The End of SPP

     Hello! I know that it has certainly been a minute since I have posted anything, and for that,  I greatly apologize. The last week of SPP hit like a wave, so I had to take a step back in order to stay afloat. Thankfully, I will have a few weeks of rest before the beginning of M1 year, so you can expect to see more of me:)

The Final Struggle

     The last week and a half of the program were filled with knowing that the end was near, and with the end came our final hurdle. We finished our last regular exams on Monday and by Tuesday, the thought of finals was very clear in our minds. At that point, we had taken nine exams, but another five exams separated us from the end. Last weekend, I spent the majority of my time trying to prepare for exams. Exam day came and I just tried to give it everything that I had. Hitting "End Test" for the last time (for a while at least) was such an incredible feeling, but definitely surreal as being a quasi-medical student is all I have known for the past six weeks. Overall, I felt like exams went rather well, and we got results today that I did well in the program.  I am so thankful for this experience, and everything that it has allowed me to learn along the way. I've had a taste of what to expect in the next coming year (although I've been told that SPP definitely is more rigorous),  I've begun to build my peer network, and I've been able to verify that I am doing exactly what I love. Trust me, it's not easy, but in the struggle you remember that you are working towards everything that you've ever dreamed of and that is an incredible feeling. I can't wait to begin my journey towards the next four years!

Outfits

   
     Thursday: I was tryin to look put together, so I wore one of my favorite Express portofino shirts with my navy chinos.

     Friday: The warm weather called for shorts, so I whipped out a pair I bought for the summer. I LOVE nautical themed items, so these anchor shorts were a must buy for me. I went for one of my favorite pairings and paired my turquoise anchor shorts with a cobalt tank.

     Monday: It was my last set of normal exams, so I wanted to keep it simple. I went with a classic black and white look. 

     Tuesday: I was seriously loving this outfit. I picked up this top from Gap last summer and it's been so fun to wear! I think it's mostly because of the color.

     Wednesday: I brought out another top that had not yet made it's round. I got this one on sale from JCP from their Liz Claiborne collection.

Thursday: I went for bold combo pairing my daisy print pixie pants with my coral scalloped top. 

     Friday: We were getting to the weekend, so I wanted to just be a bit more relaxed. I paired a Gap tee with my Gap ripped jeans.

     Tuesday: It was the first round of finals, so I just kept it really simple. That and I wanted to wear my Kate Spade keds. 

    Wednesday: The struggle was real. I didn't have time to snap a pic, but I just wore my black zip leggings with a chambray shirt. I've shown both of them on the blog before, so I figured it's not a big deal.

    I hope you guys enjoyed the update! I am hoping that I can go back to a regular schedule next week. I need to think up some posts first:) I hope you guys have a fabulous week and I'll be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3

SPP Update: Week Four

     As I am writing this, I am in disbelief that the upcoming week will be the last week of the program! Regarding exams, we still have seven more to complete. The thought of having to take all of these exams in the span of a two weeks is a tad daunting, but knowing that after that I will be all done with this program makes it all worth it. 

Classes and Studying

     The set of exams that I had for this week were biochem and histology. Biochem was focused on cellular processes (Enzymes, DNA, DNA replication, etc.) this week and that wasn't too bad because they were topics that I've seen numerous times in my biological studies. Something that they always factor in is the clinical correlation, so that made the class a tad more interesting. Histology, on the other hand, had a lot of new and complex material. In general, you can tell cells apart (especially when you know what to look for), but certain tissues are very similar and that was the struggle of this week. We covered quite a few areas of the body, so that added to the madness.

     Studying wasn't horribly bad. I am pretty good at being disciplined, but having back to back exams is really draining. We finish our exam on Monday and the next day you've got to be on the grind to prep for the next set. Thankfully, the school year won't be like that. I'm just trying to remind myself that this will all be over soon. 

Outfits

     Thursday: I wore one of my favorite summer tops. I don't know about you, but I'm kind of a fan of the off the shoulder trend. I paired it with my patterned Old Navy pixie pants and some black sandals.

     Friday: I went for a black and coral look. The top has some pretty detailing on the back, but otherwise,  it was a pretty straightforward outfit.

     Monday: It has been very hot in Chicago, so I just went for some linen shorts and my flowy embroidered top. 

     Tuesday: I seriously have had this forever 21 top for years, and it makes a comeback every summer. I am a huge fan of the detailing at the neckline, and I like to pair it with some jeans for a cute yet laidback look.

     Wednesday: Today, I went for a classic red/navy color combo. I borrowed the silk scarf from Emily, and I think it dressed up my outfit from just being a basic striped tee. 

     I believe I addressed it last week, but it's been fun thinking about different ways to wear the same items. I am curious to see what I'll be able to come up with for the last couple weeks! I am sorry that these are short! I'm trying to give you guys the gist of what's going on, but trying not to overextend myself at the moment. I hope you guys are doing well and thank you for taking the time to stop by and see what I've been up to:) I'll talk to you guys soon!

~Genesis<3

SPP Update: Week Two

     Where I left off last week, I was beginning to prep for my first two exams. Studying pretty much took up the majority of my weekend, and I forgot what that had felt like (Remember, I've been out of school for a year, so it's been a hot minute). I can't really say that I've missed the pre-exam stress, but I think overall, it wasn't too bad. Monday, we went to class and took our exams. I left my first exam (biochem) feeling pretty confident, and my second exam (histology) feeling okay, but nowhere near as confident as my first exam. Thankfully, I am happy to report that I did well on both of them and I am pretty proud of myself. It definitely felt very validating and makes me even more excited for next year. I know the volume of material that they'll expect me to know will be greater, but I think taking this course will allow me to have a solid foundation to build on. The remainder of this week has been post-test recovery as well as prep for the next set of exams on Monday. If you read my last post, you know that I've thrown apartment hunting into the mix, so I haven't gotten as much done as I would have liked. I think I should be okay but we shall see about that after next week. The end of this week will be the half-way mark for the program and it's crazy to think that three weeks later, I'll be finished and getting ready to start medical school.

Classes and Studying

     Classes have been pretty good. Obviously, some are better than others, and I think that has a lot to do with the instructors. The instructors overall are pretty great, but I'll have to admit that the anatomy department is winning at this school. Our past week was very biochem and histology oriented, but this current week has been very anatomy centered and I really enjoy that. One of the things that we do in anatomy is called teach backs and what we have to do for that is that we go into lab with our partners and we learn a region of the body in order to teach it back to the rest of our group. This week, it was my turn, so I had to go in and learn all the structures of the lungs and mediastinum and tomorrow I will teach it back to the rest of my group. 

     As far as studying goes, I've been doing pretty well. Prior to our exams, I was really trying to get it all in, and I did well. This post-test week hasn't been nearly as productive, but I still have the remainder of the week to get caught up, so I'm not too concerned. As I said last week, I'm pretty impressed with how good my focus is. I really hope this keeps up into the fall semester because I don't remember being this focused in undergrad. Maybe that gap year worked some magic. 

Outfits

     Thursday: The two items that I'm wearing I brought back from home over the first weekend. Over the first week, I realized that I had forgotten to pack some casual dresses for the warmer weather, so I grabbed a couple from home. This one is just one that I picked up at Target awhile ago. I paired it with some black sandals and a black cardigan.

     Friday: I wore my favorite color combo: coral and navy. I picked up these coral chinos at Gap the week before coming to SPP and I bought the Navy top at Target a while back. It has that lacy-overlay detailing (can't think of the real name for it), and its super pretty and versatile. I paired my outfit with some nude Sam Edelmann sandals.

     Monday: I went for a more casual look for exam day. I just wore a pair of my favorite jeans with a cute floral top and the same nude Sam Edelmann sandals.

     Tuesday: I wore an anchor printed button down (this is one of my favorite tops because I love nautical themed items) with a pair of navy chinos and my camel colored sandals.

     Wednesday: Today, I went for another of my favorite classic combos: a navy striped top and white pants. I'm pretty sure I've worn this combo a multitude of times, but I still love it. I paired it with my Sam Edelmann sandals (who were apparently the real M.V.P of the week).

     Otherwise, I was in comfy clothes or scrubs. Maybe, I'll try to get a scrub shot for you guys next week, but no promises haha. 

     I hope you guys have a fabulous rest of your week! I'm off to study anatomy, but I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

SPP Update: Getting Settled

     This week has definitely been a busy one as I've been getting myself accustomed to what will be my new schedule for the next couple weeks. My focus for my blog over the next couple weeks will be to keep you guys updated on what I am doing, what I am learning, and how I am feeling over the course of the program. From what we have been told, this program is like M1 year on steroids and after the past couple days, I believe they aren't exactly kidding. So, let me break down the past couple days.

Move In

     I have to say that move in went pretty well. I believe I was actually one of the first ones (if not the first) to check in and that allowed me to get myself settled without a hitch. I am also pretty content with my living situation. My room is quite spacious and is pretty much the size of the one I had my sophomore year of college, but this time, I get it all to myself. I'm sure if you read my previous post, you could see that I have plenty of storage (which leaves for a pretty empty closet) and the size of the apartment (it's an apartment style dorm) is a great size for me and my roomie.

View of my room from the entrance

View of my room from the window

     Speaking of my roomie, we have been getting along really well! I was quite hesitant about having a roommate, but she's honestly really great. We spent the first three days getting to know one another and exploring the area and I think that has made us pretty close. We share quite a few commonalities and I think being in the same field only adds to that. I think the latter has given me insight as to why your friend bonds in medical school are so different than those in undergrad. We're all here for the same thing and many of our reasons overlap, so it's pretty easy to relate to one another.

Classes and Studying

     The past couple days have been interesting as I feel that they've been transitional days. 

     Monday was our orientation day for the program, so it pretty much focused on explaining the history and details of the program. We were sitting in a conference room from 8:30-3:30, so you better believe it was quite boring. Thankfully, we had not yet started class, so when we got out, my roomie and I had time to just relax and enjoy the gorgeous weather that we've been having in Chicago.

Me and my roomie looking super thrilled to be at orientation

     Tuesday was our first day of class and I'm not going to lie, it felt a tad overwhelming. We had class all day (8:45-4:00) with the exception of a one-hour lunch break. In college, I rarely had more than two classes scheduled back to back, so this is definitely going to take some getting used to. Aside from that, we are learning quite a bit of material. After going to the gym and having dinner, I spent a good 3 hours reviewing my notes from the day and by the end of the night, I was pretty drained. I was a bit nervous about what I had gotten myself into, but after settling down for the night and reminding myself that I can do this, I was in a better frame of mind. 

Wednesday(today), I woke up in a better frame of mind. I previewed the powerpoints for what I would be learning in my classes and then got myself ready for class. Today, we also got out of class a bit earlier, and we got to go home for lunch (yesterday we had to go to a group meeting luncheon), and I also had more coffee, so I think that was a game changer. I feel that what I am learning is connecting with what I've previously learned and that is helping me gain my footing to find my groove. Hopefully, by next week that will be the case. 

Outfits

     Monday's outfit: Sadly, I didn't get an outfit pic, but I wore a polka dot button up blouse from The Limited (you can get a peek up the blouse in the pic above) with a black high-waisted pencil skirt and black flats. 

     Tuesday's outfit: A coral scalloped bottom shift tank, navy chinos, a navy cardigan, and camel colored sandals. 

         Wednesday's outfit: My ripped light-wash Gap jeans, A white top with a blue embroidered neckline, my camel sandals, and I also brought along my olive linen Gap jacket.

     I hope you guys enjoyed this little peek into my life. I'm going to try to keep up with them and the blog as best as I can over the next couple weeks. I hope you guys had a fantastic week. I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

A Note On The Personal Statement

     As I've been trying to plan out what I want to write about for those of you preparing to apply to medical school, I came to the realization that I had not yet touched on one of the most important parts, the personal statement. I'll be honest, I've been avoiding this topic for a bit because it was honestly something that I personally struggled with, but as it is important I wanted to discuss it a bit.

The Struggle of The Personal Statement

     

     I'm sure I wasn't the only one that struggled with writing their personal statement because, like me, many pre-meds don't have a single defining moment that influenced their decision to pursue a career in medicine. For many of us, the decision was a culmination various interests, personal experience, and curiosity. So, how can one capture that in one essay? It's rather difficult. Apart from that, the personal statement creates quite a bit of pressure because it is one of the first things that your potential medical school will read and may use to decide whether you have what it takes to become a doctor. But, with all of that involved, writing a good personal statement is still possible. 

Telling Your Story

     The best thing that I can advise you to do is not to think about what medical schools would want to hear, but rather to tell the story of what made you want to pursue this career and what keeps you motivated to continue with it. Your story certainly doesn't have to be extraordinary (i.e. You didn't have to have an epiphany while serving at a mission in India.), but I recommend that you try to make it as unique to you as possible. For me, it took quite a bit of thinking, but when I finally pieced together my story I was very proud of it.

Writing Tips

     During the process of writing my own personal statement, I came upon a few tips that helped me. So, I wanted to share the ones that I remember.

  1. Make It Engaging

      You have to remember that the admissions person that is reading your essay has read hundreds of others. If it is boring, you won't be memorable and your essay might get overlooked. Focus on keeping your reader engaged throughout the essay (with an emphasis on a strong beginning and end) by telling your story in an engaging way. I wrote mine as if I was telling an actual story and I think that is what helped mine stand out (or at least I assume so).

2. Keep It Short

     Going along with the first tip, essay readers have read several personal statements before picking up yours. If you happen to make yours as verbose as possible, I'm sure they'll get annoyed. Try to say what you have to say with as few words as possible. You'll be forced to ensure that you are utilizing quality over quantity and essay readers will be thankful you opted out of using every word in the dictionary.

3. Read Samples

     Taking the time to read what other people have written for their personal statements can be incredibly beneficial. For one, you'll be familiar with the general format of a personal statement and through reading several of them you'll be able to learn what makes them engaging. I read quite a few before attempting to write my own. Of course, this tip doesn't mean to go out and copy what someone else has written, but instead utilize them to get in the mindset to write your own unique statement.

4. Try To Avoid Pre-med Cliches

 
       A subject people will gravitate to when writing a personal statement for medical school is talking about a sick person they have encountered in their life that made them decide to pursue medicine. Another topic is talking about how you want to save people. Truth is, we all might've had that influential "patient" and we all want to save people. That's why we are pursuing medicine. I am not saying these aren't valid reasons, but that they tend to be overused. Try to write your statement with less of a direct focus on these topics and on instead focused on you. Also, be specific to medicine. There are many jobs that would allow you to help people, so why are you choosing medicine in particular.

     With all of that in mind, I advise writing from the heart. If you are pursuing this career, you are definitely passionate about it. If you approach your writing with this in mind, it'll definitely show through. 

     I hope you are having a great start to your week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

Preparing For Medical School Interviews

     With regards to the application cycle, it is a bit early to be thinking about interviews. But, as this was a question that I was recently asked on one of my YouTube videos, I figured that I would take the time to answer it again on my blog.

Know Yourself

     When it comes to interview prep, I would start by being knowledgeable with what you are writing on your applications. This was a piece of advice that my friend Alissa gave me before I interviewed and I believe it was rather valuable. Of course, medical schools want you to write about what you like to do outside of school, but they'll also like to ask you about it. When I was at my last interview, my interviewer asked me about running (I wrote about it for one of my short essay questions and it was also listed as one of my hobbies). It was slightly awkward because I am currently nowhere near where I used to be with my running, but I talked about running with her anyway. 

     Another thing, know how you would answer things about yourself. Something that I noticed across interviews was that schools like to ask "situational questions" in order to get a better sense of your character. You might encounter some of these on secondary applications. They'll have the format of, "Tell us about a time..." and if you are asked this type of question during an interview, you'll have to quickly come up with your answer. During my first interview, I was not adequately prepared for these types of questions. I don't exactly remember what I was asked, but I know I hesitated a bit trying to decide what I should answer. I tried to answer the question as best as I could. Honestly, I thought I could've done a much better job. But hey, I was still accepted. So, I wouldn't say that you need to go look up every question that you might be asked (maybe look up a few to be familiar with the format), but definitely know how you would go about answering similar on-the-spot questions. I know this might sound a bit nerdy, but something that I did to prepare for my interviews was to practice out loud. One question that you will be inevitably asked is "Why do you want to be a doctor?"I think it was helpful to be able to have an answer thought out, so I didn't have to scramble for an answer come interview time. So, practice your response to the difficult questions, but don't have a memorized answer. You don't want to make it seem like you have a rehearsed answer, but rather that you have given deep thought to the subject and can answer it.

Know The School

     Before an interview, I would spend some time looking over the school's website. I would try to find out as much about the program as I could. I would look up the curriculum and other things that made the school unique. The goal is to be able to speak about what draws you to the school and why you applied. When I interviewed at my Chicago school, I was asked about why I wanted to go there. Obviously, I had a billion reasons before even looking up the particulars for the school, but after getting familiar with what the school offered, I could pin point why this particular school was a good fit for me.

     Along with knowing the school, try to figure out their interview style. I know that different schools interview in different ways, so knowing what to expect before you walk in will be advantageous. For my first interview, It was two-on-one and the interview was conducted by two faculty members. My following interview, I had three one-on-one interviews. The first interviewer was a faculty member and the two others were students. To find out the school's interview style, I believe I googled "[School name] secondary application" and I happened to find the application cycle thread on The Student Doctor Network's forum. Applicants that have interviewed typically go on the forum and will say what the interview style was. So, finding out what the interview style will be like will help you know how to prepare.

Know What To Ask

     Almost every interview ends with, "Do you have any questions?" and your answer should always be yes. Even if you get the general grasp of the school, come up with things you'd like to know or want further clarification about. Asking questions about the school shows the interviewers that you are actually interested enough in the program that you want to know more about it. Asking questions can also help remove some of the interview tension as questions tend to be a bit more informal. This is great because it helps show a bit more of your personality that might've been left out because you were nervous during your interview. Also, this might be the place that you're going to spend the next four years of your life. You want to make sure that you are going to be happy attending this school.

What To Wear

     This section is geared more towards my ladies because for guys the attire is the expected suit and tie combo. For ladies, we have a plethora of options. When I was trying to figure out what I was going to wear for my interview, I tried to figure out what was appropriate. Either pants or a pencil skirt should be fine. I decided to go with pants, but many of the girls I interviewed with wore skirts. On top, a nice, dressy blouse or button up are the norm and not everyone wore a blazer. As far as shoes, wear something comfortable. Usually, part of interview day involves a tour of the school, so if you are not comfortable in heels, it won't be a fun experience. I wore a reasonable heel and I was fine, but a couple girls were wearing flats. Overall, just go for a polished look. Keep your hair and makeup natural and you should be good to go!

     Hopefully, this post helps you feel a bit more prepared to tackle the medical school interview. Also, remember, if you've gotten to the point of an interview, enjoy it! It is a really great sign when a school wants to interview you, so just go and show them that they made the right choice and don't stress yourself too much.

     I hope you are having a great start to your month and I will 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

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

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

Being a Biology Major.

     One of the ideas that has been at the back of my mind ever since I wanted to begin a blog/YouTube was sharing my experience of being a Biology major. Being a Bio major shaped quite a bit of how my college experience went and as I didn't know much about the major (other than the fact that you study biology) when I started college, I wanted to talk about it a bit.

     I felt the best way to present this information was in a YouTube video, so I hope you guys enjoy it! I really enjoy making them, so if I can present the information best in a video, you better believe I will do it. Of course, the video is just a general overview about the major, so in the future I might do an accompanying blog post about smaller details, but for now I just want to start with the generals.

     On another note, I have something different I want to try out on the blog, so I will most likely be debuting that on Thursday. I hope you guys are having a great start to your week!

~Genesis<3

To Prep or Not To Prep?

     I know that the time of year has come where many people are getting themselves ready to begin studying for the MCAT and one of the necessary considerations is whether or not to take a prep course. So, I want to dedicate Today's blog post to reviewing my experience with MCAT prep courses and what my thoughts were after actually taking the MCAT.

     I believe I should preface all of this information by saying that obviously I haven't taken every MCAT prep course available, so all I can really speak to is what my personal experience was and how it worked out for me. The prep course that I do happen to have experience with is the Kaplan Prep course. Kaplan is one of the major ones that I know are available, so hopefully this post will help many of you!

The Course

     When I went to choose an MCAT prep course, I knew that what most students went for was one that offered in-class sessions. Kaplan happened to have a relationship with the pre-med group at my school and they offered a small discount ( I think $200) for taking the classes on campus. The class regular price was cheaper than the Princeton Review one, so it was a no-brainer for me to take this class. I believe I ended up paying approximately $2000 for the in-person course offered on campus. The class consisted of 6-hours of class per week ( I had mine 6:00-9:00 Monday and Wednesday) and it ran Jan 29th-April 2nd. The $2000 included all the books for the Kaplan course as well as access to the online database that had lots of online content for you to study from. 

Pros: 

-Signing up for the class meant that you had a built in MCAT time in your schedule if you actually attended class. I never missed a class, so that was always my major MCAT time. 

- You were with other students, so you got to see how other people went about answering questions.

- The course package offered you tons of material ( I didn't even get through all of it) and you had access to it well past the dates of your course ( I actually used it to study the second time around). 

Cons:

- In class portion took a lot of time out of your day, and I happened to have a full day Mondays and Wednesdays, so sometimes it felt like a lot.

-Class time wasn't always used effectively, so I didn't feel like I was always getting the most out of it.

- There was a lot of material to get through before each class session. I remember it being like 100 pages per class or something crazy. Towards the end, I wasn't doing all the reading because I didn't have the time with my school work. 

- The price! Looking back on it, I can't believe I paid so much, but when you want to be well-prepared you don't really think about that. 

Overview

     Personally for me, the in-class portion wasn't very helpful. The class structure consisted of the instructor going through a lesson book and answering questions with us to help us learn the "Kaplan method". Often times, the instructor would ask a question and wait for someone to volunteer to answer it and as no one really wanted to answer, it always took forever and wasted time. What I did find helpful was the online component. The Kaplan online database offers a ton of study resources and since you can access it at your convenience, it makes studying less hectic. The first time around  my MCAT score wasn't my best. I don't solely attribute that to the class, but I do think my style of studying wasn't effective. The second time around I studied more at my own pace using the Kaplan books and online database and that worked out really well for me. The database had 12 full-length exams. It also had some official AAMC exams ( I can't remember if those were included in the 12), and they were really good predictors of my MCAT score range. The Kaplan exams were pretty good as well, but some felt like the scores were inflated as I was scoring way higher on them in comparison with my AAMC practice test scores. I should add that the second time around I was also skimming through the Exam Krackers MCAT books and the content in those was really good and condensed ( My friend actually took their prep course and liked it a lot). 

     Also, if you are still interested in Kaplan, they do offer other course options. They have a Live-online course ( same price as in-class) where you take the classes at home with an online instructor ( we had some of these for the organic chemistry classes and I thought they were more helpful than the in-class classes), or they have a "self-paced" option ( $400 cheaper than in-class & live-online) where you get access to the database and the books. The second option would probably be closest to what I did the second time around, and I thought it was what worked best for me. 

Overall, I say choose whatever will work best for you. You know how you study and what will be most effective. Also, you might have a different experience, so keep that in mind. I hope you guys found this helpful and that you have a great weekend!

~Genesis<3

Word for 2016!

     Happy New Year! So, I hope everyone had a marvelous time ringing in the new year! Something that caught my eye this weekend as I was lounging around trying to recover from several nights of serious sleep deprivation was the "word of the year" theme on people's Instagram posts.

     Last year, I didn't specifically designate a word for the year, but If I had to choose one, I would say that my word would have been "Dare". My theme for the year was to try to step out of my comfort zone and be more daring. I aimed to try new things and not be afraid of change, and I am very happy with how the year went.

     This year, I definitely wanted to choose something meaningful as my word. I know that 2016 is going to be a big year for me. So, I chose the word "Inspire" to be my word for this year. The tail end of this past year, I really wanted to commit to doing the things that I had always wanted to do. Blogging was at the top of that list and much of why I want to keep up a blog is to be able to share my journey through medical school. This year I hope to inspire others who might be interested in the medical school route and I want to offer as much advice as I possibly can. On a more personal note, I want to be able to keep myself inspired. I want to keep up with my creative plans and I think having the word inspire at the front of my mind might help with that. Also, I want to keep inspired as I begin my journey through medical school. A piece of advice that pretty much any med student has given me along the way is to prepare myself, as medical school can get insane. I want to remain inspired throughout my journey, but especially when it might be easy to forget why I am doing this in the first place. Hopefully, my word inspires you to pick a word to motivate your journey for this year, and I hope that it is an incredible year:)

~Genesis<3