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Alex G

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I am an honors freshman at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, and I have a few questions for you all :)

First, how do you all manage working and going to school? I don't even start until tomorrow and I'm already finding that there are a hundred different conflicts with work and school. I spoke to my parents and we agreed that, if I found myself stretched too thin trying to work and go to school, they would find a way to make it work so I could just focus on school. However, I don't want to put that burden on them. Any tips?

Second, what are some good books I can pick up about particularly difficult classes I will be faced with and the experience of being pre-vet in general? For example, I already ordered two "Organic Chemistry as a Second Language" books in preparation for the dreaded course.

Finally, what are some things you wish you had known as a freshman that you know now? What is some good advice you can give me?

Thanks in advance,
Alex :D

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Welcome to the forum, Alex!

Working/volunteering/etc. & school: Take things slowly. With work and school, you're already going to have to balance the two, so be careful not to overextend yourself by joining a whole bunch of new organizations. I'm not saying you shouldn't do anything but work and school, but analyze the time commitment before jumping in.

Books: No suggestions other than what you've already purchased.

Things I wish I'd known: Taking time to find how you learn best is worth it. I did well enough my first semester, but I was really inefficient because I didn't play around with study techniques.
 
Working/volunteering/club participation is something you are going to have to learn to balance. This is just learning time management and personal priorities. Get a planner if those work for you (I fail at planners) but some people like them.

As far as things I wish I knew:
There are a lot of things.
Spanish class worth 4crd is important to pay attention in.

Never be afraid to ask for help: If you need tutoring, math help, money help, car help, etc. ask.

Don't be afraid to have a dialogue with profs and TA's.

Umbrellas are helpful when it rains.

Don't burn bridges, you never know when you may need to cross them again.

Sitting in front of class really does nothing to put you on the profs good side, just don't sit in the very back.
 
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O-Chem tips:
-a little bit of O-Chem (like an hour or two) every day is the way to go. DO NOT get behind if you can possibly help it.
-if you are a visual person, make a flashcard for every type of reaction and also build models.
-studying with friends is always good - what you don't understand, they will and vice versa.

It's really not as bad as everyone made it out to be. I really enjoyed it and thought it made a LOT more sense than GenChem or Physics. If you stay on top of it, it's manageable.
 
O-Chem tips:
-a little bit of O-Chem (like an hour or two) every day is the way to go. DO NOT get behind if you can possibly help it.
-if you are a visual person, make a flashcard for every type of reaction and also build models.
-studying with friends is always good - what you don't understand, they will and vice versa.

It's really not as bad as everyone made it out to be. I really enjoyed it and thought it made a LOT more sense than GenChem or Physics. If you stay on top of it, it's manageable.

I have to agree, I found O-Chem easy compared to GenChem, and should I go as far as to say I enjoyed O-chem...
 
Working full time while in school is probably possible for the first year or two, at least in the sciences.

Most people I've met hit the wall around sophmore/junior year, right around physics and o-chem. When you start taking those 300 level bio courses, your time evaporates, too.

If you're at community college, your work longevity is probably a little longer. Pretty much everyone there with you will be holding down a job too, so the instructors tailor the courses to reflect that.

Personally, I took a summer condensed Gen. Chem course that was the hardest thing I've ever done academically. I made it through the first two weeks while working full time at night and then realized that I was going to come out with a C if I didn't make a change. So I quit my job and applied for the Stafford loan.

I guess you just have to be able to anticipate what your threshold is, and be willing to tweak your life accordingly.
 
. Get a planner if those work for you (I fail at planners) but some people like them.

.


Google calendar synced to iPhone, plus a copy of it in Microsoft OneNote where I take all my notes, plus a giant white board calendar on the wall. And I still forget things. Oopsies.
 
Google calendar synced to iPhone, plus a copy of it in Microsoft OneNote where I take all my notes, plus a giant white board calendar on the wall. And I still forget things. Oopsies.

Lol, I still carry around a paper planner, plus I have a giant whiteboard calendar. I always tell people if it's not in the planner, it doesn't exist in my world, so don't ask me to schedule stuff without it!

To the OP: time management is a very important skill to acquire at this point in your life. Trust me on this one. Practice it. I managed to succeed in undergrad as a Very Busy Person because I got very good at time management. Also, remember that managing your time for a full course load of english lit/humanities type classes is a very different story than managing your time for science classes, and plan accordingly. Do not feel like you have to do more stuff to match what other people are doing - do as much as you can and want to, and remember to take some time to enjoy the sights.
 
I see a lot of people talking about things they wish they knew about studying, but I'm going to throw this in there: studying isn't everything. I was so afraid if I didn't get an A in every class that I'd never get into vet school. I over-prepared for every exam and went above and beyond on papers just so I could feel OK. By senior year, I burned out. My friends were my textbooks. I had anxiety attacks in lecture.

In short: don't do that. Maintain a healthy balance, even if you have to schedule in leisure time, do so.
 
The corollary to the above advice:

Pick course work that is challenging and that will help distinguish you as an applicant. If you can handle taking more upper-level courses, you should do so. I've always set out to do my best in every class I took and put top-notch effort into everything I've done. After all, why not? Everything I've submitted and taken is a reflection of my ability as a student, leader, etc. Put your best foot forward but don't be afraid to ask others for help support, etc.

Oh, and the first two years or so of undergraduate are definitely lighter, so make sure to enjoy that bit of freedom while it lasts :)
 
Thank you everyone for your advice and support. I can tell this is a very good community and one I will probably be grateful to have found in the coming years. I have another question. I have an interest in exotic animals, specifically reptiles. Once I'm in vet school, how do I tailor my education around that interest? Or is it just sort of like... you learn all about different animals and then decide once you graduate what you want to specialize in?
 
Thank you everyone for your advice and support. I can tell this is a very good community and one I will probably be grateful to have found in the coming years. I have another question. I have an interest in exotic animals, specifically reptiles. Once I'm in vet school, how do I tailor my education around that interest? Or is it just sort of like... you learn all about different animals and then decide once you graduate what you want to specialize in?

If you have an interest in the care and medicine of exotic species, you would be best suited to explore it while in college. Try volunteering with zoos and/or other areas where veterinarians who practice the discipline you are interested in work so you can observe them sufficiently in person. When it comes time to apply, you will be able to write a strong personal statement that speaks to your desire and ability to pursue a career in that facet of the veterinary profession. This isn't to say that people can't (or don't) rethink their plans once in professional school, but you should definitely fire off some emails, make some phone calls, etc and see what's available in your area. You may find it hard to make an impression as an undergraduate, but if you are polite, confident, and above all persistent you may be surprised where you end up.
 
If you have an interest in the care and medicine of exotic species, you would be best suited to explore it while in college. Try volunteering with zoos and/or other areas where veterinarians who practice the discipline you are interested in work so you can observe them sufficiently in person. When it comes time to apply, you will be able to write a strong personal statement that speaks to your desire and ability to pursue a career in that facet of the veterinary profession. This isn't to say that people can't (or don't) rethink their plans once in professional school, but you should definitely fire off some emails, make some phone calls, etc and see what's available in your area. You may find it hard to make an impression as an undergraduate, but if you are polite, confident, and above all persistent you may be surprised where you end up.
I'm actually very lucky to have an exotics vet in the herpetological association that I'm a board member on. I'm hoping that, if he won't allow me to get experience with him, he can direct me to someone who will. If using what few connections I have at 18 fails, then I figure it'll be time to pound the pavement to see if anyone will take me on.
 
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Just got an internship today :) I start Wednesday. Wish me luck!!!
 
The very best of luck to you. Have fun and make friends (and contacts).
 
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