Life outside of school

[seeopt]

Hi current optometry students! I just wanted to ask if there is any time outside of school for leisure or for you to pursue your hobbies/interests? I keep hearing how rigorous the coursework is (which I'm sure it is) but I just wanted to see what the school/life balance is like for everyone.
Also do you think there is a certain pressure to dress/act/appear more professional outside of school whether it be irl or social media presence even as a student?

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[Optgal96]

If you're good at time management then yes, there is time to pursue any interests you may have. Some weeks are tougher and more hectic than others but there is still some time to go out and explore your area or spend time doing something you enjoy. Relative to undergrad though, there is a lot less time in optometry school. We've got exams almost every week once midterms start on top of labs and practicals and if you're a 2nd or 3rd year, then clinicals. If you want to know what my typical schedule is, just PM me!

In my opinion, your career begins when you start optometry school. As medical professionals, we are held to a higher standard than others. If your current choices online impact your image negatively, you risk losing patients in the future. Just be yourself, but also be mindful of your actions.

 

[UnicornOpt]

Optometry school is easy. If you were an A student in highschool or B student in college, you'll have an easy time. There is most definitely plenty of free time. Each exam probably takes 10 hours of work to learn the material. This is not rocket science. And the physical skills you learn are simple to execute and understand, definitely nothing complex nor dextrous.

There is social pressure to be attractive/professional/neat in a sense that if you are a weirdo, people will ostracize you (why associate with a 22 year old socially inept person who hasn't matured yet? It's bad for your social health and class sizes are small). People talk. It will affect your mental health unless you are a loner. Don't be weird around your classmates or colleagues. I learned this the hard way.