Can I Get 90+ Marks and Still Play?

• Tell Me - What to Do!
• Class 9 can suddenly feel like someone has turned the academic pressure knob all the way up! But does scoring 90+ mean saying goodbye to games, TV, family time and fun?

Hi… Uncle Fix It!
I study in Class 9. I come back from school at 1:30 p.m. I have lunch and relax until 3:00 p.m., and then I sit down to study. At 6:00 p.m., I go out to play.
But I am worried. Isn't this study time too little for Class 9 ICSE? I still want to play, but I also want to score 90+ marks, just like I did in Class 8.
There is more! I also watch some TV, help Mom at home, and my school gives us lots of homework. We also have weekly tests. Because of all this, I hardly get any extra time to study or attend online lectures.
I'm worried that if I want to score well, I will have to stop playing. But I really, really want to play too!
Uncle, please fix it! Help me!

• Aditi

Dear Aditi,
First things first: DON'T PANIC! And second: DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR SPORTS SHOES!
You have not told me that you are lazy. In fact, your letter tells me almost the opposite. You go to school, come home, rest, study, play, do homework, take weekly tests, help your mother and still want to improve your marks.
That sounds like a pretty busy Class 9 student to me!
Your biggest mistake, Aditi, is that you are measuring your studies only by the number of hours you sit with your books.
That is not the best way to look at studying.
Suppose one student sits with a textbook for four hours but keeps checking the phone, staring out of the window and reading the same paragraph three times. Another student studies with full concentration for two hours, understands the chapter, solves questions and revises properly.
Who do you think has actually studied more?
Exactly! So don't ask, "Am I studying enough hours?"
Ask, "Am I using my study hours properly?"
Your 3-to-6 schedule can work
You have three hours between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. That is not "nothing"! It is actually a useful block of time.
But don't try to sit continuously for three hours.
You could divide it into focused sessions. For example:
3:00-3:50: Homework or the day's most difficult subject.
3:50-4:00: Small break. Stretch, drink water, walk around.
4:00-4:50: Another subject or preparation for the weekly test.
4:50-5:00: Break.
5:00-5:45: Revision, solving questions or finishing important homework.
5:45-6:00: Pack up and get ready to play.
Look at that! You have done serious academic work and still get to go outside at 6.
And here's my important rule: When you study, study. When you play, play.
Don't sit on the playground worrying about algebra. And don't sit with algebra thinking about cricket!
But what
about TV?
TV is not your enemy either.
You don't need to become a monk who lives between a mathematics book and a geography atlas!
Just put some limits around your TV time. Finish the day's important work first and then watch something you enjoy. The same applies to mobile phones and online videos.
And about online lectures: you don't necessarily need more lectures. Your school already teaches you. You have textbooks, homework, class notes and weekly tests. Before adding more and more study material, make sure you are using the material you already have properly. More books and more lectures do not automatically mean more marks.
Here is your real secret weapon
You scored 90+ in Class 8.
Wonderful!
But don't turn that number into a scary monster sitting on your study table.
Your aim should not be:
"I MUST GET 90+ OR I HAVE FAILED!"
Instead, think:
"Every day, I will understand today's lessons, complete my work properly and revise a little."
Marks are the result. Good daily habits are the cause.
Also, don't wait until examinations to discover that you have forgotten a chapter. Your weekly tests are actually useful. Treat them as little practice matches.
If you get something wrong, don't feel terrible. Say, "Aha! I caught you, silly mistake!" Then fix it.
And please
keep playing!
This is perhaps the most important thing I want to tell you. Playing is not automatically a waste of time.
Running, cycling, playing football, badminton, cricket or simply being outdoors gives your mind a break from books. You meet friends, move your body and return to your studies feeling fresher.
So, no, Aditi. I don't want you to stop playing just because you are in Class 9.
I want you to become better at managing your time.
Study seriously. Play happily. Help at home. Enjoy some TV. Sleep properly.
And don't fill every empty minute with another lecture or another worksheet.
You don't need a 12-hour study timetable.
You need a good timetable that you can actually follow.
And here's your new Class 9 mantra:
"I don't have to study ALL the time. I have to study WELL when it is study time." Now go finish your homework. Then go play.
And when someone tells you, "If you want 90+, you must stop playing," you can smile and say:
"My Uncle says I can do both. I just have to use my time wisely!"
Deal?

• Love,
  Uncle Fix-It