Concentrate on building a brighter tomorrow

Don't be so upset. I was born 7 years after my elder sister. And apparently my mother was so shattered that she cried all day and didn't see me for 11 hours! I can surely vouch, time changes everything. Be confident and thank God that YOU were born! Keep your head held high, concentrate on your grades, your future and be a good human being. Problems are to be faced or avoided carefully. Try and spend more time at some relatives or friend's house to ensure absolute peace of mind. Concentrate on building a brighter tomorrow and I'm confident, the dark clouds will disappear soon. Cheer up girl.

I face problems mugging lessons up. Can you suggest something? Pushpita, Kolkata

To be very honest, I have never been too successful in mugging up notes. But for sure, these steps help if you want to learn it up. Go in a quiet and peaceful room where no one is disturbing you. Read the answers once and understand them; remember you cannot learn them if you don't understand them! Next time read it aloud and walk.

Walk around everywhere reading it loudly and try to remember. The third time, read the questions and try to answer them without looking, if you are stuck up somewhere, see it. Try this until you are completely satisfied with your answer.

Ask yourself, "If I get this question in the examination will I be able to write it without ANY hesitation?" Do not look at how many questions there are. Just complete learning the answer one by one. Without knowing you'd be done.

I am 22 and my girlfriend keeps talking about her ex all the time. How do I make her stop talking about the other guy? Puraav, New Delhi

Are you sure your girlfriend is aware of the heartache she is causing you? Sometimes people do things unintentionally, unknowingly. Please stop fuming over this communication gap only in your heart and try telling her how you feel. Express. I am sure she will understand and you guys will be fine together. Just be open about your feelings and don't worry so much. Love is always meant to go a long way if it is true. Talk it out, sort it out and sail smoothly. Good luck!

My boyfriend is ignoring me. Can you suggest what I should do? Jenny, Noida

Ask him if he's ignoring you for any specific reason. Did you bother him? Did you accidentally say something? If he's acting strangely for a specific reason, you'll want to know the reason so that you don't risk doing it again. If he tells you he just needs more space, figure out if you can live with that.

If you're the kind of person who wants complete partnership with your boyfriend, and that sort of space is going to be hard for you to deal with, things might not work out. Take time, give time and have a peaceful relationship.