How NEET Aspirants Can Build a Smart Daily Routine

Living the Dream That Wasn’t Mine

When the pressure to succeed comes from love, but feels like a cage.

I still remember the first time someone said it —
“Engineer banega.”
I was 12. Maybe younger.

Back then, it sounded like a compliment.
“You’re smart.”
“You’ll make your parents proud.”
“You’re their only hope.”

And so, I started walking a path I didn’t choose — but felt too guilty to leave.

Expectations Wrapped in Love

They never forced me. Not really.

My parents never yelled. Never threatened.
They just… hoped.
They woke up with me at 5 AM. They cut off the cable so I wouldn’t get distracted.
They worked overtime to pay for coaching.
And every time I came home tired, they would ask:

“Bas ek aur saal beta. Sab kuch badal jayega.”

And I believed them.
Because their love was so pure, so patient — how could I disappoint them?

But What If It Wasn’t My Dream?

As the syllabus grew, my energy shrank.
Every chapter felt like a mountain I didn’t want to climb.
Every test made me question if I was just pretending to be something I wasn’t.

Sometimes, I looked in the mirror and whispered:
"Do I even want this? Or am I just scared to say I don’t?"

But I couldn’t say it out loud.
Because how do you look into the eyes of the people who sacrificed everything for you —
and tell them,
“I don’t want this life.”

The Weight of Silent Guilt

It wasn’t fear of failure that haunted me most.
It was the fear of hurting them.
Of watching the hope in their eyes dim if I didn’t make it.

And so, I kept going.
Even on the days I wanted to quit.
Even when my mental health screamed for rest.
Because love — when mixed with expectation — can become a heavy thing to carry.

Rediscovering Myself Slowly

It took me a long time to understand:
My worth is not tied to a rank.
And neither is theirs.

The truth is, parents don’t always know how to express it —
but they love me, not just the idea of my success.
It’s okay to talk.
It’s okay to feel lost.
It’s okay to want something different — even when you were raised to want something else.

So if you're living a dream that doesn't feel like yours pause. Breathe. Ask yourself:

Who am I, outside this exam?

Because even if you crack it, the most important thing you’ll ever achieve…
is understanding who you truly are.

Tags: #IITJEELife #NEETStruggles #ParentalPressure #StudentMentalHealth #ChoosingYourPath #MoreThanAMark #ExamStress #DreamsAndExpectations