Year-In-Review for 2017-2018
Three years has flown by; I only have one more semester to go until I walk across the stage, heading towards the next chapter of my life. This past year has gone by especially fast. I was conditional in my sorority, giving me the freedom to focus more on other things. These other things included studying for the MCAT, which is a required exam that has to be taken before applying to medical school, acting as a section leader for the clarinets in the Bearcat Marching Band, and generally giving more time to my academic schoolwork.
I did not complete any honor's experiences this year, although I am planning on completing my self-designed experience Cosplay Adventures over the summer, as well as a class in the fall titled "Sticky Innovations", which will explore the significance and functionality of bees. You can check out Cosplay Adventures by clicking on the appropriate drop-down under the Pre-Approved Experiences tab.
My junior year was just as productive as it was hasty. I studied for the MCAT over the course of 6 months, reading a total of 7 study-books (containing over 2,400 pages of dense text), taking a full binders worth of notes, and completing three 8-hour practice tests. This was accomplished in conjunction with improving my GPA by almost a full point, and being inducted into two academic societies: The National Society of Leadership and Success, and The National Society of Collegiate Scholars. I also led a great band section, with 1/3 of returning members volunteering to lead next year, and participated in a woodwind ensemble that performed with other small groups in a concert at the end of spring semester.
Unfortunately, these accomplishments did come at a cost. One of the few downsides of being so efficient was how little time I had for anything other than my goals. Studying was my first priority, often preventing me from pursuing stress relieving activities that my mind needed. I struggled to keep a positive outlook. I felt perpetually lonely, and It seemed the only free time I had was spent sleeping . By the end of the semester I felt strung out, depressed, and drained of all my energy. I know for this past year, my work ethic was necessary and facilitated success in pivotal moments of my life. I also know that this kind of pace is not one I can keep up in a long-term sense. Balancing my schedule, priorities, and commitments is still something I am working on, and I hope to further improve those abilities next year. If I had to give this year a rating, it would be an A-. I set goals and reached them, and then kept going. I followed through on my desire to be a better student, and I am one step closer to earning my degree.
I did not complete any honor's experiences this year, although I am planning on completing my self-designed experience Cosplay Adventures over the summer, as well as a class in the fall titled "Sticky Innovations", which will explore the significance and functionality of bees. You can check out Cosplay Adventures by clicking on the appropriate drop-down under the Pre-Approved Experiences tab.
My junior year was just as productive as it was hasty. I studied for the MCAT over the course of 6 months, reading a total of 7 study-books (containing over 2,400 pages of dense text), taking a full binders worth of notes, and completing three 8-hour practice tests. This was accomplished in conjunction with improving my GPA by almost a full point, and being inducted into two academic societies: The National Society of Leadership and Success, and The National Society of Collegiate Scholars. I also led a great band section, with 1/3 of returning members volunteering to lead next year, and participated in a woodwind ensemble that performed with other small groups in a concert at the end of spring semester.
Unfortunately, these accomplishments did come at a cost. One of the few downsides of being so efficient was how little time I had for anything other than my goals. Studying was my first priority, often preventing me from pursuing stress relieving activities that my mind needed. I struggled to keep a positive outlook. I felt perpetually lonely, and It seemed the only free time I had was spent sleeping . By the end of the semester I felt strung out, depressed, and drained of all my energy. I know for this past year, my work ethic was necessary and facilitated success in pivotal moments of my life. I also know that this kind of pace is not one I can keep up in a long-term sense. Balancing my schedule, priorities, and commitments is still something I am working on, and I hope to further improve those abilities next year. If I had to give this year a rating, it would be an A-. I set goals and reached them, and then kept going. I followed through on my desire to be a better student, and I am one step closer to earning my degree.