Testing Anxiety and Academic Concerns (NEET)
It has been a long time since I’ve been in school, but I still remember the anxiety that a big test would evoke. Did I study enough? Will I get the score I want? What does it mean for me if I succeed or fail?
I’ve also watched my kids go through this same process as well. Thankfully they are smarter than I am so they’ve done much better than I did when I was in school!
@sirpi reached out and asked me to make a post on text anxiety and identity because many students in India are going through NEET exams. He mentioned Arjun, Arohi, and Sam. He is pulling for you all big time!
In terms of immediate and practical steps, we do have a guide on test taking anxiety that you can find here. I’d give this a quick read as there are often a few easy exercises or ways of thinking that can help you make real gains.
More zoomed out, I’d encourage you all to not let a single test, course grade, or your GPA impact your identity. I had a pretty difficult childhood/adolescence and believe me I was not an academic overachiever. I turned out okay :). On the other hand, I’ve had many friends that were indeed academic overachievers - top test scores, Ivy League education etc., and, oftentimes they are not okay.
Being on the “tracked life” where you get top scores, hit top schools, and then get an ideal job is often held up as the best path in life. I don’t think this is often true. Sometimes people feel locked in or imprisoned by these tracked processes. A couple of quotes here I like:
The first is a Yiddish prover: “Man plans, God laughs”
The second is from Woody Allen: “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”
When I look back on life, it is mostly the twists and turns, the unexpected events, the happy coincidences (or synchronicities) that have opened new doors for me. I did end up stressing a ton in graduate school and even achieved high grades. I’m not sure it even helped me. Not even one person asked! The surprising developments are the steps that opened new chapters for me that were very meaningful.
So, yes, study and work hard. Have high warmth and high expectations for yourself, but realize that life doesn’t always go according to plan and oftentimes that is the best thing that can happen.
@GlenM
*ahem ahem* Sirrrrr, everything is fine but okay? you turned out better than just "okay". 😮
You're being humble here, which I deeply appreciate as a trait in hooman beings, but noo hehe, seriously, I don't even know you in-person, but having been a part of the community for almost 5 years now, I can truly attest for the fact that you care. You care and you show up for people, that you don't know or have ever met either, many many thousands of us here are impacted by you and the work you do, along with your work ethic and strong sense of self.
Something that *you* are a *key* part of, bridges the gap, brings people together, changes lives and eventually, also saves lives.
So yes, you turned out more than okay, and I hope kid/adolescent-Glen is proud of you tooo.
A little note if you can pass along to little-Glen, whenever you meet him next from me please?
"Hey there, bright star! Yes, you hehe. You'll shine even brighter, for your compassionate warmth is going to reach out to the corner most spaces in the world we live in.
You're going to do incredibly amazing in life, not just for yourself but for people around the globe, you're going to be respected in rooms you'll likely never even walk in person in, and be loved by people who you may not even know; but you're going to bring about a massive change on a global level and someday, you'd also be sharing about your experiences in life, people will learn and seek inspiration from these as well. So today, hope you're smiling and not worrying too much about life ahead~ you'll make it, and remarkably." 💛
Now about testing anxiety, oh dear goodness, I relate so much, it's difficult calming those nerves down specially when you feel everything about future depends on a certain score-card.
Yes, that score must be super necessary to achieve, but it still isn't "everything" to achieve. 💛
There's more to life than just passing one exam after another or meeting one goal after another. Been there, done that, still there, still doing that xD so nope, it's not "easy" for me to say this either, but it's immensely important to remind self that all we can do is try our best, the effort and willingness does count; while also keeping in mind that eventually, it turns out okay (or more than okay in some cases 😛), so *breathe*, *pause*, *reflect on why you're studying/ doing what you're doing, strengthen your whys and rekindle the inner-resources to motivate you in doing your best*, *implement your action plan*, *learn from your almost-there moments*, *celebrate your victories*, and most importantly, *continue to believe in yourself*, while being as gentle and kind as possible!
You got thisss! 💛
We also have the student support community here where you can always seek support or even rant with people in similar boat as you. Ooh and don't forget to check out the forums, lots of tips and encouraging reminders there (can also try searching for specific keywords, for instance "Study tips" show the following brilliant results-https://www.7cups.com/forum/search/?query=Study+tips). 🥰

@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
Sunshine💖You are the pure light and radiance that anybody would ever need in their lives! Thankyou soo much for your kind words! I am so grateful to you for your humble words! Everything so simply stated yet every word feels warming and all filled with empathy! Thankyouuu sooo much again! Keep shining your light! The world needs it!💕
@resilience2025
Resiii my beautiful friend, you just know to warm my heart and make me feel all smileyy hehe, thank youuu for your super sweet compliments and for always brightening my day! Love youuu! 🥹🫂💖
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
Awwwwwww! I loveee youuuu tooooo pretty warm Sunshine💖

@Sunisshiningandsoareyou I'm touched and humbled by these very kind words 🙏. Thank you for loving all of us here and championing all!
@GlenM Happy to! 🫶🏻

@GlenM
I'm super grateful that this post is coming from you, since I'm sure all of us look up to you as our guiding light on this platform. The fact that our academic success doesn't define who we are and our destiny as a whole is so much important to remember. We are all full time learners in the journey of life. It is vital to keep consistent while also not setting unachievable targets. We all have unique talents which isn't only channelized through tests but practical experiences.
@GlenM
Thank you for sharing this with us! Unfortunately, I suffer greatly from test anxiety, suffered as a young person and had to realize that my test anxiety is still there as an older adult after I finished a course recently. The good thing is I do not let my test anxiety stop me though 😀
@GlenM
I really appreciate this post and the valuable perspective shared here. The insights on test anxiety are particularly important, as many students feel the immense pressure of academic success. I completely agree with the idea that our worth shouldn’t be defined by test scores or academic performance alone. The emphasis on embracing life’s unpredictability resonates deeply with me—sometimes the best opportunities arise from unexpected paths. I also found the practical advice for managing anxiety very helpful and grounding. This post serves as a great reminder that while hard work is important, it's equally essential to remain open to life's twists and to not be too hard on ourselves. Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful and encouraging message!
@GlenM
Thank you for responding to my request and posting a realistic, compassionate and thoughtful post quickly.
I hope your post brings some relaxation and gives hope to the ones who are feeling like being inside a pressure cooker with all the preparations for the entrance exams.
I could not reach much of members here as am a new listener. However, I promise to try and keep engaging students through the Student Support Forum.
@GlenM
❤️❤️❤️