First day of medical school for me was unforgettable. Looking back, I remember how the opening ceremony went, how excited I was. I was dressed in jeans and a tank top, while most of my classmates where sporting their suits and sun dresses. I felt the energy radiating from my class mates as everyone rushed into the lecture hall, trying desperately to populate the first few rows. It was crowded and loud.
The professor walks in and starts lecturing. The class was hanging to his each and every word. People's hands were flying in the air every few minutes with questions. During our break, people swarmed the professor like bees to honey, asking him pressing questions.
After class ended, we were given our first team based assignment. That's when people started panicking...
I remember the panic in my head as well as I read the assignment and was literally not able to comprehend the question.... not because it was in a different language but because it felt like it was in a different language. It was a Biochem question. Having taken my last Chemistry class over three years, ago, I was in no shape to answer the question presented to us.
Looking around, I saw fellow students challenged just like I was. We spent hours trying to figure out one question.
I went home that night, called my sister and told her how I might not be ready for this. I felt like I didn't know anything. I was having my doubts just one day into medical school. She calmed me down and told me that I would get used to it and hopefully, it would get better with time.
And I did get used to it just like everyone else. It's been almost two months and the classes are no longer as full as they used to be, with people opting to study at home or the library. The front rows are not as dense, and the hands are not flying up with the frequency and energy they used to have. And the professors don't have to worry about being claustrophobic while in the center of a circle composed of eager medical students.
The dust seems to have settled after the stampede.
I guess what I'm trying to portray is the sense of panic people go through the first few days of medical school. It can be very intimidating being among students who are smart and focused. It's natural to feel hyper and motivated those first few days. It's also natural to feel overwhelmed, too.
But guess what? Whatever you are feeling, you will calm down. You will get used to it all once you develop your rhythm and find what works for you. Don't do something because others are doing it. Do it because you believe you will either benefit from it or that it will better your learning. And make sure you find your stress relief! Whether it is rewarding yourself with an episode of Basketball Wives after hours of continuous study or joining a restorative yoga class down the block, just find something that will take your mind off of school work for a little bit.
