As summer draws to an end you might be wondering, ‘is there something I should be doing to prepare for going to medical school?’ Here are ten things that will make your start to college as smooth and stress-free as possible.
1) Make sure you have the essentials
Check you have all the supplies you need for starting college. This will prevent you from spending your first week back darting around the shops. You can read my checklist of what you need before starting medical school here!
2) Get familiar with your timetable and modules
It’s nice to give yourself a rough idea of what the upcoming year is going to look like. If your timetable has already been released, great! If not, have a look at your college website or chat to older students. Knowing what modules and timetable to expect makes the year ahead seem less daunting and ‘unknown.’
3) Know where you need to be and how to get there
There’s nothing more stressful than getting lost when you’re late for something. Give yourself peace of mind by familiarising yourself with the commute to college before you start. Think ahead about how much time your journey will take (remember to factor in things like rush hour traffic).
4) Ease yourself back into a morning & night routine
Unfortunately our summer routing of late nights and late mornings can’t be sustained once medical school begins. It is extremely important for your health that you establish a good sleep routine.
5) Plan a budget
It’s super easy to overspend in college so a budget from the beginning is essential. Make life easier for yourself by deciding on a budget now instead of waiting till you’re in the throes of the new semester.
6) Tidy your room and study space
Do yourself a favour and gift yourself with a tidy room and organised study space before going back to medical school. It’s easier to relax in a tidy room and you can concentrate better at a tidy desk.
7) Meal prep
Medical school is so busy. It’s hard to fins the time or energy to cook decent food for ourselves! Get some meal prepping out of the way now so you can have healthy meals that actually taste good during your first few weeks (plus you’ll save yourself money!)
8) Make a packing checklist
If you’re not staying at home you’re going to be faced with the dreaded packing for college. This can feel quite overwhelming so take your time with it. Writing up a checklist of everything you need might be a good idea to avoid forgetting anything important.
9) Touch base with friends
It’s always nice to have a last hurrah with your friends before the summer ends. Once everyone starts college it’s harder to find times that suit everyone so make the most of this summer together. Meeting up with your friends before this new stage in your life will hopefully help you feel less nervous about starting college.
10) Contact Medical Students
It’s nice to have someone who can show you the ropes and answer your questions and concerns about medical school. If you know any medical students, give them a call! Also feel free to ask me anything about medical school in the comments below! Click here for everything I wish someone had told me before starting med school.
Good luck starting medical school! Hope it’s everything you want it to be!
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