Page 247 - DAIS Insignia 2021-2022

Well-being

Perhaps wellbeing is a farce. A comic creation of the
evil capitalist overlords to sell more Lululemon. A late-
stage glorification of trained manifestation and driven
self-employment in order to reach the unattainable
pedestals of success and happiness! It is, now,
everywhere; in the $20 açai bowls with rock-solid
frozen fruits, in the marble-washed yoga mats of air-
conditioned studios, in the mountains of minimally
packaged, maximally profited skincare products, in the
crude cellulose confines of fake leaves, sold, ironically,
on Amazon. This constant shoveling of self-
betterment propaganda down our throats promotes
nothing seriously attainable. Well-being,
contrastingly, is a notoriously simple idea- do what Ms. Pritha Mukherjee Ms. Richa Dhawan
makes you feel good. The ridiculous hedonism of this IGCSE Coordinator Assistant IGCSE Coordinator
idea may appear somewhat indulgent- even
detrimental. But the simplicity of this idea also lies in
just that- it is perfectly open to interpretation, working
on the giddy whim of your self-determination. Doing
what makes you feel good may sound simple at first; a From the IGCSE Office
quick analysis will provide you with a few easy
answers. And you may do these things to maintain
your “well-being” repeatedly. But therein lies a
confusing dichotomy- humans are prone to tedium. The IGCSE office has always been a place with high rate of footfalls both from students
Doing what makes you feel good will get old, very and teachers whether in online or offline spaces. This academic year has been no different!
quickly- in a manner akin to what Huxley, the writer
proposes, the eternal absence of a complete utopia While the academic year 2021-22 started online, the year gone by has shown that teaching and
owing to this human condition. Well-being therefore learning can be seamless if students and teachers show passion and agency, as we moved from
requires a more balanced approach, one that juggles online to hybrid to physical school.
that which you detest with what you adore.
Kabir Parekh The nature of queries, resolution of day-to-day matters and celebration of student achievements have
KYRENE TANGRI been consistent and affirmative, be it Round Square and MUN conferences students attended online, or
Student Council Investiture and Sports Day celebrated in physical school. This academic year, all Board
Examinations were conducted (October, March and June sessions) with the greatest of safety measures, giving
Stress and Mental Wellbeing students a well scaffolded exam experience, with a chance to fulfil their goals and realise their potential.
The biggest obstacle to our mental wellbeing, for many people, is stress
and worry. We stress over multiple things in our lives; school, work, The joy of returning to school early this year in 2022, was stamped in the faces of our students as their eyes
friends, what to wear to a party and what to do over the weekend, danced with recognition and pleasure when they met peers and teachers, though their smiles remained
selecting subjects, tests and grades, the list goes on and on. The Point hidden behind the House Colour Masks! The corridors were buzzing again after the eerie silence of the
being, there are multiple things that can cause us to feel stressed
throughout our lives, and it is especially worse if there are several causes to lockdown months! The morning prayer, the hustle and bustle of school day and the break time rush
your stress, which can let it build up and over whelm you. downstairs to play in the field confirmed in our minds that it is business as usual at last!
As I am writing this, I think I need to clarify that I do not have a solution for
stress. It does not even need one; stress is the brain's natural response to a In April 2022 we welcomed pre 8ths into the folds of IGCSE Program, just as joyfully as we bid goodbye
situation deemed dangerous or harmful, so do not expect something like
that. Instead, I believe that the problem many of us face is the effects of to IGCSE Batch of 2022 who enjoyed their farewell party, post which the batch slipped in to the much-
stress: overthinking about situations and doubting ourselves, going into a awaited IGCSE Board Exam after a furlough of two years!
panic, or even numb us enough that we cannot do a single thing by the
end of it. And these are very easily manageable.
The IGCSE Office salutes the students who have shown us how to remain resilient in spite of
Organisation is something that might help people. For example, setting a challenges along the way, the class teachers have remained the bulwark of pastoral strength
dedicated schedule for each thing you have to do might help. For a long
time, I always found it quite helpful to decide what specific papers to and support and the Heads continue to guide our paths and remain within reach for
revise on what day or time. For others who will eventually fall sick of or counsel. Last, but not the least, we feel assured by the solid support of the
simply forget to stick to the routine (like I did), it may help to split your
tasks into manageable portions. Even though it wasn't properly under administrative and medical teams who make it possible to fulfil all our promises
exam conditions, I often solved papers question-by-question, with a to the IGCSE community!
shorter time that was determined by the marks of the question. It's a
practice that also helped me get through a lot of coursework and
unrelated things. Ms. Pritha Mukherjee Ms. Richa Dhawan
Other methods you might find helpful is to take a quick break every now IGCSE Coordinator Assistant IGCSE Coordinator
and again; it never hurts to give your mind some rest, and think things out
more clearly. Speaking of rest, sleep is also essential to maintain decent
mental wellbeing outside of stress (although this is one piece of advice I
will most likely never follow).
Karan Verma
PRANAAYA JHAVERI

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