The beginnings are always the worst and you often wonder if it's worth it. And getting into medicine is hard as hell, but trust me, it's worth it.
It's September, you've been successfully accepted to medicine, you're looking forward to it, but I suppose you're also a little scared. You've probably been told by everyone that medicine is going to be hard, and you've probably heard comments like "you should have gone and done something else". But no one tells you that you'll have a lot of fun, make new friends, and have one of the best freshman years ever. It will be challenging, your back might hurt from sitting, your arm might hurt, and your brain might overheat, but once you see the first results, it will start to make sense.
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Learning will really be more than before and you will have nothing else to do but learn. In the beginning, be sure to go to the first lectures, where they will tell you the essential information, what to learn from and what you need to do to get the credit. Over time, you will find out for yourself which lecture makes sense and which one you prefer to miss and sleep at home, because it is possible to sleep in the auditorium, but it is not very comfortable. Some faculties will provide you with textbooks, somewhere you have to get them yourself. It is not always necessary to buy a book, you can often prepare yourself from materials from lectures and practices. Even if at the beginning you will think that learning the mountain of learning is really unrealistic, over time you will find out what learning methods suit you and learning will become more effective and faster. If you have a friend in the upper grades, be sure to contact him. Worked materials, experiences from greasers and information about examiners are always useful.
A change of environment and new people can be challenging for some. To get to know others, adaptation courses are used, which are great, you will find a lot of acquaintances there, but you can do without them. If you know of a friend or acquaintance who is going to study in the same city, you can exchange experiences together from the beginning. You will definitely find friends over time. Even if you come to the first practicum among the last and you have the last available seat, the person sitting next to you can become your best friend. Tested. And if you don't feel comfortable in a foreign environment, take some favorite items from home with you, like a favorite photo.
There is really less free time in medicine, so you need to make the most of it! After all, anatomy and histology tests have to be drunk, and where else are you supposed to make new connections than in the pub? But don't forget, alcohol dehydrogenase will give you back and you have to be fit for exercise the next day. As one colleague noted, such a microscope for histology practice can literally burn the retina after a party. If you like to go jogging or watch a series every day, don't stop doing it for the sake of learning. Try to organize your time better, plan your whole day, sometimes it helps to write an hourly schedule where you plan your learning including breaks for your favorite activity. In order not to go crazy, you just need to clear your head sometimes.
The first year was one of the more challenging, but we all remember it very fondly. So if you're wondering if you're going to have fun with your classmates or learn a microscopic picture of a testicle, definitely choose the first option. You will study medicine for another six years.
Above all, we wish you good luck, success and examiners with a good mood for your new life stage.
Author: Jana Ch.
