Carrying a few extra kilos.

You are not fat till being it starts killing you. You are not fat till the adipose starts choking your existence and the cholesterol starts clogging your blood supply. 

How do you differentiate between fat and thin? The basic answer goes like this: You are thin because your collar bones peep out of your shirt or because you've got a mere rib cage for an abdomen. 

And if this is the definition of being "ideal", I refuse to be a part of the bandwagon. 

The world's filled with people suffering from anorexia and bulimia. Apart from genetics, one of the most important reasons behind people suffering from such issues, is low self confidence. And who is responsible for this? The people around them. One doesn't have to be skinny to sport a dress. So what if the curves show through a tight fitted LBD? Does that make you inhuman? You don't have to have worked out abs to don a crop top. There's a reason why companies manufacture larger sizes. If ALL people weren't meant to wear them, they wouldn't have been made in the first place! 

People will say. They'll talk. Not just behind your back but on your face. The best way to deal with that? Be confident. Are you dying because you happen to have a few extra pounds? Is it making you less courageous, less smart, less beautiful from within? If the answer to these questions is "No", then don't pay heed to what anyone says. You're just fine the way you are. You don't have to change as long as you're healthy. If others have a problem, let them. You can't change someone's opinion. You can't change what people think, or how poorly they do. 

It's your life in the end and you only have to be HAPPY.

Realities of PMT-2016

First of all, I'm still not sure whether it's NEET 2016 or AIPMT 2016, and that's weird because I gave the test on Sunday, 1st May. Let's just stick to AIPMT 2016.

For the last two years, I had been studying for AIPMT 2016. The OMRs at coaching institutions have this space which asks your target exam. I always bubbled AIPMT 2016, only to realise two days before the "D-Day" that it has got a new name! :O 

It's not exactly a very big issue because I stay in a state that stopped conducting the state pmt two years ago. But, there was SO much confusion! We were going nuts!! Will the exam be conducted at all? Are we supposed to give two stages? What about the other exams? (We don't know the answer to the last question as yet). To be honest, this whole confusion could've been avoided. I don't know how the Supreme Court works, but I'm pretty sure this issue could've been discussed months ago! 

After the shocking cheating incidents that took place last year (leading to RE-AIPMT 2015), it seems like the conducting authorities have lost faith in students! We were not allowed to take bottles, pens, had to follow a strict dress code and were subjected to a good amount of frisking at the centres. 

The one major issue I had was the unavailabilty of drinking water. There was no person who would come to class periodically to provide us with water. In many centres, students were supposed to get up and go out to quench their thirsts midway through probably the MOST important exam of their lives. 

As for the analysis of the paper, I'm going to let official sites of Allen, Aakash and Resonance guide you. ;) 

Well, it's all over and I'm sure it comes as a huge respite to all of us preparing after a lot of hardwork!

Halfway through Boards 2016

It's the 6th of March, which means that I've already answered roughly a hundred questions or more (including the bits and all). I've got another three to go and more than half a month for that. God, this is long. Well on the other side of this, I've got my FINAL Pre medical preparations, so I really shouldn't complain much! ;)

I'm really not going to provide an insight into the Board papers of 2016 or give you a detailed analysis with pie charts and graphs between difficulty level and number of questions in each category. You've got plenty of other sites for that! :P

Did you know the answer booklet has 32 pages. 32!! Well, I used all of them for Physics and ten less for English. Oh, yes, I do keep an account of that. In fact my personal diary (which only has 10 pages filled so far) contains the code and set number of my question papers. xD

Before the boards, we had our practicals. "Practical" is just a fancy new term synonymous with useless cramming, faking and team work! I am serious. All we got to do is cram up the Laboratory Manuals and do a little bit of fake experimenting. It's fake 'cause the external examiner hardly ever cares to look,  fake because we've seen the same bottles and salts a milion times, and fake because, c'mon, we don't even do it properly. The popular notion is if you can write it, you're going to be just fine. It doesn't matter if you get a Red Sea instead of a Blue Lake so long as you can WRITE 10 other tests for Aluminum cation without performing them. Actually, you don't even have to do anything at all! Why? 'Cause it's the biggest platform for exhibiting your skills of working together as a team. I've had to help absolute nut cases who don't even know what the aim of the experiment is! I mean, seriously?!

Well, I can't really do anything but complain. There is this incredible Terribly Tiny Tale on the Indian Education System. I can't find it right now, but you should really look for it. I think it's on the word "change", not very sure. 

Well, that's about it. The myth about practicals busted. There are a lot of other things that are yet to be discussed. It's just that times are a bit hectic. Slow and steady ;)

Life of a Pre-Med student

Alert: You can relate to this post if you happen to be a student preparing for one of the few competitive exams in India. Also, you're about to be exposed to a whole lot of cribbing and whining. Bear with it. 

It's the 20th of February, 2016. Siri says it's a pleasant day outside. The sun's shining bright and the temperature is neither too high nor too low. Just perfect. 

How do I care? The temperature for me is what the room temperature thermometer shows (it's perpetually stuck at 27 degrees celcius ever since I remember). The only bright light that I get is the one provided by my ever glowing 40 watt Philips tubelight (@Philips, you can sponsor my blog, just saying!) and it's only as pleasant as it has been for the last two years. 

Hello! My name is Manya. I'm a 12th standard student. Preparing for one of the "toughest examinations", the Pre Medical Test, 2016. Well, to be honest, one cannot simply prepare for just PMT! It's just that we say it this way 'cause it sounds cool and very much like the ones who say that they're preparing for IIT (Truth is they're preparing for a lot more other exams too!). 

I've been trying to make myself a place in this rat race for the last two years. You know how guys from books and television say about life being a roller coaster ride? Well, if you want a first-hand experience, get into this world. You'll have your ups and downs. Your bouts of depression (a hell lot of it) and joy! There will be points you score and points you lose. 

For those who're just beginning, let me tell you, it's going to be a lo-million Os-ng journey. But there will come a time, maybe the 20th of February 20xy, when you'll realise that it is truly coming to an end. That the other side is almost visible. 

Look, let's be honest, when you read these blogs about "how to prepare for PMT", you get a hell lot of advice about "making short notes, revising everyday" and blah blah blah. But, if you're really serious, you already know all this stuff. What you don't know is what you should know. 

If you've somehow, by some chance of luck, reached my blog and you happen to be one of my kind, I think you're in for what really preparing for a competitive exam means. Any competitive exam. Since I'm approaching the finish line of my little race, I may not be very regular right now. But, yes, this is one thing that I'm definitely going to do. I'm going to take you through this journey and tear down every stupid myth ever heard (Spoiler Alert : This has a lot to do with boards!). 

Be a little patient. I promise to be back.

Till then, keep working hard. 

"You're most tempted to quit when you're closest to your calling". - Anonymous

"Khao, piyo, mast raho." - Mom xD (Translation: Eat, Drink, Stay jolly!)

To Mom, with love

Well, this is a post dedicated entirely to my beloved mother. Before she (or any of my other family members) starts having palpitations thinking that this kid (me) is probably trying to elope, let me clarify, this is just a normal fun post. AND I'M NOT RUNNING AWAY! 

There are a few traits common to all mothers. Sometimes when I talk to my closest friends and we discuss our "mother problems" you can see the common stuff. 

I think it's mandatory that I begin this post with a lot of praise for my darling mother. So, she's a fun mother, she's got an amazing vocabulary (the kind that can shut you up), a perfectionist, efficient and bestowed with talents. (That should suffice, right?!) 

Now that we're done with all the good stuff let's get to ground realities. My mother happens to be the biggest drama queen. Well, don't take it offensively mom, but fainting in the hospital while you're daughter's bleeding out isn't exactly cool! The doctors and nurses only asked about her on my next visit when I went with my DAD (wasn't I supposed to be the centre of all the attention?!).

There's another doctor story. I was at an eye clinic for a regular check up. I was asked for my details at the reception. "Your name?" "Mm..aa", I barely said this when my mom blurted out my name. The poor lady gave me another chance to answer and asked for my age. "Fff-ii..", I said. And mum completed the rest of the word. I don't stammer, it's just that my mum's too enthusiastic about giving away my details herself (that's polite for "she treats me like a baby!!!").   

Justin Timberlake can't please her nor can Ed Sheeran. She finds them all boring, monotonous and just very meaningless (hello, are ya kidding me?!). 

If I go out with my friends for a morning trip and if she doesn't hear from me for more than a couple of hours, the panic mood sets in. The other day she called me up to ask, "Have you run away to join the ISIS?" (Only half joking). 

For a mother, especially for an overprotective mother like mine, talking to a boy is talking to a boyfriend and if even he's a Shah Rukh Khan or a Stephen Hawking, he can NEVER be good enough for you. NEVER. Mums can pick out faults in anyone you like (better than John Green ever did in the stars). 

Mums also have this curiousity to know every thing that's going on with our lives. If I'm crying, I just had a fight with someone. If I'm laughing, I have to share the joke even if she'll end up making weird faces after listening to it. April Fools' Day pranks make no sense to her and she always shuts me up by telling me that it was sooooo mean to do such a thing to a friend! 

Burgers and cookies are "very unhealthy" only till they're the only way she can make me do something for her. 

And who can forget "When I was kid..."(You know what comes after that!)

Despite all these "chinks in the armour", she is still a loving mother and I love her too. (Believe me, I have to end it with this otherwise I'll probably not be permitted to post this, just kidding!) ;) 

P.S : If you don't see any posts on this blog for the next few weeks, be kind enough to drop by and check! ;) :P 

Today in Pictures

Today has been a day full of adventure and lots of fun. I'm kind of short of words so I'll stick to pictures to express my feelings. 

These pictures have been taken in the absolutely enchanting Udaipur! :) 

Early morning ride, 6.20 a.m

Retrica (always there for the self-claimed photographers) ;)

My love story

"Only know you've been high when you're feeling low

Only hate the road when you're missing home
Only know you love her when you let her go"

Heart breaks are painful. They shatter you, they leave you with scars for the rest of your life and... and they leave you helpless and hungry when the cook doesn't show up! 

If you haven't guessed already, I'm basically hinting at my love story with Maggi. I don't know when did it happen. Maggi has been around since before I was born. I don't even remember when was the first time I got the privilege of tasting it. All I know is the fact that I am hopelessly in love with it. And now, when it's going away from the shelves in the grocery stores (for the greater good, maybe), I'm extremely heart broken and grief-stricken (just like a few million others)!

So, yes, I probably do not remember how and when did I have my first meeting with maggi. But, I do know that it was the first thing I "cooked". The art of pouring exactly the right amount of water in the saucepan, watching it simmer and then vigourously boil, crushing the packet with your hands before emptying the contents into the hot, boiling water filled saucepan, adding the masalas which make maggi what it is and then waiting for the aroma to fill the kitchen and lift your senses to another dimension. I have one complain though. It NEVER gets cooked in 2 minutes. 

People have their own versions of Maggi. My dad gives a whole new spin to the snack (Maggi happens to be just that one thing that he can "cook", by the way). He'll add a few vegetables, spices, and a few other stuff, and then finally you have a whole new version of Maggi ready for you. We fill our plates and stomachs till we can have no more. But, I guess, when dad made that last Sunday, it was the last time we were having it. 

Well, to be betrayed in love, that's the worst kind of thing. Lead in maggi came as a shock to everyone of us. But, we can do nothing about it, can we? 

What pains me the most is the fact that 50 years from now, our children won't ever discover the blissful taste of Maggi, they won't know what to do when mum's not at home or when someone forgot to get vegetables for dinner. The first thing that they'll learn to make will probably be a boring salad or maybe a glass of punch! 

Well, all things come to an end. The good and the bad (which one of them is this?). I wish our little love story had lasted for a bit longer. But, now, I probably need to let it go. Sigh!