To survive at SUNY Optometry you need to take breaks. I bet that is just what you wanted to hear!
Well do not get too excited. Yes, it is important to take quick breaks while studying, but the breaks I speak of involve breaking up your academic subjects.
For example, I never study every subject on a single day. Optometry school is not easy. Professors shovel way too much information on your plate and it is quite impossible to digest it all at once. This is why I break up the subjects. For example, on Saturday I study Human Bioscience, Ocular Anatomy Biochemistry and Physiology, and Optics. On Sunday, I enjoy Gross Anatomy and Optometric Theory and Procedures. Breaking up the subjects gives you the opportunity to focus and immerse yourself in one academic subject at a time.
Just on a side note, when you get your class schedule and begin to assess your classes for the semester (does anyone seriously run on quarters anymore) do not underestimate anything because of name alone. Optometric Theory and Procedures (OTP) sounds quite tame compared to the ferocity of Ocular Anatomy Biochemistry and Physiology, but please do not fool yourself. You will do more work for OTP than most other classes combined.
Do not be troubled however, even though OTP is torture, it will be the most important subject you will take at SUNY Optometry and the most interesting course of your first year. Subsequently, you will actually begin to accept the torture and learn to embrace it just as you will learn to accept the rats of NYC as your pets.
You will be putting many extra and late hours into OTP, but this is why you decided to come to Optometry School. It is euphoria when you find the macula for the first time. Even spotting the optic nerve head is enough to purchase a smile and you will need to do plenty of that to keep your sanity if you haven’t lost it already.
I am sure everyone has enjoyed reading my tips for surviving at SUNY Optometry as much as I enjoyed writing them, but my next article will be a special treat. I will tell you how to fit in at Optometry School, and reveal how to be stamp your signature on the class. Until next time.
Regards,
Antonio C.
Once again a fabulous article by Antonio so take his words quite seriously, I (Matt Geller) can vouch for everything he says.
I figured I would let you guys know what is coming up in the next week or so!
The articles will be discussing..
1) General Advice For The OAT
2) How to Transpose Glasses Prescriptions (and what this means)
3) Clinic Experiences: Attempting to save a senior citizens vision
So stay tuned because things are just starting to heat up. Feel free to bookmark us or subscribe to the RSS feed.
