A NEET aspirant’s guide to Hope.

“Hope is the thing with feathers,” Even in storms, it never withers.

Dear Friend,

As I sit down to write this, memories from my two years of preparation come back to me. It feels like it was just yesterday. I understand how challenging this time is for you. It demands so much strength to keep pushing forward. When mock test scores aren’t up to the mark, when you can’t keep up with your competitors, or even when family support is not there, continuing to study isn’t easy. Even if everything is on track and you feel secure in your preparation, anxiety is natural. I want you to know you’re not alone. You might have labeled your feelings as distractions, and are trying to not think about them. You might have understood that not thinking about them doesn’t make them go away. They need to be addressed.

Being a teenager already feels like an emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes, life seems to be moving at rocket speed, and everything becomes a blur. In the middle of this confusion, we often come across ‘expectations’ – “ What? You didn’t score 90% this time?”, “Why are you friends with THESE people?”, “Tell us about yourself, surely you do more than just study?”. And if you’re a NEET/JEE aspirant, these ‘expectations’ double. A deep feeling of not being good enough sets in, making you question if you’re even made for the medical field.

You start feeling like you cannot excel at anything. Studies aren’t possible, and you gave up everything else for studies. So, now, you think of yourself as someone with no caliber, no talent, nothing to show.

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,” And I chose the one less understood.

Feeling unworthy can be very painful. It’s like standing on the edge of a mountain, everything is in complete darkness. Every step is haunted by the question, “Am I good enough?” “Can I do this?” “Am I a disappointment?”

You forget about how greatness is measured. You forget what you have seen in the movies since you were five years old. Just like every story your parents have narrated to you, greatness is not just one thing. Greatness is not defined as success in NEET. Your worth isn’t determined by your achievements or awards. It’s not about the mock tests that you score 600+ in or the questions banks that you can solve. In fields like medicine, talent and worth is measured by your determination, your ability to stand up again and fight back. It is not measured by these silly metrics of marks. Even when you convince yourself that you are not a loser, you will face a lot of pressure from the people around you.

Most times, even parents might not understand your point of view. This happens because they didn’t face these challenges at such a big scale. They did not compete among 25 lakh aspirants. The pressures of school, maintaining an image on social media, and securing our future all attack us simultaneously. Our parents don’t realize the difference between their times and our time. So, they might use wrong methods to deal with us like shouting and taunting. In such times, it is important to remember that their methods might be wrong but their intentions are never wrong. I hope you can talk to them, make them understand, and if they don’t, find it in your heart to forgive them.

“In this deepening dusk, can you see the truth?” That even in despair, lies the vigor of youth.

Everything that happens makes us feel alone. We feel so much grief and sadness during this phase. And dealing with this sadness is very difficult, I have also been there.

NEET preparation phase was my lowest phase. I had so many doubts and insecurities, I used to feel very lonely. But, at the end of the day, it is just a phase. It goes away. When you come out of this phase, you will realize that you are not as bad as you think, the sadness lies to you. The sadness is like a dark cloud that covers all your good qualities, making it difficult to see all your goodness. Your goodness and talents are waiting to be rediscovered.

One thing that helped a lot was crying, just crying it out. It helps to release a lot of anxiety and stress. It makes you feel lighter.

It will help you get back to work. And it will also help you realize that you are much more than a paper, one exam. You are a person who will have a good life, even if it is not in medicine. Trying is up to us, but the results are not. We will give our best, try many times and give it your everything. But we will also have to understand when to move on. Afterall, good things are planned for everybody. They might not be the ones that you want but they’re the ones that you need.

In the darkest nights, let your dreams be your light,

For every step taken in struggle, stars shine more bright.

If you are feeling like you are unable to work because of the sadness and the loneliness, then the most important thing to do is also trying to remember why you started in the first place.

What made you do it? What makes you feel like you are doing the right thing? What keeps you going? What is the one thing that makes you want to work everyday even without results?

Remember this thing and keep it in your mind. Write about it and read it everyday. Keep telling yourself that any amount of struggle is worth it for that thing. You won’t give up so soon and so easily. You are one of the dreamers who dream and then work to complete it. As I said, we have to give our best.

When the path grows dim and you lose your way,

Remember, there are hearts to guide you, come what may.

It is also important to understand where to step back and take a break. Mental well-being is important. It’s not something to be ignored. If everything feels too heavy, please seek help. Talk to friends, family, and relatives, or consider therapy. You’re in the storm’s eye, so you might not see things that others can. A fresh perspective can be very helpful. Everyone will tell you that things WILL get better. It might not happen overnight, but with baby steps, it will. It’s okay to take breaks, ask for help, and prioritize yourself.

Remember, you’re not alone. Your friends and family love you. They might say things out of anger, but at the end of the day, they love you. You matter immensely, not because of your achievements, but for who you are. So, please, don’t give up. Keep moving forward, one step at a time. We can do it, RIGHT! WE WILL GIVE OUR BEST!

HOW’S THE JOSH??

With heartfelt support, Your shoulder to cry on.