February Recap 2016

     February has really flown by, but I'd say that it had a lot to do with how busy I've been for the month. February has definitely been the month of friends, as I've had the chance to catch up with many of my different friend groups. It has also been a month of changing routines, as I've become more of a morning person ( shocking I know). I think the latest I've gotten up all month has been 9:00 A.M. and that is pretty incredible for me. I also challenged myself to take way more pictures this month so that this post would be a bit more exciting than the last one (sorry!) and I think I did a pretty good job. Overall, I really enjoyed how February felt, as I felt incredibly loved and I couldn't have spent the month better than to have spent it with the people that I love<3

Highlights

     -The month began pretty chill and one of the first things that I did was have a paint night with some of the girls from work. We met at one of the girls' houses and then we just drank and painted. I have never really been an artist (although I do make some pretty sweet stick figures) but it was just fun to pursue my creative side and see what I could come up with. I found a quote that I loved on Pinterest and decided to paint that. I wanted to go for a Kate Spade inspired piece so naturally, the gold dots were a must have. I traced out the larger dots and I kind of regret doing that as I couldn't completely erase the pencil marks, but I still love how the piece turned out.

My masterpiece;)

     My friend Crystal really kicked butt, though. She painted a Blackhawks inspired piece and I absolutely loved it! 

- February also held quite a few trips to the fabric store with my mom. There's this one up in Evanston ( For my non-Chicagoans, It's a town slightly north of Chicago) that has a huge selection of fabrics, so on a few of my days off, we took a little road trip up there. I picked out a couple fabrics as well, and my mom is going to make me some skirts. I love spending time with my momma so of course, the trip was just great in itself. 

- My Best Friend, Elida, came back from her trip to Mexico at the end of January, so I had to see her. We met up for dinner and then just went exploring. We found a cute pet shop that we popped into. She's a big animal lover. so she was in heaven. Afterwards, we just roamed the mall. She's a spontaneous person, so she decided she wanted to get her ears double pierced. Of course, I was there for moral support, but when I snapped the pic below, the fear in her face was pretty priceless. She said it didn't hurt too much, but it was still pretty funny. 

- Then, on Superbowl Sunday, I got the chance to catch up with two of my really good friends from college. My friend Hannah (pictured in the center) threw a little party at her apartment so I got to catch up with her and my friend Alissa (also pictured) who is in medical school. There was so much food and it was really great to be able to see them both, as our busy scheduled had prevented us from seeing each other since I believe October.

- The first two weekends of the month were relatively tame, but then Valentine's weekend hit and that's where I got incredibly busy. On Thursday, I went to the Blackhawks vs. Dallas game with my friend, Allison. It had been quite some time since I had been to a game (the tickets have been crazy expensive since they won the past Stanley Cups), so it was so awesome to just go and support the boys. We had really great seats right behind the home goal, so it was super cool. One of our other friends was also at the game, so during intermission, we would head out and catch up with her. Unfortunately, the boys lost, but it was a great time nonetheless.

Me and Allison

Our friend Sarah and Allison holding the delicious Big Star nachos I had for dinner

- Friday, I went to a burlesque show with my friend Crystal. It was a really great time, but I didn't take any pictures, so I apologize for that.

- Saturday, we celebrated my bestie Gianna's 22nd birthday. We started out the afternoon with high tea at The Drake hotel downtown. The room, palm court, where they hold tea is absolutely stunning and the whole experience was pretty great. It felt very elegant and the environment was very relaxing, so it was a fantastic way to wind down before heading out for a night of drinks and dancing. I had such a great time that I definitely want to go back. If you've never had tea like this before, I highly recommend it.

SN: All of the food was incredible

The Birthday Girl

Chicago Squad plus two

- Sunday was my little cousin Valentine's 18th birthday. She was born on Valentine's day, so every year we hold a little get together for her. I headed back from the city and over to my Aunt's house. We had dinner and hung out. I was pretty happy about having a low-key day after an eventful couple of days. It also snowed like crazy that day, so it was pretty great to be inside.

Me and the Birthday girl

 - February also marked the third complete month that I've been blogging. I am super proud of the fact that I've stuck with it, and each time I see the number of views (made it past 1,000 views) or social media followers grow it warms my heart. I started this blog to share my journey to, through, and after medical school and to think people might actually be interested is super cool. If you take the time to read what I have to say, I greatly appreciate it. You don't know how much it means to me<3

Looking Forward

    For March, I already have a couple of things that I am planning to do. I also know I'll be hearing more about things for school, so that's pretty exciting. I'll be trying to enjoy my last couple months of freedom (May will definitely be here sooner than I will imagine), and working on getting healthier as I had quite a bit of fun in February. 

I hope you enjoyed the little glimpse into my life. I really enjoy sharing it with you! Have a fantastic rest of the week and an even better weekend. I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

When You Don't Get Into Your Dream School

     I wanted to preface this post by saying the title might not be a hundred percent applicable in my case (as you know that I actually got into one of my top choices for medical school), but I still want to address the topic and talk about my personal experience.

    All through undergrad, whenever I thought about medical school, I always thought about one particular school, my alma mater's medical school. I would always think about how I could see myself there and when my really good friend got accepted, it seemed all the more likely that I would want to attend. My heart was set on this school and when application season rolled around, you better believe their application held first priority. When I finally hit submit, the waiting began, and to my dismay, their reply took quite a while. Months passed, other schools invited me for interviews, I got accepted into these other schools, and I still had heard no reply. Until, last week. They sent me an email stating that they had reviewed my application but that they could not offer me an interview invitation for this cycle. If I had received this email months ago, I would've been devastated. Instead, I finished reading it, and I just shrugged.

     You see, in the months that it took to receive this email, I came to the realization that even though this had always been my "dream school", Any school gave me the opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor would make me happy. This notion didn't really hit me until I received a letter from one of my schools congratulating me and telling me what an accomplishment it was for me to have been selected. I had applied to a larger state school that gets many applicants. In the letter, it stated that they get over 5,000 applicants for the 300 spots they have in their program. I had about a 6% chance of getting in and I did it. I remember feeling exceptionally proud in that moment and when I was accepted to my other school I felt even more blessed. At the end of the day, I was going to be given the opportunity to add an M.D. to the end of my name, and that's all I had ever wanted.

    Also, I came to the realization that my "dream school" wouldn't get me everything that I had wanted. Whenever I thought of myself in medical school, I envisioned myself living in the city, and the school I originally wanted to attend is actually outside of the city. I remember that I was originally considering living in the city and commuting out of the city to attend this school. I don't know what was going through my mind because that was a bit crazy. Thankfully, this won't be the case with the school I'm planning to attend because it is located right in the heart of the city. So, in all actuality, I got exactly what I wanted.

     I'm sure by this point, I sound like a broken record when I say that getting into medical school is no easy feat, but I want to remind you to not let where you are accepted discourage you. Getting accepted into any medical program is an incredible accomplishment, so always keep that in mind. And if you aren't accepted this cycle, keep trying. If you honestly can't see yourself doing anything else, don't give up. I knew that if that was the case for me this year, I was just going to try again next year. Because when you have a dream, you should pursue it even if you've failed the first attempt. If it is meant for you, it will eventually work out.

     I hope this helped encourage some of you on your journey and that you had a great weekend. I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Bras 101

     

     I’ve been meaning to make this post for quite some time now as bra knowledge is an area that I would say I’m pretty savvy in, so I figured Today’s post would be a great time to share that knowledge. The first thing (and I would say most important) thing that I wanted to address is how to check for a proper fit. I made a short video ( It’s the video below) about what to look for when trying on bras, but I also want to dedicate this post on elaborating on what I mentioned in the video.

Fit

     The video above focuses on the different areas that you should be checking for a proper fit: Band, cups, breastbone, and straps.  The band is the most important place to check for fit, as it is responsible for around ninety percent of your bra’s support. To also check the band, put the bra on and raise your arms above your head. If your bra slides up when you raise your arms, then the band is definitely too big.

     The other ten percent of your bra’s support comes from the support offered by your straps. As the percentage the straps offer is minimal, it is not the most important part of the bra. A manager I worked with actually made a comment that with a supportive bra, you should be able to take off the straps and still feel supported by your bra. While writing this post, I totally tried this and to my surprise, my bra stayed in place and still felt pretty supportive. So, that was rather neat.

     The cups should fit smoothly on the top of the breast. If it is beginning to indent the breast tissue, the cup is too small. If you have extra space in cup, the cup is too big. Another thing to note is that if the underwire is poking you in the armpit, then the cup might be too big. A proper fitting cup should encircle the breast tissue, but stop comfortably at the side of the breast.

     As I mentioned in the video, a proper fitting band should feel snug, but still wearable. You should be able to fit at least a finger in the band and have a little bit of give. I mentioned being able to fit two fingers in the video, but one finger is actually best. For the straps, you should be able to fit two fingers between the strap and your shoulder. Of course, if your straps feel like they are sliding down, by all means tighten them. The two-finger trick is just a general rule.

      In summary, a proper fitting bra should be smooth in the cup, have a snug yet supportive band, comfortable straps, and a centerpiece that lies flat on the breastbone. The last portion might not always be true though (I elaborate on that in the video).  Overall for fit, the most important thing is that you are comfortable. You are the one that will be wearing it, so make sure it is something that you are happy with.

Sizing

     For bras, the sizing is broken up into two components: the band (number) and cup (letter). The band measures the width of your rib cage, while the cup measures the amount of space you need to fit your breast tissue. I like to think of these two factors as separate entities as it makes it easier to understand sizing. It’s funny because I vaguely remember a situation where a girl was bragging about her bra size saying, “Yea, I’m a 38!” and it was comical because she thought that meant she had big boobs, when in reality it just meant she had a wider rib cage.

     To start with sizing, I’d say it is super important to get measured because it will help you get a better estimate as what band size you should be wearing. The band is measured by the bra’s number and this number can range anywhere from a 30 to a 44 and increases in increments of 2 (ex: 30-32-34-36-etc.). You can also find numbers outside of this range, but for the most part these are the most common ones. For places to get sized, I recommend either Soma or Nordstrom’s.  If you work at Victoria’s Secret, I am sorry, but I’ve had so many people come in with the size VS measured them and it doesn’t fit well. Just saying.

     The bra’s cup is represented by a letter. This typically ranges from A-G, but of course other brands can have different lettering. For the cups, the most common would be: A, B, C, D, DD, DDD, and G. Most brands don’t offer E’s or F’s, but some do. The A-DDD is pretty standard lettering in the bra industry. Once you go past DDD, the lettering can mean a whole different thing to each brand, so I’d be aware of that. For most of us, this typically isn’t a problem we need to worry about as most ladies tend to be in the lettering range I mentioned.

    Putting the two components together, you’ll end up with a number-letter combo (eg. 36D). The most important part to remember though is if the bra is not fitting properly, you’ll want to consider the two components separately. For example, if you try on a 36D and it doesn’t fit right, note where it doesn’t fit. Is the breast tissue spilling out of the cup but band feels okay? Try a bigger cup size but keep the band the same (so, if you tried on a 36D, try on a 36DD). Does the band feel uncomfortably tight? You’ll most likely have to go up a band size and down a cup size. Why is this? Because when you go up a band size, the cup size also gets a bit bigger. So, a 36D cup won’t be the same as a 38D cup. If when you tried on the 36D the cup felt fine but the band felt too tight, I’d try on a 38C next time to give you more space in the band but keep the cup the same. If the band and the cup don’t fit, then you’ll have to change the size of the cup and the band. So to illustrate, if you tried on a 36D and both the band and the cup were too tight, try on a 38DD next. As you can see, sizing can be a little complex, so you might need to play around with your letter-number combos when trying bras on.

     Remember, the size is just a size. It doesn’t have any meaning behind it. So, if you are wearing a 32A or a 42G don’t get fixated on the size. Just focus on whether or not the bra is doing what it’s supposed to be doing, giving you support. I say this because I’ve had so many ladies come in to try on bras and they’ll refuse to wear a certain size because they’re “not a 38” or “a DDD sounds horrible”. If the 38 fits you well, wear the 38, end of story.

Care

     For care, the most important thing to remember is that if you take care of your bras, they will last you longer. The best way to care for your bras is to hand wash them and hang them up to dry. The hand washing part you can be a bit lax on, as who really has the time to do that. You can either wash them in a lingerie bag, or if you have enough of them, wash them by themselves on gentle. What you can’t be lax about is drying. Never (and I mean NEVER) put your bras in the dryer. The heat degrades the fabric and destroys your bras. If you’ve had a situation where the wire is popping out, you more than likely were drying it in the dryer (Shame on you!).  Always hang dry your bras. I know when I was in college, I would hang them on the rod in my closet to dry. It was super simple, and something you can do if you don’t have a laundry line.

      On average, bras last about 6 months. This number will of course, depend on how often you wear and wash them. If you have one or two bras that you wear every day, they might not make it to the 6 months. But, if you have 4-5 that you rotate, you could make it 6 months and beyond, depending on how well you take care of them. I have quite a few bras, so I’ve had some of mine for at least two years and they still are in great condition. I’ve obviously washed them many times and none of the wires are popping out, so this is evidence that with proper care you can make them last. Ideally, I’d say aim for at least 3 so you can rotate them, but obviously having more than that is better.

Quality

     Like any other article of clothing, bras are an investment. If you buy yourself a good bra and take care of it, you can get it to last you a while. I know the bras we sell at our boutique range from $44-$60 depending on the style, but the fabric we use is really great, so paying the price tag is totally worth the money. So, when you are out shopping, pay attention to what you are purchasing, because more money doesn’t always necessarily mean better quality.

     I know this was a lot of information, but I am hoping it made sense. As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to leave a comment. I love getting feedback about my posts and also offering what I know. I hope you guys had a great week and stay posted for what I have coming next week. Next Thursday, I have my monthly recap, and that one is always really fun, especially if you want to know what I’ve been up to. Have a really great weekend and I’ll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Why Everyone Should Read The Alchemist

      I absolutely love to read, but I always found it nearly impossible to read for pleasure in college, especially during my last two years. But, as my mom had highly recommended The Alchemist (She's a huge Paulo Coelho fan), I decided I would try to start reading it Junior year.

      I started reading my Mom's Spanish copy of the book second semester of my Junior year, but I got busy and life got in the way, so I read the book very off and on. I finally finished the book at the end of my Senior year. Coincidently, reading the book in this manner fit very well with the theme of the book ( I'll elaborate more on that in a bit), so I am glad it worked out that way.

     The book itself is a fable of sorts, telling the story of a shepherd that is sent on a journey to find a treasure, and as one would imagine, he has many obstacles to overcome on his way. I won't spoil the book because I really think it's a good read, but I will say that I think the book serves as a wonderful metaphor for life. The book resonated with me as a pre-med because my journey has been filled with many unexpected events, and I think it paralleled very well with what was going on in my life at the time of reading it. The book is filled with some really great quotes and as a matter of fact, one of my favorites was what I had set as my phone background during interview season. I think many of these quotes are fantastic for those of us that love to dream big, but especially for pre-meds because what could be bigger than competing with others for the chance to become a doctor? Since I don't want to spoil the story, I'll just give you a few of my favorite quotes and why I love them.

Some of my Favorite Quotes from the Book:

" People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams because they feel that they don't deserve them."

     I was attracted to this quote because I feel that it spoke to what I struggled with as a pre-med. It's no secret that medical school is competitive and you are frequently reminded that medical school is hard to get into. I remember when beginning my application process, one of my fears was not being good enough. Of course, I had good grades and had done a lot of volunteer work, but I by no means thought I was extraordinary. I loved this quote because it reminded me that I shouldn't let the thought that I wasn't good enough stop me from pursuing my dream.

" There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure."

     This quote kind of goes with the one above. I think many times we can refrain from pursuing things because we think they won't work out for us. This idea isn't limited to only pursuing medical school, but any challenge in life. I think the best thing to remember though is that if you don't try you'll never know. So never let fear stop you.

" The fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself, and no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams."

     I thought this was a good quote because if you are pre-med, you know that everyone talks about how difficult medical school is, but I am pretty sure that after the fact most people would tell you that it is so worth it. If you pursue becoming a physician for the right reasons, everything you have to endure won't feel like suffering, but rather a necessary evil.

" And, when you want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you achieve it."

    I found a beautiful picture of this quote on Pinterest and this is what I had set as my phone home screen for the longest time. This quote for me has been very true and very powerful. It's crazy because some days I didn't know how getting into medical school was going to work out, but everything has fallen into place so perfectly that it feels like it was completely planned out for me. It has definitely made me believe that everything happens for a reason and as it should happen. All we can do as individuals is to pursue our dreams and see if that is the path that was meant for us.

" It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."

     I think this quote is so beautiful because it points out that our dreams are what make life so worth living. The possibility of going after anything we want and becoming whoever we want to be. I know that whenever I think about how I will be starting medical school in the fall, I feel so overjoyed knowing that I will have the ability to fulfill one of my dreams.

   The book has many other wonderful quotes, but I'll let you discover them for yourselves. I think everyone should read this book because it definitely inspires you to believe that anything is possible and to not be afraid to chase your dreams because life tends to work in your favor. The most important part is believing in yourself and you'll see how everything falls into place.

    I know this is different than my typical posts, but I really loved this book, and I thought I would share why:) I hope you had a fantastic weekend, and I will be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Love Yourself

     As long as I can remember, Valentine's Day has been one of my most favorite holidays. I'd say that it had a lot to do with the fact that in grade school, Valentine's Day was a pretty special event. We'd have a little party and everyone would go around placing valentines in little mail boxes that we crafted in class. Besides the school festivities, my parents always bought my me and my sister a little something, as they said we were their valentines. So, no doubt that growing up it was a holiday I always looked forward to. As the years have gone by, what Valentine's Day represents has of course fluctuated. But for me, it has always been a celebration of love. Love for the people in my life and most recently, love for myself.

     The past year and a half I've been working in a boutique fitting women for bras. As part of the bra-fitting process involves seeing women in their bras, I've been privy to seeing women at their most vulnerable. Unfortunately, a common theme that I've noticed in these women is unhappiness with their bodies. It's interesting because as women our bodies vary so widely and as someone who fits for bras, this is obviously something I notice every day. I always find it ironic when a woman comes in complaining about having a small chest when I had a customer earlier in the day complain about being too busty. But what baffles me the most is when I have an absolutely beautiful customer that complains about "flaws" that aren't even there. My job has made me very aware of the fact that we are all built different, but that is not a bad thing.

   If there's one thing that I have gained from working here, it has been more body confidence. Seeing so many women struggle with their body confidence has made me realize that of course we all have flaws, but the way we react to these flaws is what is most important. In my experience, some of the most beautiful women have been those that had flaws and just owned them. They were comfortable in their skin and that truly made their beauty shine. 

     Trust me, I know it's not easy. With social media bombarding us with images of our "ideal" body, weight loss guides, and gorgeous celebrities, it can be difficult not to scrutinize our flaws. But, what I've learned is how important it is to not let our imperfections dictate how we feel about ourselves. Instead, we should look in the mirror and say, " Well, I am not exactly where I would like my body to be, but you know what? I'm still beautiful". I will tell you that this won't always be easy to do, but the more that you refrain from criticizing yourself, the easier it will be to see yourself in a positive light.

     So, no matter how you celebrate Valentine's Day, I want you to take the time to love yourself just as much as you love the people around you. I'm sure you'll notice how truly beautiful the person in front of you really is:)

     I wish you lots of love, wine, and chocolate this weekend. I'll be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Studying For The MCAT

     So, I'm sure by this point my MCAT people have already begun their studies, but I thought it would be a great idea to add in some of my own study tips to help guide your studies or possibly help you re-focus if you've been struggling with how to study for the beast that is the MCAT.

My Study Tips:

Create a Schedule

     If you've been following me, you know that I am a fan of schedules, but I think for MCAT studying this is particularly important. Having a schedule of when you need to study will help you stay organized and also make it more likely that you will go through with your plan.

Break Down the Material

     What makes studying for the MCAT such a daunting task is the fact that there is SO much information to know. One of the things that helped keep me from feeling overwhelmed was to not look at all the information I needed to know overall, but instead to focus on what I needed to know at the moment.  This also goes back to making a schedule. Try to break down your study topics by the subject/subjects that you'd like to review that session. For me, it would usually consist of reviewing a topic ( let's say electrostatics) and then doing practice questions or a practice quiz. Having a "goal" for your study session will prevent you from aimlessly looking through all your practice books and weeping over all the material you must know.

Utilize All Your Resources

     Your primary resource for MCAT studying will typically be your designated set of practice books, but that doesn't mean that your practice books are your only resource. I am a very visual person, so at times just reading something in a book doesn't always click with me. In these cases, I would try to see if I could find a different explanation and most of the time I was lucky enough to find a YouTube video explaining the topic. If you can't find a YouTube video, find a different explanation online. I know certain textbooks suck at explaining things, so sometimes you can find a better explanation elsewhere. Also, consult your peers and your professors. Sometimes hearing someone else explain a topic helps me understand it better, so don't be afraid to ask for help.

Practice your Endurance 

     One of the most difficult parts of the MCAT  is having the mental endurance you'll need to make it through consecutive lengthy exams. Your MCAT studying is the best time to get yourself accustomed to sitting through hours of material, practice your focus, and also your timing. By test day, you should be used to sitting through the length of each section and the length of each exam That way you don't burn out in the middle of the exam.

Use Practice Tests Wisely

     At the beginning of your studies, Using multiple practice tests can be wasteful. Why? because you most likely haven't reviewed all the material you need to know to do well. Practice tests ( mainly the full-length exams) should be used to gauge your progress. I'd recommend taking one at the beginning of your studying to see your starting point and then maybe every couple of weeks to see your progress. Closer to exam time, you should be using them to get yourself in exam mode and I'd recommend taking them as if you were taking the real exam.

Review Your Practice Exams

     I'll be the first to admit that after taking a practice test, the last thing I wanted to do was go over it.But, it is super important that you review every question, and yes I do mean every question. It is important to know why you got a question wrong, but even more so why you got a question right. Sometimes you just got it right because you are a really great guesser, so it's important to know the concept behind the questions so you can get it right on test day. Also, reviewing your practice exams is a fantastic way to see where you are lacking. If you've taken several tests and you keep getting kinematics wrong, you know you need to do some pretty serious review.

Don't Study What you Already Know

    

      I know, I've been there too. Sometimes studying what you already know or enjoy can be such a confidence boost because you get the questions right and you feel like you have a handle on the whole MCAT thing. But, let's be real. You're not doing anyone a favor. I know you'd love to spend hours on your favorite topic to avoid wanting to cry while studying what you struggle with ( ahem kinematics), but you've gotta struggle through the hard stuff.

   Do What Works for You

     Every practice company is going to promise you that their method is going to get you a high score or whatever, but ultimately you need to do what will help you do your best. It might be what the test prep company teaches you, but most likely it'll be something you've discovered while studying. So take your study time to figure out your method, so come test day you know what to do.

Don't be Hard on Yourself

     I'll be completely honest. On test day, you will more than likely not know every little thing that is on the exam, but that's okay! The purpose of studying for this exam is to get you familiar with having the necessary foundations to answer questions. So, study with the intention of being pretty knowledgeable about what you need to know, but don't stress about every little detail. 

     I hope that these tips help guide you on your studying journey. And remember, you are not a test score, so don't obsess over a certain one. Study as best as you possibly can and go in with the aim to kick serious butt.  If you'd like more MCAT studying tips, check out this blog as well. I hope you have a great week and I'll talk to you on Thursday!

~Genesis<3

     

How to Make the Most of Your Semester

     Spring semester should definitely be in full swing for those of you still in school (yeah, that'll be me too next year). So, I thought I'd share some of my tips to make sure that you get the most out of the semester and close out the year with a bang.

     For me, I'd say Senior year was the year that I had the whole college thing figured out ( It only took me three years, but whatever...), and I found myself feeling pretty balanced with what I needed to do, which was a lot. But, I'll definitely be the first to admit that by Spring Semester, senioritis was starting to kick in, so I needed to keep myself focused in order to make sure that I finished my college career kicking butt and taking names. Below are a few tips that helped me.

Become BFFs with your syllabus

     Not even going to lie, Syllabus week was one of my favorite weeks of college. Not only because we had a couple of classes where all the professor did was talk about the course, but because we got the schedule for what was happening in the semester. This meant that I could promptly head back to my apartment, whip out my planner, and write in all the important dates ASAP. Although you might not be a planner nerd like myself, I highly recommend doing this. It is really great to be able to know what your overall semester will look like and what the workload will be. It will also allow you to see what weeks will be the busiest and which ones you can have some fun. Mainly, I'd recommend putting in due dates, test dates, quizzes, and projects. If you want to write in what will be covered in your classes each week, that could be helpful too, but I never really did that as professors don't always stay on track with the scheduled topic.

Schedule in your activities

     Of course, this mainly means your extracurriculars but for me, it also meant my gym time. From my previous post, you know that I used to fit three runs in per week. So, what I would do at the beginning of the semester was figure out where in my schedule I could fit in the time I would need to run and make that my designated run time so that it was easier to stick to. Another thing that would be beneficial would be to block out your study times. I worked my last two semesters of college, so this meant that my weekly schedule could vary. But, at the beginning of each week, I would see what my week was going to look like, and I would designate where I could fit in the bulk of my studying.

Prioritize

     One of the most important parts of being productive is definitely learning to be strict with yourself. I know there were weekends when the last thing I wanted to do was spend quality time with my biochem book, but if it needed to be done, it needed to be done. This also goes back to my first point. You'll know which weeks this will be particularly important, so try to not schedule anything unnecessary into these weeks.

Plan Ahead

     If you know next week is going to be a hell week, try to get as much done before then. This will relieve a tremendous amount of stress for the weeks that you have two papers, a quiz, and an exam all in the course of a couple days. Even if you can only get the foundation work done, you'll be greatly thanking yourself.

Be Flexible

     I'm sure that you are well aware that life happens. Sometimes you have to make the time to go see a professor, or to help a friend, and you definitely didn't plan on it. That is perfectly okay. The most important part of organizing yourself is realizing that it is all just a framework and that you should use it as a guide, but also go with the flow adjusting yourself as necessary.

Remember to Have Fun

     I know that if you are anything like me, you will want to be able to do it all. But in the process of being awesome, know that it's perfectly okay to have fun. College is one of the best times of your life, so enjoy it all that you can! I know that now that I'm out of school, I am so happy that I took out the time for all the impromptu meet ups with my friends, or just occasionally breaking from my schedule to do something fun. It will help you feel rejuvenated and also more likely to stick with your plan overall. So, don't be afraid to have your occasional Netflix day. Grey's Anatomy on, my friend.

     I hope these tips were helpful for you! I know these are pretty standard, but it was what I used and it worked out pretty well. I hope you've been having a great week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

How Running Can Help You As a Pre-med

     This past week, I've been getting back into the groove of my running routine, and as I've been feeling the effects of my time off from it, I was inspired to write this post.

     About two years ago, I was inspired to take up running. I had never run a day in my life but I had always heard how great of a workout it was and I had always wanted to be able to do one of the fun 5ks that you see advertised everywhere. So, with determination and inspiration, I laced up my Nikes and hopped on the treadmill. Of course, to no surprise, running was difficult. Within the first couple minutes of running, I knew that it would take quite a bit of time before I was anywhere near ready to run a 5k, but I knew that it was something that I wanted to accomplish, so I told myself that this was something I was going to stick with. I fit a run in my schedule three days a week ( in-between classes) and I wouldn't allow myself to miss. I'll be completely honest, it was rough. There were days that I wished I could just go back to my apartment and take a nap, but that wouldn't get me any closer to running a 5k, so instead I would haul my butt over to the gym. Over the course of the semester, I got better at running, and by the time spring came around, I was out running on the path around campus. Then finally, over the summer, I was consistently running 3.1 miles ( a 5k) almost every time I went out. I was so proud of how far I'd come, but also surprised about the things it contributed to my life.

Things You Can Gain From Running

Mental Strength

- As much as running is a physical sport, it is also a mental sport. There are many times when your mind wants to give up before your body does, and you have to push yourself to keep going. This comes in handy as a pre-med as studying can get overwhelming and pushing yourself to keep going can be difficult at times. Running helps you train your mind to push through the points of giving up and helps you focus on achieving your goal. Of course, this is a great parallel for any part of your pre-med/med journey, as we all now how difficult it can be at times, but having the mental endurance to push through can greatly benefit you.

Perseverance

- When you are a runner, you will have your good days and your bad days. Sometimes, you kill it and have the best run, and then other times you can barely run a block from your start point. The most important part is remembering to not let the bad days stop you from your goals. The same mentality applies to being pre-med. If I had let any of struggles in class dictate my pre-med career, I wouldn't be starting medical school in the fall.

Patience

- Getting to the point where I was that summer took quite a bit of time to train up to, and more so because I didn't want to injure myself in the process. It might be a while before you reach your goal. You just have to take your training a day at a time and keep the big picture in mind. For anyone wanting to go to med school, this is absolutely true. I remember when I was in high school, the idea of spending an additional seven ( or more) years becoming a doctor was very unappealing, but now I am in awe that in just four years, I will have an M.D. at the end of my name. Great things take time to achieve and becoming a runner definitely reminds you of that.

Stress Relief

- I know this one is obvious, but for me running was a great way to relieve stress, especially while studying for the MCAT. I remember taking my break and going for a run. It allowed me to clear my mind and focus on something other than how I needed to do well on my test. I could then go back to studying recharged and ready to kick butt.


     Of course, there are more obvious things that you'll gain from running ( hello toned body!), but I thought these were applicable to being pre-med and worth a share. I also just wanted to have some fun with it, so I hope you found it interesting. I hope you had a great weekend!

~Genesis<3