▲ 1 r/GRE

303 → 309 on my second attempt. Should I give up?

I’m honestly feeling really disheartened. I went from 303 on my first GRE attempt to 309 on my second. I know it’s technically an improvement, but after all the preparation, I expected a much bigger jump.

What hurts the most is that my Quant didn’t move at all. I got 159 both times. It’s making me question whether I’m actually capable of improving or whether I should just accept that I’m not good at this.

I’ve started feeling really stupid and wondering if I should just declare myself dumb and give up on the GRE altogether.

Should I attempt it a third time with a completely different strategy? For those who went from around 300–310 to 320+, what actually helped you break through?

I could really use some honest advice right now.

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 3 days ago

Acne is destroying my confidence

I’ve struggled with acne for so long and I genuinely don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve already seen 3 dermatologists and tried allopathy, homeopathy, adapalene, salicylic acid, niacinamide, different face washes and gels, and I’m still breaking out.

It’s honestly shattered my confidence. I feel so conscious of my skin all the time and I’m just exhausted from constantly trying new things.

Has anyone else been through this? What finally worked for you?

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 9 days ago

I feel so hurt right now

I don't have a really close bond with my college friends; it’s more like, if we meet in college, we talk; otherwise, tata, bye-bye. We are in a group of 10 people (ik that is a lot for college but it’s still going okayish since the first year) out of which 3 girls are very tight, my best friend and I are very tight and we have 2 couples in the group as well. Now the issue is that I generally stay a bit disconnected from everyone, but mostly from my college friends, because I don't feel comfortable sharing things with them. Having said that my best friend is a bit social and she talks to people by herself all the time and I can't do that so she is naturally a tad bit closer to some people in the group comparatively.

Now you kinda get the dynamics, the issue now is the college opened on July 15 but none of us has gone yet because everyone’s busy with their own things. So yesterday my best friend called me at night to tell me that she just got off a video call with all the friends and she asked me why I didn't join to which I told her that no one invited me. She was shocked because she thought I was invited and then she quickly dismissed it by telling me everything about the call. That hurt quite a lot because I have been distancing myself but have never deliberately made anyone feel out of their place or that they don’t belong in the group. Am I overreacting also these people have called for the first time in 2 months of our vacation and literally our group was dead the entire two months now when we have to report to college tomorrow everyone is suddenly calling each other except no one is calling me :(

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 24 days ago

Am i overreacting in this situation?

I don't have a really close bond with my college friends; it’s more like, if we meet in college, we talk; otherwise, tata, bye-bye. We are in a group of 10 people (ik that is a lot for college but it’s still going okayish since the first year) out of which 3 girls are very tight, my best friend and I are very tight and we have 2 couples in the group as well. Now the issue is that I generally stay a bit disconnected from everyone, but mostly from my college friends, because I don't feel comfortable sharing things with them. Having said that my best friend is a bit social and she talks to people by herself all the time and I can't do that so she is naturally a tad bit closer to some people in the group comparatively.

Now you kinda get the dynamics, the issue now is the college opened on July 15 but none of us has gone yet because everyone’s busy with their own things. So yesterday my best friend called me at night to tell me that she just got off a video call with all the friends and she asked me why I didn't join to which I told her that no one invited me. She was shocked because she thought I was invited and then she quickly dismissed it by telling me everything about the call. That hurt quite a lot because I have been distancing myself but have never deliberately made anyone feel out of their place or that they don’t belong in the group. Am I overreacting also these people have called for the first time in 2 months of our vacation and literally our group was dead the entire two months now when we have to report to college tomorrow everyone is suddenly calling each other except no one is calling me :(

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 24 days ago

How hard is it to start a ceramics business?

Hi!

I’m 20 and I’ve been thinking a lot about starting a ceramics business. The plan isn’t really to make cute mugs and sell them online. I want to work with restaurants, cafés, hotels, wedding planners, etc. Basically supplying crockery in bulk and doing custom pieces.

I’ll have my family’s support, but none of us have a business background, so this is all pretty new to us.

I wanted to ask the women (men can reply too) here, what’s it actually like?

Is this a male-dominated industry? Did being a young woman make it harder to be taken seriously by suppliers or clients?

Also, what are some things you wish you knew before starting? What’s the part no one talks about? Was getting customers harder than making the product?

How bad are cash flow issues in the beginning?

I’d genuinely like to know the ugly side too. The mistakes you made, things that went wrong, things you’d do differently if you were starting again.

Would really appreciate any advice. Thanks :)

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 1 month ago

20F thinking of starting a ceramics business. Need some honest advice from businesswomen

Hi!

I’m 20 and I’ve been thinking a lot about starting a ceramics business. The plan isn’t really to make cute mugs and sell them online. I want to work with restaurants, cafés, hotels, wedding planners, etc. Basically supplying crockery in bulk and doing custom pieces.

I’ll have my family’s support, but none of us have a business background, so this is all pretty new to us.

I wanted to ask the women here, what’s it actually like?

Is this a male-dominated industry? Did being a young woman make it harder to be taken seriously by suppliers or clients?

Also, what are some things you wish you knew before starting? What’s the part no one talks about? Was getting customers harder than making the product?

How bad are cash flow issues in the beginning?

I’d genuinely like to know the ugly side too. The mistakes you made, things that went wrong, things you’d do differently if you were starting again.

Would really appreciate any advice. Thanks :)

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 1 month ago

Has anyone else watched Little Things and felt like the relationship was… almost too emotionally mature?

I was watching it recently and it genuinely left me wondering whether healthy relationships are actually like that or if it’s an idealized version.

For example, there was an episode where Kavya gave away their TV to a coworker while Dhruv was away. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I’d feel if my partner made a decision like that without even asking me first. Was that actually okay, or was I overthinking it?

Then there was the scene where Dhruv cooks for Kavya and, while eating, she casually says that the Roadies guy would’ve been a better match for her. He seems hurt for a moment but gets over it so quickly. Is that level of understanding realistic? Most people I know would probably be upset.

It made me realize that I’ve never really seen a relationship like this firsthand, so I genuinely don’t know if this is what emotionally mature relationships look like or if the show exaggerates it for comfort.

Did those scenes feel normal to you, or did anyone else find them a bit unrealistic?

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 1 month ago

I don’t know how to cope anymore.

I have an important exam later this month, but I haven’t been able to study because my mental health is a mess.

I come from a very dysfunctional family, but none of my friends know about it, so I don’t really have anyone I can talk to. For the longest time, I thought not having a boyfriend was my biggest problem, but I’ve moved past that. Now I just feel like I’m too broken to be worthy of love.

I constantly feel like running away. Sometimes I daydream about jumping off my balcony. Not because I want to die. I won’t do it. The idea of escaping everything just feels weirdly comforting.

I can’t afford therapy, and the therapist I was seeing for free keeps ghosting me.

I just want a peaceful life. I want hobbies, a quiet home without screaming, enough money to afford therapy, and to feel safe. But it all feels like a life meant for someone else, not me.

If you’ve grown up in a dysfunctional home and made it out, how did you cope? Does it ever get better?

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 2 months ago

I just got to know about the PGP program of ISB

Having given my GRE a month back, my quals are 9/9/8 with GRE score of 335. I am a female, will graduate next year with an economics hons degree and I am planning to work for 2.5 years before getting admission. What all should I focus on from here on to definitely get an admit?

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 2 months ago

How do you find love when you want it so badly but also don’t trust it anymore?

I miss having someone. Not in a “I need a relationship to be happy” way, but I miss having a person. Someone to tell random things to, send memes to, share my day with. But another part of me is convinced that I’m in my early twenties and should be chasing experiences, creativity, career goals, travel, friendships, and all the exciting things life has to offer instead of centering it around a relationship.

The confusing part is that every relationship I’ve had eventually left me feeling exhausted. Things start off great, but somewhere along the way I end up getting hurt, disappointed, or just missing the peace of being single.

So why do I still crave it?

I know I don’t want to go back on dating apps. They feel forced and draining to me. I’d much rather meet someone naturally, but I genuinely don’t know how people do that anymore.

For those who found genuine connections outside dating apps, how did it happen?
And how do you stop wanting love while also being scared of what comes with it?

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 2 months ago

i (21f) don’t think i’ll ever find love in my life

I (21f) don’t think i’ll ever find that true love which my younger self always craved for. I have had relationships in the past but they didn’t stay and an old ex of mine reached out to me saying he misses me “physically” after talking to me nicely for 10 days :(

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 2 months ago

Just watched Chirag Panjwani’s special and I’m bawling my eyes out

The special was emotional, but not for the reason I expected.

I found myself crying because I realized I’ll probably never have that kind of relationship with my dad. The kind where I’d want to make something like that for him, or where I’d be devastated when he’s gone. And that realization hit me really hard.

I carry so many grudges. He was never really there for me emotionally. Somehow everything was always my fault. He fought with everyone in the family constantly and never planned for our future financially. Being around him has always made me feel tense and uneasy.

Listening to Chirag talk so lovingly about his father and cherish those memories made me realize how different our experiences were. He mentioned that his father never laid a hand on him, and I know my brother can’t say the same about ours.

I genuinely think a lot of my anger issues and anxiety stem from growing up with him.

I don’t know if I’m grieving the father I have or the father I wish I’d had. But for the first time in a while, I felt an overwhelming sense of loss for something I never got to experience.

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 3 months ago

AITK for feeling angry that the guy I’m seeing is too busy for me?

Full disclosure: he’s not officially my boyfriend. We met on Hinge, hit it off pretty quickly, and started going on dates. After about 3 dates, he had to move to another city for work. He’s away for work temporarily. It’s already been about a month and a half since he left, and he’ll be there for roughly two more months before coming back.

Since then, we’ve agreed to be exclusive, but we haven’t actually put a label on the relationship yet.

The thing that’s bothering me is the communication. When he was still in my city, he had plenty of time to talk to me. Now I get maybe 4 texts from him throughout the day, including a good morning and good night text. The rest of the day is basically silence.

What confuses me is that he still seems to have time to go out with friends, play games with friends, and do other things. So part of me feels hurt wondering why he can’t send me a few more messages during the day.

At the same time, he’s not a bad guy. He calls me every single night and we talk for 2+ hours almost every night. He’s consistent with that and seems genuinely interested in me.

I don’t know if I’m being unreasonable here. Part of me feels angry and neglected, but another part of me thinks maybe I’m expecting too much from someone who’s busy with a new job and isn’t even officially my boyfriend yet.

AITK for feeling upset about this?

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 3 months ago

GRE Attempt 2 Guidance Needed: 156Q, 142V

Hey everyone,

I gave my first GRE recently and scored 156Q and 142V. I’m preparing for attempt 2 now and honestly feeling a bit confused about what exactly is missing in my prep.

For quant, I completed:

All PrepSwift videos All GregMat easy + medium questions Manhattan 5lb

After doing all this, I genuinely expected a much higher quant score, so now I’m trying to understand where my shortcomings might be. For people who jumped from mid-150s to 165+, what changed things for you?

Should I:

redo all the same material properly? solve every single hard question possible? move to completely new resources?

If new resources helped you, which ones specifically?

Would really appreciate advice from people who were stuck around the same score range and improved.

Also, my verbal is clearly very weak at 142V, so I’d love resource suggestions for that too.

I’m willing to put in the work. I just don’t want to keep blindly consuming resources without fixing the real issue this time.

Thanks :)

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 3 months ago

How would you make your first consistent $200/month online as a college student?

I’m a college student trying to make an extra $200/month online consistently. Not expecting crazy money or passive income overnight, just something realistic I can slowly build.

Right now I’m learning generative AI and Python. Still pretty new to both, but I enjoy it a lot. I also have a creative background. I’ve done social media/content stuff before and I’m decent with visuals, captions, trends, editing, ideas etc.

The problem is every side hustle online either sounds fake, oversaturated, or ends with someone trying to sell a course.

So I wanted actual opinions from people here: If you were starting from scratch today with basic AI/Python skills and a creative side, what would you focus on to make the first consistent $200/month online?

Could be freelancing, AI-related work, content, automations, anything honestly.

Would love genuine advice or even mistakes to avoid.

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 3 months ago

After everyone coming out and exposing her, I cant help but think about how blatantly and confidently she was lying here

Bro this is so bad. She knew her audience (14 saal ke bacche who don't know the real world and only live in their Wattpad world) would support her in everything. I hate this girl’s face so much. I am not in for blaming the girl ever when it comes to cheating, but knowing very well that he is dating Ruru and still pursuing him because “ego boost” and then blatantly lying about it is some vile behaviour. I hope she gets her karma. If you are in the wrong, at least stfu why are you lying???

u/Next_Pattern2361 — 3 months ago

nothing is fixing my dry, frizzy hair 😭 is it internal at this point?

Hi girls,

I’m honestly so tired of dealing with my hair. It’s constantly dry, frizzy, and just looks… dead? No matter what I do, it doesn’t improve.

I’ve tried:

  • protein toners and shampoo
  • Dove bond repair range
  • L’Oréal Absolute Repair range
  • CGM (curly girl method)
  • Fix My Curls + Moxie products
  • Minimalist bond repair serum

At first things feel slightly better, but then it goes back to the same dryness and frizz. No long-term change at all.

Now I’m wondering if this is more of an internal issue? Like diet, deficiencies, hormones, something like that?

For context:

  • I don’t heat style much
  • I try to be gentle with my hair
  • Still feels rough and unmanageable

Has anyone dealt with this and figured out the root cause? Did changing your diet or fixing deficiencies actually help?

Would really appreciate any advice because I’m lowkey frustrated at this point 😭

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u/Next_Pattern2361 — 3 months ago