how do you handle mental fatigue/burnout from premed stress?

[mrh125]

during my premed courses and even now more so as I study for the mcat again I struggle with being burnt-out and feeling totally fatigued and sick of what I'm doing even though I love what i'm doing (or at least what it leads to). How do you deal with this? if I take a break from this business it's only going to be harder and more competitive and I was hoping to not retake the mcat and that'd give me a year before med school to just chill out from super intense med stuff, but im retaking now.

how do you handle mental fatigue/burnout from premed stress? what helps you? The more I try the more and more ballistic the demands get, hell, i found out about how much volunteering I needed to do to be a competitive applicant (i'm accomplishing it now) on the day of my last final, not fun.

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[taffer]

I would stay away from SDN. >.>

I didn't discover this place until after I had done my interviews and I think that helped a lot.

 

[Oso]

By not starting 4859593 SDN threads.

Seriously though, if you're stressed, chances are reading about applicants and their accomplishments on SDN will only make you feel like you aren't doing enough and stress you out more. If you're pressed for time, why spend the time to write a bunch of super long posts critiquing the app process? Use this time for academics, ECs, and social life, so that you can have a successful app cycle.

Take breaks from studying, hang with your friends, and remember that there is more to life outside of premed thingies. If you need to take some time off after college, then do so. I've been working and volunteering during my gap year but it's chill compared to studying for classes. I feel refreshed for medical school (which will kick my ass either way). You can also use time off to improve your EC's and make your app stronger. Good luck.

 

[youmed]

Enough SDN for today mrh125.

 

[Mad Jack]

Friends, sex, movies, and alcohol.

Take 50cc PO as needed until problems resolve or you can no longer remember them.

 

[Frostbite22]

Watched sad documentaries about people who were forced into brothels at age 12 and realized how lucky I was to even be in college. Thought about how my parents worked at walmart for barely minimum and realized I didn't want that life.

Studying for the MCAT/pre-med courses/volunteering are really nothing compared to other things. Quit your whining and buck up.

 

[yanks26dmb]

Get mentally tougher? It's really not that stressful....

 

[mrh125]

Get mentally tougher? It's really not that stressful....

it's not that way for everyone. it takes me most of my free-time to be able to succeed (8 hrs a day studying) and fulfill all the requirements. That leaves little time to decompress or do much of anything. take on course requirements, dealing with bad advise from advisors, increasing competition and it's very stressful. if you did the same thing 8 hours and ended up borderline the range you needed you'd be so burnt out.

 

[Patassa]

Everything you need has been covered.

This thread is complete. Good job, guys.

To recap, grow up, grow a pair, grow an alcohol collection.

 

[Patassa]

Friends, sex, movies, and alcohol.

Take 50cc PO as needed until problems resolve or you can no longer remember them.

Solid

 

[Microglia]

it's not that way for everyone. it takes me most of my free-time to be able to succeed (8 hrs a day studying) and fulfill all the requirements. That leaves little time to decompress or do much of anything. take on course requirements, dealing with bad advise from advisors, increasing competition and it's very stressful. if you did the same thing 8 hours and ended up borderline the range you needed you'd be so burnt out.

Sounds inefficient. Undergrad studying shouldn't take this much unless you're at MIT or a chemE or something. Definitely reevaluate how you study, find the most efficient methods. The time to do this is before med school. Best of luck OP, and get off SDN tonight.

 

[gettheleadout]

Am I the only one that thinks recommending alcohol use as a coping mechanism is a bad idea?

 

[NontradCA]

Get mentally tougher? It's really not that stressful....

It is stressful, especially for younger people. You can get lost in a sea of pre-med bs, that you forget why you're learning seemingly useless information you'll never use again in the first place. Compound this with the fact that what you're doing is essentially all on you and that you have to take all the responsibility. College is stressful. Sure there are different levels of stress but that's not the way humans work. There is no such thing as first world problems. That's a bull**** argument. I'm a combat veteran and often times get caught up in the trivial things. While you can get clarity by experiencing something extremely difficult, and it may change you- you're simply not going to hold that same frame of mind forever. Humans adapt, and unless you're constantly being reminded of hardship, your mindset will change to "first world". Get off your high horse. Kthx

 

[Patassa]

Am I the only one that thinks recommending alcohol use as a coping mechanism is a bad idea?

Don't get all medical on us.

 

[Patassa]

It is stressful, especially for younger people. You can get lost in a sea of pre-med bs, that you forget why you're learning seemingly useless information you'll never use again in the first place. Compound this with the fact that what you're doing is essentially all on you and that you have to take all the responsibility. College is stressful. Sure there are different levels of stress but that's not the way humans work. There is no such thing as first world problems. That's a bullcrap argument. I'm a combat veteran and often times get caught up in the trivial things. While you can get clarity by experiencing something extremely difficult, and it may change you- you're simply not going to hold that same frame of mind forever. Humans adapt, and unless you're constantly being reminded of hardship, your mindset will change to "first world". Get off your high horse. Kthx

What's wrong with reminding yourself of hardship and refocusing your perspective?

There are definitely first world problems.

 

[NontradCA]

What's wrong with reminding yourself of hardship and refocusing your perspective?

Well first of all, it's hard to know hardships unless you experience them. Secondly, I'm saying that being a pre-med is stressful. A lot of vets I know call people ******* for various reasons, but they fail to realize that the environment they are in (military, infantry, warzone etc) hardens them, and that it's not an attitude that comes naturally. If someone is saying they're having a hard time, chances of them being honest about it is high. It takes a lot of courage to say that you need help.

 

[No Limits]

By not starting 4859593 SDN threads.


Take breaks from studying, hang with your friends, and remember that there is more to life outside of premed thingies. If you need to take some time off after college, then do so. I've been working and volunteering during my gap year but it's chill compared to studying for classes. I feel refreshed for medical school (which will kick my ass either way). You can also use time off to improve your EC's and make your app stronger. Good luck.

This. Every now and then its good to take a break from the books and just hang out with friends. Join clubs and hang out with people who have the same interest as you. If you are not shy you can also take a more direct approach. Play sports? Join a intramural league. Like video games? Organize a game night or look for one then destroy your friends on whatever game you play. Heck you can even head to the gym and meet a couple guys you can work out with weekly.

Just find something to take you away from the stress of everyday life (NOT DRUGS <--- I feel I have to say that lol ) and it could do wonders for you mentally.

 

[itsthat1guy]

women and bars

 

[Mad Jack]

Am I the only one that thinks recommending alcohol use as a coping mechanism is a bad idea?

 

[mcloaf]

Exercise exercise exercise. I never missed a workout because of school stuff in undergrad, and it hasn't happened yet in med school. Though it can be hard to set aside time to take care of yourself, you end up on top in the long run because it helps you stay focused and be more productive.

 

[amazing tekkers]

On twitter, all I see are high schoolers complaining about classes, ec's, clubs, social life. Funny how you forget how "demanding" high school was when you experience pre-med life.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

On twitter, all I see are high schoolers complaining about classes, ec's, clubs, social life. Funny how you forget how "demanding" high school was when you experience pre-med life.

Why do you follow so many high schoolers on twitter?

 

[amazing tekkers]

Why do you follow so many high schoolers on twitter?

Idiots retweeting other tweets that clog my timeline.

 

[Lambda Phage]

Perspective.

 

[phunky]

Realize that premed is a joke compared to medical school and residency and man the **** up (seriously).

 

[mrh125]

Realize that premed is a joke compared to medical school and residency and man the **** up (seriously).

things are different for different people. "man up" is just a copout to avoid giving real advice.

 

[AngelOfAvarice]

^ this to the 23rd power

 

[Pacna]

(8 hrs a day studying)

In undergrad? You're doing something incredibly wrong.

 

[BamaNicole]

working out helped me.

Going for a run as a study break during my MCAT studying was a lifesaver.

 

[Lucca]

Find a more efficient way to study

Get off SDN

Workout.



This advice isn't just for you mrh. Its for all of us.

 

[ToldYouSo]

There's no way you actually spend 8 hours a day studying. If you are, then you don't know how to study effectively and so I could understand the stress. Still, you're exaggerating and there's a big disconnect with that claim and the amount of threads/posts you have on sdn.

 

[gumdrops]

I hear ya, OP. I seriously look like I've aged five years in the last two due to all of this stress. Above all, remember it's all worth it when you get that acceptance letter. What helped most on a day-to-day basis was taking this process one day at a time and keeping up a healthy diet and exercise regimen. I really need to resume both myself but my stress seemed so much more manageable when I wasn't physically enervated as well as mentally fatigued. Good luck to you!

 

[mrh125]

There's no way you actually spend 8 hours a day studying. If you are, then you don't know how to study effectively and so I could understand the stress. Still, you're exaggerating and there's a big disconnect with that claim and the amount of threads/posts you have on sdn.

actually im not exaggerating in the slightest. i've easily put in 8 hour days with courses such as ochem. At times my 8 hours are overdoing it but most of the time they're not. There's a big disconnect between your pov and the reality (not everyone handles information and has a brain that works the same as yours) .

And my "not studying effectively" got me A+s all the way through ochem, As in gen chem, As in most upper div courses, and gen bio, which is something i've never been able to do in my life before college. I worked as hard as I could to get the grades, not everyone can do a 1 hr a day with 5 million e.c.s and not everyone's brain works the same way as yours. Also if you take 4 subjects spending an hour-2 hrs a day really isn't that

This is such typical premed bs if you put the time you need to succeed you're called inefficient and ineffective at studying, and if you dont "you're lazy and anyone can do better". such bs.

 

[Lya]

actually im not exaggerating in the slightest. i've easily put in 8 hour days with courses such as ochem. Your logic also makes absolutely zero sense in that post, so try again. At times my 8 hours are overdoing it but most of the time they're not. There's a big disconnect between your pov and the reality (not everyone handles information and has a brain that works the same as yours) .

And my "not studying effectively" got me A+s all the way through ochem, As in gen chem, As in most upper div courses, and gen bio, which is something i've never been able to do in my life before college. I worked as hard as I could to get the grades, not everyone can do a 1 hr a day with 5 million e.c.s and not everyone's brain works the same way as yours.

This is such typical premed bs if you put the time you need to succeed you're called inefficient and ineffective at studying, and if you dont "you're lazy and anyone can do better". such bs.

My sister attends Swarthmore, one of toughest liberal art schools to get a high GPA, and I used to make fun of her by saying her only extracurricular activities are doing her homework and studying. So I can see that you are doing your best, at least from your perspective.

I understand that you cannot have a lot of time for ECs, but what I would do is to prioritize as much as you can and spread out the difficult courses.

Above all, one of main reasons that I did not feel burnout in my undergrad was because of my study groups--I relied on my pre-med or biology friends whenever I felt stressed out. Hang out with your pre-med friends, and do your homework and studying together every now and then. They are great support systems that firsthand understand what you are going through. Whenever I do some of my ECs, there are friends or people I enjoy working with and hang out with. Some of them are not my best friends, per se, but at least I enjoy being in company with them. In my difficult courses, I tried to take it at the same time as my previous study group members take, so that I know whom I can ask for help or support whenever necessary. I think this was how I "enjoyed" my ECs and difficult courses, lowering the emotional burden.


I hope it helps.

 

[ToldYouSo]

actually im not exaggerating in the slightest. i've easily put in 8 hour days with courses such as ochem. At times my 8 hours are overdoing it but most of the time they're not. There's a big disconnect between your pov and the reality (not everyone handles information and has a brain that works the same as yours) .

And my "not studying effectively" got me A+s all the way through ochem, As in gen chem, As in most upper div courses, and gen bio, which is something i've never been able to do in my life before college. I worked as hard as I could to get the grades, not everyone can do a 1 hr a day with 5 million e.c.s and not everyone's brain works the same way as yours. Also if you take 4 subjects spending an hour-2 hrs a day really isn't that

This is such typical premed bs if you put the time you need to succeed you're called inefficient and ineffective at studying, and if you dont "you're lazy and anyone can do better". such bs.

You're honestly telling me that you spend 8 hours day actively studying with a book in front of you, not counting breaks, time not spent in class, eating etc...? If so then you absolutely are not studying effectively. It's great if it's getting you A's but you need to address your studying habits; how do you plan on adjusting to the workload of medschool if undergrad eats up so much of your time?

 

[mrh125]

You're honestly telling me that you spend 8 hours day actively studying with a book in front of you, not counting breaks, time not spent in class, eating etc...? If so then you absolutely are not studying effectively. It's great if it's getting you A's but you need to address your studying habits; how do you plan on adjusting to the workload of medschool if undergrad eats up so much of your time?

i can do the same thing in medical school. i'm one of those people who needs the time to get concepts to sink in and really understand them and there's no way around it in my experience. I eat while i study and take breaks, but still. most efficient i've been was 5-6. it takes a lot of time.

i'll get better in all fairness my reading comprehension, memory, and ability to work this information has had to improve a ton over the past few years. it'll get better but this is the amount of time it takes. bio has always been one of the most difficult subjects for me because of the memorization but it's gotten easier.

 

[Laureatebarrel]

Maybe to learn how much you can handle will be quite helpful. I mean do not push yourself to exhaustion one day and not be able to study the next few days. I used to take 21 credits and was very stressed out like you. Now I take only 15 each semester because i know my limit. Also appreciate your own works is helpful. If you get a good grade, appreciate how much you put into it.