Library Study Binge

Third semester of PA school is finally over and we are enjoying our 10 days off! A serious amount of studying in the library was done in order to prepare for finals and to get here in one piece. I always have a few things handy when I know I'm going to spend a long day hunkered down in the library and I thought I'd share that with you all today.

1. Snacks, food, water

A wise friend of mine told me at the beginning of PA school to make sure I drink enough water while studying. I also always (over) pack my lunch bag with a meal and a couple of snacks to get me through the day. It's easy for some people to forget to take a break and eat while studying, but my breaks are always planned around meals and snacking ;) I try not to make a habit of this but sometimes a second cup of coffee is involved in getting me through finals week.

2. To-do list

Something that I love doing is checking off items on a list. It makes me feel so productive and motivates me to keep going. I also make a to do list to make sure I'm not forgetting to study for a quiz or do any other important things.

3. Comfy clothing/blanket

Libraries are notoriously cold to make sure people don't fall asleep (sometimes even that doesn't work though). I always have either a comfy sweater or blanket to help me stay warm.

4. Laptop/iPad, notes, pens and highlighters

This goes without saying. Make sure you double check everything you need for your study-sesh before you leave the house. There's nothing more annoying than getting to the library and realizing you forgot something important. Double checking that your charger is in your bag is also a must.

5. Friends/classmates

I know studying in groups is not everyone's thing so this may not apply to you, but I've discovered that going through PA school (and life in general) is less torturous when you do it with someone. Sometimes we may not study together ALL day long, but even just a couple hours of company goes a long way.

6. Headphones

To drown out people who talk on the phone in the library or just to focus on studying with some great classical music (shoutout to Joc for her "studying my brains out" playlist).

7. Patience, sanity, will power, and a sense of humor

Be patient with yourself if you're struggling to learn a certain concept. Try to remain sane as best as you can and have the will to remain strong and learn as much as you can to help your future patients. Something that really helps me is to be silly with my friends from class as we come up with ridiculous stories to remember the MOA/side effects of certain drugs, make funny mnemonics and associations and keep ourselves entertained while learning.

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