by Jasjeet Grovera and Bailie Featherston
While four years can seem incredibly daunting when you are just starting, especially when you know how much hard work is ahead of you, it goes by fast! Make the best of it! Many doctors of optometry I know say their time in optometry school was some of the best years of their life, and they could be yours, too! It can be hard to have a work-life balance during school, but it’s important to live in the moment and make as many memories with your optometry family as possible. There are so many incredible events that each school offers and so many ways to get involved.
There are so many opportunities open to you
Often when you are a student, it feels like you are detached from the real working world, but in optometry this is hardly the case! There are so many opportunities open to you that can help you get a head start on your career and get you involved in the world of optometry. The American Optometric Student Association is an incredible example of that with so many opportunities to get involved in the community, build relationships with practicing doctors, and become a leader. There is something out there for everyone, whether you are interested in research, pursuing a specialty, or serving the community. Make sure you seek these opportunities and reach out to the doctors, professors or organizations you want to be involved in.
You will meet your best friends
Going into optometry school, you expect to meet new people who will become your colleagues one day. However, you do not initially anticipate the friendships that will form during school. Optometry school is a big challenge, and you do not realize how your peers quickly become your biggest support system over the next four years. You each have a deeper, closer understanding of what fellow students are going through. These are the people you will study with, practice clinic skills with, laugh with, cry with and, ultimately, rely on for the next four years and beyond.
You do not need to be perfect
Optometry school is no easy task. It takes constant effort, grit and passion to keep going. You are in school to learn how to be a better clinician for your future patients. Not everyone can get perfect scores or pass every proficiency on the first attempt, and that is okay. It is crucial to give yourself grace, to not expect perfection immediately, and to always pick yourself up when times get tough.
