Practice is the secret to becoming a topper – Shravani Phalke

Team StoryWeavers|August 21, 2020, 08:26 IST| 14

 

 “Focus on understanding concepts instead of mugging up text” - Shravani Phalke, 99% ICSE, 10TH Boards

Shravani Phalke, a BYJU’S student from Mumbai scored 99% in her ICSE 10th Board exams. Not only does she excel at at academics, but she is also a trained Bharatnatyam classical dancer and a Guinness World Record holder for being a part of the largest group of Bharatnatyam dancers who performed a synchronized classical dance. In spite of Sharvani’s overwhelming number of achievements, what stands out immediately is her humility and calm demeanour. “I am really glad to have my parents, my teachers and BYJU’S to have guided me towards my achievements, they have been an integral part of my journey,” she says.

Shravani in one of her dance performances

Shravani in one of her dance performances

When asked how she managed to score so well in her exams, she reveals, “I have always focused on understanding concepts instead of mugging up texts. My school teachers were also very helpful during my preparation.  BYJU’S supplemented my studies by further enabling conceptual clarity in subjects like Physics, Mathematics & Biology”. Shravani believes in hard work but also in smart work. Elaborating on the same, she shared the following tips for anyone who wants to score well in their board exams:

  1. Understand the logic behind the formulae in high-scoring subjects like Maths and Physics.
  2. Make a note of numericals you found difficult and practice them until you understand the logic behind them.
  3. To score good marks in Chemistry, practice chemical equations by writing chemical reactions.
  4. For Biology, watch BYJU’S videos. The diagrammatic presentation will make everything clear.
  5. Pay attention to the one line Q&A at the end of every chapter.
  6. Solve previous year’s question papers by timing them like exams. This will teach you time management during final exams.
  7. Always avoid last-minute revision, it only adds to the stress. 

When asked about how she manages to deal with the stress and anxiety of exams, Shravani says, “ I meditate sometimes. In fact, in our school, teachers made us close our eyes and practice mindfulness, right before starting our exams. I think this is a practice I am going to continue every time I take an exam”. Shravani also considers planning to be a crucial part of her preparation. “I believe 2 to 3 months before the final exam, you know where you stand in terms of preparation. I made a proper plan to tackle each subject based on my level of preparation around January”.

Shravani with her parents and younger sister Mansee

Shravani with her parents and younger sister Mansee

Most of what Shravani shared is often known to many of us, but only a few practice it. So how did she learn to take these tips seriously? “I think it comes from my mother. She has taught me the value of perseverance and patience. She took a break from her career just to support my preparation for 10th Boards and that’s been a huge support to me,” she shares. 

Team Storyweavers is proud of Shravani’s marvelous performance and wishes her all the best in her future endeavours.

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About the Author


Charu, a feminist and an accidental writer, is yet to master the art of writing about herself. Always curious to learn new stuff, she ends up spending a lot of time unlearning the incorrect lessons. She enjoys all sorts of stories – real, fictional, new, old, hers and would love hearing yours too. Feel free to ping her at storyweavers@byjus.com to share anything that you think is worth sharing.