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How did you guys deal with managing getting good grades, working, volunteering, shadowing, etc while maintaining a healthy social life.
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how does one manage everything
- Thread starter binky23
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Gratuitous amounts of caffeine
Edit: Thought we were talking about med school. For UG it's really not that hard. Study when you need to, volunteer/work when you've got time to, and set a couple nights a week aside to chill/have a social life. Freshman year was definitely an adjustment, but once you mature a bit there's more than enough time for everything OP listed. Unless you're gunning for 100% on every test, but if that's the case you've got bigger problems than time management...
Edit: Thought we were talking about med school. For UG it's really not that hard. Study when you need to, volunteer/work when you've got time to, and set a couple nights a week aside to chill/have a social life. Freshman year was definitely an adjustment, but once you mature a bit there's more than enough time for everything OP listed. Unless you're gunning for 100% on every test, but if that's the case you've got bigger problems than time management...
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Fake it till you make it.
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Add on a little bit at a time to see what you can handle. My list of priorities are, in order of importance:
1. Grades
2. Self care
3. Service
4. Shadowing
5. Research
I like the term "self care" rather than social life. Self care implies that you are looking after yourself first, which may include being social. You need to take care of yourself no matter how you fill your time. I highly suggest that you resist the temptation to cut the things out that you "don't need" like being social, having fun, etc. You do need them, which is why on my list I take care of my grades and self care over anything else. Come up with your own mental list and see what is important to you. Add numbers to your list over time, and assess how your life is a few weeks after adding an item up on there.
1. Grades
2. Self care
3. Service
4. Shadowing
5. Research
I like the term "self care" rather than social life. Self care implies that you are looking after yourself first, which may include being social. You need to take care of yourself no matter how you fill your time. I highly suggest that you resist the temptation to cut the things out that you "don't need" like being social, having fun, etc. You do need them, which is why on my list I take care of my grades and self care over anything else. Come up with your own mental list and see what is important to you. Add numbers to your list over time, and assess how your life is a few weeks after adding an item up on there.
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Assuming you're asking about med school...
Focus on studying.
Don't work.
Volunteer sparingly, and only when you actually care about the cause.
Others may disagree but I don't find shadowing in med school particularly fun or worth the time.
Can't comment on the social life, I'm a hermit.
Focus on studying.
Don't work.
Volunteer sparingly, and only when you actually care about the cause.
Others may disagree but I don't find shadowing in med school particularly fun or worth the time.
Can't comment on the social life, I'm a hermit.
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I was actually talking about undergrad
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Ah, this probably belongs in pre-allo then.
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Moving to pre-med forums.
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During the semester, choose two of the following: good grades, sleep, a social life.
I did the majority of my shadowing/volunteering during the summer.
I did the majority of my shadowing/volunteering during the summer.
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If a "social life" is that important to you, pick a person to study with. Two birds, one stone. That's about all the time you get for being social in medical school, so if it's already affecting you in UG that's not a good sign because balancing everything in UG was way easier....
In UG I only studied maybe an hour or two a day (sometimes a week)...med school ive been studying 8-12 hours a day
In UG I only studied maybe an hour or two a day (sometimes a week)...med school ive been studying 8-12 hours a day
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This is how you learn to prioritize. What matters most? Then what? Etc.
If your goal is med school, grades should be your number two priority. Your health should always be number one. If a social life is important to you, then you figure out when you can fit social activities in around studying and eating/sleeping. When you factor that in, plug research/volunteering/shadowing into whatever time is left over. If you don't have much time, then you prioritize again. The stuff that gets left behind is stuff you can push in when you make room (like in the summer where you don't have to worry about school).
This is not hard. You just have to do it.
Edited for grammar.
If your goal is med school, grades should be your number two priority. Your health should always be number one. If a social life is important to you, then you figure out when you can fit social activities in around studying and eating/sleeping. When you factor that in, plug research/volunteering/shadowing into whatever time is left over. If you don't have much time, then you prioritize again. The stuff that gets left behind is stuff you can push in when you make room (like in the summer where you don't have to worry about school).
This is not hard. You just have to do it.
Edited for grammar.
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Maintain a schedule and stick to it! I worked 30-35 hours a week while maintains full courseload, volunteering and doing research. It can be done but you've got to prioritize your time. In the social life aspect, develop friends in school or work or volunteering. Hang out with them since their priorities will match yours. Find people who want the same things you do because you'll soon see that if y'all have the same end goal it can push each to do better. Not to mention it's great to have a study buddy!!
