Just a bit nervous

[avidnapper33]

Hi first year vet student who just finished orientation and is now waiting for school to start. I am starting to get a bit freaked out as I am scared of failing out of vet school and/or losing an important scholarship for school. I'm not going to lie in my undergrad I had to work super hard to understand and learn material so I'm worried I am going to fall behind and not make it the four years. Any advice for dealing with this?

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[beepboopbop1]

Hi first year vet student who just finished orientation and is now waiting for school to start. I am starting to get a bit freaked out as I am scared of failing out of vet school and/or losing an important scholarship for school. I'm not going to lie in my undergrad I had to work super hard to understand and learn material so I'm worried I am going to fall behind and not make it the four years. Any advice for dealing with this?

Hey! I am also a first year, and at my school we just finished our first exam (anatomy). I was also super worried at orientation about my capabilities as a student and whether or not I was "good enough" for vet school. Remember that you had to prove to the admissions committee in your application that you ARE a good fit. Your school looked at you and your application and decided that you are capable of earning your DVM. Imposter syndrome is the worst but I think that it will start to fade as school starts (at least it did for me).

As for studying tips: Start studying day one. Review the material at the end of the day in whatever way works for you. Once you have learned something, don't stop recalling it. Continue to do it daily so that you don't forget. This will prevent you from having to study hardcore the night before the exam. 5 hours over several weeks is better than 5 hours the night before the exam.
Something else I found helpful as well was finding someone else in my class that was proficient in the topic to help me out. They can quiz you and guide to the right answer without telling it to you straight out. Finding several different study groups/partners has been really helpful for me as well. Your professors are also a resource (arguably one of the best resources) so don't be afraid to ask them questions!
Remember that you don't have to do this alone! Rely on your classmates and let them rely on you. You have strengths that they might not have and vice versa. Take advantage of that.

You got this!!🤗

 

[VIN-Foundation]

Try to relax. If you weren't able to do the work you would not have been accepted. Only a relatively few students fail out of veterinary school.

The ones that have problems are usually because they get behind. If you are accustomed to cruising for a few weeks and then studying right before an exam, they is less likely to work in veterinary school. That's because, while the material is not difficult, there is a huge volume of material. Once you get behind it's hard to catch up because more volume keeps coming at you.

So just try to keep up and study a bit most days.

Also don't get overwhelmed with extra-curricular activities. One or 2 is ok, but wait until you get your feet under you before you start volunteering for a bunch of things.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Another point of advice is - don't compare yourself to to others, and don't fall into the syndrome of celebratory masochism. By that I mean, when everyone is sitting around and bragging about how they studied all night and only got two hours of sleep and barely ate....that is not something you should aspire to. That's messed up, and I hate how it's become a running joke or something to admire in professional school. You may feel a lot of pressure to be "the most miserable" because you mistakenly interpret that as also being the hardest working or the most successful - again, no. That type of mentality only creates additional pressure and anxiety, and will eventually contribute to failure after you burn out. Take that nap. Watch that TV show. Play that sport. The little nice things in life are what are going to keep you positive and grounded. Additionally, once you find a method of study that works for you, stick to it. Don't feel like you are doing it "wrong" because you heard other people do it a different way.

 

[Drjc1977]

Hi first year vet student who just finished orientation and is now waiting for school to start. I am starting to get a bit freaked out as I am scared of failing out of vet school and/or losing an important scholarship for school. I'm not going to lie in my undergrad I had to work super hard to understand and learn material so I'm worried I am going to fall behind and not make it the four years. Any advice for dealing with this?

Do not sabotage yourself. Remember, for you to be accepted, you beat out 10 other applicants or more for that seat. This will be more study work to be invested than most likely you have previously experienced. What I have told the various applicants I have written LOR over the years is first budget your time wisely. You need time to study but also time for recreation, private time, time with family, time with significant other. Secondly do NOT get behind. Lastly if the professor says anything, consider it fair game for an examination. The schools do not want you to fail. Do not be afraid to ask for help from professors, counselors if necessary. Relax, take a deep breath, and go and kick ass; you will do fine. I wish you well.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Do not sabotage yourself. Remember, for you to be accepted, you beat out 10 other applicants or more for that seat. This will be more study work to be invested than most likely you have previously experienced. What I have told the various applicants I have written LOR over the years is first budget your time wisely. You need time to study but also time for recreation, private time, time with family, time with significant other. Secondly do NOT get behind. Lastly if the professor says anything, consider it fair game for an examination. The schools do not want you to fail. Do not be afraid to ask for help from professors, counselors if necessary. Relax, take a deep breath, and go and kick ass; you will do fine. I wish you well.

I also want to reiterate this. We don't want ANYONE to fail. Nobody wants that. If somebody DOES want that, they are a miserable person who shouldn't be in academia. We are here to help you succeed, and we WANT you to succeed.

I know from a student perspective it can feel like that sometimes - when exams are tough, when questions are tricky, when the work piles up. Maybe you have a bad encounter with one of the bad academic apples, and you think all professors are jerks. Heck, I grumbled about stuff like that myself when I was there.

But now that I'm on the other side as a professor, its very evident that the opposite it true. We don't sit in our offices and gloat over and snicker at people who struggle like we are some bunch of evil overlords - we really, truly want everyone to succeed. Please don't be afraid of or intimidated by us. Or if you have had a bad experience seeking help from professors before - don't let it color your perspective. The vast majority of us are normal, good people who got into academia because we want to help students make it.

 

[Drjc1977]

I also want to reiterate this. We don't want ANYONE to fail. Nobody wants that. If somebody DOES want that, they are a miserable person who shouldn't be in academia. We are here to help you succeed, and we WANT you to succeed.

I know from a student perspective it can feel like that sometimes - when exams are tough, when questions are tricky, when the work piles up. Maybe you have a bad encounter with one of the bad academic apples, and you think all professors are jerks. Heck, I grumbled about stuff like that myself when I was there.

But now that I'm on the other side as a professor, its very evident that the opposite it true. We don't sit in our offices and gloat over and snicker at people who struggle like we are some bunch of evil overlords - we really, truly want everyone to succeed. Please don't be afraid of or intimidated by us. Or if you have had a bad experience seeking help from professors before - don't let it color your perspective. The vast majority of us are normal, good people who got into academia because we want to help students make it.

Very well said!!!