Hello future doctors.
Most of us face the problem of long travel hours in the NEET journey. Most of our coaching classes are an hour’s distance from our houses, and there is a lot of travel by metros, trains, local buses, rickshaws, or private vehicles involved.
There is a lot of time wasted on traveling. But what if I tell you there is a way to utilize these long hours? Here are some ways that you can try to make use of your travel time.
Video lectures
You can watch lectures if you are traveling comfortably. It will be a little unrealistic if you are using public transport. If you get a comfortable seat and silence in public transport, you can watch video lectures there too.
My go-to guy for passive listening was Vipin Sharma. His one-shot biology videos are great, he reads out the NCERT with some short explanations. It does not require full attention either.
You can always watch some Biology shots quickly. You can even watch chemistry or physics lectures if you think you have the space and energy for them.
Short Notes on the Go
If you find it difficult to watch lectures, you can read short notes instead. I had a bunch of revision sheets that I used to go through every now and then. I also had formula sheets on my mobile phone in case I forgot to carry my revision sheets somewhere.
It is good to have a quick revision while traveling, you can passively go through formula sheets. Even if you read the formula sheet for one chapter in one day, you will be able to revise the entire NEET syllabus formulae at least 4 to 5 times in the span of two years. Think about it, a little bit of inconvenience for a thorough grasp of all the formulas. You decide.
Audio Notes
I feel a lot of nausea when I read while in motion. So, reading out short notes or watching video lectures never worked out for me. This made me look for another way.
The best way to study during the travel time is by listening to audio notes. I used to do this a lot during my NEET phase. Whenever I understood a physics concept very well, I used to record myself explaining it. I even recorded myself saying the mnemonics and examples of biology. I saved all these audio files on my mobile phone. Then, whenever I was forced to go to family events or had to travel for long hours, I used to listen to these audio notes.
It is difficult to watch video lectures everywhere but audio notes can certainly be heard anywhere. You don’t even have your mobile in hand, just put your mobile in your bag, turn on the audio, put your earphones on, and keep listening.
Audio notes can be your choice if you are traveling via crowded public transport, for example, Mumbai Locals.
What if you cannot study while traveling?
There’s no need to feel guilty if you cannot study during travel time. It is completely fine to take a break and do something refreshing instead. I used to also watch web series during my travel hours. They would help me relax, and find some entertainment in my otherwise stressful day.
You can also create a relaxing or motivational playlist. Some soulful, soft songs. I preferred old Bollywood to cheer me up, you can listen to something similar. It helped me feel refreshed before class. You can try it out for yourself too.
The most important point
Relax.
If you feel too tired and exhausted to even watch a web series then there is no need to watch one. You can just close your eyes and sit peacefully too. You can just breathe and take it all in. You can think about your goals, your dreams, and your passion. You can also analyze your performance in recent days and try to understand the gaps in your preparation and how you can fix them.
Alternatively, you can also think about something mundane like ‘What will I eat for food today?’ or ‘The sky looks pretty today.’ You can look at the people around you, talk to a friend, look out the window, or just sit with your eyes closed. Anything that you want.
It is not compulsory to work every living second, some moments can be reserved for rest only. Travel can be your safe, relaxing time instead of making it a guilt-laden time. Try to allocate your time at home and that spent in class better, and try to make maximum use of that time so that you can relax during travel.
Also Read: Dealing With Online Distractions.
Conclusion
I’m sure you’ll find your best fit from the ideas that I’ve given below. Remember, you can work if you have the energy, but you can also rest if you feel like it. Allow yourself to rest sometimes too, you are not a robot.
All the best, dear aspirant.
