First year college pre-meds?

[Destroy364]

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Hi everyone,

I just found SDN and have been reading through some of your posts. This seems like a great place to hang out. Just a little about myself- I'm a first year pre-med at UC Berkeley planning on majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. Things I'm involved in right now- research assistant at a neuroscience lab, where we're developing a visual search test experiment for studying the vision of hearing vs. congenitally deaf persons, writing for the science and technology section of the Daily Cal, volunteering at the cancer center at a hospital nearby.

Everyone seems to be discussing med school acceptances and such...any other youngsters out there like me? I'd like to hear from you guys too!

Jesse

 

[Hallm_7]

check your PMs

 

[funkmasta]

Wow, I've been reading the messages here for the past couple of months, and was beginning to think I was the only younger pre-med about. About myself -- freshman at Brown hoping to major in chemistry and econ. I also work in a lab, but the focus is Molecular Microbio/Immunology, specifically studying structure/function relationships of RNases H. I do debate and a little volunteering with a sickle cell anemia program at the children's hospital here... I'd attempt to be more involved, but I feel so overwhelmed with orgo and what not. AAAAHHHH! My other friends (non pre-med) are so calm, so serene. It's all very frustrating, and I often find myself wondering if it's truly worth it, especially considering that the pre-med advisor here essentially lets freshmen struggle by themselves. I think the advising truly begins sophomore year -- but what good will that do me if I need help now?? I'm interested to hear how you've been adjusting to being a pre-med. I've heard terrible things about the people at Berkeley.

 

[Hallm_7]

I vote that we get more younger pre-meds posting on here more often. There are several things that we could each have help and support on from others who are in the same position as we are. Class selection, study tips, etc. Just don't let SDN become your life at such an early point in college........ 😎

 

[Pawnym]

I'm a 2nd semester Freshman.

College is excellent, life is good, my picture works(gracias Foxy)

I have my own inspirational story(like others post), but I'll save it for when I get accepted to a med school in 2 years. hehehe

 

[MAPKinkster]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by funkmasta:
•I've heard terrible things about the people at Berkeley.•••••it's true. we are terrible people. must be the good weather...mapk

 

[UCLA2000]

Here's some advice for all the new premeds out there. I went to a very competitive school so don't flame me!

Make your premed friends early, and keep them. They will be your study buddies and you will keep each other motivated.

Don't trust premeds that you don't know because you can't be sure what their intentions are.

Make sure to always get a copy of joint lab reports BEFORE leaving class.

Don't leave your class notes lying around a group of premeds that you don't know very well.

Don't fall into the trap of tuturing people through classes that don't give a **** about you. I know a few girls that I literally got through biochem and they haven't called me since....ungrateful b*tches.

Don't listen to people who say they didn't study. They're full of ****.

Don't expect people to show up to study groups. Start on your own so you don't waste half the night waiting.

Don't let undergrad friends convince you to party when you should be studying. After undergrad you'll never see 99% of these people again...but the bad grade will still be on your transcript.

Try to get an A in every class you take, and if you fall short figure out what you did wrong and try harder next time. Don't get down on yourself. Premed is a lonely road.

Don't get caught up in the competitiveness. Do what you gotta do to get good grades, but don't sacrifice screw others over. (You want to help people not screw them remember?)

Don't let others screw you..watch ur back.

Don't give class notes to people you don't know. If they haven't bothered to get to know you before they need a favor from you then don't feel obligated to help them. This also counts for people who want to be your friend a week before the final.

Go to office hours. It's the best way to get teachers to know you. Don't be that dork that only shows up the day before the midterm and wastes everyone's time by asking stupid questions. Office hours are the best place to learn what the teacher feels is important. In addition attending office hours is a great way to get a letter of rec.

Volunteering is a great thing to do but don't sacrifice your grades by over doing it. If your grades start to slip cut back on the volunteer hours.

Find out from people you trust which teachers to take, and which to avoid. Work smarter not harder.

Take an easier teacher anytime you can. Don't listen to the bs about a teacher that grades harder but teaches really well. By the time you get to the mcat you will have forgotten most of what you had learned...but the grade will remain.

No matter how bad things seem to get make sure to go out and do something fun at least once a week. I personally refuse to study on Friday evening.

Working out is a great stress relief. It will help you to focus better and it is well worth it.

If you find that you're tired and unable to study as much as you need to try this:

study as long as you can until you're tired. Sleep for 1 hour (set alarm clock) wake up and study as long as you can (sleep for an hour) etc. Sleeping for an hour will refresh you more than you'd imagine. You'll get alot of work done when you need to cram.

Study for the MCAT as though you're only going to take it once. Don't study with the idea in your head that you'll probably end up taking it again later. It'll be an excuse to slack off.

ok hope some of that helps...

 

[NRAI2001]

HEY Destroyer,

 

[NRAI2001]

Hey Destroy364

I am a first year at ucb also. I am majoring in Intergrative Bio. Wow i thought that I was the only freshmen that came to this site, and now i find out that there is another freshmen and they go to UCB, this is pretty cool. I live in unit 3 maybe we could me some time.

 

[FLY]

WOW... THANKS UCLA2000.......

 

[oldman]

so many young pre-meds yummy

i remember frosh year. i felt cocky and got my ass wuppped.

don't worry if you get B's in all your science classes.. You too can go to med school.

 

[NRAI2001]

Thanks for the advice UCLA2000. I can already see a lot of the competitiveness and decite that many premeds can have.

 

[alice]

young premeds: here's my advice. work hard, but realize that while premed is hard, it's the easiest your life will be for a long time. med school and residency will be much tougher. and the application process is the only time when being truly neurotic comes in handy. so while i'm glad for your sakes you've found SDN (it is a wealth of info and support), my advice to you is to bookmark it and forget about it for a few years. go outside and toss a frisbee. drink a beer. you're in college!!!! don't get obsessive now or you may realize that you don't want to go into medicine after all and you've wasted the best four years of your life....

but i'm serious about the work hard aspect of the "work hard, play hard" message, too. good luck!

 

[tBw]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Destroy364:
• ...any other youngsters out there like me? I'd like to hear from you guys too!

Jesse•••••Welcome to SDN Jesse,

Unfortunately there are no youngsters here - in case you haven't heard pre-meds eat their young. <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> However, just because some of us aren't 'young' doesn't mean we all have med school acceptances 🙂 This place is a bit like the Noahs Ark of pre-meds - at least one of every species, so whatever stage you are at, and whatever is going on (pre-reqs, interviews, acceptances, financial aid, residency, etc) there always seems to be someone here whos done it before/doing it too, and has at least something to offer to your questions. Saddle up and enjoy the ride 🙂