@Aazaad Yes philosophy optional! Do you have any idea about any of the test series available? Btw I can understand your pain. I too left a PSU job to prepare. But what can you do, such is life.
Could not study for the last several days. Shifted from Delhi to my hometown and the house is getting renovated. Will try to accomplish something today.
Targets:
1. Glance over CA of last 10 days.
2. Review of last IR Test.
3. Start something for the next philosophy test.
1. Done
2. Not done
3. Not done
Too many people at home and too many things happening. Still I need to take out time wherever possible and do as much as possible.
Today's targets:
1. Review IR test.
2. Prepare for ethics test.
3. Prepare Moore and Russell.
Could not study for the last several days. Shifted from Delhi to my hometown and the house is getting renovated. Will try to accomplish something today.
Targets:
1. Glance over CA of last 10 days.
2. Review of last IR Test.
3. Start something for the next philosophy test.
1. Done
2. Not done
3. Not done
Too many people at home and too many things happening. Still I need to take out time wherever possible and do as much as possible.
Today's targets:
1. Review IR test.
2. Prepare for ethics test.
3. Prepare Moore and Russell.
1. Done
2. Not done
3. Partially done
I should make my targets more specific and more realistic. Today’s target:
1. Current affairs
2. CA class 6th november
3. Review ethics topper copies
4. Philosophy test question no. 1 (at least partially)
Could not study for the last several days. Shifted from Delhi to my hometown and the house is getting renovated. Will try to accomplish something today.
Targets:
1. Glance over CA of last 10 days.
2. Review of last IR Test.
3. Start something for the next philosophy test.
1. Done
2. Not done
3. Not done
Too many people at home and too many things happening. Still I need to take out time wherever possible and do as much as possible.
Today's targets:
1. Review IR test.
2. Prepare for ethics test.
3. Prepare Moore and Russell.
1. Done
2. Not done
3. Partially done
I should make my targets more specific and more realistic. Today’s target:
1. Current affairs
2. CA class 6th november
3. Review ethics topper copies
4. Philosophy test question no. 1 (at least partially)
Not much done. Fell sick. With the house getting renovated, and my sisters marriage on 21st, there is little scope for studying. Better to have small and achievable targets than something too ambitious. Today's targets:
1. Current affairs of last few days that I missed.
2. Finish 6th november class.
Which one should be prepared first, GS4 or GS1? What do you guys suggest?In my opinion , GS4 ( short syllabus , less linkage to other papers, more scoring scope) as compared to GS1 (largest syllabus among all GS papers with less scoring scope) . But it also depends on your level of preparation of both papers.
Yes that is what I was also thinking. Also it’s probably better to do gs1 nearer to prelims as it will help in that too. Thanks.
Could not study for the last several days. Shifted from Delhi to my hometown and the house is getting renovated. Will try to accomplish something today.
Targets:
1. Glance over CA of last 10 days.
2. Review of last IR Test.
3. Start something for the next philosophy test.
1. Done
2. Not done
3. Not done
Too many people at home and too many things happening. Still I need to take out time wherever possible and do as much as possible.
Today's targets:
1. Review IR test.
2. Prepare for ethics test.
3. Prepare Moore and Russell.
1. Done
2. Not done
3. Partially done
I should make my targets more specific and more realistic. Today’s target:
1. Current affairs
2. CA class 6th november
3. Review ethics topper copies
4. Philosophy test question no. 1 (at least partially)
Not much done. Fell sick. With the house getting renovated, and my sisters marriage on 21st, there is little scope for studying. Better to have small and achievable targets than something too ambitious. Today's targets:
1. Current affairs of last few days that I missed.
2. Finish 6th november class.
Done. Today's target:
1. Today's CA + Editorial
2. 8th Nov CA Class (1/2)
Sister's marriage went well. I'll get back to studies tomorrow after a long hiatus.
Targets for tomorrow:
1. Insights CA + Editorial
2. Philosophy of religion: analysis of toppers answers, review of old study material and Cottingham to finalise a strategy for this topic
3. Ethics: analysis of toppers answers, review of sources, strategising.
Sister's marriage went well. I'll get back to studies tomorrow after a long hiatus.
Targets for tomorrow:
1. Insights CA + Editorial
2. Philosophy of religion: analysis of toppers answers, review of old study material and Cottingham to finalise a strategy for this topic
3. Ethics: analysis of toppers answers, review of sources, strategising.
Not done, partially done (and decided to do contemporary western rather than religion), not done. But its okay. Philosophy took too much time and it will take a few days for me to get back the momentum.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 26th nov
2. Contemporary western philosophy: Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein (prepare at least a rough draft of notes for all topics)
3. Ethics: review of topper's copies
Sister's marriage went well. I'll get back to studies tomorrow after a long hiatus.
Targets for tomorrow:
1. Insights CA + Editorial
2. Philosophy of religion: analysis of toppers answers, review of old study material and Cottingham to finalise a strategy for this topic
3. Ethics: analysis of toppers answers, review of sources, strategising.
Not done, partially done (and decided to do contemporary western rather than religion), not done. But its okay. Philosophy took too much time and it will take a few days for me to get back the momentum.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 26th nov
2. Contemporary western philosophy: Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein (prepare at least a rough draft of notes for all topics)
3. Ethics: review of topper's copies
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Are you using Balaji Sir's Book as Primary/Sole book or secondary? I did this too, but seems like more diverse content would be needed, is it?
I found it to be easier to understand than lexicon, which I found to be incoherent at places. But I do plan to supplement it with examples and content from newspaper, other areas of syllabus, toppers answers etc.
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, done, done and done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. insights CA + editorial
3. Continue Heidegger and start Sartre if possible
4. Finish Ethics class 1
Okay I started out being intimidated by everyone's targets and posts here. I have been truly struggling to do this again for the 3rd time after missing the mains again this year. I am still to finish my optional notes (History)
I am 60 percent through Modern history. I feel like I am so slow and everyone seems to be doing so so so smoothly.
However, I am also inspired by the perseverance and dedication the forum brings. I shall borrow some of this from you guys.
The target for December:
1) Finish Modern notes
2) Finish World H notes
3) Revise Laxmikant, Geography Ncerts
4) Current Affairs Oct-Nov 2021
Phew! Thank you guys for being such awesomesauce badass people that you all are :)
I used to be intimidated too. And I have just started posting again after almost a month of being away from studies. But, it is okay. What I have realised is, nothing today determines how I am going to do on the day of the exam. At the end, it won't matter how much hours did I study for on 1st dec 2021, or in the month of December, or how many tests I wrote. What will matter finally is the cumulative, and how prepared I am and how prepared I feel on the day of the examination. So, small targets everyday, over the course of months, and the rest will take care of itself.
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, done, done and done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. insights CA + editorial
3. Continue Heidegger and start Sartre if possible
4. Finish Ethics class 1
Done, done, done (Finished reading Heidegger, did not start Sarte but moved to Moore and Russell), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Russell, start Wittgenstein (try to finish as well)
4. Ethics class 2
Targets completed on 1-12-21:
1) One lecture of Biotech
2) Machiavelli
Cleaned up all the clutter from my room and study desk. Has brought a sense of clarity to my mind and with it panic of not even doing the bare minimum prep wise in the last 6 months has kicked in.
I have a lot of doubts regarding my prep from this point onwards.I would be really grateful if you guys could provide suggestion/ insights on the same. (2022 will be my first attempt, PSIR optional. Graduate in biology, preparing from home without any peer group)
Status of prep - Completed static of (Economy, Modern and Ancient Indian), Half of ( Indian society, ethics, Laxmikant, PSIR 1A and 2A), CA is up to date. Haven't started any other subject,severely lacking in revision and no note making at all.I know that my chances are slim owing to my disorganised prep, but I still want to give it my best shot.
1) I am planning to not make any notes for prelims. Will consolidate all the material in the basic books itself with highlighting, sticky notes/ A4 sheets wherever necessary. I have been a textbook person and time isn't really on my side right now. Can this backfire spectacularly?
2) Would one be able to make mains specific short notes for GS and optional within the three months post pre and revise it effectively? I intend to read topics like governance, security etc atleast once before prelims. Does this sound fine?
3) Regarding answer writing, I feel that my content and conceptual clarity is dragging my scores down. Can this be fixed with content enrichment and practice post pre? Would there be sufficient time including for point 2?
Thank you.
My opinion:
1) Try this in tests. If you are doing well in tests then there is no reason why you cant do well in Prelims.
2) It will be difficult. It is better to make such notes for as many subjects as possible before prelims itself, especially in optional.
3) In GS, mostly what matters is content, conceptual clarity as such is not an issue. Everyone understands what farm bills are about, but not everyone can produce all the relevant facts, committees, diagrams etc. in their answer. So for GS at least, finish static and focus on basics of current topics. Enrichment can be done after pre (though it is obviously better if it is done before pre itself). For optional, I think, conceptual clarity should be gained before prelims itself. Post pre, main focus should be on practice and revision.
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, done, done and done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. insights CA + editorial
3. Continue Heidegger and start Sartre if possible
4. Finish Ethics class 1
Done, done, done (Finished reading Heidegger, did not start Sarte but moved to Moore and Russell), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Russell, start Wittgenstein (try to finish as well)
4. Ethics class 2
Done, done, done (could not finish Wittgenstein), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Wittgenstein's Tractatus and start Logical Positivism
4. Ethics class 3
5. 1st Dec. CA class (Watching 2 classes in a day will be challenging, but I will have to push myself otherwise these will pile up)
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, done, done and done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. insights CA + editorial
3. Continue Heidegger and start Sartre if possible
4. Finish Ethics class 1
Done, done, done (Finished reading Heidegger, did not start Sarte but moved to Moore and Russell), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Russell, start Wittgenstein (try to finish as well)
4. Ethics class 2
Done, done, done (could not finish Wittgenstein), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Wittgenstein's Tractatus and start Logical Positivism
4. Ethics class 3
5. 1st Dec. CA class (Watching 2 classes in a day will be challenging, but I will have to push myself otherwise these will pile up)
Done, done, done, not done (watching 2 full classes in a day will be infeasible, rather I should watch around 1.5 hours of CA classes daily), done.
Targets for today, in descending order of priority:
1. Finish Logical positivism and start later Wittgenstein
2. Ethics Class 3
3. 1.5 hours of CA class
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, done, done and done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. insights CA + editorial
3. Continue Heidegger and start Sartre if possible
4. Finish Ethics class 1
Done, done, done (Finished reading Heidegger, did not start Sarte but moved to Moore and Russell), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Russell, start Wittgenstein (try to finish as well)
4. Ethics class 2
Done, done, done (could not finish Wittgenstein), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Wittgenstein's Tractatus and start Logical Positivism
4. Ethics class 3
5. 1st Dec. CA class (Watching 2 classes in a day will be challenging, but I will have to push myself otherwise these will pile up)
Done, done, done, not done (watching 2 full classes in a day will be infeasible, rather I should watch around 1.5 hours of CA classes daily), done.
Targets for today, in descending order of priority:
1. Finish Logical positivism and start later Wittgenstein
2. Ethics Class 3
3. 1.5 hours of CA class
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Partially done (did not start later Wittgenstein), done, done, not done, not done.
Got a little overwhelmed yesterday. Targets for today:
1. Later Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard
2. Ethics class 4
3. CA Class 4th Dec (2/2)
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, done, done and done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. insights CA + editorial
3. Continue Heidegger and start Sartre if possible
4. Finish Ethics class 1
Done, done, done (Finished reading Heidegger, did not start Sarte but moved to Moore and Russell), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Russell, start Wittgenstein (try to finish as well)
4. Ethics class 2
Done, done, done (could not finish Wittgenstein), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Wittgenstein's Tractatus and start Logical Positivism
4. Ethics class 3
5. 1st Dec. CA class (Watching 2 classes in a day will be challenging, but I will have to push myself otherwise these will pile up)
Done, done, done, not done (watching 2 full classes in a day will be infeasible, rather I should watch around 1.5 hours of CA classes daily), done.
Targets for today, in descending order of priority:
1. Finish Logical positivism and start later Wittgenstein
2. Ethics Class 3
3. 1.5 hours of CA class
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Partially done (did not start later Wittgenstein), done, done, not done, not done.
Got a little overwhelmed yesterday. Targets for today:
1. Later Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard
2. Ethics class 4
3. CA Class 4th Dec (2/2)
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Partially done (did not finish LW and did not start Kierkegaard), done (also watched 2 hours of class 5), done, done, not done (did not get newspaper due to rains).
Targets for today:
1. Solve philosophy test 2 (1/2)
2. Finish ethics class 5 and class 6
3. CA class 6th december (1/2)
4. Insights CA + Editorial + Newspaper (during free time)
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, done, done and done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. insights CA + editorial
3. Continue Heidegger and start Sartre if possible
4. Finish Ethics class 1
Done, done, done (Finished reading Heidegger, did not start Sarte but moved to Moore and Russell), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Russell, start Wittgenstein (try to finish as well)
4. Ethics class 2
Done, done, done (could not finish Wittgenstein), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Wittgenstein's Tractatus and start Logical Positivism
4. Ethics class 3
5. 1st Dec. CA class (Watching 2 classes in a day will be challenging, but I will have to push myself otherwise these will pile up)
Done, done, done, not done (watching 2 full classes in a day will be infeasible, rather I should watch around 1.5 hours of CA classes daily), done.
Targets for today, in descending order of priority:
1. Finish Logical positivism and start later Wittgenstein
2. Ethics Class 3
3. 1.5 hours of CA class
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Partially done (did not start later Wittgenstein), done, done, not done, not done.
Got a little overwhelmed yesterday. Targets for today:
1. Later Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard
2. Ethics class 4
3. CA Class 4th Dec (2/2)
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Partially done (did not finish LW and did not start Kierkegaard), done (also watched 2 hours of class 5), done, done, not done (did not get newspaper due to rains).
Targets for today:
1. Solve philosophy test 2 (1/2)
2. Finish ethics class 5 and class 6
3. CA class 6th december (1/2)
4. Insights CA + Editorial + Newspaper (during free time)
Partially done, partially done (half of class 6 left), done, partially done (did not read Insights).
Targets for today:
1. Solve philosophy test 2 (2/2)
2. Finish ethics class 6
3. CA Class 6th december (2/2)
4. Insight CA + Editorial + Newspaper
How are you guys going about essay preparation? Is it better to start preparing it right now or is it better to build content in GS first and then practice essays? What do you guys think?This time is time for mains prep is very less or say negligible hence right now focusing only on GS and optional, while I think for essay at least one of the essays could be written with the GS prep and the other its all about your interpretation and presence of mind and thereby nobody could do any specific preparation.
So essay baad mei, abhi Just GS and Optional.
If you want to do then you can go with reading topper's essay to get hold of frameworks etc , I think thats what could be done.
Yes I think I will first finish gs4, and socio-political philosophy (part of philosophy optional). That should help in both philosophical as well as socio-political issue based essays. After that I will try to write a few essays before prelims itself.
How are you guys going about essay preparation? Is it better to start preparing it right now or is it better to build content in GS first and then practice essays? What do you guys think?I may not be the best guy to answer this as I have never written a mains. But I have written over 20 essays and saw myself improving thoda sa everytime.
I think when you are writing essays you are essentially practising effective expression of your thoughts. For that, whatever content you have should suffice. I think more unwritable topics, more absolutely "mere paas iske liye koi content nahi hai" topics" you practise writing, the better. With more content, the essays will improve. But at least, you have a head start at putting your thoughts in order and expressing. Even diary entry should help. Even writing 500 words every once in a while on a topic in news you feel passionately about should help. Even writing about how a song makes you feel should help.
Content is a different thing.
It's like those junkyard wars that we used to watch on net geo bachpan me. We all are adults & have a lot of content. Use that junk to make something. That process of making something out of junk itself is the best practise in creating products. And when those junkyard warriors are given state of art equipments and best materials, they will do magic. And so will you if you are good with expression and your content improves till we write mains.
Yeah that makes sense. But I think I am mainly lacking in content differentiation. Writing abilities as such are okay. I'll try to not delay essay preparation too much.
Done, partially done (ended up reading Husserl but did not make notes), done.
Targets for today:
1. Insights CA + Editorial 27th nov
2. Husserl (Patanjali notes + plato.stanford + make notes)
3. Ethics (Balaji chapter 1 + make notes)
Done, partially done (starting to get some clarity on Husserl, yet to make notes), partially done
Targets for today:
1. Understand Husserl
2. Prepare definitions for all topics of ethics test 1 syllabus (1/2)
3. Write at least 2 answers from ethics from topper copies and compare
Partially done, not done, not done. Got stuck at trying to understand Husserl. I'll move on now and come back to Husserl later. Perhaps reading Heidegger and Sartre can help.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Start Heidegger
4. Sort out organisation of notes
Done, done, done and done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. insights CA + editorial
3. Continue Heidegger and start Sartre if possible
4. Finish Ethics class 1
Done, done, done (Finished reading Heidegger, did not start Sarte but moved to Moore and Russell), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Russell, start Wittgenstein (try to finish as well)
4. Ethics class 2
Done, done, done (could not finish Wittgenstein), done.
Targets for today:
1. Newspaper
2. Insights CA + Editorial
3. Finish Wittgenstein's Tractatus and start Logical Positivism
4. Ethics class 3
5. 1st Dec. CA class (Watching 2 classes in a day will be challenging, but I will have to push myself otherwise these will pile up)
Done, done, done, not done (watching 2 full classes in a day will be infeasible, rather I should watch around 1.5 hours of CA classes daily), done.
Targets for today, in descending order of priority:
1. Finish Logical positivism and start later Wittgenstein
2. Ethics Class 3
3. 1.5 hours of CA class
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Partially done (did not start later Wittgenstein), done, done, not done, not done.
Got a little overwhelmed yesterday. Targets for today:
1. Later Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard
2. Ethics class 4
3. CA Class 4th Dec (2/2)
4. Insights CA + Editorial
5. Newspaper
Partially done (did not finish LW and did not start Kierkegaard), done (also watched 2 hours of class 5), done, done, not done (did not get newspaper due to rains).
Targets for today:
1. Solve philosophy test 2 (1/2)
2. Finish ethics class 5 and class 6
3. CA class 6th december (1/2)
4. Insights CA + Editorial + Newspaper (during free time)
Partially done, partially done (half of class 6 left), done, partially done (did not read Insights).
Targets for today:
1. Solve philosophy test 2 (2/2)
2. Finish ethics class 6
3. CA Class 6th december (2/2)
4. Insight CA + Editorial + Newspaper
May not post targets for some days. I think i'll go back to my unstructured, but still productive, way of studying for some time. These rigid targets and strict deadlines are stressing me out.
Hello everyone,
Been dealing with some issues from a long time. Just recently came across this platform on forum to discuss various things about the preparation. So I'm sharing it with this hole that somebody might suggest something useful. I'm based at home doing cse prep. So have exhausted two attempts couldn't clear prelims this time was scoring around 85. Done with the syllabus too for the core subjects ,but didn't had a mains oriented approach so haven't done much answer writing and also haven't done my optional very well too.
But my problem isnt any of this. You see I came to this preparation about 2 years back because of my parents will but then I worked hard from my side too but I feel suffocated sometimes not just sometimes but quite a lot. Last year during covid when the libraries got shut I was in this huge depression...alone...nobody in my family to understand my problems...even suicidal...that was for 2-3 months basically that was a huge loss to me..for my prep. I came out of it through medications and other self help methods. Since then have tried to not fall back to that place. But every and then I start to slip in that zone especially when the results are not showing. I have quite a conservative family which won't let girls live outside home etc. I gave up a job after Btech and every now and then that decision bites me of what I have got myself into basically giving up the independence I could have had. Its this feeling of despair and suffocation that kills me sometimes especially when the journey seems neverending.
My apologies for sharing this rather negative post in here. This might feel like I'm overexaggerating things but I've been dealing with this since a long time and no matter how hard I try to just study and not think of the results...sometimes it becomes really overwhelming.
Though I am not a woman, but as someone who has already given several attempts after leaving a comfortable job, I can understand what you are going through to some extent. Regret is a difficult thing to deal with. These are some of the things that I have found helpful and you may too:
1. Take therapy. Depression is a real thing. You cannot, and should not, deal with everything on your own. Many therapists are taking sessions on phone or video calls. If budget is a concern, I think there are several free initiatives going on as well due to Covid.
2. Take guidance. In previous attempts, I think I was too prideful to ask for help. I am trying to change that. I have found Forum's MGP mentorship to be very helpful. If you know someone who has cleared the exam, you can also try to get in touch with them.
3. Have clarity. I think lack of clarity over the end goal is a major hurdle. Till last year I was trying to prepare well for both CSE and IFoS. That meant preparing three optionals, rather than one. Take time out to think what you want, why you want it. Once that is decided, try to not look back.
4. Try to maintain a sense of joy in preparation and general life. It becomes difficult to be excited about studying things when you have already given a few attempts. But somehow try to preserve that sense of excitement and wonder that you felt when you first studied your UPSC syllabus. And similarly, in general life, try to do small things that give you joy. For me it is simple things like going for a bike ride, practicing guitar or simply just sitting in the sun and reading newspaper.
I hope this helps.
Would anyone be interested in forming a group of 3-4 people for answer writing, specifically for the vague and non-standard kinds of questions that UPSC is asking? Basically the idea is that each day one of us will post a question in the group. The question must be from mains PYQs, and specifically those questions which are not intuitive (e.g. impact of cryptocurrency on society, earn while you learn scheme etc. from this year's papers). Then everyone will brainstorm over it and post their answer or at least outline of an answer. We won't read up on the topic asked, rather the whole point of the exercise would be to try to utilise existing knowledge in a new context. This is because, inevitably, in the exam there will be questions like this. It will be better if we are in the habit of tackling them.
@sstarrr @Naadan_Parinda @Titanium what do you say?
@sstarrr @Naadan_Parinda @Titanium what do you say?
It never worked out( kuch din sab enthusiastic hte h....it's difficult to be on the same page ) .....n everyone is shifting towards prelims now ...as of now I don't have time ....what m doing is atleast do the predictable part ache n revising multiple times ....so that after prelims I can deal with this stuff only ( value addition ,answer writing fr bouncer ques etc)
U can post ques n brainstorm on ur own ...If I get time I will let you know .....abhi m doing alot
I understand. Perhaps after prelims then.
@sbhati Hey, I agree with Titanium that there's already a lot on our plate, but I think the thread that titanium has created , you can post one question daily or so and we all who were active on that thread would try to answer, if and as we get time. I think that would help as with SFG going, we all are really busy and hence dedicated answer writing is a problem but we can of course write answers on the thread according to our own convenience.
After prelims sure! It would be great, I have seen some really good answers by you guys :)
Okay we'll try after prelims then. For now, I'll post on the other thread. Do comment if you get the time.
