How to manage?

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Quik

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Hey all,

Here's my situation: I'm taking 3 courses (11 credits) loaded on Tuesday's/Thursdays, I'm volunteering Saturdays at a student outreach clinic, Shadowing an Ortho on Wednesdays, working at a coffeeshop Sunday, Monday, Friday, and all of that equals something I'm committed to every day of the week. I'm also trying to keep my environmental consulting business running in the meantime; I'm committed to an ongoing project every Wednesday, but haven't had the time or focus to recruit new business in a while. The biz makes great money for hours worked, but depending on the project, it could be that I have only a few days to crank out a very elaborate environmental plan that pays a grand or two and I don't know if my schedule could handle that sudden work load. As far as what I'm regularly carrying, I'm busy, constantly. I won't have a day off until spring break but I don't mind it; this is how I thrive. Oh, I'm also trying to maintain a relationship with my girlfriend, which isn't exactly thriving. It's seems to her that my natural questioning (but not dismissal) of the practice of ray-chi puts a serious divide in our relationship; I think it might be my absence that does so.

So, I'm asking for some outside perspective. If you're in my shoes, what are you prioritizing, what are you changing, etc? This will be my easiest semester as far as study workload goes. Financially, I'm sitting okay to get through my post-bacc/app cycle, but I definitely need a cushion for the app process.

Maybe this is just my opportunity to vent, but maybe you have some anecdote to share how you managed a similar situation and pushed through with flying colors.

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It might be wise to work less at a coffee shop and use that time for your busyness.
 
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A 7-day schedule is brutal. If you can stay financially afloat with your other work it might make sense to cut the coffeeshop hours, but I would also strongly suggest cutting shadowing as soon as you hit an acceptable minimum of hours (20-30?) especially if you have actual clinical volunteering to show clinical exposure. Of everything you list shadowing has the least return.
 
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It might be wise to work less at a coffee shop and use that time for your busyness.

This seems like the obvious answer, thought the flipside is, while the pay is mediocre the income stability is great. All that said, I agree with you that this will be the first thing I cut when I decide to do so.

A 7-day schedule is brutal. If you can stay financially afloat with your other work it might make sense to cut the coffeeshop hours, but I would also strongly suggest cutting shadowing as soon as you hit an acceptable minimum of hours (20-30?) especially if you have actual clinical volunteering to show clinical exposure. Of everything you list shadowing has the least return.

While I have cut the shadowing down from three days to one day per week, I am also building a relationship with the Surgeon whom I intend to ask for a LOR; he's also an adjunct prof at my top choice MD program. Worth mentioning, I personally get a lot from it; it's fun, I learn a lot, I enjoy the patient and medical/office team interaction. It's a constant reminder of what I'm working towards.

I suppose cutting down my time spent on SDN is another valid option...
 
I owned my own business during my pre-med/post-bac years. Love/hate relationship; I made GREAT money when I worked, but had to deal with the ups and downs, weather, customers, etc.
I'm also one to have alot (read too many) irons in the fire. I realized it before absolutely sabotaging my grades, MCAT and volunteers. I cut back on volunteering, took out a student loan for my last semester and sold my business.
Now I have a regular, boring job, no headache and a happy wife. And a med school acceptance. = victory for me.

It's a time for tough moves...only you know what works for you.
 
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I owned my own business during my pre-med/post-bac years. Love/hate relationship; I made GREAT money when I worked, but had to deal with the ups and downs, weather, customers, etc.
I'm also one to have alot (read too many) irons in the fire. I realized it before absolutely sabotaging my grades, MCAT and volunteers. I cut back on volunteering, took out a student loan for my last semester and sold my business.
Now I have a regular, boring job, no headache and a happy wife. And a med school acceptance. = victory for me.

It's a time for tough moves...only you know what works for you.

You sir, can relate. As for the irons in the fire, I'm feeling the same sentiment starting to gather in my awareness. Obviously my priority is Grades -> MCAT -> acceptance, and honestly, the business has little to nothing to do with my long term future. However, the money is great indeed. I'll be keeping things to a minimum over the next semester and see how the summer goes with a few bio courses to knock out. I don't see much in the way of time to commit to the business during the next academic year. I suppose a loan at a decent interest rate is a better option than cashing in my stock/401 k that are averaging better than 10%.

This is all good to think about with the perspective of you guys/gals. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

P.s., Docwinter; Congrats on your acceptance...= HUGE win!
 
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