To guru, the exam season has finally packed up its bags and left, and what a circus it’s been! After a solid seventeen years out of the student ring, I stepped back into the arena, and oh boy, what a show! The idea of sitting in an exam hall for over three hours seemed scarier than watching a horror movie alone at midnight. But guess what? It turned out to be as smooth as sipping chai on a lazy Sunday.

So, when I first signed up for this BAPCH course, my attitude was like, “Arrey, just pass. Kya farak padta hai?” (What difference does it make?) After all, I was doing pretty well as an IT consultant. But as I scribbled down the last answer of my final exam on July 6th, a light bulb moment happened. It struck me—passing wasn’t the real deal, scoring well was. It’s like realizing chai is good but masala chai? Now that’s another level!

And here’s the real masala—now that the exams are done, I’m not even sure if I’ll pass. But, there’s no fear yaar, seriously. If I fail, I know exactly why. I took it too lightly, thinking it would be a walk in the park. But life isn’t a Bollywood movie with retakes. If I have to face December exams again, well, I better stock up on coffee (and not just for sipping).

So, while my fingers are crossed tighter than a Mumbai local at peak hours, I hope I and none of my batchmates have to revisit those dreaded exam papers this year. Reflecting on this past year, here’s a bit of gyaan (advice) I’d like to share:

• Spend at least one hour daily on studies. Consistency is key, bhai!
• Dive into those core books provided by IGNOU. They’re not just for decoration.
• Practice as many questions as you can. The more, the merrier!
• Handle your assignments and practicals yourself. There’s no CTRL+C and CTRL+V here.
• Join WhatsApp or other social media groups related to Psychology. Community helps!
• Start podcasting or keep a diary of your learnings. Expressing helps understanding.
• Remember, in Psychology, unlike IT, no one’s going to take you seriously without the proper degrees.

Although I’m still not sure if I’m in a position to give advice—like Thomas Edison said after his bulb experiments, “Now I know what not to do”—I’m still the IT guy at heart, looking to mix technology with psychology to better mental health.

So, here’s to more learning, more unlearning, and definitely more relearning. Who knew the path from coding to cortex would be this enthralling?