Used to stay at hostel, came to home...This place feels like hell...I have to study for my Postgraduation entrance exam, my mental state is not good..what do I do??
I’m a girl, the eldest daughter in my early twenties, and the first in my family to graduate in the medical field. I was away from home for 5 years for my studies, and now that I’ve graduated, I’m back in my hometown, preparing for my PG entrance exams at home (even though I didn’t want to prepare here).
My family expects me to study, lose around 10 kg, and help with household work whenever needed. I’m not allowed to go to the gym because they believe “all kinds of bad people and druggies gather there.” Instead, I’m only allowed to go to the park with my mother, wear a kurti, and jog or run there.
My study resources are mostly online, but they don’t want me using electronics all the time. If I do, I get scolded. They expect me to follow a strict routine..sleep for 7–8 hours, study for 10–12 hours daily (only using books, not online resources), and in the remaining 4–6 hours, do jogging, household work, and spend time entertaining guests and my parents.
I barely have any time to rest other than sleeping. It’s been about a month since I came back from my hostel, and my acne has worsened. I’m not allowed to call my friends. If I use my phone for more than 10 minutes, I’m questioned about who I’m talking to, and my phone is sometimes taken to check my chats. I’m not allowed to go out except to the park with my mother, and I can’t order food from outside.
It’s not just the restrictions..I’m also fat-shamed (despite having a normal BMI) and criticized for my acne. I’m not allowed to express myself, whenever I try to speak, I’m told to “shut up and do what we’ve asked you to.” I am constantly being taunted for the smallest and silliest reasons.
I genuinely don’t know how to live like this.I feel like I've been caged, I can not speak to anyone about this. I have no me time other than the time I'm in the washroom. And this is not all, I'm also being prepared mentally into getting married asap as they have already started looking for the groom. They have always been like this, but as I've been outside for 5 years I don't know how to manage this stress and I have no option but to stay here as I'm not financially independent.
So what should I do?
Posted Apr 8, 2026, 1:08 PM UTC