NEET 2020 And Coronavirus: How to de-stress amid the double trouble?

The COVID -19 Pandemic can be a very stressful situation for entrance exam aspirants. NEET 2020 is one such examination which has been postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. The exam is now postponed to 13th September after multiple scheduled exam dates. Still, there are speculations of change in NEET exam date if the Coronavirus cases in India spikes up. This delay can affect the student's mental health a lot as these not only lead to delayed exams, but also affect the academics management and learning skills. The uncertainty is at its peak leading to stress and anxiety. Worry not, keeping your mind healthy just a few tips away and help you in analyzing better.

With the Pandemic and NEET examination, the stress levels in students can shoot up, which is very disruptive and unhealthy. For a Student, it is very important to keep their mental health in check and keep the stress levels at bay.

Added Stress For NEET aspirants can lead to

● Loss of Focus which can affect NEET exam preparations
● Worsening of Mental Health
● Disruption in Sleep Patterns
● Change in eating habits like stress eating, overeating, etc.
● No willingness to learn or study due to stress
● The feeling of loneliness and isolation

On the brighter side, the postponing of the exam has given aspirants much time to prepare for the examination. But has also added a bucket full of stress, which can affect a student's performance in the exam. Some students due to stress are overstudying, some not studying at all as they cannot focus on learning. All in all, it is important to distress during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and not lose focus. So, if you are a NEET aspirant looking for ways to de-stress, then this article is for you.

Ways NEET aspirants can De-stress during Coronavirus Pandemic

So let?s check how can we de-stress when the NEET exam is postponed and the pandemic is surging with each day here below:

Coping Strategy

The best way to deal with stress or de-stress is to know how you respond when you are stressed out. This way, you can create coping strategies to cope up with it by knowing your response patterns and actions. For example, when stressed out, and you don't feel like doing anything, and you respond by procrastinating or do not find enough motivation to do your chores, you can use coping strategies to de-stress yourself. Your coping strategy can be socializing with your friends through social media platforms or video calls. This way, you can create plans to cope with your stress and de-stress.

Plan Your Day

Due to Coronavirus Pandemic, there is a possibility that your daily routine has got disrupted. Your daily schedule is highly unstable. Your mealtime, study time, and sleep time everything is varying and not fixed. This unstable day structure can add stress and keep you from focusing. For a NEET student, it is very important to stay on schedule as it helps you stay focused and de-stress.

The plan for your day should be according to your comfort there should be a sufficient amount of time for studying, socializing, meals, and sleep. The timing should be fixed as it helps you gain stability.

Limit Your Media Consumption

NEET aspirants have to be informed and updated about NEET. Media outlets provide news and information regarding exams and pandemic in general. But the times are uncertain and so is the news and information. Media outlets provide constant coverage regarding the pandemic. This can overwhelm a person's mind, which can add to the stress. You can limit your Media Consumption and de-stress by:

Maintain Distance From exaggerated media coverage

Obtain information from credible media sources, and always fact checks information coming from social media platforms like WhatsApp.

Limit the hours spent on watching news per day. Set a time limit for the same to avoid overconsumption and to overwhelm yourself. This will also help you focus more on the preparation of NEET than unnecessary information.

Limit Your Social Media Consumption

Stress can often lead to procrastination. The best platform to spend time procrastinating is Social Media platforms. One can spend hours and hours scrolling through the feeds and stories, and we might not even realize it.

For a NEET candidate, hours of procrastination can lead to stress. Plus the information that gets shared Might not always be true. So it is important to limit your social media consumption to avoid any future stress that can happen due to social media. Set a time for your social media when you plan your day. This will help you give time to studies as well as hobbies that you might want to pursue. Seek information only from a credible site or a website. Always fact checks the information that you receive.

Refrain From Overthinking, Negative Thoughts, and Feelings

The pandemic times are uncertain times and adding the uncertainty related to NEET exams, there is a possibility leading to overthinking and negative thoughts, which are often the reason behind the stress that we experience.

Take time to reflect on your thoughts and mood. You can soothe feelings by writing it down or journaling, Meditation, and exercise. Identify your negative thoughts and thoughts which lead to overthinking and try to change your thoughts or do something until the feelings pass.

Share your thoughts and feelings with a friend or a family or someone you trust. This helps you share your burden, which will help reduce stress.

NEET preparations in itself can be strenuous, add pandemic to the list, and you are bound to get stressed. To prepare effectively and also keep mental health in check is necessary for NEET candidates to de-stress from time to time.