State of mind when you pass your High school and about to get admitted to University/College.

Everybody dreams of success, whether he is a businessman, an author, or a student who is about to pass his high school and prepare to enter his dream University or College and that too in his dream department.

I, too, had a dream to enter my dream college, but this story is not how I entered my dream college, but how I learned to do my best.

I was in my 12th grade and was studying with full efforts with my short term goal to get 95% in my Boards exams, But it was easy thought than done. I had to work on all the subjects individually. I wrote articles and letters to improve my written English, solved multiple sample papers and previous year papers to form a firm grip on all crucial concepts.

Finally, I was done with my Board exams; I had given my best in the Boards and was sure to achieve my short term goal. Now I had to focus on getting admitted into any top-notch colleges of India and what could better than IIT's. I started preparing myself for JEE-Mains. I had less time and more syllabus to go through. Before the day of my exam, I could only revise the syllabus once, without any practice of solving questions or any experience of solving previous year paper. While entering the exam hall, I could hear my brain repeating that you aren't ready for this challenge, But I convinced myself to move ahead with the only knowledge of concepts and gave the exam, came home and without thinking much about it, started working for other exams.

Every exam I prepared for, I had less time to study and more syllabus to cover. I also prepared for IPMAT (Integrated Program in Management Aptitude Test). IPMAT was a new and exciting program for which I developed an instant liking, and it became my new dream. I prepared for it days and nights. The time to make for it was also less, but I managed to cover most of its syllabus and was sure of clearing the cutoff, and a call for the interview after giving the exam.

Now I was waiting for the results; meanwhile, JEE-Mains result was out, I didn't perform well, but I had made the cutoff, but getting admission into any college was impossible with those marks.

Now my Board exams result was out, I had scored 2.6% less my dream, and I was not happy about it, my score was high, but still, I was not satisfied with it, I was heart broke and in the evening came my IPMAT result, I couldn't clear the cutoff and all my dreams shattered in a single day. I felt like crying, but there was not a single drop in my eyes, I couldn't see myself entering into any good college, forget about getting into any top-notch college. Everybody at my home was trying to convince me that everything was okay, but in vain, I couldn't give myself any excuse to be okay.

I couldn't sleep that night, the next day I woke up, everything was normal, but I still was not happy, then my brother came and told me to try for IISER's. Now again, I got an aim and one month to give my best shot. I even studied Biology, even after being a Mathematics student, to clear this exam. My hectic day schedule followed by sleepless nights, and it did pay off. I scored decent marks, but admission into IISERs was still away, all the counseling sessions got delayed (some judicial actions were going on JEE counseling affecting all the admissions). I would wait eagerly for all the lists to see my name in one of them but in vain. There were moments when I thought I wouldn't be able to make it. I had sleepless nights, checking my E-mail, wishing for the miracle, praying God for helping me. All my prayers paid off, and in the very last round of counseling, I made to the list. One night I was sitting with my family, and there was a pop-up on my mail, with my offer letter, I got so happy and was so excited to join IISER Bhopal. This time again, I had less time to prepare to enter my new college, but with the struggle in the past few months, I knew how to work under pressure and time constraints.