MY DENTAL SCHOOL TIPS FOR INCOMING FRESHMEN.
- Friendly Neighborhood Ate ng Bayan
- May 31, 2018
- 5 min read
I can't really say that I was the ideal dental student, but in writing this list I have for all of you, I was guided by one question-- If I had to do it all over again, what would I do differently? What I'm trying to say here is that I'm going to give you a list of all my mistakes so you wouldn't have to make them.;) We won't be talking about the clinical years, because I'm in no liberty to open up Pandora's Box. You won't find study tips here either, because we'll just leave that to the Dr. Danaronas and the Dr. Bhea Lucilles of the world.;)
DON'T BE OVERLY-COMPETITIVE. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't the type who'd pick fights with people or purposely radiate arrogance, but I did frequently feel the need to outrun everyone else (especially in Pre-Dent!). While I don't really see anything blatantly wrong with wanting good grades, I think I would have been happier if I had shifted my motivation to being the best I can be, instead of being better than everyone else. I should have been more careful with that mindset, because when I was placed in a different section ("Section A"-- usually the top 40 of the entire batch) where getting 1.0s and 1.25s was the norm, it really took a huge toll on my confidence (and ultimately, my performance) when I suddenly wasn't the best anymore. Try to avoid this type of behavior, but just in case you do slip, learn to forgive yourself, and adopt a more cooperative attitude.
FIND SOMETHING A LITTLE EXTRA TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD. I had so much fun with shoes from Pre-Dentistry all the way to Pre-Clinical, and looking back, those days were priceless! You know how they say that if you give a girl the right shoes, then she can conquer the world? Well, I didn't conquer the world, but I think I did pretty well nevertheless-- I graduated Pre-Dentistry with an average of 1.61, while being Year Level President. It wasn't because I was inherently talented-- it was because I wore good shoes that made me feel as if I was one step closer to being Madame Lady Boss of the Universe, and that motivated me a lot! Later on I had to deal with psychological issues (by this meaning intense sadness brought about by lacking self-esteem among other things), and then I adopted lipstick as my war paint at the last leg of my struggle. Coco Chanel said, If you're sad, add more lipstick and attack. 23 lipsticks later (but no Chanel, because I strongly prefer not to give my money to a brand started by a Nazi sympathizer), I'm happy like the sun shines down on me. Still, you should know better than to bank your happiness on material things, but if there's one thing that can make your day a little bit brighter, I think it's always worth it.:)
CUT BACK ON INTERNET USE. My status as a heavy internet user only started in Dentistry proper. I was pretty much low-internet through Pre-Dentistry, and it was then that I learned best. I feel that Google as a safety net made me somewhat complacent, and that my ability to actually remember stuff has been greatly reduced, knowing that the internet was always there to save me. Facebook just made me a jealous person, making me question my self-worth on more than one occasion. The internet was really helpful in terms of sharing notes and stuff, but that was only one benefit compared to the many consequences. Really, if I could do everything all over again, I would have set limits on my internet use right at the beginning. If you get sucked into internet-obsession, you'd only realize it too late, and yes, you will regret it.
IF YOU NEED TO TRANSFER OUT, DO IT. Truth be told, my end-goal wasn't Honrado, DDM-- it was actually Honrado, MD. Well, there isn't really one single reason why my end-goal adjusted itself, but one of the many reasons is that I didn't want to live feeling like I shifted out because I couldn't handle Dentistry-- and that ultimately led me to forgetting all about my plan. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy having finished Dentistry, but at the back of my mind, I will always wonder if I could have been happier if I had taken Medicine. I feel like shiftees are some of the bravest students out there because they're brave enough to uproot themselves and be relentless in chasing what they sincerely believe is their destiny. I didn't become a shiftee, but I became a transferee-- from CEU Manila, I moved to UPHSD in Las Piñas for clinics. Not everyone would understand why I left a top performing school in favor of a tiny school that doesn't get much attention, but it was my best decision-- simply because it was what was best for me. So if you need to go, then go. It's going to be okay.:)
DON'T EVER COMPARE YOUR DENTAL SCHOOL JOURNEY WITH ANYONE ELSE'S. My best moments in Pre-Dentistry were winning elections, my worst were group assignments. My best moments in Pre-Clinical life were sitting at the Dent Sci Lanai with my friends, my worst were failing subjects. My best moments in clinic involved falling in love with Oral Surgery, and the worst was falling out of love with it-- that, and being ditched by patients. While nearly everyone can relate, nobody can feel things the exact same way I felt them. The #roadtoDMD may look like an absolute illustration, but really, it's all about the journey. It took me an eternity and a half to finish dental school, and while I have some regrets here and there, all the little missteps made the journey feel more like it was mine, and in effect, it just made me love it more. I came face to face with my inner demons that I didn't even know that I was in relative radius of, and in the end, I made it out alive.
I feel like freshmen will always have a special place in my heart-- yes, I'm saying that even though I've already graduated. I think it's the big sister feels talking here-- by the way, my junior, Justin, literally called me a Friendly Neighborhood Ate ng Bayan type just a few hours ago, haha. I'm going to live vicariously through everyone. They're freshmen at school, but I'm a freshman to a bigger world out there. Good luck to us. <3
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