Pupillary Pathways

If you don't control your time, your time will control you. This is relevant now more than ever before. Managing your schedule in optometry school can be very challenging. In previous blog posts, I’ve mentioned the importance of time management and keeping a detailed calendar of school, personal, and work activities, but here’s how to take your detailed calendar to the next level!

I did not know a single person without some level of anxiety right before NBEO^® Part 1. In fact, the anxiety grew more and more each week, as the exam date got closer. Simply knowing that stakes were so high and the uncertainty around whether you’re doing things right can really create a struggle while studying, especially on the tail end closer to the exam date. However, I did find that so many students were not using this foolproof method of lowering test-taking anxiety.

Now, it’s important to mention that Computer-Based Testing (CBT) has been on the rise within the past few years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with so many different platforms, formats, and time limits, it’s natural to become overwhelmed and anxious about the uncertainty. I found that the best way to boost my confidence was to mimic the testing environment at home while studying. While this sounds like common sense, you’d be surprised how many students were not doing it!

Studying is stressful. Whether you are preparing yourself for an ocular disease midterm, practicing gonioscopy for a practical examination, or studying for the upcoming NBEO, devoting a significant amount of your time and energy to learning is a complex process.

Stress is an inevitable feeling that accompanies your body’s response to being under pressure. It is important to know that not all the stresses that come along with your studies are bad or harmful to your productivity. A certain amount of stress can actually be a useful part of studying; it can assist you to work harder, to be more focused, and can even enhance your efficiency.

On the flip side, too little, or too much stress can prevent you from studying effectively, and extremely high-stress levels can be very damaging to your mind and body. 

2018… new year, new goals, new ideas, new start, and new resolutions. Now that we are about half way through January, it’s a great time to check in on how your New Year’s Resolutions are coming along.

Yes, it’s that time of year again. The time of year when optometry students feel as if we have to turn over a new leaf. The time when we imagine that the arrival of a year will provide us the motivation and persistence we need to make some serious changes in our lives. 

Traditionally, New Year’s Day is thought to be the ideal time to kick start a new phase in your life and the time when you must make your all important new year’s resolution. Don’t start off the new year setting yourself up for failure by vowing to make huge changes that will be hard to keep.

Just the thought of interviewing for residency positions can bring on a lot of stress and anxiety. Optometry residency programs have become very competitive as there are typically many students interviewing for only a few open positions at each site; some residency programs even only accept one student each year. Additionally, every year there are typically several optometry students who don’t match with any residency site. Also, is an Optometry residency right for you?

After years of preparation, months of studying, and weeks of waiting for the results, NBEO Part II scores were finally released! I’m sure you all did a fabulous job and passed with flying colors!

You are now one step closer to graduation and becoming a doctor; how exciting is that?! Now it’s time to celebrate your hard work; you deserve it!

You’ve been studying hard over the past few months to prepare for this test, you’ve had many late nights trying to juggle study time and your clinic schedule, an you’ve sacrificed spending time with your friends and family, all to make sure you are fully ready for this big day. And you are! You are smart. You are prepared. And you will do great! 

We’ve put together a few tips for you to keep you on top of your game come test day, help you manage the inevitable stress and nervousness that will ensue, and to increase your chances of successfully passing the NBEO Part 2. Good luck!

With Part 2 of NBEO coming up around the corner, many of you 3rd year optometry students are likely starting to feel the pressure. Studying for one of the biggest exams of your life can be very stressful and can take a toll on your mind and body.

During this time, it is very easy to slip into “zombie mode” and forget about your needs and your happiness when all you can focus on is studying, passing the test, and the consequences that will occur if you don’t.

This pathway can lead to a slippery slope of neglecting yourself, your health, and your well-being; all of which are counterproductive when it comes to trying to efficiently and effectively study.