13 long years have flown in a jiffy !! As I write this, all the great time that I have had at Bethany come to my mind. I still remember my first day at the pre-primary school when I was a little boy, teary eyed and reluctant to leave my parents. But ever since, I have always considered Bethany as a fun place to be at where studies and extra-curricular activities go hand-in-hand. All the sports days, carnivals, musicals, road-runs, the exciting trip to Wayanad …. all played a vital role in making school life so exciting along with studies.

And soon, it was time to bid adieu to school life. After the grand Valedictory function, it was time for the ICSE board exams at Bethany for Class X. There was lots to study, remember and be prepared for. It was the first board exam and there were moments of anxiety and uncertainty. By God’s grace, my hard work paid off ! I could make it to the top of the pile.

I wish to thank my parents and teachers for their continuous support and encouragement all along. There was absolutely no pressure from their side which enabled me to stay focused and do well. Constant revisions and taking every school exam seriously helped a lot. I consciously logged out of my Instagram account a month before the board exams began. However, I was connected with my friends through WhatsApp which enabled all of us to discuss and share notes and also clear doubts. I was very lucky to have been in a batch full of friends who helped each other with notes and cleared each other’s doubts without any hitch.

Preparation for board exams never happens suddenly, it needs a continuous effort. I never believed in competing with others. Competition was to out-perform myself. I worked hard meticulously, remained focused to perform better. If I need to remain focused, I need to de-stress as well. For me, de-stressing means playing cricket and listening to music. Even during the board exams, I made it a point to go out and play cricket for at least an hour in order to refresh myself. I firmly believe studies and relaxation should go hand-in-hand. This is something which I take away with me from my precious years at Bethany.

I take this opportunity to thank Team Bethany for providing all the support and direction during my stint. A special mention goes to my Principal, Robert Sir and my Director, Akash Sir for making Bethany a great environment to be in.

Thank you for everything.

Pranit Prasant Pai.

(Class X – C, Batch of 2018-19)

ICSE Topper (Bethany)