“No I’m not lucky I’m blessed, yes” – Minaj, N.
What did Nicki Minaj mean when she rapped this line in Moment 4 Life (feat. Drake)? I think I know exactly what she was trying to describe: my second year of optometry school! I feel eternally grateful for The Ohio State University College of Optometry being so quick to adapt and modify our schedules for remote learning. This has made for a smooth transition into my second year. I appreciate the flexibility of having online lectures, but still being able to go into the school’s pre-clinic and eyewear gallery to practice my clinic skills and complete my rotation, respectively. Our labs are split up into smaller groups and we have to wear masks the entire duration, as well as complete a temperature check/health screening prior to coming to campus. By obliging to these new precautions, I feel safe coming to campus to work with professors and classmates. Hence, I really do share the same sentiment with Nicki Minaj!
Comparing the curriculum from my Opt I year to Opt II, I am enjoying the versatility of classes this year. Aside from the usual lectures and book work, we also get to learn how to complete the many components of a comprehensive eye exam! It is very exciting to see just how much I have already learned in a month, and how my clinic skills have improved with every lab and practice session. It has been a blast looking at all of my classmates’ eyes, and it is beginning to feel more real that I will get to assess the eyes of a multitude of patients someday. And while our white coat ceremony is still delayed indefinitely (due to the inability of having a large gathering size), I still feel proud of everyone for completing our challenging first year and adapting our learning/studying styles to be successful as an online optometry student. Go bucks :’)
Up next: learning to do a manifest refraction
Engraved fundoscopy lenses
Friday AM Eyewear Gallery crew
Dry eye testing (with help from Aishu)