Balance

[ylrebmik]

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How do you find ways to balance classes, studying, work, volunteering, friends, sports, free-time, sleeping, etc.? Whats the trick?

 

[VetMed555]

How do you find ways to balance classes, studying, work, volunteering, friends, sports, free-time, sleeping, etc.? Whats the trick?

What's "sports, free-time, and sleeping?"😀 (free time=sleeping)🙂

 

[lenadeb]

How do you find ways to balance classes, studying, work, volunteering, friends, sports, free-time, sleeping, etc.? Whats the trick?

There is no "trick". Triage.

 

[david594]

Sleep very little. My volunteer opportunity hired me, so that helped free up some time which was all lost when I went back to school full time. Studying tends to take up the majority of free time. What little is left is usually dedicated to the 1 hour 15 minute commute to school. I get the occasional free time on tuesdays and sundays when I don't have exams to study for.

Yeah, so really no balance at all, but I figure it is only for a year while I finish up pre-reqs.🙄

 

[CBRGrl]

Yeah, so really no balance at all, but I figure it is only for a year while I finish up pre-reqs.🙄

Until you get to vet school! haha

 

[cyrille104]

.

 

[BruceCaboose]

I didn't have free time until this year as a senior. I wanted to have all my pre-requisites done in time for admissions to see them and went through what everyone here does - making the grades, finding animal experience, and fitting in extra curriculars. I chose to give up the majority of my social life. This year Im' taking all the gen-eds I skipped as a freshman and seeing friends as much as possible before I graduate so it all paid off in the end. For me it wasn't an issue of balancing everything, its a matter of choosing what to sacrifice so I can stay sane.

 

[NittanyKitty]

I'm very busy while in school, but I like it that way. I usually take about twenty credits a semester (trying to double-major in four years), TA for an animal science class, complete about 15 hours of research a week, and put in time for several clubs. And I do have friends. 😛 It's a lot to juggle, but I feel really bad being at school if I'm not busy. I don't really get stressed to the point where you cry or get the shakes or want to give up. Being "stressed" motivates me and forces me to plan to get things done.

I don't really have a system for balancing things. Everything gets done at some point, and usually sleep doesn't get sacrificed. I work before I play, and I have a pretty good idea how much time everything takes, so I know when to start projects or studying or whatever. Also, I save volunteering and working for the summer. I honestly wouldn't have time to add a job on top of everything, so I'm okay with accepting that. You need to be okay with your choices, understand your priorities, and know your limits in order to juggle your schedule.

 

[bunnyslippers]

It's a lot to juggle, but I feel really bad being at school if I'm not busy. I don't really get stressed to the point where you cry or get the shakes or want to give up. Being "stressed" motivates me and forces me to plan to get things done.

Stress definitely motivates me to get things done too, but then when I finish everything I feel I should still be doing more. I don't think I even know how to relax anymore!

 

[NittanyKitty]

Stress definitely motivates me to get things done too, but then when I finish everything I feel I should still be doing more. I don't think I even know how to relax anymore!

Geez, I know! I thought it was just me! I am very happy with my life and have plenty of fun, but I LIKE doing school things. I feel like I'm accomplishing something, and I can sleep easier knowing I got stuff done that day. There always seems to be something to do, so when there isn't, it feels really weird.

 

[OSJ]

On one of my interviews I was asked what I like to do to relax! It caught me off guard and I tried to be as honest as I could and I ended up saying spending time with my horse and cleaning stalls! Ah! I mean I do like to do other things, I just don't usually have the time for them! My interviewer seemed to understand how stall cleaning can be relaxing and we both talked about how we enjoyed clean stalls and happy horses munching away! I just wished I had had a better answer for that question!

 

[chyactnate]

On one of my interviews I was asked what I like to do to relax! It caught me off guard and I tried to be as honest as I could and I ended up saying spending time with my horse and cleaning stalls! Ah! I mean I do like to do other things, I just don't usually have the time for them! My interviewer seemed to understand how stall cleaning can be relaxing and we both talked about how we enjoyed clean stalls and happy horses munching away! I just wished I had had a better answer for that question!

I love that!!!! I board at a private barn so it is just me and one other boarder. I go there to get away from everything it is my peace in a world of chaos.

 

[VetDJ]

There are alot of hours in the day during undergrad if you structure your time properly. I make time for those things that are important in my life that are outside the world of veterinary medicine and schooling i.e. a) working out and b) music (DJing). I have a strict schedule that I follow and I allow myself time to decompress when I realize that I have been pushing myself too hard.

If you don't play every so often you will go insane and you will crash and burn.

You need to hit the reset button ...how you do that it is up to you.

It's overwhelming yes...but tens of thousands of others before us have persevered and accomplished the same task.. this isn't impossible its just challenging.

 

[runnerDC]

I think you need to prioritize what you want to do and when (within the boundaries of what is reasonable given the extreme lack of free time). We spend a lot of time in the classroom/lab in vet school; far more than other graduate programs (I say this comparing vet school to my experience in a grad school program several years ago), and even more time studying. That leaves little time for much else. However, I do still find time to go to the gym, run, and spend time with my partner, our dogs, and our friends b/c all of those things are important to me. I have learned over time, though, to predict when I will have less or no time for such things, and I’ve learned to warn people in advance so none of us are disappointed when I can’t be around to do something fun. Advanced planning and keeping the people in my life informed/involved go a long way to balancing all of the important, non-vet school things and to setting up realistic expectations for what I can and can’t do. In short, I still do all of the things that I did before vet school, I just don’t do them as much.