know I could have done better if I had studied harder. What do you think? Can I still make something of myself?
Name withheld
It is not for me to judge or tell you what you should do with your life. If you are comfortable with being average, you should definitely continue on the path you have been following so far. But if you have the desire to be above average, or even extraordinary, then hard work will be called for. Hard work need not always be academic as some people have strengths in non-academic areas as well and that can lead to different careers.
The questions you need to ask yourself are, “Where do I see myself five or 10 years from now? What will it take for me to get there? Am I willing to make sacrifices that might be required to get there?”
All of us have dreams but very few of us have the persistence and determination to make them come true.
What do you value? The fact that you are feeling guilty makes me think that you may desire sucess. If that is correct then you can make the most of your college years and try and shape your career in tune with your aspirations. if you have genuine friends, they will support your decision and not take you away from your goals. No matter which college you enter at this stage, do try and put in your best as regret and guilt are avoidable if we work with discipline and try and fly to the heights we always wanted. Do try and enter a course that is more in tune with your interests and is vocationally oriented. Sometimes a good diploma in a subject of your choice can be more useful than a degree in a subject that does not appeal to you at all. Choose wisely and put in your best to achieve the goals you dream about.
No number skills
Q I am a student of Class XI with physics, chemistry and biology (PCB) as my subjects. I aspire to become a psychiatrist. However, my friends and relatives say that I can’t study psychiatry if I don’t take maths in Plus Two. They say you cannot be a psychiatrist without number skills.
Name withheld
Psychiatry is a specialisation within medicine. It trains you to study, diagnose and treat mental disorders.
PCB is the perfect choice to crack the joint entrance exams for a medicine, leading to a graduate degree in that subject (MBBS). Biology and chemistry are key subjects if you wish to pursue medicine. After completing MBBS, you could do a master’s (MD) in psychiatry. You could also graduate in psychology and specialise in counselling or clinical psychology. You will need excellent communication skills, empathy and great listening skills but I don’t think that number skills are needed.
