Have you been preparing for the dreaded CLAT exam for years? Did you put everything you had into clearing this one exam and yet landed with nothing in your hand? Coming straight to the point, did you fail the CLAT 2020? We know these questions hurt you deep down and make you feel like breaking down, but good news for you – This is not the end of the world!
We know that you would have spent all your time, efforts, hopes, and aspirations into cracking the CLAT exam, but the results did not turn out in your favor. It’s okay to feel bad about it, but there’s absolutely no reason to be stressed about it. Life is a roller coaster ride and has its fair share of successes and failures.
CLAT is a very popular exam, and lakhs of students sit in this exam hoping to get a seat in the college of their dreams. However, due to the high competition, innumerable candidates, difficulty level, and a smaller number of seats, the rate of failure in this exam are high. Unfortunately, if you are one of those who couldn’t make it to your favorite NLU, frown not and read this article. Life is a sea of opportunities, and who knows if something better awaits you?
How to deal with this stress?
The first thing you must consider doing this to acknowledge that you are stressed and try to reduce it so that you are in a better position to think about plan B. Here’s how you can deal with your Post-CLAT Result trauma:
Embrace your Emotions
Failure never comes alone and is always accompanied by feelings like embarrassment, anxiety, grief, fear, and anger. These feelings are natural, but people get over-whelmed by these and would do anything to keep them away. However, you must know that allowing yourself to feel bad is motivating. It gives you the drive to work harder next time and think of better ways to get success. So, go ahead and embrace how you feel.
Recognize Unhealthy Attempts to Reduce Pain
You might be tempted to say, “Oh! I didn’t need to clear this exam in the first place” or “Oh! I wasn’t looking for a career in law anyway”. Giving yourself false consolations, using narcotics, drugs, or alcohol to fill the void won’t heal any of your pain. Acknowledge your unhealthy attempts to reduce pain and try to put a halt on them.
Practice Healthy Coping Skills
The best way to deal with this stress is to talk about it. You can call a friend, take a relaxing warm bath, practice deep breathing, go out for a walk, or do anything that makes you feel better. It is crucial that you find healthy coping mechanisms that work for you. It is a “hit and trial” method, so feel free to explore what works the best for you.
Acknowledge Irrational Beliefs About Failure
Many of us have irrational beliefs like failing means you did not give your 100% or even worse, thinking that you do not have what it takes to be successful. Failure is just a matter of situations and circumstances which can be changed. Do not let your failure define you.
Accept an Appropriate Level of Responsibility
Acceptance is the first step towards moving on. Accept that you are responsible for your failure and it is only you who can turn this into success. Once you have accepted it, forgive yourself and work hard to stand on your feet again.
Ask Yourself What You Can Learn
Always learn from your mistakes. Recall what mistakes did you commit that led to your failure and make sure to take a lesson from the same. Try not to repeat the same mistakes again and think about how you can do it differently the next time.
Create a Plan for Moving Forward
This is, by far, the most crucial step. The only way to move on from your failure is to divert your energy to the next plan. Plan out what options do you have in hand and gear yourself up for it.
I feel better now, but what are my options?
Pursue a 3-Year L.L.B Degree Instead
It is a misconception that you can pursue a career in law only after doing a 5-year degree. You can become a lawyer even after pursuing a three-year UG degree. These degrees can help you form a base and pursue your career in law later.
Explore Related Professions
You can explore more career options other than the law which have an equally bright future ahead. You can opt for your career as a Company Secretary (CS). While being a CS, you will be the in-house legal expert of a company and deal with all their company laws and legal matters. And the best part? You don’t even need a law degree for this.
Look at Other Entrance Exams
The CLAT exam is conducted to provide admission in the 18 National Law Universities in India. However, there are many more law colleges where you can try your luck. These colleges have entrance exams of their own and offer great law programs. Institutions like O.P Jindal Global Law School, SRM University, Symbiosis International University, Banaras Hindu University, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, etc. are few of many renowned names when it comes to prestigious law colleges in India.
Take a Drop Year
If you have determined that it is the CLAT Exam that you want to crack, you can take a drop year and appear for the CLAT Exam again. You can change the methods of studying or looking for a new coaching class. Opting for Law Coaching Classes can help you clear your base and give you an added advantage.
Conclusion
Failure in the CLAT exam might take a toll on your mental health, so it is necessary that you deal with it the right way. It is good to chase one’s dreams and feel disappointed if you see it falling off your grip. However, sometimes, destiny has a better plan for you, and as you march ahead in your life, you might even feel glad that the things rolled-out as they did and not as you planned. Just make sure that you put in all your efforts in everything you do, without worrying about the result, and success will make its way to you by itself.
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