What I wish I knew...
Going into my first semester of PT school....I thought I was ready to hit the ground running. I was successful in nearly all of my endevors during undergrad (academic & elsewhere) and thought grad school would just be "a little more work"....haha yeah..JOKE OF THE YEAR..I was not prepared..by anyone for what I was getting into.. So for those of you working on PTCAS & GRE prep or finishing your last undergrad semester...(I'll post on that experience soon & how to make it a better experience), here are things I wish I knew going into that first semester..
1. Be ready to adapt to new methods.
- I had always been an old fashion- pen & paper note taker. PT school is so full of information..this method was not applicable any longer. Also, the program I am in LOVES technology (so much so we all had to have an iPad). WE do EVERYTHING on that thing: note taking, videos, labs, biomechanics free body diagrams..etc...I spend the better half of the first semester wasting time trying to figure out how to take and ORGANIZE electronic notes.
- Talk to your school. Find out their requirments & talk to previous classes of students at what they did & what works best.
2. Make a study space.
- With the financial strains of any graduate program, this one is a bit more difficult and something I struggled with the first semester. Mike and I live in a 1 bedroom apt, where the couch is next to the desk in the living room...and the kitchen table isnt much farther away..
- Find a space (whether at home if you can) or a place you can go to get in quality study time. First semester...I played with this..Starbucks was right around the corner and had great mountain views. I spent the first few months on thier patio, but as the weather got colder, I was forced to relocate. Panera became my new spot & even more so during finals.
- It doesnt matter where you go...as long as you have what you need: supplies, a place you can focus and a good bottle of water & cup of coffee
3. Don't...I repeat DO NOT sacrifice exercise and time for YOU.
- A good friend once told me "take one night off a week". He ment to take one night away from the books and enjoy life. This was easy as the semester started, but as course work intensififed and time grew more precious...I let this habit slip away. I spent every night doing some sort of school work (week and weekend) and rarely took time off.
HOWEVER, I never lost my habit of running & daily exercise. I actually found it helpful to workout and study occasionally (ie..when on the elliptical I would read notes). This might not work for you, but as one who hates to sit and study..it was a nice break when I d idn't need to be writing.
- Take time for you...don't lose yourself in the process of becoming who you want to be.
4. Invest in a planner..
- At the begining of each semester: go through all of your classes if you can and write in tests, assignments, papers, etc.
- Weekly: plan out time to study, workout, relax, dinner with friends, road races or coffee & stick to your schedule as best you can.
5. Relax. You will make it.
1. Be ready to adapt to new methods.
- I had always been an old fashion- pen & paper note taker. PT school is so full of information..this method was not applicable any longer. Also, the program I am in LOVES technology (so much so we all had to have an iPad). WE do EVERYTHING on that thing: note taking, videos, labs, biomechanics free body diagrams..etc...I spend the better half of the first semester wasting time trying to figure out how to take and ORGANIZE electronic notes.
- Talk to your school. Find out their requirments & talk to previous classes of students at what they did & what works best.
2. Make a study space.
- With the financial strains of any graduate program, this one is a bit more difficult and something I struggled with the first semester. Mike and I live in a 1 bedroom apt, where the couch is next to the desk in the living room...and the kitchen table isnt much farther away..
- Find a space (whether at home if you can) or a place you can go to get in quality study time. First semester...I played with this..Starbucks was right around the corner and had great mountain views. I spent the first few months on thier patio, but as the weather got colder, I was forced to relocate. Panera became my new spot & even more so during finals.
- It doesnt matter where you go...as long as you have what you need: supplies, a place you can focus and a good bottle of water & cup of coffee
3. Don't...I repeat DO NOT sacrifice exercise and time for YOU.
- A good friend once told me "take one night off a week". He ment to take one night away from the books and enjoy life. This was easy as the semester started, but as course work intensififed and time grew more precious...I let this habit slip away. I spent every night doing some sort of school work (week and weekend) and rarely took time off.
HOWEVER, I never lost my habit of running & daily exercise. I actually found it helpful to workout and study occasionally (ie..when on the elliptical I would read notes). This might not work for you, but as one who hates to sit and study..it was a nice break when I d idn't need to be writing.
- Take time for you...don't lose yourself in the process of becoming who you want to be.
4. Invest in a planner..
- At the begining of each semester: go through all of your classes if you can and write in tests, assignments, papers, etc.
- Weekly: plan out time to study, workout, relax, dinner with friends, road races or coffee & stick to your schedule as best you can.
5. Relax. You will make it.