I think the transition into dental school that first semester is one of the most difficult times in school. You will most likely study differently than you did in undergrad out of sheer necessity. With that said, you have to have hobbies and give yourself breaks, or you will burn out much too quickly. There are days and sometimes even full weeks where you just have to hunker down and not have much "me time", but you will also find as you adjust that there are ways to fit your hobbies in and you will start to do and feel better because you have that outlet. My best advice is to use the first semester to feel out how your new studying demands fit in with what you like to do. My classmates and I all have our outlets and they keep us sane and on track. As far as courses with a ton of information, you should see if those lectures are recorded and if rewatching them is something that works for you. Some people don't watch any recordings, some only watch for certain classes, and others rewatch everything. To me, the really dense classes were worth hearing a second time and adding to my original notes. Hope this helps!
