Welcome to my first blog post! I’m excited to share the next four years of my journey throughout optometry school with you.
Today marks the completion of my third week of classes. This semester is flying by! I have already learned so much and have met some really wonderful people. Here’s a recap of what has happened so far:
Before classes began, we had a few days of orientation activities. I got to meet faculty members and fellow classmates, received my class schedule, and attended various information sessions to learn about tips for success and The Ohio State University College of Optometry’s resources and policies. I also attended a picnic to meet my big sib and other second year students as well as a cookout hosted by Epsilon Psi Epsilon, the optometry fraternity on campus. Another special thing that my classmates and I did during orientation was meet with students from other health professional programs at Ohio State to get a better understanding of the roles of different healthcare providers and how we can all work together for the benefit of patients.
The evening after our first day of classes I attended the formal Welcome Dinner with my first year classmates and faculty members. We had a delicious meal, listened to fun introductions about each of our classmates, and listened to faculty and student leaders in the College of Optometry speak.
My Opt1 roommates and I on our way to the Welcome Dinner!
I have also gone to a variety of informational meetings and welcome events for some of the many student organizations here at Ohio State Optometry, such as the American Optometric Student Association, Epsilon Psi Epsilon Fraternity, Fellowship of Christian Optometrists, and more!
The theme of one social event to was to represent your hometown (or where you went for your undergraduate studies). My Opt2 roommate Sara and I met through Pre-Optometry Club at Miami University!
I’ve had some fun outside of the school setting too, including going to Hocking Hills with some of my classmates over Labor Day weekend and checking out some fun restaurants around Columbus.
In addition to attending all of these fun activities, I have stayed very busy academically. It has definitely been a big adjustment getting used to being in the classroom for 7-8 hours most weekdays and taking a heavier course load than I ever did during a semester in undergrad. All of my professors have been wonderful at making lectures fun and engaging—it is clearly evident that they are very passionate about the material that they teach and student success.
My biggest challenge as an optometry student thus far has been staying energized and motivated to continue studying when I get home from class, but I am finally getting back to the grind! (Side note: I’d like to thank the inventors of chai lattes and goldfish crackers for sustaining me while I study) One strategy that has helped me to be more productive on weeknights after a long day of classes is to find classmates to go over material with or even just sit with at the library to help hold each other accountable for getting work done.
These first few weeks of optometry school have truly gone by in the blink of an eye, and its time to stay focused on my studies as our first round of midterms are quickly approaching (pun(s) intended). Thanks for reading!