After facing three Preliminary exam failures and one Mains setback, Tripti Kalhan secured AIR 199 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023. The Uttar Pradesh native took a year-long break, reassessed her preparation strategy, and changed her optional subject from Public Administration to Anthropology before returning with renewed focus. Reflecting on her journey, she now advises aspirants to keep a Plan B, emphasising that resilience, adaptability and sustained effort were key to her eventual success.