Dropping the ball

[sublimegd]

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Seeing as a large majority of you have done very well for yourselves with grades and DATs and such, I need some words of wisdom. Last week I dropped the ball. My 2 year relationship with my girlfriend completely fell apart, I ended up doing poorly on a test, skipped the majority of my classes, and am now questioning this potential career decision more so than ever. I graduated, then right away started taking the pre-reqs as a part time student. I've done well, but only taking 2 classes at a time seems to completely taint my success. Add to that I'm just now getting into the harder courses and I can tell my grades are going to drop. I don't know my profs at all, am worried about letter's of reccomendations, not enough shadowing hours... I've been putting off so many things and now that its do or die I just feel like giving up.

 

[axum]

step 1: take a deep breath
step 2: picture yourself as a successful dentist
step 3: picture yourself flipping burgers
step 4: decide what you want more

Bad tests happen. Try to not let it get to you and focus on the next ones. You can't change it now, so whats the point of worrying about it. As far as relationships go, there are other girls out there. Maybe it just wasnt meant to be with your girl. Thats ok, you've got time to find a new one.

 

[sajjy]

Seeing as a large majority of you have done very well for yourselves with grades and DATs and such, I need some words of wisdom. Last week I dropped the ball. My 2 year relationship with my girlfriend completely fell apart, I ended up doing poorly on a test, skipped the majority of my classes, and am now questioning this potential career decision more so than ever. I graduated, then right away started taking the pre-reqs as a part time student. I've done well, but only taking 2 classes at a time seems to completely taint my success. Add to that I'm just now getting into the harder courses and I can tell my grades are going to drop. I don't know my profs at all, am worried about letter's of reccomendations, not enough shadowing hours... I've been putting off so many things and now that its do or die I just feel like giving up.

dude....i can see myself in you right now.....same thing happened with me last summer..and same 2 yr relationship break up....i lost interest in studies....was very casual with it......my last sem GPA dropped compared to other semesters...luckily got one bad grade in just one course...rest managed to get A.

as above said...think which is more important.....your career is far more important than a girl....lets say this whole thing would happen 10 yrs from now when u would be a dentist......if at that time you break up with a girl, what you will be left with-YOUR DENTAL EDUCATION AND PRACTICE......
BOTTOM LINE--EDUCATION FIRST.....and in my case, the break up motivated me to the highest level of being a dentist

dont let one bad grade get over you....just think what were you before you met that girl and what were your career plans before her!!!

 

[MadameGeorge]

Its hard to juggle real life with dental school prep. One semester, when I was taking orgo, physics, & bio (all with labs, of course) and an english class, one of my best friends suddenly died. I can't tell you how horrible that experience was, it turned my life upside down. Also, it was right before my first round of exams. At first I even felt as though I was somehow supposed to postpone grieving because I needed to study for tests. Obviously, that wasn't going to happen because reality is not something you can put on hold.

Although I hadn't spoken to my professors before then, I was having such a hard time that it forced me to go talk to them. I was surprised how good most of them were to me - helping me work around taking that first exam or agreeing to drop it if I did poorly and then did well on the next exams. Although that semester was a tough one and I did re-evaluate my dental goals many times then, I decided it was was worth it. If you too decide that it is worth it, it is OK to do poorly in one exam or in one class, or even one semester if you are struggling with something outside of academics. If you start going to meet your professors and tell them how you're struggling and trying to do better, it might even be an opportunity to build a relationship with them and work on getting recommendations when the semester ends. It is still early in the semester, don't give up over a bad few weeks! Good luck.

 

[dr bojangles]

yes, just relax. breathe.
don't worry about the test, everyone trips up every now and then. just gotta get back up on the horse. i'm sure adcoms will like to see that you are resilient in your studies despite what life throws at you.
as for the girl, try to separate those issues from your school/academic life, if at all possible. or do something else to get your mind off it, then go back to studying. if its real bad, talk to others or your professors that you're having a tough time.

 

[JMJRDH1]

Seeing as a large majority of you have done very well for yourselves with grades and DATs and such, I need some words of wisdom. Last week I dropped the ball. My 2 year relationship with my girlfriend completely fell apart, I ended up doing poorly on a test, skipped the majority of my classes, and am now questioning this potential career decision more so than ever. I graduated, then right away started taking the pre-reqs as a part time student. I've done well, but only taking 2 classes at a time seems to completely taint my success. Add to that I'm just now getting into the harder courses and I can tell my grades are going to drop. I don't know my profs at all, am worried about letter's of reccomendations, not enough shadowing hours... I've been putting off so many things and now that its do or die I just feel like giving up.

I am by no means trying to minimize the pain of your newly ended relationship and your feelings of potentially giving it all up, but............


If this is the most difficult thing that you have to go through your entire pre-dental school and dental school years you have got it made my friend. Becoming a dentist is a marathon and you have barely started to train and you are throwing in the towel!!

You KNOW your grades are gonna drop?!? Study more!!!!
You DON'T know your Professors? Introduce yourself!!!
You DON'T have enough shadowing hours?!? Do more!!!!
You think your classes are hard now?!? HA!! Wait till D-School!!!

If you want to be a dentist, get your A S S up and stop bitchin' and make it happen

If these words are too harsh for you, please accept my sincerest apologies, really, and good luck in whatever career you may choose.

If these words inspire you to quit whining and start hustling, see ya on the other side!!

 

[sajjy]

I am by no means trying to minimize the pain of your newly ended relationship and your feelings of potentially giving it all up, but............


If this is the most difficult thing that you have to go through your entire pre-dental school and dental school years you have got it made my friend. Becoming a dentist is a marathon and you have barely started to train and you are throwing in the towel!!

You KNOW your grades are gonna drop?!? Study more!!!!
You DON'T know your Professors? Introduce yourself!!!
You DON'T have enough shadowing hours?!? Do more!!!!
You think your classes are hard now?!? HA!! Wait till D-School!!!

If you want to be a dentist, get your A S S up and stop bitchin' and make it happen

If these words are too harsh for you, please accept my sincerest apologies, really, and good luck in whatever career you may choose.

If these words inspire you to quit whining and start hustling, see ya on the other side!!

i have to say "WELL SAID"....
To the OP, right now you might be feeling devastated and what not.....but that isnt going to get you anywhere......

 

[airsimon]

I think it's hilarious that pre-dents think that you either become a dentist or flip burgers. OK, so I realize most of you aren't that ******ed.. but for those of you who actually think dentistry is the only way to make money you are seriously selling yourself short.

 

[btizzels]

To the OP i went through something similar, but getting out of my 2.5 year relationship only gave me more time to focus on my grades and get myself into dental school. Put your education/career as number 1 priority and you will become a dentist one way or another.

 

[jcdent27]

Like everyone above, I too can relate. I was in a 5 year relationship when the GF broke up with me just as I was heavy into prepping for the DAT (which was about a month out). I took my couple of days, reprioritized and knew I wanted to go to d-school. Long story short, I busted my *** and made it happen. Moral of the story is, there will always be reasons/excuses not to do something. If you want something, do what it takes to get it. Best of luck!

 

[rewJW]

I think it's hilarious that pre-dents think that you either become a dentist or flip burgers. OK, so I realize most of you aren't that ******ed.. but for those of you who actually think dentistry is the only way to make money you are seriously selling yourself short.

Would you rather the analogy be, "Picture yourself as a dentist. Now picture yourself at a mediocre desk-job working for the state" ?

 

[MoLarr]

There sure are a lot of broken hearts in this thread... Add me to that list.

My 2.5 year relationship ended while I was studying for the DAT. On top of that, a family members became severely ill at the same time. It was very tough and I had to spend many days/nights at the hospital with my schaum's bio book.

I got through it by maintaining a positive attitude. I reminded myself that no matter how bad my situation was, someone out there had it worst. People deal with breakups/sickness/death all the time, and if they can overcome it, so can you! Keep your head up!

 

[axum]

Would you rather the analogy be, "Picture yourself as a dentist. Now picture yourself at a mediocre desk-job working for the state" ?

exactly. its just to help motivate you more

 

[bodiddely]

I think it's hilarious that pre-dents think that you either become a dentist or flip burgers. OK, so I realize most of you aren't that ******ed.. but for those of you who actually think dentistry is the only way to make money you are seriously selling yourself short.

Funny that you mention that. I actually have nightmares about what will happen if I don't get in. A few days ago I had a chem test and earlier in the day I saw a postal worker delivering mail, and I thought to myself, "Oh crap I am going to get a B on this test and the next tests will only be harder. I am going to become a mailman."

Luckily I got a 95 but it's still really nerve racking to not know whether you can join the profession you have chosen and put a lot of effort into joining.

 

[bodiddely]

Also, I would just like to say that most of my classmates who did not pursue graduate degrees (I attended a liberal arts college) are now teachers. The lucky ones are making 30k+, the unlucky ones are... unlucky/stupid. Personally I do not plan to allow my children to major in Liberal Arts, or other fake degrees (such as philosophy, communications, or psychology). If they are so inclined they can pay for it themselves (or not pay for it, as the case may be with that 30k teaching job)

 

[sublimegd]

If this is the most difficult thing that you have to go through your entire pre-dental school and dental school years you have got it made my friend. Becoming a dentist is a marathon and you have barely started to train and you are throwing in the towel!!

I am well aware of this. Infact, this is whats really fueling my insecurity right now. I haven't even finished the pre-reqs yet and I'm already buggin out. The girlfriend thing isn't really the cause of my recent troubles, it just adds insult to injury. I've been banging away this pre reqs with little difficulty. I don't doubt my intellectual ability, just my work ethic. It was midnight, I was only half way done a lab report, fully knowing I would only get 3 or 4 hours of sleep if I was lucky, and the new version of excel was pissing me off to no end. I completely flipped out, threw some books, decided I just didn't care anymore. I didn't care for about 4 days, skipping all classes, trying to figure out what desk job would suit me for the rest of my 20's. I come from a more or less wealthy family, and I don't really care if I pull a dentists income or an average joe income. If my parents are any indicator, my future wife will spend it all on crap I dont care about anyway. I really do want to be a dentist, everything else equal. But the current system has it set up so you have to be a complete tight *** just to get in the club. I just don't know if its worth it...

 

[NewMexDent]

I am well aware of this. Infact, this is whats really fueling my insecurity right now. I haven't even finished the pre-reqs yet and I'm already buggin out. The girlfriend thing isn't really the cause of my recent troubles, it just adds insult to injury. I've been banging away this pre reqs with little difficulty. I don't doubt my intellectual ability, just my work ethic. It was midnight, I was only half way done a lab report, fully knowing I would only get 3 or 4 hours of sleep if I was lucky, and the new version of excel was pissing me off to no end. I completely flipped out, threw some books, decided I just didn't care anymore. I didn't care for about 4 days, skipping all classes, trying to figure out what desk job would suit me for the rest of my 20's. I come from a more or less wealthy family, and I don't really care if I pull a dentists income or an average joe income. If my parents are any indicator, my future wife will spend it all on crap I dont care about anyway. I really do want to be a dentist, everything else equal. But the current system has it set up so you have to be a complete tight *** just to get in the club. I just don't know if its worth it...

Then maybe it's not. Dentistry it not for everyone, and dental school is not for everyone. If you have doubts, then maybe it's not for you. It's ok to decide you don't want to go through with it. Just find something else to do that you would like as much as dentistry.

Also, you don't have to be a tight *** just to get in the club - pre-dents are way more relaxed than pre-meds, for example. I have really good pre-dent friends who I consider to be the least tight *** people I know, and they got in to dental school.

 

[sublimegd]

Also, you don't have to be a tight *** just to get in the club - pre-dents are way more relaxed than pre-meds, for example. I have really good pre-dent friends who I consider to be the least tight *** people I know, and they got in to dental school.

I should have chose my words more carefully. What I mean is, you have to be very hard working, motivated, and willing to give up a lot of free time that could be spent having fun. I'm not putting down anyone for this, its a very noble attribute to be tight *** in my book. I wish I could be a tight ***...

 

[JMJRDH1]

I come from a more or less wealthy family, and I don't really care if I pull a dentists income or an average joe income. If my parents are any indicator, my future wife will spend it all on crap I dont care about anyway. I really do want to be a dentist, everything else equal. But the current system has it set up so you have to be a complete tight *** just to get in the club. I just don't know if its worth it...

If you are this unsure at this stage of the game, then I highly doubt that Dentistry, or any other career that requires tons of hard work, perseverance and dedication, is right for you.

If the fire is not even on yet and you are ready to bail, when the heat is on you are gonna fry for sure.

 

[sublimegd]

If you are this unsure at this stage of the game, then I highly doubt that Dentistry, or any other career that requires tons of hard work, perseverance and dedication, is right for you.
If fire is not even on yet and you are ready to bail, when the heat is on you are gonna fry for sure.

I think your right. I'm currently looking into careers that don't require tons of hard work, perseverance and dedication. Any suggestions?

 

[1992Corolla]

I think your right. I'm currently looking into careers that don't require tons of hard work, perseverance and dedication. Any suggestions?

Dude, everyone fells like you do. I remember I was in under grad trying to get a perspective on the 'real' world. I asked my rich orthodontist uncle how he got through it all, with a 3.99 dental school GPA from Lincoln. He told me he had the "fire in his belly". I didn't have this so called 'fire' at that point, so I asked him, "Did you ever question whether it was worth it?"

He told me something I never forgot:

"Everyday"

He stuck to it, worked hard and NOW he works 3 days a week, and has so much career freedom it would make anyone look at what he does (dentistry) and the lifestyle it provides get the 'fire' to push forward.

I say stick with it, get some amphetamines to cool your rage - or a stable study buddy - and hit it again, but take it one step at a time, like a marathon.

Again, these classes you are taking are just some hoops to jump through until the final day when you are your own boss, working your own hours, and doing what you want when you want.

 

[blankguy]

Dude, everyone fells like you do. I remember I was in under grad trying to get a perspective on the 'real' world. I asked my rich orthodontist uncle how he got through it all, with a 3.99 dental school GPA from Lincoln. He told me he had the "fire in his belly". I didn't have this so called 'fire' at that point, so I asked him, "Did you ever question whether it was worth it?"

He told me something I never forgot:

"Everyday"

He stuck to it, worked hard and NOW he works 3 days a week, and has so much career freedom it would make anyone look at what he does (dentistry) and the lifestyle it provides get the 'fire' to push forward.

I say stick with it, get some amphetamines to cool your rage - or a stable study buddy - and hit it again, but take it one step at a time, like a marathon.

Again, these classes you are taking are just some hoops to jump through until the final day when you are your own boss, working your own hours, and doing what you want when you want.

I'm under impression that the dental school experience is going to be a little bit like trying to hold your breath for 15 minutes under water.

 

[airsimon]

Funny that you mention that. I actually have nightmares about what will happen if I don't get in. A few days ago I had a chem test and earlier in the day I saw a postal worker delivering mail, and I thought to myself, "Oh crap I am going to get a B on this test and the next tests will only be harder. I am going to become a mailman."

Luckily I got a 95 but it's still really nerve racking to not know whether you can join the profession you have chosen and put a lot of effort into joining.

haha failing test=becoming mailman. It's funny how the human brain works. You guys need to read Rich Dad Poor Dad. 👍

 

[rewJW]

Funny that you mention that. I actually have nightmares about what will happen if I don't get in. A few days ago I had a chem test and earlier in the day I saw a postal worker delivering mail, and I thought to myself, "Oh crap I am going to get a B on this test and the next tests will only be harder. I am going to become a mailman."

ROFL *both* of my parents' professions got insulted in this thread ... my dad IS a mailman and my mother is a teacher!

My mom (obviously) did have to go to a 4 year school to get her job, and although she makes 'jack' she is very happy and loves her job, and ultimately that's what matters. She gets to make a difference in kids' lives.

My dad on the other hand complains about how he'll never get to retire and he shoulda gone to college instead of war (he got sent to Vietnam as soon as he graduated high school and went to work rather than college when he got back home).

Money has always been tight but my parents have been happy and instilled in me the 'can do' attitude that I've found highly useful in this whole dental school process. It will be nice to not have the monetary woes my parents did when I have children; but ultimately I am choosing dentistry because I want to make a difference in the lives of people the way my dentist did for me 😀

 

[sublimegd]

Dude, everyone fells like you do. I remember I was in under grad trying to get a perspective on the 'real' world. I asked my rich orthodontist uncle how he got through it all, with a 3.99 dental school GPA from Lincoln. He told me he had the "fire in his belly". I didn't have this so called 'fire' at that point, so I asked him, "Did you ever question whether it was worth it?"

He told me something I never forgot:

"Everyday"

Thanks for your words of encouragement, really. I think I've pretty much decided to finish off this semester as best I can (although I have to withdraw from my bio2 lab, b/c the best I can now do is a C, so the chances of pulling a D are too high imo). Then instead of finishing up orgo2 and some labs, studying for the DAT, and not having a full application in till September, I'm just going to get the best job I can find (I have a double econ and psych degree, so hopefully I won't end up homeless). My hope is that this will somehow light the "fire in my belly," because right now I know I don't have the motivation to get through dental school. Thanks again.