2021 – the year that all of us have been waiting for, thanks to how 2020 was. We had a disease that was named with a suffix ’19’ but would slip into ’20 and wreak havoc. Notwithstanding that, the excitement, optimism and the aura of a new year full of possibilities are palpable. People are exercising a fair degree of caution, exuding a bit of paranoia and exhibiting that trait which characterises the Homo sapiens – Bouncing Back.
Let’s face it, we are all in need of a reboot. 2020 was a bit meh. We added Wuhan to our geography, Spanish Flu to our history, mRNA to our science, social distancing to our vocabulary, and “new normal” to our pile of clichés. Contact-tracing was no longer restricted to stalkers and self-isolation went beyond introverts. March 15th 2020 seems like aeons ago, a pristine time when N-95 probably made us think of a bus route.
On the other hand, civic society has responded well and the scientific community has defied the odds to find vaccines. Indian medical community most likely hit upon a set of protocols within 3-4 months of the news and these have played a role in keeping the virus at arm’s length.
It is perhaps crucial to keep a sense of perspective even about a pandemic as serious as this. Most of us measure our losses only in terms of productivity or pay – neither can be considered debilitating in the context of a 40-year career. History might judge 2020 to have been annus horribilis, but individually we might come to see it as a pause or a comma or a temporary reboot in our own lives. We might even reflect and recognize that the year showed us what we need to be thankful for rather than what we might be regretful over.
2021 beckons
There is still a pandemic at large amidst us but we can nurture the notion that we will take baby steps toward social interaction and lively economic activity soon. We can shed our cynicism and view the world with more optimism and hope. Frequently, we realize too late that circumstances are less the constraint than the view we take of said circumstances.
Perspective matters
Nehru said “Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt to you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will.” We have been dealt a pandemic, most of us have been spared the worst of it and now it is our job to throw everything into making the most of the post-pandemic world.
New Years are wonderful occasions
We all need the equivalent of a Ctrl-Alt-Del every now and then. New Years’ is one such occasion for all of us. Ignore memes that take a dim view of celebrating going around the Sun once and dive in and make impossible-sounding resolutions. In whatever enthusiastic list you produce, please include the idea of carving a mere 400 hours for preparing for the CAT and challenging your grey cells. This could be the action point that makes a difference – not because it could get you an admit into some mundane college, but because it could make you sign-up for a glorious preparation phase.
We, at 2IIM, are delighted to announce that we are offering an exclusive New Year Discount of Rs 5,000/- on our flagship Live Online Course, and Comprehensive CAT 2020 & Green CAT 2020 course. This discount will be valid until 3rd January, 2021.
Online Live Course 2021 is available at Rs. 39,000 (Originally priced at 44,000)
Comprehensive CAT Course 2021 is priced at Rs. 30,000 (Originally priced at 35,000)
Green CAT Course 2021 is priced at Rs. 27,000 (Originally priced at 32,000)
It is definitely a good time to get on the curiosity train that is Bharath’s Reading List. Forget about CAT Preparation for a second and explore Bharath’s Reading List for its myriad, hand-picked articles to get the reading cogs in your brain moving beyond the horizon!
Pessimist and Optimist
The above picture is one of my favourites and I love plugging it during New year. This was the last Calvin and Hobbes strip done by Bill Watterson. One of the greatest writers of the past century is signing off from his signature creation by telling us it’s a magical world.
Life is too short to be spent worrying, it is definitely too short to be spent fretting about an exam. Add some joie de vivre to your preparation, some zest to your entire year and sign up with 2IIM for a fun ride. You can reach out to us by calling us at 9962648484 or sending us an email at bharathwaj@2iim.com. Not just regarding this offer, but if you have questions regarding preparation for CAT, do not hesitate to just pick up the phone and call us. We are here to help.
Stay Safe and Best wishes for CAT preparation.
Rajesh Balasubramanian takes the CAT every year and is a 4-time CAT 100 percentiler. He likes few things more than teaching Math and insists to this day that he is a better teacher than exam-taker.
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