Location & Vet School?

[bluesails]

I was having a conversation with a pre-med friend the other day and he said something interesting. I was talking about my own decision about vet school and mentioning that city vs. rural was something I definitely had to take into consideration (I am not a city person), and he said something like, "

But think about it this way. That's just a few years of your life - are you really going to make a decision based on a factor like that? Whether you like the campus or not? I just think that's silly. You're going to be inside studying most of the time anyway, so why does it matter what it looks like outside?"

I was just curious about all of your thoughts on this, whether you're in vet school or deciding between vet schools. Obviously it may be different for pre-med applicants because their clinical skills are developed indoors no matter what (no large animals or farms for them), but in your personal experience, how is location / campus shaping up to affect your decision / how has it affected your decision in the past? For people in vet school - is atmosphere really something that affects you every day when you're sitting in class and studying a lot anyway? Any city people who decided to study in rural areas regret what they're doing, or the other way around? Just curious because my friend seemed pretty adamant it was weird to even think about such a subjective factor. (??? Pre meds.)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Coquette22]

This has come up before (location is frequently mentioned in the "factors when picking a school" thread, and there's people on all sides of the argument. Some feel the way your pre-med friend feels, some have said that it's what you make it, some people are adamant that there are certain places they won't go. Most people will advise you to go where it's cheapest, regardless of location.

For me, I'm pretty unapologetic about the fact that I really don't like living in PEI. But between the regional nature of Canada's vet schools (the other ones won't even look at your application if you're out of their region) and Canada's financial aid scheme, I didn't have much choice. Am I totally depressed over it? No, but I certainly don't spend more time here than I have to and I plan on running away as fast as possible after graduation. It's a decision that each person has to make for themselves.

 

[TooLove]

I agree with your friend. Yes you're going to be studying a lot, but you also have to LIVE there too. If you don't like the area, it could make your time there less enjoyable. I like PEI (most of the time) because it had a bit of both city and rural, I can go to the beach for a study break, and run on the trails in good weather. I would not be happy in the middle of nowhere, but I wouldn't be happy in a big city either..I like a nice balance. The location will also, in part, influence the type of program at your school and the caseload and types of cases you'll see in the teaching hospital (for example, there's not a big niche for exotics here, so it's quite limited). I wouldn't make it your primary reason to choose a school, but definitely consider it.

 

[LetItSnow]

I was having a conversation with a pre-med friend the other day and he said something interesting. I was talking about my own decision about vet school and mentioning that city vs. rural was something I definitely had to take into consideration (I am not a city person), and he said something like, "

But think about it this way. That's just a few years of your life - are you really going to make a decision based on a factor like that? Whether you like the campus or not? I just think that's silly. You're going to be inside studying most of the time anyway, so why does it matter what it looks like outside?"

I was just curious about all of your thoughts on this, whether you're in vet school or deciding between vet schools. Obviously it may be different for pre-med applicants because their clinical skills are developed indoors no matter what (no large animals or farms for them), but in your personal experience, how is location / campus shaping up to affect your decision / how has it affected your decision in the past? For people in vet school - is atmosphere really something that affects you every day when you're sitting in class and studying a lot anyway? Any city people who decided to study in rural areas regret what they're doing, or the other way around? Just curious because my friend seemed pretty adamant it was weird to even think about such a subjective factor. (??? Pre meds.)

I don't think there's a right answer that fits everyone. I think you need to sit down and be bluntly honest with yourself and say "What factors influence my day-to-day frame of mind?"

Because the thing about vet school is that it can beat you down. Right around second year when you've got a fair bit behind you, a long ways to go, and multiple exams every week in a tunnel that doesn't really feel like it has a light at the end .... you need to be able to adjust your mentation, clear your head, and forge on. So if you're in a place where <whatever> factors push you toward grumbling and unhappiness, then you're just making it that much harder.

If being rural would make you feel just plain awful, then you probably shouldn't be there. Why give yourself an extra mental hurdle to overcome?

The flip side is that my dad told me over and over growing up that you can stand on your head for a month if you know it's just a month. His point: When you have a set time-frame like vet school, you can put up with just about anything when you know exactly how long you'll be there. Kinda what your pre-med friend was saying, I guess. I completely buy that, but at the same time - why make it harder than necessary for yourself? If you only get accepted somewhere that's somewhat less-than-ideal for you ... fine, you go there, you suck it up, you make the best of it, and you come out successful at the other end. But if you have the chance to choose? Pick a place that doesn't give you daily obstacles to being in a positive state of mind.

 

[SocialStigma]

I like the city (Guelph) that my vet school is in but I also didn't have any other choice unless I wanted to go international. It's a small town, very laidback with lots of greenery/hiking trails/parks. I would suck it up if I had to but honestly I'd hate going to school in a large city like Toronto or something where the school campus is spread out over major intersections with busy traffic, shopping centres, restaurants, etc in between.

 

[BlackDog17]

I think it's a highly personal choice. Some people could care less where they live. Some people don't mind living in a place they dislike as long as it's only for a few years. Some people feel very strongly about rural vs. city. It all comes down to what matters to you personally. It's YOUR life, basing your decision on what matters to other people would be incredibly foolish.

 

[shortnsweet]

Going to Hogwarts has certainly helped my happiness.

 

[bunnity]

Vet school makes me crazy enough that if I stepped out my front door into a small conservative cow town I would not be able to handle it. I am not referring to a particular vet school, just my idea of a place I would be unhappy. I love living in the city and that I can be around all kinds of people, that I can eat food from any culture/country at almost any time of day/night, that I can go to a 24 hour grocery store and pharmacy if I'm on a super weird schedule, that I can walk everywhere if I want to, that I can be at the train station in 10 minutes or the airport in 20 minutes, that there is so much culture/art/intelligence/perspective present in all the people around me. Obviously I am getting nostalgic about Philly now that I am leaving soon! Anyway, my point is that location is important to your mental health and in vet school you need all the help you can get with mental health!

 

[twelvetigers]

Vet school makes me crazy enough that if I stepped out my front door into a small conservative cow town I would not be able to handle it. I am not referring to a particular vet school, just my idea of a place I would be unhappy. I love living in the city and that I can be around all kinds of people, that I can eat food from any culture/country at almost any time of day/night, that I can go to a 24 hour grocery store and pharmacy if I'm on a super weird schedule, that I can walk everywhere if I want to, that I can be at the train station in 10 minutes or the airport in 20 minutes, that there is so much culture/art/intelligence/perspective present in all the people around me. Obviously I am getting nostalgic about Philly now that I am leaving soon! Anyway, my point is that location is important to your mental health and in vet school you need all the help you can get with mental health!

So if this is you, don't come here.

But if you want to wander the town at 2am and still feel safe... if you want to leave your garage door open over night accidentally and have nothing stolen... hell, if you want to HAVE a garage... if you want a fenced backyard at your two bedroom rental house for $600 a month... if you want to open your windows at night and not hear cars, not get a layer of brake dust on the sill... you may hear coyotes, or you could hear Canada geese if you live near the lake like we do. If you want to drive to the school in 5 minutes flat no matter where in town you live.

There are two sides to any coin, I guess.

 

[DVMDream]

Edinburgh is like a city that attempts to be a small town but fails. Everything closes at 5PM, except the bars. I think that is one of the things I hate the most here. Get done at school at 5PM, can't get any shopping done, can't go to the bank, going to the doctor means deciding which day of classes you want to miss. So Edinburgh is crazy busy city during the day then literally shuts down at 5PM, need something at 10PM, you can forget about it. Also, it is a decent enough size that you can't walk anywhere you want without it taking a good 30 minutes or more, so bus is the way to go, but if traffic is bad that can also take 20 minutes. The city center area is very much city life but Edinburgh is surrounded by farms and hills all around, so you don't have to go far to get away from the city. I don't know it is an odd mix of let's put this city here and attempt to run it like a small town.

I don't think I could ever do really small town long term, simply because I am not used to it. But each person is going to have something that is comfortable to them and often times that is just going to be what you have been used to for the majority of your life. I'm used to bigger cities, having places stay open later and having just about everything available to you within a short distance. Growing up I always thought it would be cool to live in a small town where there aren't a lot of people and traffic is minimal, but having been to these areas and lived in some of these areas for a period of time, I would just be bored and frustrated after a while. Everyone is going to like something different though so where you live and are comfortable living is a very personal choice.

 

[SV88]

Going to Hogwarts has certainly helped my happiness.

Durmstrang really blows. No one told me about the cold and the strange yeti things that are indigenous to this area.

 

[StartingoverVet]

Vet school makes me crazy enough that if I stepped out my front door into a small conservative cow town I would not be able to handle it. I am not referring to a particular vet school, just my idea of a place I would be unhappy. I love living in the city and that I can be around all kinds of people, that I can eat food from any culture/country at almost any time of day/night, that I can go to a 24 hour grocery store and pharmacy if I'm on a super weird schedule, that I can walk everywhere if I want to, that I can be at the train station in 10 minutes or the airport in 20 minutes, that there is so much culture/art/intelligence/perspective present in all the people around me. Obviously I am getting nostalgic about Philly now that I am leaving soon! Anyway, my point is that location is important to your mental health and in vet school you need all the help you can get with mental health!

Ha ha ha. I couldn't be happier to be away from Philly. Literally the only place I ever lived that I didn't really like to some extent, and i have lived in many cities (although i loved my house… i just never wanted to go outside it).

 

[catnips]

Ok reading this got me worried. I lived in big cities my whole life except when I had to go to a pretty rural place for boarding school and I absolutely hated it. The only part I liked about it was horses. And cows, I love cows. But it was a very conservative town and oh boy, I was depressed all the time.

Now, I am thinking to make a big move ( if I don't get in to my IS this year) to Oklahoma with my husband next year (to become a resident) because I am beginning to really like OK State vet school, everyone I talked to from there (admissions and a teacher) was super nice and helpful. I like the curriculum and electives, and I do want large animal exposure and it seems great for it. I'll visit it before I make a final decision of course,but they also count my GPA in a way that I might actually have a chance in getting in (aka not counting my F, woho!)

I read (mostly here) that all you do in vet school is to study, and so I didn't care about the location at all. I wanna give my all to vet school and study a lot anyway. Seeing how my husband will be working for a PhD, I figured, hey we won't go out much anyway. And after paying way too much for a crappy apartment in NYC, looking at Stillwater rentals was like a dream. And omg, a backyard for the dog!

Cities and rural towns both have their pros and cons I guess. But to me, if the school feels right to you, the location doesn't matter that much. Most of the time you'll be at school. Yeah NYC has been great with its vegan restaurants and super-diverse atmosphere and I know I'll miss it like hell. But vet school>city life lol. It's just 4 years anyway(or 5 if you wanna get residency first...)

 

[dovelover]

Location did factor into my decision (actually, it really wound up being one of the biggest factors now that I think about it). I ruled out AVC because it was out of the country and on a tiny little island province, no less. I ruled out Ohio State partially because the campus reminded me way too much of my undergrad (Penn State), and I was depressed a lot during undergrad, so it gave me a bad feeling to be there... plus it was rather urban, which tends to make me a bit claustrophobic/anxious (I'm a boring suburban gal). And it was only a few hours from home, which would have made it way too tempting to drive home all the time like I did in undergrad, which I knew really wouldn't be good for me. Whereas Minnesota's campus made me feel great and the whole area just felt really comfortable to me. I figured that vet school is hard enough without being miserable and falling back into my previous mental health problems. And despite how much I complain about the awful winter weather (it's -2 degrees on March 1st...), I love it here. So, location IS important to consider. But how big of a factor into your decision it is, well, that's sort of personal. Some people are happy living anywhere and just want to go to the cheapest place possible. Some people would rather spend a little extra (within reason) to be sane enough to survive vet school. So, it's really up to you. I guess what I'm saying is, don't be afraid to let location be a part of your decision if you need it to be, even though 95% of people will bombard you with the "go where it's cheapest" philosophy.

 

[hedgehogcatcher]

Honestly all the schools have solid programs. I didn't apply to a school I didn't think would be a fit program wise.
Also, though, there are quite a few vet schools (and all of them have good programs!) and you'll be spending 4 years there. Including probably portions of breaks and summer. So I also didn't apply to any school where I didn't like the surrounding area. I have 28+ options after all.

I did put a lot of weight on whether I would enjoy the culture and surroundings of the vet school I went to, maybe more than some people but it's important to me. After all, I really really think I would go nuts if I spent 24/7 indoors studying. It's happened before.
So I also applied to/picked a school that would allow me to do awesome things I love every now and again. Like hiking. Gotta have hiking. It's the most grounding and stress-relieving activity ever for me. Hiking >>>>therapy. I don't know why I would disregard that just because "I'll be too busy." NO. I'LL MAKE TIME FOR MY SANITY! Mental health is important in such a rigorous program! Even if it's only one day a month! And I really need that.
Everyone is different in what keeps them happy/is a good release. Some people like city things, some like country things, some like stuff you can find in any town (indoorsy things) , some like outdoorsy stuff... but whatever it is you should really consider that.

The distance from home and the cost = totally worth it.

 

[sayabear3]

I'm going to be at Cornell and location was definitely one of the factors for me. I know it is very rural and this is a turnoff to some, but I grew up in the Ithaca area and love it, personally. Ithaca is a really phenomenal town with such great culture. It has been rated one of the top college-towns in the country on several lists (don't remember specifics currently), and there are reasons for that... namely food, nature, and the arts! The food scene is epic, you are always a 10-15 minute drive from nature (waterfalls, farmland, woods, etc), and there is a huge arts culture in the area. I am really excited to be back in the Ithaca area after 6 years outside of Cleveland, OH!

 

[gugoodoll]

I'm going to be at Cornell and location was definitely one of the factors for me. I know it is very rural and this is a turnoff to some, but I grew up in the Ithaca area and love it, personally. Ithaca is a really phenomenal town with such great culture. It has been rated one of the top college-towns in the country on several lists (don't remember specifics currently), and there are reasons for that... namely food, nature, and the arts! The food scene is epic, you are always a 10-15 minute drive from nature (waterfalls, farmland, woods, etc), and there is a huge arts culture in the area. I am really excited to be back in the Ithaca area after 6 years outside of Cleveland, OH!

One of my favorite Rieslings, Wiemer, is from the Finger Lakes ^.^ Discovered it while taking the Hotelie Wines class my senior year!

 

[sayabear3]

One of my favorite Rieslings, Wiemer, is from the Finger Lakes ^.^ Discovered it while taking the Hotelie Wines class my senior year!

Nice I'll have to check it out! I don't know too many of the local wines because I haven't lived there since I was 18... but I will have plenty of time come summertime when I move back

 

[dovelover]

Nice I'll have to check it out! I don't know too many of the local wines because I haven't lived there since I was 18... but I will have plenty of time come summertime when I move back

You should try some Keuka Springs wine (from the finger lakes region) I only say that because my cousin's husband is the winemaker there, not because I've ever actually had the opportunity to try their wine...

 

[battie]

For me, location is actually one of the lowest things on my list for one reason: going from my hometown to my undergrad town.

I moved from basically Denver to most, to a town of less than 5,000 people when school is in (3,000 without the school). I went from city to small in 1 day flat and never looked back. The only reason I found the small town thing to be a problem with was the fact that experience is non-existent here. Of the three vets here, one wants to retire so does the minimum he needs to, one is horrible to pre-vet students, and the other only hires "adults". So I got no experience hours out of my school. Otherwise, I just didn't like being so far from home. Going from my undergrad to any vet school will increase what I'm used to by 10-fold at least. One school I applied to was Kansas (and I actually really want to get in now after visiting), which a lot of people consider to be small. It's 12 times bigger than my undergrad town. lol. It's not small to me at all.

So it is all about perspective, too. I would be just as comfortable in a big city school cause that's where I grew up. Like a lot of people here are saying, it really is up to what you can handle. There are certainly pros and cons to both that a lot of people have mentioned already: safety, opportunity, community, entertainment, etc.

 

[MSUspartan]

go somewhere warm. being in the middle of a frozen tundra for 4 years (and trudging through 13 inches of unplowed snow to go to your histology final at 7:30 AM) sucks.

ok, i wouldn't make a vet school decision solely on that but seriously...studying in the sun is amazing and i wish i could've done it more often.

 

[lailanni]

go somewhere warm. being in the middle of a frozen tundra for 4 years (and trudging through 13 inches of unplowed snow to go to your histology final at 7:30 AM) sucks.

ok, i wouldn't make a vet school decision solely on that but seriously...studying in the sun is amazing and i wish i could've done it more often.

+1. My school wasn't as cold as Michigan, but we had our share of winter. One morning, I warmed up my breakfast burrito and then headed outside to remove the snow/scrape ice off my car. Well, I ended up leaving my burrito on the roof of my car for a little bit and the bottom of it froze there. Nothing says "sucks to be you" like waking up before dawn in negative degrees to remove snow/ice and having your breakfast freeze to your car. Or bringing a snow shovel so you can both shovel into and out of parking. Every spring break I would go somewhere warm because I *really* wanted to be in a place where you didn't have to wear a coat.

I grew up in a smaller town, had my undergrad in a city, and vet school in a medium small town in the middle of nowhere. I've liked all the places I've lived for different reasons. I do however vividly recall being intensely jealous of people who don't have to ice scrape and defrost every morning.

 

[shortnsweet]

Durmstrang really blows. No one told me about the cold and the strange yeti things that are indigenous to this area.

You go to vet school in Norway?

I was being completely serious. Glasgow is Hogwarts. Lots of bits were filmed around here...and I mean...look at it. The vet school colours are also gryffindor, complete with scarves.

 

[Hotfillyky]

I should have applied to Hogwarts. I might have been able to get an acceptance there.....sigh

 

[that redhead]

I think location matters to a certain extent. For those of you saying you'll just be inside studying all the time, I worry about you. It isn't (mentally or socially) healthy to do that kind of stuff and you'll be way more likely to burn out. I think it's important that, if you can afford to be choosy, you choose a place that has at least a couple of things that draw your interest.

Transitioning from DC area to an essentially rural little island filled with crotchety mostly-old people was definitely a culture shock but I deal with it. Some days I want to give the whole place a big middle finger but I recognize that most of my dislike stems from the fact that it's so depressing to be outside most of the time we're up here and that I'm so far from home. When we get here in August it's an absolutely beautiful place to be.

 

[catnips]

I don't know since I am not a vet student (yet!) but I remember reading in some other threads that you don't get to experience the city you live in as much as you would like - due to vet school requiring a good amount of studying. I do hope I'm wrong! I don't think anyone is planning to study ALL the time to the point where they'll lose their mental health or social skills.
I think this is a matter of personal choice, I'm just saying I can survive fine in some places knowing that I'll be going to a vet school but for any other reason, I perhaps wouldn't.

 

[geologist]

As others mentioned, really think about weather.. It can just be icing on the cake when you already don't really go outside because you're working/studying all the time, but you go to take a walk with you dog and it's pouring so you can't even enjoy it. I go to graduate school at Oregon State and I hate the rain.. Didn't think of weather when I was applying and I deal, but I'd probably be a lot more upbeat without the neverending rain. Some people like it, though.

 

[Gr8teful]

So glad I found this thread.
I am seriously considering declining the only acceptance I got because I have absolutely no desire to live in that climate. The only reason I applied to the school was because they did not require a supplemental application. Some people I tell that to think I am crazy, I should just go because that is where I was accepted, and it is a great school. Others recognize that the societal norm of "go where your job/career takes you, even if you know you won't like it" isn't necessarily healthy. I hear the city is amazing, but my body despises cold and after recognizing how the "winter" in California affects me emotionally, well...it could get messy. My body is constantly seeking heat (as in I eat hot soup when it is 80F+ out and wear fleece in the 60's), and after studying a bit of Ayurveda and TCM, it makes sense on multiple levels. Instead, I am considering reapplying to schools I would actually want to go to, and may just end up choosing somewhere in the Caribbean over a US school.
I recognize that it is a personal choice, and weather and city/country living will affect different people in different ways. That being said...
Is anyone studying in a place they really don't like to live due to climate or urban/rural reasons? If so, how much is it affecting you?

 

[devyn]

I think location is important when choosing a vet school tbh. You will be living there for the next 4 years and it is healthy to have a life outside of vet school whether people believe it or not. Sure you will be studying a lot, but getting out and enjoying whatever city or area you live in is key to the whole experience - having a social life will get you through. And a better vet is one who has social skills not one who got perfect grades, but is socially awkward. Getting out and participating in your outside world is a great stress reliever.

I love where I attend vet school. Dublin has an amazing city centre with tons of pubs, restaurants, and sites to see. I can also travel easily around the country or to other places in Europe for fairly cheap. The weather is very mild here as well, we get rain, but not usually just the occasional showers from week to week intermixed with dry weather. We have no snow and we get a fair bit of sun. Could it be warmer in the summer, sure! But highs of 70s are not unbearable. And I take advantage of having a social life as I go through vet school. Getting out and enjoying my city and the different things it offers. Sure my time has gotten less with each year, but I do still find time and I think it is important to do so.

So what I am getting at is that location should be a factor in school choice. Sure some will say it is only 4 years of your life who cares where you live, but think of it it this way... it is 4 years of your life to experience a new city you might never live in again, why waste that opportunity?

 

[DVMDream]

Getting out and participating in your outside world is a great stress reliever.

Or a great stress inducer, depending on who you are and your personality.

I agree you have to get out and be around friends and people (it isn't healthy not to), but it causes massive amounts of stress for me and I have to force myself to do it. I usually have a ton of fun when I do get out, but it is exhausting for me, personally.

 

[DVMDream]

So glad I found this thread.
I am seriously considering declining the only acceptance I got because I have absolutely no desire to live in that climate. The only reason I applied to the school was because they did not require a supplemental application. Some people I tell that to think I am crazy, I should just go because that is where I was accepted, and it is a great school. Others recognize that the societal norm of "go where your job/career takes you, even if you know you won't like it" isn't necessarily healthy. I hear the city is amazing, but my body despises cold and after recognizing how the "winter" in California affects me emotionally, well...it could get messy. My body is constantly seeking heat (as in I eat hot soup when it is 80F+ out and wear fleece in the 60's), and after studying a bit of Ayurveda and TCM, it makes sense on multiple levels. Instead, I am considering reapplying to schools I would actually want to go to, and may just end up choosing somewhere in the Caribbean over a US school.
I recognize that it is a personal choice, and weather and city/country living will affect different people in different ways. That being said...
Is anyone studying in a place they really don't like to live due to climate or urban/rural reasons? If so, how much is it affecting you?

Climate can be a huge factor.... being from Arizona I am used to seeing the sun 360 days of the year. Then I moved to Scotland, where you see the sun considerably less because it is cloudy quite a bit. Honestly though, that didn't really bother me too much. What gets to me in Scotland is the winter time where the sun is only out from 10AM to 3:30PM.... then in the summer it is out from 7AM to 10PM.... I didn't realize that being so far north would have this big of an impact. It is hard to study in the winter when it is pitch black outside at 4PM. You do adjust and get used to it to a certain degree but even the locals here have a hard time with it.

This is a picture I took this past winter at around 4:30PM to give an idea:

The cold weather thing doesn't bother me, I adjusted rather quick to that. It is more the number of hours of daylight that gets annoying. It has started to warm up here... in the mid-50's and you get to the point where if it has been 30's all winter... 50's feels amazing and you stop wearing as thick of clothing then. I can now go with a light jacket or sweater and jeans in the 50's. I know for me I can adjust to weather conditions, but that isn't true for everyone so it is something you have to decide upon.

 

[devyn]

Or a great stress inducer, depending on who you are and your personality.

I agree you have to get out and be around friends and people (it isn't healthy not to), but it causes massive amounts of stress for me and I have to force myself to do it. I usually have a ton of fun when I do get out, but it is exhausting for me, personally.

The point was people should not use the excuse that you will be studying 24/7 to not decide put location as a factor to where you attend vet school. It should be one to an extent. And downtime as it may can be whatever you make of it from school - for me that is going out to different things and I know for you that it relaxing with a movie or picking up mexican food.

I know for a fact I would be miserable in a extremely cold climate for vet school and one that was isolated from civilisation. So I think taking into account your personality when choosing a vet school is key as well.

 

[shortnsweet]

Climate can be a huge factor.... being from Arizona I am used to seeing the sun 360 days of the year. Then I moved to Scotland, where you see the sun considerably less because it is cloudy quite a bit. Honestly though, that didn't really bother me too much. What gets to me in Scotland is the winter time where the sun is only out from 10AM to 3:30PM.... then in the summer it is out from 7AM to 10PM.... I didn't realize that being so far north would have this big of an impact. It is hard to study in the winter when it is pitch black outside at 4PM. You do adjust and get used to it to a certain degree but even the locals here have a hard time with it.

This is a picture I took this past winter at around 4:30PM to give an idea:

The cold weather thing doesn't bother me, I adjusted rather quick to that. It is more the number of hours of daylight that gets annoying. It has started to warm up here... in the mid-50's and you get to the point where if it has been 30's all winter... 50's feels amazing and you stop wearing as thick of clothing then. I can now go with a light jacket or sweater and jeans in the 50's. I know for me I can adjust to weather conditions, but that isn't true for everyone so it is something you have to decide upon.

I really do love Scottish summers though.....drinking outside when it is still light out is lovely. And you don't even have to stumble home in the dark at 1am!

 

[DVMDream]

The point was people should not use the excuse that you will be studying 24/7 to not decide put location as a factor to where you attend vet school. It should be one to an extent.

Yes, I agree. Location should definitely be a factor. Vet school can be hard enough without adding in being miserable in the place you are living.

I was just trying to point out that not everyone has the same drive to be getting out and being social. Some people enjoy going to bars every weekend and being around lots of people. I prefer a few close friends and being away from crowds. Downtime in vet school is important, but your downtime should be based on your personality and not a peer pressured view into what you should be doing. And no, that does not make me "odd" that I prefer what I prefer. I have met other people that are like me.

 

[sayabear3]

Yes, I agree. Location should definitely be a factor. Vet school can be hard enough without adding in being miserable in the place you are living.

I was just trying to point out that not everyone has the same drive to be getting out and being social. Some people enjoy going to bars every weekend and being around lots of people. I prefer a few close friends and being away from crowds. Downtime in vet school is important, but your downtime should be based on your personality and not a peer pressured view into what you should be doing. And no, that does not make me "odd" that I prefer what I prefer. I have met other people that are like me.

I am right there with you! Quality relationships an outings as opposed to quantity.

 

[dovelover]

We have people from southern California here in Minnesota, with their first winter including 40+ days when it failed to get above 0 degrees, and -30 windchills to start the day were common. Granted, none of us were expecting a winter that brutal, since highs in the 20s are much more common, but everybody survived. (Albeit, barely.) Yeah, it can get kinda miserable, but it makes spring rolling around feel so much more amazing! I walked around without a jacket on a sunny 40 degree afternoon and had my windows open a little last week. You get used to it. I think dealing with lack of sunlight is a lot harder. I grew up in one of the cloudiest cities in the country, so Minnesota's relatively sunny winters are heaven by comparison... at least in that regard.

I was just trying to point out that not everyone has the same drive to be getting out and being social. Some people enjoy going to bars every weekend and being around lots of people. I prefer a few close friends and being away from crowds. Downtime in vet school is important, but your downtime should be based on your personality and not a peer pressured view into what you should be doing. And no, that does not make me "odd" that I prefer what I prefer. I have met other people that are like me.

Pretty sure in general introverts make up a pretty hefty chunk of vet students (at least in the US), so you're way of doing things is actually pretty normal for what I see in many of my fellow students. I used to think I was weird for being like that, and then a very wise friend told me about what being an introvert really means, and I was like "oh, so I'm not crazy?"

 

[DVMDream]

Pretty sure in general introverts make up a pretty hefty chunk of vet students (at least in the US), so you're way of doing things is actually pretty normal for what I see in many of my fellow students. I used to think I was weird for being like that, and then a very wise friend told me about what being an introvert really means, and I was like "oh, so I'm not crazy?"

Most of my class is extremely extroverted, so I often feel like people don't understand where I come from as an introvert. It doesn't help when people make rude comments about how you prefer to spend your time either.

One of my friends was having a pancake day thing here, starting early in the morning (7AM). They were making pancakes and drinking at 7AM. I told her I would come but I don't really feel like drinking and I probably won't partake in drinking at that time. Her response was, "Fine, be boring then". I just decided not to go at that point, it wasn't worth it to be ridiculed for being who I am (I really am not a big alcohol drinker) and then to be peer-pressured into drinking while being there. Best to just completely avoid being around that.

 

[Coquette22]

Her response was, "Fine, be boring then".

Wow, yikes. With friends like that, who needs enemies? So sorry, DVMD. That sucks. I'm usually pretty introverted, so I'm not really a bar type, so Charlottetown's nightlife or lack thereof doesn't bother me. The best social outings since I've been at vet school have been at people's houses.

 

[that redhead]

Is anyone studying in a place they really don't like to live due to climate or urban/rural reasons? If so, how much is it affecting you?

For both reasons (I posted above). I get through it, although there are definitely times where my mental health could be better. I'm glad I accepted and started on my degree though; I might still be applying today! There is no guarantee you'll get an acceptance elsewhere.

 

[dalmatiandoc17]

Most of my class is extremely extroverted, so I often feel like people don't understand where I come from as an introvert. It doesn't help when people make rude comments about how you prefer to spend your time either.

One of my friends was having a pancake day thing here, starting early in the morning (7AM). They were making pancakes and drinking at 7AM. I told her I would come but I don't really feel like drinking and I probably won't partake in drinking at that time. Her response was, "Fine, be boring then". I just decided not to go at that point, it wasn't worth it to be ridiculed for being who I am (I really am not a big alcohol drinker) and then to be peer-pressured into drinking while being there. Best to just completely avoid being around that.

Ouch! That's terribly mean of her. I'm sorry

I consider myself an extrovert and I actually don't like drinking at all.