And that's a wrap: Year one is complete

At approximately 9:00am this morning, I shut my laptop. My last final exam, complete. And perhaps the most anticlimactic end to a school year.

No celebration with classmates and friends to mark the end of an important year. I know a lot of students who are at an even more pivotal point in their journey -- graduation, or the completion of didactic -- are feeling this even more. I'm sorry that there won't be white coat ceremonies or traditional graduations or clinking glasses or hugs.

And while I'm sad I can't celebrate this accomplishment how I would like, I think it's worth a peek back at the last 353 days of this journey! Here's some of the things I've learned.

Minimalist living is surprisingly comforting. At least until the cockroaches come...
Bonds are built over the "tanks" -- bonds you can't break!
You know you're busy when grocery shopping counts as your time to relax.
Good friends and family will be there for you, even after you blow them off for the (seemingly) millionth time.
It's important to have someone you can vent to. Maybe a professional.
You do have to cut yourself off from coffee at some point during the day.
Popcorn and Twizzlers does not count as dinner.
It's truly amazing the amount of information our brains can retain.
Moms are the best because they will help you move long into your 30s!
Love is your grandparents making a three hour trip so your grandpa can be your practice patient.
It's okay to cry. It's okay to ask for help. It's not okay to give up.
Failure is probably going to happen (screw you, dermatology pharmacology...). But it's not the end of the world.
You can't survive on coffee alone. Water. Definitely also drink water.
A pandemic can take away your coffee shop study dates. But it can't take away Facebook messenger video study sessions!

I know this is a quote about being a parent, but I also think it fits here: "The days are long, but the years are short." It's wild that I'm here, having survived an entire year of PA school. I know there's still a lot ahead of me, but it feels so great to be here right now.

Looking ahead to the future, I'm hoping to enjoy my summer break. I may need to re-learn what it's like to be a normal human being who isn't juggling PA school plus a job! I seriously don't know what I'm going to do with all this free time!

So, I'll enjoy summer as best I can. Two more semesters of didactic while I continue to work as a clinical dietitian. Then, clinical year! I'll be at the finish line in no time.

Thanks for reading,
Olivia

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