First off, I need to apologize for my lack of posts. There have been some personal things happening that are taking a toll on my mental health, as well as my physical health. I will explain everything in a later post, but for now I want to tell you all about the end of first quarter.
In less than two weeks I will be 1/12 of the way through vet school. While that seems like a small fraction, it is crucial to focus on the small victories in this ever-so-stressful field. With finals week just around the corner, I think it is important to discuss some strategies for maintaining motivation, as well as sanity during this time.
Finals Survival Tip 1: Get Organized.
Throughout the quarter, we were fortunate enough to only have one exam per week to study for, but finals week (also known as hell week) consists of four exams in four days. The key to not losing your mind is to organize your materials and make a plan. I am a huge fan of making lists, so I make lists of all the lectures I need to study, then schedule them all in my planner. And yes, I do still use a non-electronic planner to manage myself for the most part. I write down what I need to study/complete each day, and plan around every event I can think of. I may even tend to go overboard and schedule in when I am doing laundry and when I am cleaning the apartment. And you better believe I scheduled when I am planning to work on this blog. Scheduling is the key to not becoming too overwhelmed.
Finals Survival Tip 2: Balance Your Schedule
Don't schedule an entire day of studying anatomy. You will only get burned out and frustrated. The best study methods require studying every subject, every day. Now this doesn't mean you don't get to take breaks, but try to work on each subject for a couple hours (or whatever time you do have), and make sure to switch to a different course if you become bored or frustrated with the current subject.
Finals Survival Tip 3: Take Breaks
The fastest way to burning out during finals time is to study 14 hours a day, without taking time for yourself. If you start to get tired, get up and have a snack, walk the dog, or hell, take a little nap. You're probably not going to retain very much with a tired brain anyway, so there is no sense in wasting time trying to force yourself to study. I will admit, this took me some time to get used to practicing, and I am so happy that I allow myself to have some free time each day. For instance, as I write this, I'm watching my favorite show and having some popcorn and doggy cuddles. When the show is over, I might go back to working on physiology, but I may also just relax and go to bed early. You may wonder, how is that possible? Shouldn't I be spending as much time as possibly reviewing for finals, and I ask you, why? I have two weeks to prepare, and I am taking a few lectures each day to review. I'm not going to sacrifice my health (mental or physical) to cram for an exam. I think too many students do this, and it harms them in the long run. With all of the drama that has been happening recently, I've learned that health is far more important than a grade, and as hard as that is to put into practice, I think the benefits of practicing that mindfulness outweigh the risks of being stressed.
Finals Survival Tip 4: Get Help
If you aren't understanding something, now is the time when you need to seek help from your classmates, professors, or tutors. The earlier you address your confusion, the better off your studying will go. Every topic seems to build on the last, and there is quite a lot of cross-over in first year veterinary courses. If your physiology professor isn't helpful, try asking your anatomy professor, or vice versa. The faculty are there to help you, and they want you to succeed. One thing I love about my school is that there is a strict open door policy with the faculty. If you have a question and their door is open, you are free to come in and talk to them at any time- there are no office hours. This shows how dedicated the faculty are to helping students succeed, and they know how difficult the material is, they had to learn it a lot better than we need to learn it. So don't be afraid, ask your questions and get help early.
Finals Survival Tip 5: Remember Why You Started
When things get tough, it is important to look back at why you started this journey. We all made this choice to go to vet school (and there will be plenty of times when we question this decision, I know) so we need to be able to handle the bad times with the good times. Maybe you wanted to be a veterinarian because you love animals, or maybe you wanted to make a difference, or maybe you are just in it for the money (wait, what money?). The point is, we all came to the same decision, and we are all in this together. Embrace your vet school family. These students will be our colleagues one day. They will be the people we call for advice, the people we refer our clients to when we are stuck on a patient's diagnosis, and the people we will invite to our wedding. Remember that, and know that we are all in the same boat, but we all have an oar to row with.
I hope this post helps you during your finals week. What methods help you face this challenge?
