Coping with Exam Stress During NEET Preparation

Working your way towards preparing for NEET can generate feelings of worry and put one under pressure, especially when you aim to get into your dream college. 

This stress can come in any form and is an inevitable part of preparation. The transient feelings of anxiety are experienced, especially when there is an important upcoming event in a students’ life; it has to be that big exam they face. While a milder level of stress and anxiety can be motivating and stimulating, a higher degree of stress can be disrupting. 

One of the most common situations is appearing for examinations, which students usually find difficult to cope with. However, with the right guidance, attitude and apt strategies, one can effectively tackle anxious situations and maximise performance. 

What is the reason for exam stress? 

There are several reasons why we tend to get stressed; some of them are: 

• Feel we are not as prepared, could prepare better
• Last-minute preparation 
• Having high hopes from self
• To be able to meet the expectations of people around us
• Competitive streak
• The ifs and buts revolving around failure 
• Pressure from assumptions 

And many other reasons, which vary from one person to another. 

How to De-stress?

Here are some tips to rescue you and help you through the stressful exam period.

Physical activity 

One of the most effective, best, and scientifically proven methods to combat stress is performing any physical activity when under stress. When done on a daily basis, it reduces stress hormones and simultaneously triggers the production of endorphins. This quickly lifts one’s mood, leaving with an energised feeling.

This way, physical well-being boosts mental well-being too and hence puts us in a better place to effectively handle stress. You could simply stretch for a while or take a walk, to say the least. 

Unrealistic goals 

Refrain from framing unrealistic goals. For instance, we know how vast the NEET syllabus is. Do not set goals that compromise the quality of your learning just to cover the syllabus under a specified period of time.  

Pace through panic 

It is common to panic during exams. In this event, at any point, start taking 5-6 deep breaths, keep yourself hydrated at all times and get back to the problem at hand. Break the big concern down into smaller chunks. Keep in mind that there generally is a rational solution to every problem, even if initially there seems to be no way out.

Acknowledge stress 

Every human faces fear. Recognising the why’s of stress is imperative to work on it. The first step towards it is acknowledging the very fact. 

Know your calm

Resort to simple stress-busting techniques to figure out what works best for you and practise it during stressful events. Perhaps closing your eyes or meditating for 5 minutes could be your saviour and help you escape from your surroundings momentarily. Practise small things, to begin with. 

Small alterations  

Once you have witnessed the perks of relaxing, it will inspire you to take up and develop permanent resorts to reduce stress. If it still persists, it could be because you either have not tried those big stress alleviating formulae or haven’t practised for long to get desired results. 

This was brief on coping with stress during NEET preparation. To ace your NEET preparation with the experts, consider taking up NEET online coaching. Subscribe to BYJU’S YouTube Channel for more.