The Schedule really depends on the year you are in. First year you will be in class basically 8 am - 5 pm everyday. 90% of that is didactic work, the other 10% is sim lab (dental anatomy/waxing sim lab). You'll get home and be tired but basically have to study because you'll have like 11 classes or something. BUT that said, I was able to go to the gym 6 days a week during my first 2 years -- if something is a priority, you'll make time for it. On the weekends you can study lots too, so it'll make up for anything you can't get done during the week. Luckily for me, my class (the Maroons -- Color of our scrubs) is SUPER close and fun, so we all (still do) go out with each other to relieve some stress after large amounts of exams like midterms or finals. We also go on trips together -- Cabo, San Diego, planning an Austin trip, etc. You'll find a group of people in your class that you like to hang with and will hang with them a bunch.
2nd year first semester is SUPER chill. Only 1 "tougher" class in Pathology, and you start Clinic. Outside of those two stressors, it's smooth sailing. I had an unbelievable amount of free time then -- hung out with friends, went to the gym, etc. That said, I do pride myself on my hand skills, so I would go into Sim Lab on the weekends and just practice drilling for a few hours pretty much every weekend. Just something personally I did, you don't have to if you don't want to of course. Spring Semester of 2nd year you are basically slammed. I had to stop going to the gym it got that busy, but you'll get through it. It'll be fine.
I'm not there yet, but from what I've seen 3rd and 4th year are a different kind of stress. You don't have very many didactic classes (I think like 4 max? We usually have 9-11 per semester hahah), but you have clinic everyday and working with people can be stressful -- you know how people can be. You'll get nice ones and not so nice, but that's how it goes and it teaches you how to be a better communicator which is great.
Hope this helps!
