Is This Typical of Pre-Meds?

[premedmind]

OK, just to begin, I didn't make this thread to be funny or mock pre-meds (I am one).

I am a Junior in college and since my freshman year I have literally studied 24/7, 7 days a week. Literally. I have NEVER gone out, don't hang out with friends, or have done ANYTHING remotely entertaining since I've been a freshman (in terms of on a weekly basis).

Its kind of been getting to me lately as I am wondering if I am wasting my life in the books all day. I am also wondering if it is possible to get the same grades but put in half the effort.

I am the type of guy who NEEDS to study this hard to get the grades that I do (my GPA is 3.8, not perfect but not bad). Whenever I DON'T study, I literally get anxiety because I am not studying, and that I should hit the books. It's funny because I was NOTHING like this in high-school (in fact I should have studied a whole lot more). Sometimes I wonder if I could "slack off" just a bit more and get the same grades, and spend that extra free time relaxing/having fun.

Any comments?

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[MilkmanAl]

I am a Junior in college and since my freshman year I have literally studied 24/7, 7 days a week. Literally.

Well, you'd be pretty dead if you'd literally done that. Literally dead.

A 3.8 is an excellent GPA. I'd be proud of that. It sounds like you need to relax quite a bit. What you're experiencing is fairly typical, but that doesn't mean it's good or even okay. Burning out before med school even starts is not a good plan. Take some personal time to chill out and take your mind off the books.

 

[BlueElmo]

This applies to me my first two years in college. I also literally studied almost constantly with no breaks because I got anxiety attacks if I didn't hit the books.
But now, I am 3rd year and seriously burned out. I'm more chill now. I joined a fraternity and now I go out more often. I also go to the gym everyday. Relax more, dude.

 

[RySerr21]

OK, just to begin, I didn't make this thread to be funny or mock pre-meds (I am one).

I am a Junior in college and since my freshman year I have literally studied 24/7, 7 days a week. Literally. I have NEVER gone out, don't hang out with friends, or have done ANYTHING remotely entertaining since I've been a freshman (in terms of on a weekly basis).

Its kind of been getting to me lately as I am wondering if I am wasting my life in the books all day. I am also wondering if it is possible to get the same grades but put in half the effort.

I am the type of guy who NEEDS to study this hard to get the grades that I do (my GPA is 3.8, not perfect but not bad). Whenever I DON'T study, I literally get anxiety because I am not studying, and that I should hit the books. It's funny because I was NOTHING like this in high-school (in fact I should have studied a whole lot more). Sometimes I wonder if I could "slack off" just a bit more and get the same grades, and spend that extra free time relaxing/having fun.

Any comments?

Yikes man, I study a lot as well so i respect those that put in the time and effort, but you shouldnlt need to sacrifice EVERYTHING. You should have time for yourself, be involved with other things, have friends, play sports, watch tv, whatevever it is that you like to do but you should have something besides school work. As you may have started to notice, you will eventually lose your sanity living like that.

This semester I have really tried to take it easy and spend time enjoying school with my friends and gf. Dont get me wrong, I sitll study and am still busy, but i am havin a blast.

 

[nellia]

OK, just to begin, I didn't make this thread to be funny or mock pre-meds (I am one).

I am a Junior in college and since my freshman year I have literally studied 24/7, 7 days a week. Literally. I have NEVER gone out, don't hang out with friends, or have done ANYTHING remotely entertaining since I've been a freshman (in terms of on a weekly basis).

Its kind of been getting to me lately as I am wondering if I am wasting my life in the books all day. I am also wondering if it is possible to get the same grades but put in half the effort.

I am the type of guy who NEEDS to study this hard to get the grades that I do (my GPA is 3.8, not perfect but not bad). Whenever I DON'T study, I literally get anxiety because I am not studying, and that I should hit the books. It's funny because I was NOTHING like this in high-school (in fact I should have studied a whole lot more). Sometimes I wonder if I could "slack off" just a bit more and get the same grades, and spend that extra free time relaxing/having fun.

Any comments?

getting the grades to get into medical school is important, and that's awesome that you are so committed to your education.
HOWEVER. i have a PERSONAL BELIEF that having a social life ALSO contributes to preparing you for medical school.
think about it.. when you are a doctor, you aren't going to be reading a book all day.. you're going to be talking to patients and interacting with them. Also you will be interacting with your colleagues and collaborating with them. My life has been influenced so much by the people I have met in college and definitely for the better. I am also one of those people who needs to study to get good grades, however I make sure that I manage my time efficiently so that I study enough to get good grades, but also make time for friends and family.
So really, going out/socializing is HELPING you get into medical school.

 

[tncekm]

Not everybody will study the same amount. Some more, some less. Don't worry about what's typical. Worry about what YOU have to do to accomplish your goals.

Accomplishing your ultimate goal will not be an easy task, so don't expect life to be easy or fun. However, if you're burning out you need to find some time to relax. Take a lighter load on semester, take some time off, etc. IMHO, I think if its possible for you to do so, one thing that may be good for your application would be to take time off to go volunteer somewhere. You'd strengthen your application, get a mental break, and have gain the satisfaction that comes with doing good for people.

In short: Do what YOU must to (1) accomplish your goals, and (2) stay sane. Sometimes you'll have to make sacrifices.

Best of luck

 

[Chemist0157]

I study more than my friends, but I still make time to do fun stuff. Just chill

 

[han14tra]

You sound exactly like me. I'm a senior this year and have been accepted to 2 medical schools so far. I literally studied EVERY waking hour of every day of my first three years.

There is a downfall to this. What if the adcom asks, "So, what do you do for fun?" I literally had to make up something because I didn't want to reply, "I'm pre-med. I study 18 hours a day. I have no fun."

I also found it very frustrating to get rejections because you're putting all of yourself into this process, and getting a rejection is telling you that no matter what you won't be good enough for their school.

I just wish some of the medical schools knew how much I've put into this and took that into consideration.

P.S. DON'T BURNOUT RIGHT BEFORE THE MCAT. IT HAPPENED TO ME. I JUST COULDN'T DO IT ANYMORE.

 

[Fulfuric]

Not just premeds...but I hate students that demean other students.

A conversation I had with a girl a couple months ago:
Her: What's your major?
Me: Bio
Her: Oh really? What are you gonna do with it?
Me: I want to get into med school.
Her: Pssssh...*rolled her eyes* Oh! I want to get into pharm school!!!!
Me: *silence* All right, see ya later!

P.S. About the scrubs thing, I don't think it's such a problem wearing it around as long as it doesn't smell. I wear my scrubs (clean ones of course) to school because I go to work right after this...and I usually get to work right on the minute, so I don't have to to change. It really is a hassle carrying around clothes to change into and out of. My backpack is already stuffed and heavy as it is. If you live in AZ...you really don't wanna leave anything in the car during the hotter months or it'll feel like you're on fire when you wear them later since it's like 110. Oh...and I don't wear my scrubs to get attention because really, I'd much prefer wearing tennis shorts and a T-shirt or something like that to school.

 

[Hyperstudyosis]

OP, I know how you feel. I feel like I study constantly. There is no free time because I always have homework/studying to do. I've been able to keep an excellent gpa, but sometimes I wonder what I'm missing out on. Would it be better to have more life experiences and have a slightly lower gpa? I have found in some cases that I can slack off a little bit and still get equally good grades. This is not the case in all classes (I've found it doesn't work in physics!), but especially in general chem and anatomy and physiology, I found that I could slack some and still perform just the same. In my first semester of A and P, I spent so long studying for the exams. As soon as one was over, I would start that day studying for the next one. I probably put in 80+ hours for my exams (it was my first science class, so I was a little anal about it). In my second semester, I slacked off some, just because I was taking a heavier class load, and I started studying maybe 3 days before the exam. My grades were equally good both semesters. I probably have a better retention of the information I learned first semester because it was more spaced learning, but some slacking definitely didn't affect my grade. Same thing with gchem. This could be dangerous though! My first physics exam I thought it was going to be so easy and I slacked off and ended up with a 70. On my first ochem exam I did the same thing and got an 83. So I guess it depends on the class and what you're naturally better at.

 

[airplanes]

Look...it's definitely possible to have a lot of fun during undergrad and still be a productive student and attractive applicant for med school. don't burn yourself out now because 1) its not healthy, and 2) it's only going to get harder if you get into med school. I'm a senior and I've felt swamped many times in the past couple of years but I still make time for things I really enjoy no matter what.

 

[Ella Shepherd]

OK, just to begin, I didn't make this thread to be funny or mock pre-meds (I am one).

I am a Junior in college and since my freshman year I have literally studied 24/7, 7 days a week. Literally. I have NEVER gone out, don't hang out with friends, or have done ANYTHING remotely entertaining since I've been a freshman (in terms of on a weekly basis).

Its kind of been getting to me lately as I am wondering if I am wasting my life in the books all day. I am also wondering if it is possible to get the same grades but put in half the effort.

I am the type of guy who NEEDS to study this hard to get the grades that I do (my GPA is 3.8, not perfect but not bad). Whenever I DON'T study, I literally get anxiety because I am not studying, and that I should hit the books. It's funny because I was NOTHING like this in high-school (in fact I should have studied a whole lot more). Sometimes I wonder if I could "slack off" just a bit more and get the same grades, and spend that extra free time relaxing/having fun.

Any comments?

Hi there! I know how you feel, especially about the need to study that hard to get good grades. I also wasn't like this during high school and I also get nervous when I'm not studying.

Just like you, I don't go out or hang out with friends on a weekly basis. I usually just send them text messages or emails and stuff. And sometimes we get to hang out a little while on campus. However, I spend time at the dance studio almost every Saturday of every week. I take dance classes there and love it. I think dancing keeps me sane from all the studying I do.

Anyway, the point is, I guess it's just a normal thing for some students, especially pre-meds, to live the way you do. Just don't go overboard with it and have some fun once in a while! If you do too much, then you are kinda wasting your life in books. You have to balance studying and having fun.

 

[calnation]

It's funny. I'm actually jealous of your situation. I have trouble getting myself to study as hard as I should. I'm always too relaxed. So far I have a good GPA, but I know a semester will come one of these days where my bad habits won't fly.

 

[tncekm]

It's funny. I'm actually jealous of your situation. I have trouble getting myself to study as hard as I should. I'm always too relaxed. So far I have a good GPA, but I know a semester will come one of these days where my bad habits won't fly.

You'll kick it into high gear when necessary. I did the same thing and then I got slammed with a couple rough courses. When the going gets tough, the tough get going <-- that's one cliche that is absolutely true IMHO

 

[ANF1986]

Life is about balance dude. Maybe I can use a nerd analogy, think of what you're doing as preventing your body from being in homeostasis. I dont think its healthy or normal to stay inside 24/7 and study. How does that make you a more interesting person? Certainly, being a pale skinny pencil necked introverted nerd is not desireable for anyone. I'm not saying you are, just pointing out that this is the image one generally gets when they picture someone who stays in 24 hours a day to study with little to no social interaction.

The truth of the matter is you ARE missing out on things. Undergrad is a great experience, you're supposed to meet new people, hang out, goto parties, get drunk, and hookup with members of the opposite sex. You can do all of the aforementioned things while still getting good grades.

 

[MsKrispyKreme]

Have u tried Prozac?

 

[WannaBePreMed]

OK, just to begin, I didn't make this thread to be funny or mock pre-meds (I am one).

I am a Junior in college and since my freshman year I have literally studied 24/7, 7 days a week. Literally. I have NEVER gone out, don't hang out with friends, or have done ANYTHING remotely entertaining since I've been a freshman (in terms of on a weekly basis).

Its kind of been getting to me lately as I am wondering if I am wasting my life in the books all day. I am also wondering if it is possible to get the same grades but put in half the effort.

I am the type of guy who NEEDS to study this hard to get the grades that I do (my GPA is 3.8, not perfect but not bad). Whenever I DON'T study, I literally get anxiety because I am not studying, and that I should hit the books. It's funny because I was NOTHING like this in high-school (in fact I should have studied a whole lot more). Sometimes I wonder if I could "slack off" just a bit more and get the same grades, and spend that extra free time relaxing/having fun.

Any comments?

The journey is just as important as the destination

 

[Law2Doc]

First, I agree with the poster who suggested there is no right or wrong amount of studying -- you have to do what works for you. This will become clearer in med school where you will find that many different approaches get different people to the same target, not all approaches will work for you, and what worked in college often won't work in med school. Second, I agree with the poster who suggested balance is important. There is more to learn in college than what you get out of books. This is supposed to be a huge time for developing socialization skills that are going to assist you in the service industry (not science) that is medicine. Med schools don't really want folks who spend 24/7 in the books. They want folks who get A's but also have a variety of experiences, ECs, and have developed interpersonal skills to the point that after an hour long interview the interviewer feels that this person would be a "good fit" for the school. A 4.0/40 who is an interpersonal dud won't go far in an industry that is really all about people, not test tubes or formulae. The only years of med school that really count, career-wise, are going to be the ones where you will be subjectively evaluated on how you work with patients, the team, etc. People with well developed personality skillsets often have an advantage. And I have to think some of this comes from social experiences during the formative college years.

Finally a word of caution -- med school involves a lot more work than college -- the volume is many times greater. If you are already spending "24/7" on college, you are going to find med school really hard because you don't have the ability to step things up like most of your "cram the night before the test" peers. So don't get too messed up when what you are doing to get your 3.8 in college doesn't keep you above average in med school. Most people who get into med school got mostly A's, and yet half are going to be in the bottom half of the class. Being able to figure out a good, efficient way to study that works for you is often the key. Trying to continue what worked in college might not be, because you don't have the luxury of as much time.

 

[GoldShadow]

I am a Junior in college and since my freshman year I have literally studied 24/7, 7 days a week. Literally. I have NEVER gone out, don't hang out with friends, or have done ANYTHING remotely entertaining since I've been a freshman (in terms of on a weekly basis).

If you never go out or hang out with friends and just study, you're definitely doing something wrong. I was like this my freshman year (and as a result, felt burned out). But during freshman year I learned how to effectively study and budget my time in college, so I was never a "hole up and study all the time" person again afterward.

Unless you're taking like 21+ credits a semester, I don't see a reason why you'd have to do this. You're going to go crazy and burn out (which you already may have, considering you're posting this thread).

 

[littlealex]

No it's not typical, you're just bad at balancing your life.
Let's say it's a Friday night, and you studied straight until 11pm. I don't think it'll kill you to take 2 hours and go out to grab a beer with some friends, maybe even pick up a few girls.

 

[derArzt]

I am concerned at some of the posts I am reading... it is not necessary to study this much!
Think about life in med school... is that how you want life to be like? Adopt some different study habits
I am fine making my A-'s as opposed to A's if it means I can pursue other interests... don't waste away your young years in the books!

 

[premedmind]

Thanks for the replies guys, I read all of them.

I guess the gist I am getting from these posts is that I need to study more efficiently, while using the rest of my time to relax, do fun things, hang out, etc.

I consequently find that an extraordinary person is needed for medical school, one who can maintain an excellent gpa, an excellent MCAT, and still be very well rounded and interesting. Certainly I will have to work on that.

 

[MilkmanAl]

First, I agree with the poster who suggested there is no right or wrong amount of studying -- you have to do what works for you. This will become clearer in med school where you will find that many different approaches get different people to the same target, not all approaches will work for you, and what worked in college often won't work in med school. Second, I agree with the poster who suggested balance is important. There is more to learn in college than what you get out of books. This is supposed to be a huge time for developing socialization skills that are going to assist you in the service industry (not science) that is medicine. Med schools don't really want folks who spend 24/7 in the books. They want folks who get A's but also have a variety of experiences, ECs, and have developed interpersonal skills to the point that after an hour long interview the interviewer feels that this person would be a "good fit" for the school. A 4.0/40 who is an interpersonal dud won't go far in an industry that is really all about people, not test tubes or formulae. The only years of med school that really count, career-wise, are going to be the ones where you will be subjectively evaluated on how you work with patients, the team, etc. People with well developed personality skillsets often have an advantage. And I have to think some of this comes from social experiences during the formative college years.

Finally a word of caution -- med school involves a lot more work than college -- the volume is many times greater. If you are already spending "24/7" on college, you are going to find med school really hard because you don't have the ability to step things up like most of your "cram the night before the test" peers. So don't get too messed up when what you are doing to get your 3.8 in college doesn't keep you above average in med school. Most people who get into med school got mostly A's, and yet half are going to be in the bottom half of the class. Being able to figure out a good, efficient way to study that works for you is often the key. Trying to continue what worked in college might not be, because you don't have the luxury of as much time.

Gospel truth. Work on your study efficiency now so you don't get steamrolled in med school. Increasing your study time proportionally to the volume of material will not work, I guarantee it. Like L2D said, you need to work smarter, not harder.

 

[supergirl87]

I understand the OP's concerns. I'm a senior now and I feel that while I haven't been studying "24/7" like the OP, I should have taken my nose out the books a little more and live a little. Before med school, I def need to adopt more efficient ways of studying. I need to learn to study efficiently as apposed to studying hard. Tho, it might be hard to change study habits since I'm now used to this mode of studying. Psychologically, I feel more prepared for a test by having studied for hours on end. If I study fewer hours (but I know the material), I think to myself "oh no, i haven't studied enough". but that mentality has got to change... at least if we all want to be sane through med school.

 

[packofneurons]

I understand the 24/7 sense as well. I always feel like I need to be hitting the books in fear of missing a stupid detail on the test, but I let myself have at least some fun. You're right that it is hard to balance friends and studying - but like many of the other people have said it's doable.
I work at a coffee shop for ~30 hours a week and I feel that it is my downtime and I get time to relax and interact with others. If I have a spare night, I'll make an effort to go grab some food with friends - I think it helps me stay sane.
And as the replies have already indicated, you should focus on studying sufficient as well as balancing your life.

 

[Lukkie]

i wouldn't know. but you can look at my mdapps to see if i have any credibility to make judgments on something like this

 

[redbull928]

Hi premedmind, maybe you should be involved in more things. That way, you become more efficient and don't have anxiety attacks. Like, (please don't think this is "oh, I do A+b+c!") I work + research + volunteer + take biochem, bio, circuit analysis, machining + have fun when it's due and I'm much, much more efficient than if I were just in school. Life is more fun when I get to meet people and grow as a person, and not just as a nerd. Just make sure you're involved in things that make you happy.

 

[badasshairday]

After you start med school you are going to regret not having more fun in undergrad if you keep this up. 100% certainty.