Day By Day

Someone once told me..

Undergraduate courses are like drinking from a water fountain.
Dental school is like drinking from a fire hydrant.

…yeah.

Day one:
Nice people, nice building, lots of freebies…highly motivated.
Made friends, got a couple free drinks at a mixer, even caught a movie.
Great times, big fun…

Day three:
Brain + blender

Week three is going.
I keep thinking back to the experiences I’ve had in life and education. I could have cursed the hardest instructors and employers for past anguish, but today I’m thanking them for pushing my limits and breaking down the barriers in my state of mind.

So. What’s Dental School like?
It’s choosing the right school for the right reasons, even if that means moving away from your Hubby and doggos every week.
It’s a new crowd, new building, new vibe from like-minded individuals.
It’s having a class that collaborates instead of competes.
It’s 49 credits in one semester. And also, trying not to think about that.
It’s class 8-5, study on breaks, study at lunch if you’re not already at a lunch-and-learn.
It’s studying after class even when you don’t want to – but also social studying, and a lot of caffeine.
It’s a solid attempt to eat 3 meals and workout 30 min a day, but also review 8 hours of lecture and try to self teach from the textbooks until you crash. Sometimes its studying while you work out.
It’s knowing that you may just need 15 min of Shavasana after class to re-charge your brain before any more information can be added.
Its histology, physiology, dental anatomy, gross anatomy, dental materials, preventative dentistry, research, interpersonal relations, lectures, labs, and projects after class.
It’s so freaking worth it.

It feels like I’m on day two, but I’m already closing week three. I may be a baby D1, but I am starting to understand what they mean when they say, “the days drag on but the weeks fly by.” I have four years ahead, with many obstacles and rewards, and I’m excited to take it as it comes.

Day by day.