by Janine H.
Many times, the mental health of a pre-med major isn't taken into account. In a way, it is assumed that if this is a career you want to partake in in the future that you should be able to handle the work and be fine. Truth be told, being a pre-med major is a lot of work. you have to be able to balance so many things all at once. As a pre-major, you are taking vigorous science classes, trying to get volunteer hours, trying to shadow, trying to do research, getting involved on campus and even sometimes working at a job on top of all that. That is a lot to juggle for anyone let alone a student. This could lead to being overwhelmed and drained to the point where you are not putting in your best effort for your classwork.
One thing I can say is that when you feel stuck with all these responsibilities and all these goals to accomplish, you could try journaling. I found that journaling has allowed me to express my bottled-up emotions. I can journal about how I'm feeling about a long week or a long day or even a long semester. I write when I am sad or overwhelmed and feel like giving up. I write when I am happy (when I get a good grade) and when I know that I've put in a lot of work resulting in the good results that I expect. I also write all my goals and tasks I need to accomplish. I usually write a timetable of when I want to accomplish the tasks and that helps me to know how to manifest my goals. Another thing you could try is to take a step back when you are feeling overwhelmed and you feel like you're at a breaking point. You could take a break. A lot of us pre-med majors think that breaks are wasting time; but it's not. Taking a break is actually better because you're able to reset yourself and come back to an assignment or a deadline that needs to be met. Another thing that I do is I find little shows on YouTube or Netflix that are about 10 to 20 minutes so I can watch them while I take my little break. This really helps me change the trajectory of my thinking about an assignment or how I'm feeling at that moment.
Don't let your hard days deter you from getting you to where you want to get in the future. One thing that I have been told as a pre-med major is to find a hobby. Finding a hobby will allow you to be able to step back. Most pre-med majors are told to step back, but don't know what to do when they step back. It often seems like all your life is related to school-work and not much time is left for yourself and others.
Anything as simple as doing a face mask, washing your hair, painting your nails and eating your favorite snack can all aid in a more positive outlook on mental health as a pre-med major. Last but not least, ask for help and advice from others when you need. I have a bad habit of not asking for help when I need it most because it frequently backfires on me. Sometimes I feel as though I need to get it done on my own to see the success but success comes easier when you allow people to help you. Lots of successful people got help to get to where they are now so why not try it yourself Of course, there are many other things you can do in order to make your mental health more positive throughout your pre-med journey. I only listed a few things, but I know there are other ways that could be beneficial toward a positive outlook on a pre-med majors mental health. I hope this finds you all well and don't forget to work hard, but also take breaks because they are really important. Good luck!