'Eat well, rest well; keep improving; and go play, unplug.'
Study to pass in life and not just in exams; identify your strengths during challenging times, actors Vikrant Massey and Bhumi Pednekar told school students during an interaction on Prime Minister Narendra D Modi's Parisha Pe Charcha.
Bhumi and Vikrant shared their experiences from school and talked about tackling exam stress, parental expectations and the importance of resilience.
Vikrant, who starred in the film 12th Fail, asked students to practise the "power of visualisation.
"We all know how to subconsciously visualise. You can take out 10 minutes a day to write about your feelings and what you wish to achieve in a journal... It's a kind of manifestation," he said.
"Never feel arrogant about getting good marks. Keep your eyes low and your thinking high. That's very important. Study to pass in life and not just in your exams. Be kind to yourself and if you do not meet your expectations, restart," he added.
Recalling the time she lost her father, Bhumi said she was very young when she realised she had to focus on her strengths.
"At that age, you don't realise that such a big unfortunate event has happened to you. I just knew I had to play to my strengths.
"Identify your strengths during challenging times. Explore new ways to learn. Like, whenever I am given a scene, I try doing it in different ways," she said.
During his school days, said Vikrant, he was "an above average student" who was more into sports.
"I used to pick up books days before exams. We had cable TV at the time so that used to be disconnected during exams...
"I'm a bit sad to see today's generation. Our playtime was all about the playground. For today's generation, it's the mobile (phone).
"Cricket, which is our country's most favourite sport, requires one to be present in the moment. Even the prime minister says 'The present is God's favourite present'," he added.
Bhumi said she was never a frontbencher and used to enjoy participating in extracurricular activities.
"I was a very obedient student and I still am.
"I was mischievous but I shared a beautiful relationship with my teachers...
"I realised early on that I want to be an actor. I wanted my parents to be happy and proud so I used to work very hard in studies."
Children are unable to grow when the expectations of parents start to feel like a burden, added Vikrant.
"Express yourself. If your parents want you to become an engineer but you want to become a photographer, you should tell them what you feel. They will get convinced over a period of time because all they want for you is to be happy," he said.
Bhumi emphasised the importance of having a good sleep routine.
"I used to take an hour-long break in a day during exams.
"I would go out and play; I loved dancing, playing badminton. All that was important for me was to give my brain a break... "
"When I was young, I just didn't want to sleep. Now, when I'm shooting, I quickly finish my lunch in 15 minutes and sleep for half an hour. That half an hour of sleep gives me a very focused eight hours at work," she said.
Vikrant shared his three hacks on how to be an exam warrior.
"Eat well, rest well; keep improving; and go play, unplug," he said.
Asked to give her go-to tips to handle stress, Bhumi said, "Be a warrior, not a worrier. Being spiritual keeps you grounded and focused."
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