Yes. This was barely a week back and very much is still continuing. I’m sitting in my room like a living corpse, refusing meals and crying over memories of her, and all my parents are worried about is how much “valuable time” I am wasting, time in which I could’ve solved another two hundred precious MCQs on atomic structure or oxidative phosphorylation. When I get angry saying that I’m expected to be working like a robot with no emotions, I’m told – “Don’t say that! What about your friends who are scoring 99% in all practice tests? Are they not humans with emotions too? But see, they give priorities to studies and put everything back. They’ll qualify the exams and unless you work equally hard and push back this issue for now, you won’t.” Then when I persist, mom says – “OK fine, we’ll put aside your studies for now. Tell me, who’s this person you love so much and are so worried about? We’ll make friends with them, convince them to forgive you and talk to you again.” I was so flabbergasted at this that I didn’t even know what to say.

OK I do understand how crucial this exam is, why my parents are so concerned as I’ve nearly ruined my career already, and they’re working very hard to make sure I get the best facilities. I do agree that a good job is vital to earn respect in society and life. I just did not expect mom to brush aside a clearly serious issue regarding my personality flaws so lightly, and ignore the fact that I’m suicidal and half dead due to depression and grief, all they care is that I could’ve studied more in that time and not the fact that I’m being crushed with anguish. This just hurt me a lot.