Asking is the Beginning of Receiving

Now that my exams are over, I have something to share with you that I learnt during that time (Don’t worry I’m not gonna tell you about physics, maths, chemistry or biology).

Have you ever felt like ‘It would be so wonderful if I could do this?’, or ‘It would be so wonderful if this was allowed?’ 

Something along those lines happened to me after my exams, during my practicals. I have PCMB, so I had to give the practicals for physics, chemistry and biotechnology and therefore, complete the respective files.

This year being the year of online classes, you can imagine how much of my (or any other student’s) practical file would be complete. It was pretty much not even started at all.

On one hand, the permission to type out physics file in a word document made the herculean task a little less scary. However, on the other hand my friends in the other section (who had different teachers) being allowed to type out every file hurt almost as much as a physical wound. 

I yearned to just type out my file, knowing I could do it much easier and faster. But, alas! I was told to write and submit the file. 

But then I wondered, “True that I have been told to submit handwritten work. But am I not allowed to type out the files? How do I know that for sure? Did I ask? Nope.”

So I decided to ask my teachers. What could be the worst? Them saying no and then I’d have to write and submit – which I’m going to do anyways. I might as well shoot my shot.

I asked my chemistry teacher if I could submit it as a typed file since the children from the other section were typing it out too. There I had a Yes!

Then I proceeded to my biotechnology teacher. I asked  her if I could turn in a typed file since I was doing the same in physics and chemistry. And there I had a Yes! Again. 

I actually turned in all three of my files typed, while most of my classmates turned in two of three files by writing them by hand, even though they too would have wanted to type them.

If you’ll ask them why they didn’t type it out, the response you’ll get is probably, “We could type the files?”. Like yeah maybe, if you asked you could. 

This was not it. I had goofed up a bit in my physics viva, and wanted to give it another shot. But the timing for school was over and the teacher still had to take viva of around 20 more students. So I really had to choose between letting my viva be as it was, or ask the teacher if I could give it another shot, in front of 20 other students who were still waiting for their turn after the school timings (not to mention the fact that I was myself eager to go home and crash out). But then again, i had nothing to lose if she said no and i guess marks to gain if she said yes.

But as you can figure out there was almost no possibility of me getting a retake. And it’s true. She did not give me a retake.

However, what did happen was that our practical teacher was also in the same room. I had attended almost every practical class (yup even online), so he knew me. 

He overheard me talking to the teacher and offered to listen to the answer instead. BOOM! There I had my yes.

It’s just that I needed to ask first, to actually get all the yes. And honestly, you may not even get a yes every time. These are just the instances that happened too close to one another and actually had a success rate. I’m sure there were instances that I got a no in. But firstly, one only tends to remember the instances which confirm or support one’s prior beliefs or values. And secondly, you have nothing to lose in case things don’t go your way. You’d still be doing them as you would do before asking about them. It’s better to ask than to assume and make a fool of yourself.

But you do need to ask for it first for being said yes (or being allowed to do it). Ask and you might receive.

It’s like the Tata Sky ads – Poochne Mein Kya Jaata Hai. 

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, take a look at these ads (even if you do know what I’m talking about you can watch the ads cause they’re quite funny).