What they say

[leviathan]

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They say to enjoy your undergrad years while you can....I'm volunteering at the hospital, with an ambulance brigade, working weekends, playing on a couple sports teams, and finding time in there for my full courseload of chem, bio, math, etc.

For those of you who say to enjoy your ugrad years....was yours as busy as mine, and if so, what has become worse now that you are in med school?

 

[fourthyearmed]

I didn't enjoy my undergrad years. I was too busy studying, going to meetings, doing volunteer work, etc. and also I made the mistake of going to a "party school" where no one did anything but get drunk. Med school is definitely busier but it's only studying and work that keeps you busy, there's not much time for volunteering anymore and I actually miss that. On the plus side, I feel like I have more in common with the people in med school that I did in college so when I need a break there's always someone to go have dinner or see a movie with.

 

[pikachu]

From someone who "enjoyed" their undergrad years ... Are you happy with what you're doing now? From the tone of your post it doesn't sound like you are and instead you're bouncing back and forth among different activities and classes which you think will get you into med school. The thing is, once you're in med school, most of your time is encompassed by med school required things (not extra undergrad work) and you won't have as much luxury to enjoy things strictly for their own sake, since there's so much time invested solely in "reproducing yourself" and keeping the career flames alive. I understand the pressure to be Mr./Ms. All-Around Student-Athlete-Selfless-Scientist-Volunteer but if you don't take the time to learn what makes you happy now you will be dogged by the rat race for the rest of your living years. If anything med school has been better than undergrad in terms of "enjoying myself" as I've learned to truly appreciate the times I have to myself, friends, and family.

 

[Supadupafly]

I was one of those people who had to work so much in undergrad that I definately came away with a sour taste in my mouth.

So far, medical school is great and fun. I don't go out and party or anything, but I feel like I do get to spend alot of time hanging out with other students, be it while studying or otherwise. You won't have much of a life outside school, but because school is so different as a med student, that isn't a bad thing. Studying is far more interesting and the work is more fulfilling.

And there is a little free time; compare it to working while going to school. You're busy, but can have a well rounded life.

 

[lattimer13]

They say to enjoy your undergrad years while you can....I'm volunteering at the hospital, with an ambulance brigade, working weekends, playing on a couple sports teams, and finding time in there for my full courseload of chem, bio, math, etc.

For those of you who say to enjoy your ugrad years....was yours as busy as mine, and if so, what has become worse now that you are in med school?

i hope you don't think you're the only one that worked their ass off during undergrad...there are numerous others here that have...one in my class that did similar to you and raised a son by herself. sorry if i'm misinterpreting your post.

med school is sink or swim...the vast majority do swim...but it's a really, really long an tiresome one (at least the basic sciences have been for me).

 

[thackl]

I loved undergrad, but I wasn't a pre-med (thank God)

 

[drlexygoat]

My undergrad years rocked. There's very little I would have changed. I got crazy involved on campus - pre med groups, sorority, lots of clubs and organizations, sports - and still was able to keep my grades up. It's possible to do, so long as you can manage your time well.

Things I would have changed:

-taken a foreign language class, just for fun.
-done a semester over seas, even if it wasnt for credit
-kept up with sports and gone varsity with crew

I guess that's it. You dont' want to look back and have a bunch of "I wish I would have..... ".

 

[pinipig523]

My undergrad years were great! I did almost nothing! Well, I guess I did do something.

- Researched at Cell Biology Labs for 1 year
- Research Assisted for an study regarding CFS for 1 year.
- Did well in school (3.85).
- Did well on MCATs (32).
- Goofed off everyday with friends and gf!!

Here is a typical day:
- Wake up at 11am... late for Bio of the Brain... skip.
- Leave apt at 12, meet up with Stan for lunch.
- Go back to apt and nap.
- Go back to campus at 2pm, workout with stan.
- Decide to go to 4pm Biochem class, go there, take notes, absorb.
- Out of apt at 5pm. Go to lab for 1 hr work.
- No one in lab, decide to go back to apt.
- At apt from 6 to 10p, do nothing but hang out, chill, go out for food, watch a movie...w/e.
- 10p to 11p, study what I missed for Bio of Brain.
- 11-3a, play LAN videogames, sleep afterwards... continue again the next day, with different classes.

And.... I guess that's it. My secret formula for getting into my Number 1 choice medical school.

My take on the whole undergrad thing:
- Do research.
- Do volunteering if you can (sparingly).
- Take anatomy lab (I wish I did).
- Do well with GPA and MCATs.
- HAVE FUN!!!!

 

[KEC]

My undergrad years were great! I did almost nothing! Well, I guess I did do something.

- Researched at Cell Biology Labs for 1 year
- Research Assisted for an study regarding CFS for 1 year.
- Did well in school (3.85).
- Did well on MCATs (32).
- Goofed off everyday with friends and gf!!

Here is a typical day:
- Wake up at 11am... late for Bio of the Brain... skip.
- Leave apt at 12, meet up with Stan for lunch.
- Go back to apt and nap.
- Go back to campus at 2pm, workout with stan.
- Decide to go to 4pm Biochem class, go there, take notes, absorb.
- Out of apt at 5pm. Go to lab for 1 hr work.
- No one in lab, decide to go back to apt.
- At apt from 6 to 10p, do nothing but hang out, chill, go out for food, watch a movie...w/e.
- 10p to 11p, study what I missed for Bio of Brain.
- 11-3a, play LAN videogames, sleep afterwards... continue again the next day, with different classes.

And.... I guess that's it. My secret formula for getting into my Number 1 choice medical school.

My take on the whole undergrad thing:
- Do research.
- Do volunteering if you can (sparingly).
- Take anatomy lab (I wish I did).
- Do well with GPA and MCATs.
- HAVE FUN!!!!

You really like yourself a lot, don't you? You're so cool.

 

[roja]

I loved undergrad, but I also wasn't a premed. (no thoughts of med school!)


I also enjoyed, several years later, grad school (and my premed courses).

 

[leviathan]

From someone who "enjoyed" their undergrad years ... Are you happy with what you're doing now? From the tone of your post it doesn't sound like you are and instead you're bouncing back and forth among different activities and classes which you think will get you into med school. The thing is, once you're in med school, most of your time is encompassed by med school required things (not extra undergrad work) and you won't have as much luxury to enjoy things strictly for their own sake, since there's so much time invested solely in "reproducing yourself" and keeping the career flames alive. I understand the pressure to be Mr./Ms. All-Around Student-Athlete-Selfless-Scientist-Volunteer but if you don't take the time to learn what makes you happy now you will be dogged by the rat race for the rest of your living years. If anything med school has been better than undergrad in terms of "enjoying myself" as I've learned to truly appreciate the times I have to myself, friends, and family.

Good point. I actually DO enjoy most of the things i'm doing. I enjoy going to university, I LOVE volunteering with the ambulance brigade (which helps to support my decision for med), and work really isn't all that bad. The main problem I have is that every day I always have a full and busy schedule. I never have a day where I can just sit at home on my ass, relaxing and doing nothing, or going out at night to a club with my friends. I just miss being able to do those things and not have what feels like a 24/7 booked schedule.

I think I'll almost prefer to be in med school, so I just have one thing to focus on, and if I have extra time I could stick with volunteering and still have extra time to just relax now and again.

 

[efex101]

It will feel like a 24/7 jammed packed and some more session in medical school just wait and see...

 

[ericdamiansean]

It either depends on your school or yourself, perhaps, if you feel that volunterring or sports is taking up too much time, you should cut it down 😛

 

[fielight]

They say to enjoy your undergrad years while you can....I'm volunteering at the hospital, with an ambulance brigade, working weekends, playing on a couple sports teams, and finding time in there for my full courseload of chem, bio, math, etc.

For those of you who say to enjoy your ugrad years....was yours as busy as mine, and if so, what has become worse now that you are in med school?

i did a lot as an undergrad (not as much as some people i know, but i still managed to work as a tutor and TA, and still did well in biochem, vertebrate anatomy, physiology, etc. as well as played the violin in orchestra and quartet, and volunteered at the hospital). personally, i think the difference is that as an undergrad, you do a lot of things and have a busy schedule because you want to... as a med student, you don't get to choose -- between the morning of lectures, labs/additional lectures/hospital time in the afternoons, and the amount of material they dump on you, you are forced to have a busy schedule. i think it's definitely still possible to have a life, if you are very careful about managing your time... but you won't ever have as much free time as when you were an undergrad (except for maybe the day after an exam). but this is one of those things that you have to experience first hand; everyone's different, and you might love medical school much more than college.

one other thing i really miss was sleeping in late... in my last year as an undergrad, i never had to wake up before 10am... now, it's more like 6:15-30am.

 

[ericdamiansean]

i did a lot as an undergrad (not as much as some people i know, but i still managed to work as a tutor and TA, and still did well in biochem, vertebrate anatomy, physiology, etc. as well as played the violin in orchestra and quartet, and volunteered at the hospital). personally, i think the difference is that as an undergrad, you do a lot of things and have a busy schedule because you want to... as a med student, you don't get to choose -- between the morning of lectures, labs/additional lectures/hospital time in the afternoons, and the amount of material they dump on you, you are forced to have a busy schedule. i think it's definitely still possible to have a life, if you are very careful about managing your time... but you won't ever have as much free time as when you were an undergrad (except for maybe the day after an exam). but this is one of those things that you have to experience first hand; everyone's different, and you might love medical school much more than college.

one other thing i really miss was sleeping in late... in my last year as an undergrad, i never had to wake up before 10am... now, it's more like 6:15-30am.

For someone to be able to do that, I think you need to be smart and have a really good memory as well..if not, there's no way you're going to retain so much with so little time 👍

 

[leviathan]

i did a lot as an undergrad (not as much as some people i know, but i still managed to work as a tutor and TA, and still did well in biochem, vertebrate anatomy, physiology, etc. as well as played the violin in orchestra and quartet, and volunteered at the hospital). personally, i think the difference is that as an undergrad, you do a lot of things and have a busy schedule because you want to... as a med student, you don't get to choose -- between the morning of lectures, labs/additional lectures/hospital time in the afternoons, and the amount of material they dump on you, you are forced to have a busy schedule. i think it's definitely still possible to have a life, if you are very careful about managing your time... but you won't ever have as much free time as when you were an undergrad (except for maybe the day after an exam). but this is one of those things that you have to experience first hand; everyone's different, and you might love medical school much more than college.

one other thing i really miss was sleeping in late... in my last year as an undergrad, i never had to wake up before 10am... now, it's more like 6:15-30am.

Nice, I totally understand where you're coming from when you say that. The thing is, I'm so busy with all these things that I'm sort of required to do for my med school application. But at the same time, I enjoy doing all the volunteer work that I do, so it isn't really like I'm forced to do things I'm not enjoying. Of course, I'm quite sure I will enjoy medical school as well.