Welcome @S_K and congratulations on making the switch from Marketo to HubSpot!
AND completing your first certification, that’s amazing!
As far as the practical exercises, while you do need a Pro subscription, you can sign up for a 2-week free trial (once per hub) to complete the practical exercises (per hub if you plan on doing more than marketing).
I highly recommend reviewing the courses and certifications you plan to take to check for practical exercises so you can knock them all out during the trial - the Marketing Hub Software has the most, for example the Video Marketing course (not a certification) also has a practical exercise that requires pro.
You can still pass the exam without completing the practical exercise, but you won’t be awarded the certification without them.
Happy to help if you have any other questions!