I really needed the summer to recoup and remember what it’s like to be okay. I feel so much better this semester. In total, I’ve lost 35.4 lbs from the middle of senior year to now. I’ve been working out 3 days a weeks and trying to eat better. I’m taking organic chemistry right now and I’m really enjoying it. My other classes kind of suck but at least they’re not that hard or time consuming.
I’m also applying to pharmacy school right now and ended up getting a 90 on the PCAT and I think I did well in the interview. Now I just have to finish filling out the PharmCAS and then I’m almost done with the application process.
I also emailed a PI in a lab working on stem cell therapies for fertility and he immediately got back to me and I’m meeting with him on Friday. This is literally a dream of mine and I am so excited and really hope I can get a job there.
There is this other research program I’m trying to get into because I got money to do research and I was matched with a professor! Hopefully I end up working with them to so I’ll be in two research labs next semester which would make me so happy and help my resume for when I’m applying to PhD programs after I get my PharmD.
Overall, my life is going so well and I feel so happy most of the time. I like finally feel at peace and my constant state isn’t stressed. I have no idea what changed but I have no desire to go back.
Today I actually called a few hospitals to find out if I can start shadowing there. Hospitals never make it easy by listing their pharmacists online the way they do with doctors, so I had to call the pharmacies and hope that someone there could help me. I only reached one person who was helpful, so fingers crossed they let me shadow there this fall when I'm back in Miami!
Hello, thank you for responding to my last ask with such honesty! It's reassuring to know I won't be the only one struggling in college. I got accepted into the 2+3 Pre-Pharm program also! I went to Profile Day and heard the Pre-Pharm kids talk, and it sounded like those in the 2+3 program don't have a lot of time to relax and such. I was wondering on your opinion/experience with having free time? Do you think you get a moderate amount of time to relax? Or do you have to plan ahead for free time
Ah, so you’re a pre-pharm! Okay, I can help with this ^^
Before I answer your question, I feel like I should give the disclaimer that I extended from 2+3 in my sophomore year. I wound up doing 2.5 years of undergrad (aka I took an extra fall semester to boost my GPA). This doesn’t affect my answer much, because I extended in second semester of my sophomore year, but I felt I should give you that heads up.
Anyway, in my experience, you’ll definitely have time to maintain a life outside of classes.
When you live on campus, you’re not going to spend all your time in your room. You’ll have to go out to get food (a lot of events are held at the UC/cafeteria, so you can stop by for a bit and have some fun).
Also, because our campus is so small, you won’t ever be far from your room. You can definitely afford to take a Friday night off go to the gym and burn off some steam (or stay in and eat ice cream, I won’t judge).
Even being social can be a good thing. If you’re in an organization or extracurricular club, volunteering at events is a great way get some leadership experience, expand your resume, and just have a fuller college experience. It can be fun AND productive.
Burning out is a scary possibility for pre-meds in condensed programs like ours. I wouldn’t say you have to “plan” your free time, but you should know how to manage your study time so you aren’t working 24/7. Take breaks when you need them, and make sure you get your rest.
The most important thing to do is manage your time and figure out your work habits. My biggest mistake was not establishing good study habits in my freshman year (my GPA was really bad, because I straight up didn’t know how to study efficiently, and despite getting a few A’s sophomore year, it still wasn’t enough to make up for my freshman mistakes). If you can get through your first year safely, then your sophomore year will only get better, and then you’ve got a clear path to grad school.
In the past, I’ve answered questions about attending UOP (specifically the pre-pharmacy program) around this time of year, when acceptance letters get mailed out.
Since I’m taking spring off (I did 2.5 years of undergrad) and now have a lot of free time, I’ll be able to answer/post more if people are interested ^^ Feel free to shoot me an ask~
