Interviews and Sleep Deprivation

[gsmithers68]

Okay everyone.... so I have been thinking about what is more nerve racking the pre-interview jitters or the post-interview reflection and analysis. Of course we all have our ways of getting to sleep as it is... hehehe

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[braluk]

I think that post-interview is probably worse.

Think of when you took the MCATs. Yes you were nervous before taking it, but when the adrenaline started flowing when actually taking it, you did it and performed. Then came the waiting period after the MCAT in which you would make urself worry to death wondering about all the little things you could have done to make your score better (oh i did this question wrong, oh i should have done this or that) until your score actually comes out.

Same with interviews- yes you'll be nervous but then when the adrenaline starts pumping during the day, you probably wont be falling asleep and you'll just perform (for most people). Then afterwards, comes the time for self reflection and a time when most stsudents will probably overanalyze everything to death.

 

[Mr. Tee]

I sleep well before and after the interview...

I try not to think about it.

 

[Dr Durden]

Sleeping's never the problem for me, but I always seem to lose my appetite on interview days.

 

[Fiddlergirl]

I think waiting is the worst part. I'm waiting for my MCAT scores right now and veering between "Maybe I got a 35" and "I probably got a 20. Maybe I should register for the August MCAT now" about every five minutes. Waiting until the 26th is not making me very calm.

 

[Doctor~Detroit]

my "trick" isn't on the poll. i've learned that i get too anxious the night before important events to fall asleep easily. so what i do is get a poor night's sleep on the penultimate night before the interview. this works well if you are flying to an interview--just schedule the earliest flight available and get to sleep around midnight or later. then walk around the city and school that day before the interview, taking in the sights. take in a good meal in the evening, and lay out everything you will need for the next morning to ease any of those concerns. bam! tired and in bed asleep by around 11 pm. it's worked several times.

 

[StringerBell]

I had a connecting flight out of Chicago on the day before my interview. I had planned to arrive the night before my interview in the early evening to give myself plenty of time to unwind before the interview.

My flight was cancelled, the next flight was cancelled, the two flights after were delayed in excess of 4 hours. I ended up arriving at my hotel at 2:30 in the morning. Fortunately, I didn't have to be at the interview until noon.

 

[dasacohen]

I've now had two interviews in philly where I did this: took a red eye in the morning of the interview (arriving maybe at 6 am or something), pulled a clark kent in the bathroom, went to the school, interviewed, and flew back to california.

Been accepted to both schools, so I think that maybe because I was so tired I couldn't get nervous, because I was mostly just focusing on staying energetic and awake. Hey you do what you have to do...

 

[HumbleMD]

Interviews are always so early in the morning so that usually means less sleep (I can't go to bed at 10pm or anything). I usually take a nap afterwards, but then the evening of the interview is usually all about partying it up with student hosts!

 

[Amemus]

The only times I ever had problems sleeping were when I had nothing to do. I collapse every night just from exhaustion. I like it that way.. I feel efficient.

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

For some of my interviews I took benedryl to put me to sleep only because I usually get to bed around 3am most nights. If you've ever tried to sleep at 11pm when your body is used to something 4 hours later, you know what I mean when I say I toss around for 2 hours, get up fustrated, fool around for 1 hour and toss around for another hour.

Benedryl makes me lose REM sleep though, I wake up awfully groggy. And I have the sensation of a sleepy brain in a fully woken body.

 

[rlwebb]

One word: Ambien. Pop one of these and it's hello never-never land in half an hour. I recommend the normal ones, not the CR, fyi. Talk to your doctor.

 

[Doctor of Genes]

I am the cool cat!. Otherwise to relax just pop some (sounds like zicotin)

 

[thedelicatessen]

I was usually pretty sleep deprived before my interviews, but there was so much adrenaline going through my system that it didn't really matter. Before my first interview, I watched late night Food Network and then woke up super early and worked out at the hotel. Those were amazingly good times .

 

[jbrice1639]

i had a little trouble falling asleep before interviews (although once i was asleep, i had no trouble staying asleep). after the interviews it never even occurred to me to analyze the details...i was just happy the interview was done and i slept great that night.

 

[dannylee718]

I don't know about you guys, but I have trouble falling asleep DURING the interviews. can anyone else relate?

 

[Shpamme]

Pre interview hella sucks because of nervousness. I can't fall asleep, and then look at the clock at 3 AM and worry some more about how I haven't slept.

During interview hella sucks, especially when they dim the lights to show orientation videos. I usually stay awake despite little sleep because of the adrenaline, but the dimming the lights is the killer. It got me every time in OChem as a undergrad, and it still gets me now.

Post interview hella sucks fo sho. I overanalyze, run to the mailbox and do status checks even on Sundays, and sometimes feeling frustrated that I can't remember exactly what I did or said in interviews.

Sigh.

 

[Nomemory]

I've now had two interviews in philly where I did this: took a red eye in the morning of the interview (arriving maybe at 6 am or something), pulled a clark kent in the bathroom, went to the school, interviewed, and flew back to california.

I kinda love you a little for posting this. I have an interview at MSU next week and I'm praying I can pull this off. I work all day the day before and I'll be flying out right after work. My overnight flight is *supposed* to arrive that morning giving me enough time to shower, dress and drive to my interview. Then I fly back to CA, catch a few hours sleep and go to work the following day. Not exactly disaster-proof.