IFS officer shares 4 reasons why students get triggered during UPSC preparation: 'Still happens sometimes'

One of the reasons shared by IFS officer Himanshu Tyagi for students getting triggered during UPSC preparation was past experiences.

Preparing for any exam can be an experience filled with anxiety and worry and under such circumstances, students are bound to feel triggered from various quarters such as friends and social media, which can clutter the mind and impact preparation.

An Indian Forest Officer (IFS) officer took to X (formerly Twitter) to share four reasons why students felt triggered during Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) preparations, admitting that he got the same feeling even today, and shared what students can do to feel better when they got triggered.

"During UPSC prep, normal social media stuff and friend gossip used to trigger me. Still happens sometimes. Triggered: We all get triggered, some less, some more," IFS officer Himanshu Tyagi wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.

During UPSC prep, normal social media stuff and friend gossip used to trigger me. Still happens sometimes.

Triggered: We all get triggered, some less, some more. Why do we get triggered? Knowing the reason can help. Read. pic.twitter.com/Ve1Ha98F4m — Himanshu Tyagi (@Himanshutyg_ifs) May 15, 2024

The first reason he felt was the student's past experiences and suggested them to note down the key events and heal them.

1. Our past.

What triggers us mostly depends on our past experiences. when you get triggered, instead of blaming circumstances, reflect on your past. Write down your major life events and heal them. — Himanshu Tyagi (@Himanshutyg_ifs) May 15, 2024

The second reason for getting triggered could be because of the dissatisfaction with the present scenario and the IFS officer urged students to analyse the root cause.

2. dissatisfaction with our present situation.

Many times, we get triggered because we are dissatisfied with our job, our performance, or our standard of living. Analyze the root cause of dissatisfaction and heal yourself. — Himanshu Tyagi (@Himanshutyg_ifs) May 15, 2024

The third reason he said was comparison with others and he suggested students to accept who they were and feel grateful for what they had, to feel better.

3. Comparison.

We compare. When we see our insecurities, we get triggered. Accept who you are. Start expressing gratitude. Thank God for what you have. Take a small break and think: What really matters to you? — Himanshu Tyagi (@Himanshutyg_ifs) May 15, 2024

The fourth and final reason that he felt led to students getting triggered was "distorted perception", which can lead to getting irritated by normal things.

4. Our distorted perception.

Some bad life events distort our perception of the world. Completely normal things often start irritating us. So, analyze: is my perception correct? Why do I feel so irritating? — Himanshu Tyagi (@Himanshutyg_ifs) May 15, 2024

This is not the first instance where the IFS officer has offered suggestions to students while preparing for an entrance exam.

A few weeks ago, he shared tips for students from his own IIT preparation days and emphasised on the importance of discipline, consistency and reduced distractions during the preparations.