Ctrl + Z for My 12th Grade Please!

There was a time when I thought gravity was the only thing that could bring me down. Turns out, so could Chemistry.

My journey till Grade 10 was a glittering streak of gold stars, perfect scores, and compliments that would make any parent’s chest puff up like a balloon at a science fair. “She’s the class topper!” they’d say. I could practically hear the background music of success playing wherever I went. Then came Grade 11, and someone hit pause.

Honestly, I wish I could blame it on a villain—maybe an evil principal or a magical spell—but the truth is far more… academic. I took it lightly. I coasted on past glory, like a Bollywood star stuck in the 90s, waiting for the next big hit. Only it never came.

There was no roadmap, no guidance counselor with a shiny pen and a four-step plan. The concept of competitive exams felt like a distant mountain, and I was chilling in the valley with a novel instead of climbing. I didn’t apply for NEET, JEE, or any of those acronyms that decide futures. And the most ironic part? I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Yes, I dreamt of listening to others’ minds while clearly ignoring my own.

“In life, the only exam you truly fail is the one you never attempt.” – Anonymous (or maybe it was me after a bowl of late-night regret).

Looking back, I wish I had taken that phase seriously—not just the books, but the choices. I wish I had asked more questions, sought help, shown up with the same fire I had in Grade 10 when I could recite Shakespeare and solve quadratic equations in the same breath.

If I could go back in time, here’s what I’d do differently:

I’d treat Grade 11 and 12 like the launchpad they truly are—not the pitstop.

I’d seek mentorship, not just marks.

I’d stop fearing failure and start fearing not trying.


And above all, I’d listen—to my dreams, my doubts, and to my mom who suspiciously had more sense than my teenage self gave her credit for.

But here’s the twist in this tale: Life didn’t end there. The detour didn’t derail me forever. I still landed in the medical field, found meaning, joy, and maybe even a touch of destiny in what I do. Sure, I’m not a psychiatrist today—but perhaps life needed me to become something else first. And maybe, just maybe, the dream isn’t over yet.

“Detours are not dead ends—they’re scenic routes designed to make your story more interesting.”

So if you’re reading this and you’re in your Grade 12 funk, hear this: Don’t sleepwalk through the year and then blame the alarm clock.

Thought to Ponder: Are you letting today’s comfort cost you tomorrow’s calling?

Because sometimes, the greatest regret is not the wrong action—but no action at all.