Daring Greatly

     One of my most recent reads was Brené Brown's Daring Greatly. As someone who loves to seek inspiration, this book was right up my alley, and as someone who tries to remind herself to be braver, I loved what Brené had to say. Like my last book post, I won't go into the book in incredible detail (I want you guys to still read the book!), but I will share some of the points that stuck with me.

    Brené is a shame and vulnerability researcher, so her book talks a lot about shame in our society and how we can change our reactions to allow ourselves to live happier lives. The book is filled with her research findings and personal accounts of how this research has impacted her own life, but what struck me the most was how her information fit into my own life and how valuable her advice was.

Some of Her Points

1. Scarcity- One of the topics that she focuses on in her book is the concept of scarcity in our society and how it brings up the concept of a "never enough" mentality. She explains that this mentality stems from our constant comparison to things in our environment. We compare ourselves to our peers, to people on social media, or just our idea of how our lives should be going. How often do we scroll through our Instagram feeds glancing at pictures of beautiful people or beautiful places, wishing that we could have those things? She also makes a point about how many of us have a set of criteria for our worth and that if we have all of the attributes on our list, only then will we be good enough. The solution? Of course, to be kinder to yourself. Realize that having such a list will only set you up for failure, and that instead you should focus on believing you are enough without having to mark off a checklist. This could also extend to perfectionism in our lives and not feeling good enough until you get everything on your list completed. I know that I could identify with this because at times I would feel discouraged if I didn't get everything that I hoped to accomplish done. Over time, I've realized that if I, at least, mark one task off my list that demonstrates that I am trying and that is enough.

2. Uncertainty and the fear of failure- In the book she explains that putting our ideas or works out into the open without the assurance of acceptance or appreciation makes us vulnerable. But, we shouldn't let the fear of failure stop us from doing the things that we want to do. She mentions that she has the quote "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" hung above her desk as a reminder to take risks. She explains that many people are waiting for the right moment or for things to be perfect to do the things they want, but that they should instead just do them. Thinking about the quote on her wall, I know there would be many things that I would've done if I knew that I couldn't fail or things that I would've pursued if I knew that I would be successful. Heck, for a while I wanted to start blogging, but I wanted to wait for the right moment. Until one day, I just decided I was going to start, and I just went for it. From her advice and personal experience, it is important to just go for things, because sometimes the "perfect moment" might not come and we can miss out on something really great.

3.Who Defines your Worth- Brené says, "Nothing has transformed my life more than realizing that it's a waste of time to evaluate my worthiness by weighing the reaction of the people in the stands." I thought this couldn't be said any better because it is so true. Everyone will have a different opinion about the things you do, but the most important thing is to determine who's opinion really matters. For me, it is always my own and those of the people that I love. They are the only ones that have a full understanding of who I am and can make an accurate judgment. If I valued the opinion of everyone I encountered, I would miserable trying to make people happy. I see many quotes relating to this on social media and one that always comes to mind is " You can't please everyone. You are not a box of chocolates." Everyone is unique, so don't ever be discouraged because someone doesn't like what your have to offer. It just might not be their flavor.

4. Know Your Intention- Why do you do the things you do? Is it because you love to do them?
Or because you want to make someone else happy? She notes that you should do things because you want to do them, not because it would please someone or it would make you more like someone. I know that this is something that I always try to remind myself. I want to do things in my life because they are things I am passionate about. This is something that I think about when I think about this blog. Of course, I would love it if everyone enjoyed reading my blog, and I write it with the hope that I can reach out and help someone that is pursuing a similar journey. But, If at the end of the day the only people that read this are me and my friend Megan (she's the best), that will be good enough for me. 

     Brown frames her book with a wonderful quote by Theodore Roosevelt that excellently captures the intention of her book and serves as great inspiration for life (you better believe I wrote it in my planner) and I want to share it:

                                     
                                                             " It is not the critic who counts; not the

                                                               man who points out how the strong man

                                                              stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could

                                                              have done them better.

                                                              The credit belongs to the man who is actu-

                                                              ally in the arena, whose face is marred by dust

                                                              and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly;

                                                              who errs, who comes short again and again,

                                                                                                                                  

                                                              because there is no effort without error

                                                              and shortcoming; but who does actually

                                                              strive to do the deeds; who knows great en-

                                                              thusiams, the great devotions; who spends

                                                              himself in a worthy cause;

                                                              who at best knows in the end the triumph

                                                              of high achievement, and who at worst, if

                                                              he fails, at least fails while daring greatly..."

     I hope this post inspired you to pick up this book because it is a really good read and Brené gives great advice. I also hope that you had a great weekend and that the beginning of your week has been going well. 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

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

Things I Wish I Had Known About The MCAT.

     If you're a pre-med, you've probably known about the MCAT before your little heart desired to ever pursue medicine. If not, as soon as you got to college it was heavily instilled in your brain that it would be very present in your journey to medical school. I would say that I was pretty familiar with what the generalities of the MCAT but there were a few things that I learned for myself and I thought it would be good to give others a heads up.

1.) Timing

     I knew that most pre-med students took their MCAT during their junior year, but what I didn't know was the latest date I could take it. When I took my first MCAT ( I was originally aiming to apply for the 2015 entry cycle), I scheduled it for early May. I would've saved myself lots of stress and brain power, If I had known I didn't absolutely need to have my score back in time to send out my primaries (which go out in June). Of course, having everything ready to send out in time for primaries would be ideal, but I later learned that it wasn't absolutely necessary. The latest you can take it is probably early to mid-July, but as it takes about 4 weeks to get your scores back, your best bet would be to aim to take it sometime in June. 

2.) How long you need to study.

     I'd say that when you should start studying really depends on what you've got going on in your schedule. For my first MCAT, I was studying while completing my spring semester of my Junior year. I had a very busy schedule and balancing that with MCAT prep proved to be rather hectic. I believe I started seriously studying in about mid-February for my early May exam ( so I had about two and a half months of prep). The second time around I started studying at the beginning of June for my exam in September. I was on summer break so I didn't have anything major to focus on other than my studying. So, the three months of prep worked out pretty well for me that time. From what I've read, the typical MCAT study period is between 3-6 months. How much time you need depends on what you've got going on, so I'd plan based off of that. For me, a solid 3 months of dedicated studying was what worked best.

3.) How much you need to know.

     Of course, I knew that the MCAT covered many subjects, but you don't feel the magnitude of the quantity of information until you actually sit down and try to learn it all. Not going to lie, it can be rather overwhelming. I was fortunate enough to have taken it pre-2015 ( for my non-premed people, they just added more subjects to the MCAT) and only had to focus on the three areas. For those taking the new MCAT, I seriously sympathize, and all I can say is to take it one subject at a time. 

4.) How Stressful/Hectic an MCAT testing day can be. 

     MCAT testing day can seriously be crazy and all the security measures they have just adds to the madness. You arrive at the testing center and after they check you in with a photo ID, they'll escort you one-by-one into the testing room. Right before they take you in, they'll take your fingerprints, take your picture, copy your ID, have you fill out paperwork, scan you with a metal detector wand, have you shake out our pockets, and then log in a binder your time of entry. Then the relay begins. You take your exam and between each section you're entitled to a ten-minute break. Each time you leave the room there's a whole process you need to follow. They'll scan you with the wand, have you shake out your pockets, take your fingerprints, and have you sign the log book with the time. This is for both coming in and out, so your breaks to the bathroom/having a snack should be as brief as possible as you are working with a timer. I took every break I could to refresh myself and it felt crazy rushing in and out, but I would recommend it ( more on that coming in a later post).

     Overall, my aim here was not to scare you. The MCAT is a big test, but it definitely isn't impossible. I will definitely be shedding more insight on the blog about my experience with the exam and any tips I have to offer. Until then, I hope you guys have a great week!

~Genesis<3

Mid-way Through My Gap Year!

I know this blog post will seem a tad odd since I've just started the blog and have no previous mention about being on a "gap year", but I thought it would be the perfect time to elaborate on where I am in my medical application journey and also in my life.

So, I guess I should begin by explaining what the heck a gap year even means. Well, typically when a pre-med student says that they are taking/took a gap year what they mean is that they took a year off from schooling before beginning medical school. I feel like this has become more common than before, but it might also seem that way since I've been on one myself haha. When I first started undergrad, taking a gap year seemed like a very foreign idea and definitely not a part of my plan towards becoming a doctor.

As a very plan-oriented pre-med, I had a vision of what my journey to medical school should be like. I would finish up my four years of undergrad, go on to medical school directly after graduation, go on to residency after that, hopefully, meet someone in the years leading up to that point, get married, have kids, blah blah blah. Yea, as many of us know, life doesn't seem to always work out that way haha. I'll tell you what, though, I'm so happy it doesn't. If many of the things that I hoped had happened exactly how I wanted them to, I wouldn't be half of the woman that I am today. I'll be honest. For me, this gap year did come as a complete surprise. I had prepared myself to take on the medical application cycle at the end of my junior year ( which is common if you intend to go on to medical school right after undergrad) and found myself faced with the decision to take a gap year when the results of my MCAT ( which I had stupidly scheduled two days after my last final) were not what I thought best represented my abilities. Although a bit scared of what might come, I decided that taking a gap year would be the best option for me, and thankfully that has held true.

So, how has it been thus far? For the most part, I'd say it has been a blessing in disguise. The plans that I had scheduled to fill my gap year have been a tad rocky, but for the most part the free-time and sanity that I have gained from taking a break from school have made everything else seem mild. I'm so thankful that I had the liberty to undergo the crazy medical school application process free from the demands of school, and I strongly believe that has made it feel more manageable. During my interview days, I've heard students talk about how they were missing class to interview or about how they had all this work to catch up on after their interview. although I know I could've dealt with the demands of interviewing while finishing up senior year, I'm happy I didn't have to. I have been able to solely focus on my medical school applications, work my schedule around my interviews, and have the time to just relax and ensure that I put my best foot forward. The process is stressful enough, and not having school stress is the best. Taking a gap year has allowed me to work on my relationships with my friends, family, and myself. I've had the time to recharge and get myself in the right mindset to start medical school next fall.

What are the downsides? Well, for one, not having a clear plan can be rather daunting when you want your gap year to feel meaningful. I've dabbled in a few things, and I do have more things planned, but having it all be up in the air can be frustrating. Student loans (ugh). Not being enrolled in school obviously means that student loans will have to start being paid, and it is a bummer, but hey I have a great education haha. Feeling out of the school loop. It honestly feels like I'm stuck in a perpetual summer break (not really a bad thing), and it's almost Christmas. It doesn't even feel like Chistmas season because Christmas time has always been signaled by the increased bodily stress induced by finals for the past 8 plus years haha.

Currently, I am just working for the retail store that I worked for during my senior year of college while I'm trying to plan my next move. I work with some really great people, so I'm having a blast, but I do feel ready to try something else. I'll try to keep you posted:)

Well, I believe this post can best be summarized by the picture that I chose for this post. I took the picture on a random Tuesday morning hiking trip ( a gap year luxury) with my best friend, Elida. The state park that we were at had so many sktetchy areas that were marked with the "this is not a trail" sign that the entire trip we would jokingly get to places and say "hey guesss what? this is not a trail." What the heck am I getting at? Well, in life there are many plans that might not seem to be the right "trail" for us, but sometimes it's good to venture off and see what life surprises you with. During our hiking trip, we inadvertenly fell off the trail so many times, and not gonna lie we ended up on some iffy paths, but I had such a blast exploring the cliffs and trails with my bestfriend that it didn't matter. The adventure made me feel alive, and that's all that I could've hoped for.

~Genesis<3

Gifts for your pre-med friends!

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought it would be a bit fun to give a few gift suggestions for your medically-inclined friends ( besides copious amounts of coffee of course).

I am an avid Etsy shopper, so you better believe that I've typed in "medical student" or "medical school" a few times. These items are some of my most recent favorites, but if you do happen to find yourself on Etsy typing in "medical student" you'll find a myriad of items that I'm sure your favorite pre-med or medical student would love:)

~Genesis<3

Keychain

T-Shirt

Coasters

Necklace

Acceptance!

Now, before you get confused, this post isn't a follow-up of the interview I had last week, but rather the result of an interview that I had late September for which I received notice the middle of last month.

Not going to lie, the beginning of November was a little rough for me. I had a little snafu with the Medical Assitant externship I was in (This is a bit of a private story, so I don't want to elaborate on it at the moment.), I had been feeling uneasy about one of my really good friendships, and my medical school news seemed to be at a quiet halt. To say the least, I felt rather lost. I remember driving home from work one night and just breaking down because I just didn't know what to do with myself anymore. As usual, amidst my frustration I began to pray asking God for something to help me make it through this. I thanked him for getting me this far and asked for the strength to keep positive about the process. Two days later, I was invited to interview at one of my top choices in Chicago ( the interview I had last Tuesday), and a week later I received a big white envelope from the school where I had interviewed at the end of September.

In my self doubt ( and apparently utter ignorance of medical school acceptances), I took the envelope from my father saying, " Oh, this is probably them saying that they had the pleasure of interviewing me, but that they aren't going to consider my application any further." To my surprise, the opening of the letter greeted me with the words that every medical school applicant hopes to read, Congratulations. The letter communicated that after consideration, the medical school had determined that I had the qualities necessary to make an excellent medical student and with great pleasure would like to offer me acceptance into their medical school. I was in shock. This was the moment I had dreamed of from the moment I decided to become pre-med and the moment that helped me push through the obstacles in the past four years. I looked up from the letter and all I could say to my ever curious father was a quiet "I got in." Of course, what followed were celebrations, texts to my best friends, happy tears on my behalf, and the realization that I had made it. I was going to have the chance to be a doctor.

I'm sure you're wondering where all the doubt comes from. Well, in my opinion, my interview with the school was definitely not my strongest. It was the first experience I had with a medical school interview and while I had thouroughly prepared to answer why I wanted to pursue medicine, I felt I wasn't ready to answer the random "character questions" the school threw at me, especially when one of my interviewers ( who was definitely playing devil's advocate) challenged every answer I gave. I had tried my best and I still left the school discouraged in my performance. Also, in chatting with my fellow interviewees of the day, I didn't think I measured up with the competition. There were students who were doing research at places like Yale, graduated from Stanford, and here I was just a Chicago girl who had a passion for medicine. Well, apparently I underestimated myself.

My point of this entire post is to show you that you should never doubt yourself, and especially don't compare yourself to others. Everyone has something that sets them apart and schools do recognize that. Don't think that you need to have a 4.0 GPA, have saved babies in Africa, or have discovered the cure for cancer to get into medical school. What you need is the dedication to pursue your dream and the passion to show others that you can do it. I am just a girl that worked her butt off at a great university, struggled but yet succeeded on the MCAT, and put her heart into her application in hopes that medical schools would recogize her passion. Thankfully, they did.

So, if you are still going through this journey, keep fighting, put your best foot forward, and believe wholeheartedly that you have what it takes. Life may just show you that you do:)

~Genesis<3