When I started college in the fall, I was filled with mixed emotions for the road that I had to go down. I wanted to tackle any challenge that was thrown at me and kick academic butt, but in the back of my mind, I felt doomed- I didn’t have stellar grades in high school, and only a few months prior, becoming a doctor might have been the last thing I thought I could do. After a mere semester and a half, the things I’ve learned and experienced as a woman in a challenging, male-dominated field are mind-blowing to me. As I’m getting closer to my second year of college, I’ve been thinking about things that have helped me not just survive, but truly enjoy being a woman in pre-med.
Balance, Baby!
This is something that I learned the hard way. Last semester, on an average weekend, I was in my dorm room, working for hours straight. In some respect, it paid off- my grades were great, but my mental health wasn’t. Coming back for the spring semester, I realized the only way I’m going to enjoy the next four years of my life is if I can learn to do things for myself and let go of the fear of that tanking my GPA. As much as I love what I’m learning about (for the most part), my entire life in college revolved strictly around my grades and what can boost my resume. I still pull some pretty long hours studying- kind of unavoidable in pre-med- but I’ve realized it’s not worth it if I’m not balancing that with something that helps me unwind every day. Recently, I’ve been doing a meditation in the morning, doing at least a few minutes of yoga, and going out with friends on the weekend.
You Don’t have to Prove You’re Smart to be Smart
Almost every time I’ve worked in a group with a man for my STEM classes, I didn’t get taken seriously until I could prove I was either as smart or smarter than them- otherwise, I’m a dumb blonde. As much as I want the people I’m working with to respect me, I learned quickly that it’s not worth having to prove my intelligence to a bunch of people who won’t listen to what I have to say unless I can show I’m smarter than I look.
Seek Out Other Women in Medicine
One of the most helpful things I’ve done so far at college is finding other women in my major who are also doing pre-med. It has been infinitely helpful to study with them, sit with them in class, and do research with them. Having a supportive group of girls with similar interests has made my college experience one hundred times better.