Anything you wish you did during pre med that you didn't ?

[Stagg737]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my thread. One more question though ? I obtained my Advanced EMT license I have read on sdn that it's good to have but also have read that it isn't going matter, which is true ?

No one will care about the licensure itself, and no one will care if you only use it to get 30 volunteer hours or just work at a local pool or something like that. If you use the license to work regularly as an EMT and are able to gain significant clinical experience, then it will absolutely help. It's the same thing with pretty much any extracurricular you list. If you didn't gain something out of the experience or commit a significant amount of time to help others, then it's not going to carry much weight.

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[Meeehai]

Actually, the only difference is that you wont meet 2 percent of the girls/guys you would meet if you went greek and you wont have almost any of the same opportunities to mingle with them. The making moves bit is silly. The dues go to maintaining a house for your fraternity to have, throwing parties, tailgating, food, and insurance. If you have ever gathered a group of friends who put up money to have a good time, you cant knock on fraternity dues.

It's not silly at all - if you want to have a big social circle and meet hot women, you have to be active and approach. To me, going greek is like a shortcut you pay for to achieve these things. I disagree with what you said, I got to meet a lot of people that went greek and attended events as a gdi. If you think the hot ditsy sorority girls are exclusive to frat guys, you are painfully wrong. Throw in the fact that at most big state universities greek life is just a gimmick to party and nobody really cares about it anymore after turning 21, there's really nothing you can't experience as a gdi that greek life does if you get to know the right people.

I'm not trying to rip on you for going greek. I'm glad to hear you had a positive experience, but it's nothing exclusive (or at least, not at a big university).

 

[Mr. Beefy Lion]

You can't have fun in both Greek life and as a GDI. If you aren't sure, just rush and see if you like the idea. I never rushed and wish I would have given it a chance at least. However, that isn't to say I haven't had a great time in college.

 

[FutureOncologist]

If you're REALLY smart about it, and don't want to deal with all the crap with being in a fraternity (cleaning the house, pledgeship, chapter meetings, required attendance to some university functions, etc.) then pledge a fraternity for a bit, then drop for X reason. If the guys really love you there, then you'll be invited to swaps, date parties, and so on anyway, without paying for anything (other than clothes.) That's what a few of my friends and fraternity brothers did. Hell, if you're that personable, tell them it's due to financial reasons and, if they like you enough, they won't care at all. That's how I did it with at least 3 other fraternities. I was invited to pretty much everything because I played my cards right.

 

[Afp0731]

It's not silly at all - if you want to have a big social circle and meet hot women, you have to be active and approach. To me, going greek is like a shortcut you pay for to achieve these things. I disagree with what you said, I got to meet a lot of people that went greek and attended events as a gdi. If you think the hot ditsy sorority girls are exclusive to frat guys, you are painfully wrong. Throw in the fact that at most big state universities greek life is just a gimmick to party and nobody really cares about it anymore after turning 21, there's really nothing you can't experience as a gdi that greek life does if you get to know the right people.

I'm not trying to rip on you for going greek. I'm glad to hear you had a positive experience, but it's nothing exclusive (or at least, not at a big university).

Going Greek is not a shortcut because it allows you to do many things you would simply not be able to do otherwise. Sure, you can have a great time without doing it. I am not arguing that. However, you can't get the same experience they get as an outsider. Not by a long shot. To say otherwise is blatantly false so you are either exaggerating or being biased. Most of the really memorable things you do are exclusive save for a handful of more public events and you wouldn't understand that because you didn't get to take part in those things. I never said sorority girls were exclusive to greeks lol. I said that you have far more opportunities to get to meet a larger number of them and socialize. If you want to paint that as cheap, go ahead but that is just childish. Your bias is clear man. Of course most people do it to party but there is certainly more to it than that. A lot more. A lot of people do start to disappear later on but not all. Many take leadership positions in the fraternity and help run things so the younger members can enjoy it. Everyone develops some special friendships too. I am not saying everyone should go Greek by any means. It is not for everyone and no, you don't need it to have a good time in college. However, it does open the door to an experience that you simply cannot get outside. I knew plenty of people like you who had a lot of friends in our fraternity, tailgated with us, got to go to some sorority date socials, etc. They said the same things you are saying but they missed out on the best stuff. I don't mean to be confrontational but I've heard this narrative before and it is not true. I will agree that the big state universities will likely have less personal greek organizations.

 

[Meeehai]

Going Greek is not a shortcut because it allows you to do many things you would simply not be able to do otherwise. Sure, you can have a great time without doing it. I am not arguing that. However, you can't get the same experience they get as an outsider. Not by a long shot. To say otherwise is blatantly false so you are either exaggerating or being biased. Most of the really memorable things you do are exclusive save for a handful of more public events and you wouldn't understand that because you didn't get to take part in those things. I never said sorority girls were exclusive to greeks lol. I said that you have far more opportunities to get to meet a larger number of them and socialize. If you want to paint that as cheap, go ahead but that is just childish. Your bias is clear man. Of course most people do it to party but there is certainly more to it than that. A lot more. A lot of people do start to disappear later on but not all. Many take leadership positions in the fraternity and help run things so the younger members can enjoy it. Everyone develops some special friendships too. I am not saying everyone should go Greek by any means. It is not for everyone and no, you don't need it to have a good time in college. However, it does open the door to an experience that you simply cannot get outside. I knew plenty of people like you who had a lot of friends in our fraternity, tailgated with us, got to go to some sorority date socials, etc. They said the same things you are saying but they missed out on the best stuff. I don't mean to be confrontational but I've heard this narrative before and it is not true. I will agree that the big state universities will likely have less personal greek organizations.

Fair enough. Chapters across the US are very different, from what I've seen. I don't know what experience you've had but at my school greek life was not much more than an entry to social events and partying. I'm sure there are legitimate fraternities out there that are more about brotherhood and doing important things as opposed to just throwing ragers on the weekends. I had this discussion with a friend of mine that went to a different school across the country it definitely seemed like there was a difference in our experience of greek life.

But to say that you didn't have fun in college because you weren't part of greek life is absurd.

 

[Afp0731]

Fair enough. Chapters across the US are very different, from what I've seen. I don't know what experience you've had but at my school greek life was not much more than an entry to social events and partying. I'm sure there are legitimate fraternities out there that are more about brotherhood and doing important things as opposed to just throwing ragers on the weekends. I had this discussion with a friend of mine that went to a different school across the country it definitely seemed like there was a difference in our experience of greek life.

But to say that you didn't have fun in college because you weren't part of greek life is absurd.

Hey I am not saying that college is boring unless you go Greek at all. My point was that you can't mooch off of a small handful of fraternity events and have anywhere close to the same experience the actual members have. My point was also that the "paying for friends" narrative is ludicrous and nothing more than a reflection of willful misunderstanding and bias. Chapters across the nation are certainly different. Realistically, the social aspect and the ragers are a large part of it in most. There is no point in joining a fraternity if you only want to get involved in philanthropic activities - there are plenty of other university organizations to do that.

 

[Neutropix]

1. Take economics. Micro and Macro
2. Study abroad. I swear you'll never have a chance to do this again in your life while you're young if you become a physician...
3. Ask that hot girl out anyway. Who the **** cares at the end of the day? It worked for me more times than not.
4. This isn't a race to the goal line (medical school.) Take it as your first real start of a marathon to the rest of your life.
5. Enjoy. Every. Bit. Of. College. Attend a bunch of interest meetings, find 2-3 groups you like, and stick with it now. Most likely these people will be your friends for the rest of your life. And to go off of that, attend every social gathering too. Go to a football game. Hit up that ice cream social that student activities association started up. Meet everyone on your dorm floor.
6. Take classes outside the prereqs and your major at least once a year. Hell, take a nutrition class. They don't teach that **** in most medical schools, and it is appalling to me that they don't do so. We have such an obesity problem in this country that, if I were to open my own medical school, my students would take a nutrition class.
7. Make memories. Because college will seem longer the more memories you make.
8. Medical school is not as hard to get into than what this site perceives it to be. Hell, numbers are overstated on this board. (Most) Everyone on here means well, but if you stay on here, you will develop neuroses and will think that a 3.5 GPA dooms you to DO schools (for the record, I have nothing against. But there is a stigma on here too about them.)
9. Take a gap year or two off. Work, get another degree, study abroad, seek a passion, or a combo of some or all. Your medical career begins as soon as you attend medical school. And there are little to no breaks until MANY YEARS LATER.
   
10. There is nothing else like college. It will be hard, demoralizing, soul-crushing, and sometimes seemingly-impossible. But, at the same time, it will be the best years of your life. Stories that you create there will be told to your children, future significant others, friends, and future colleagues. At the very least, make the stories interesting.
11. Smoke meth, why not yolo.

I don't know if I should take your advice per your 11th point...

 

[Petrichor1]

I wish I had studied for AP chem test in high school and gotten a 5 instead of a 4. This way I would have been able to take orgo my first year and then biochem the following year. If you come from a competitive school, your study ethics will be much better first year. All the scaring people did about chem being hard or stuff was ridiculous and I should not have been scared into doing gen chem again. Then I should have taken physics the summer after freshman year and started studying the MCAT my junior year; having already completed a majority of a chemistry major. I should have gotten out of my research lab the first year and searched for a more relevant research position that paid. Oh also, I wish I had started hospital volunteering my first year (it's only like few times a month). Eventually, if I had needed gap year, I would have just asked to be promoted to lab manager. During the gap year, instead of working 2 jobs and making up for clinical hours, I would have been cruising with a higher degree and a decent part-time job.

 

[LuluLovesMe]

I wish I gave a damn about my classes instead of just not going to most of them. Would make this year's application process a lot easier.

 

[Garurumon]

I wish I had known about JAMP in high school, and had done shadowing, volunteering, and research earlier.

 

[BphysDoc]

Be less interested in girls, and more in classes.

 

[mrspecialist]

I wish I drank and partied more , no life in med school

 

[ClrkKnt]

I went Greek reluctantly my first semester and I must say it was the best decision I ever made. You will meet hundreds and hundreds of people(and surely make some life long friends/meet tons of attractive members of the opposite sex(or same lol)), you will become connected across campus, you will get to do some of the most fun things imaginable which anti-greek people never get to experience, you get opportunities for leadership and raising money for great causes, and the list goes on. I really cant imagine having a more fun college experience. You also don't have to dress like a professional fisher to enjoy the fun either. The naysayers only look at the bad apples and have not a clue what they are missing. Does it make concentration on school a little more difficult? Yep. However, if you don't have the discipline to balance both, you wont have the discipline to make good grades anyway. You can't put a price tag on the social development you receive either.

Ya....

there is a reason that my biggest regret in all of my college career is not going Greek. If I had to repeat my entire college experience, I would go Greek. Call me crazy but at times I have thought about going back for a second degree and rushing a fraternity just to experience what it's like. It will be awkward but I rather experience it since there is nothing like it in the real world.

Truth is, life after college college sucks hard when it comes to the social aspect of it.

 

[Cookie04]

I wish I would've done research, but then again everything has been going really well this cycle so I guess I wouldn't change anything.

 

[Meeehai]

Truth is, life after college college sucks hard when it comes to the social aspect of it.

You kids are delusional, your social life is what you make of it. Mine was awesome in college and it's even better now since I have more experience. Sack up and learn how to make friends or talk to women, all this whining about how you weren't spoon fed a social life by a frat is making me cringe.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

FYI, most people in med school were in a fraternity or sorority. At least, that's how it is in my class. And guess what? They're smart, talented, genuinely nice individuals who know how to work hard and play hard. I have much respect for my classmates who were in fraternities and sororities. I wouldn't be doing nearly as well right now if I didn't study with 2 of my classmates who we both in fraternities and are now some of my closest friends in med school. I guess if I could go back, I would have rushed with more confidence. But anyone with a nonsensical dismissive attitude towards those who were in Greek life - they tend not to be fun people to be around.

 

[Meeehai]

But anyone with a nonsensical dismissive attitude towards those who were in Greek life - they tend not to be fun people to be around.

Don't know if this was directed at me, but I do not have a dismissive attitude towards greek life. I had a lot of friends who were involved in greek life and they were really cool and down to earth. I apologize if it came out that way. I do, however, hate it when people complain that their social life sucks and don't do anything about it. I have a buddy who always complains about how it's hard to make friends and how the game is hard and it's impossible to meet women, etc. He keeps bringing up excuses; if only he went to this school instead, if only he lived in another city, if only so and so. Every time we go out he just sits there and doesn't interact with anybody new. It brings a sour taste to my mouth.

If your social life in college sucked, it's not because you weren't in greek life. It's because you chose to sit by yourself in class. It's because you didn't go talk to the hot sorority girl in the library sitting by herself. It's because you decided to not actively get to know your dorm mates. It's because you spent all your weekends watching Netflix and playing WoW. You get my point. If you were a really shy/introverted person and this all seems difficult, then you wouldn't have survived or enjoyed the greek experience to begin with.

This is what grinds my gears. No disrespect intended to those who were/are involved in greek life.

 

[skinofteeth]

study
study abroad
research
study on weekends
take Sociology ~ just now realizing this is a req for some schools

 

[Afp0731]

Ya....

there is a reason that my biggest regret in all of my college career is not going Greek. If I had to repeat my entire college experience, I would go Greek. Call me crazy but at times I have thought about going back for a second degree and rushing a fraternity just to experience what it's like. It will be awkward but I rather experience it since there is nothing like it in the real world.

Truth is, life after college college sucks hard when it comes to the social aspect of it.

Lol you wouldn't want to go back and rush after graduating. While I agree that post-grad social life is not quite the wild ride of that in college, there are still many opportunities and fun things to do. You just can't live in the past and want things to remain similar. In fact, there are some pretty cool social experiences to enjoy that weren't readily available in college.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

Don't know if this was directed at me, but I do not have a dismissive attitude towards greek life. I had a lot of friends who were involved in greek life and they were really cool and down to earth. I apologize if it came out that way. I do, however, hate it when people complain that their social life sucks and don't do anything about it. I have a buddy who always complains about how it's hard to make friends and how the game is hard and it's impossible to meet women, etc. He keeps bringing up excuses; if only he went to this school instead, if only he lived in another city, if only so and so. Every time we go out he just sits there and doesn't interact with anybody new. It brings a sour taste to my mouth.

If your social life in college sucked, it's not because you weren't in greek life. It's because you chose to sit by yourself in class. It's because you didn't go talk to the hot sorority girl in the library sitting by herself. It's because you decided to not actively get to know your dorm mates. It's because you spent all your weekends watching Netflix and playing WoW. You get my point. If you were a really shy/introverted person and this all seems difficult, then you wouldn't have survived or enjoyed the greek experience to begin with.

This is what grinds my gears. No disrespect intended to those who were/are involved in greek life.

No disrespect towards you either, dude. I understand you now. For me, my social life is good right now, minus the constant studying for histo and anatomy lol. But yeah, I'd say that it's more important to just put yourself out there and force yourself to be more social, even if you initially feel uncomfortable. Because that's what college is about - learning how to be vulnerable and expanding past your comfort zone.