I’ve briefly mentioned before on here that I’m studying to take the MCAT. It’s an exam that I only want to take once, but need a decent score on to be a competitive applicant when I apply to medical school this summer. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – studying for this exam has been hard. Harder than I imagined it would be. Tears have been shed. Other than the days we were actually in New York, I’ve studied all but two days since finishing finals, and mixed in with my school work since October. I studied during most daylight hours on the way to NY (and got a few eye rolls for it!) Since most of my concentrated studying has been over break, I’ve learned that I can’t stay stuck in my books for the entire day. Sometimes, I have to take a little breather! I think this applies to doing any one thing for a long time – you have to take a breather! Here’s some examples of the things I’ve done, some by choice, some by force (from my mother):
-Necessary things, like eye doctor and dentist visits.
-Naps. 25-30 mins in the recliner is superb.
-Just Dance parties with friends.
-Sporting events! These are a little more time-consuming, but have helped to distract me some. I cheered on my mom’s alma mater in the Indy Bowl, and went to Jorg’s soccer game.
-Magazine-reading breaks. These I use when I just need 10-15 minutes not looking at formulas and hormones.
-Dance party. This only happened on NYE, but I think it needs to happen again!
All these little breaks are helping me get through studying for this dreadful exam. Next time you feel like crying over physics problems (or maybe that’s just me), read a magazine, have a 30-second dance party, or take a nap. With that, I’m headed back to the books!