Just as quickly as the last semester ended, a new one began. You promised yourself to become more organized, get through all of the recommended readings and stick to a study schedule. One month into the semester, your desk is covered in dirty scrubs, leftover Chipotle and half-highlighted syllabi. In 30 days, your study goal has gone from hero to zero. Semester after semester, I lose the motivation to study because my desk is in the running for the next episode of “Hoarders.”
One day, at my first job out of college, I was called into my boss’s office.
“Kerri, you’re not organized.”
Excuse me?
“What you’re doing isn’t working, you need to find a new way to stay organized.”
She was right. I wasn’t organized. I thought I was, but I wasn’t. This was my wake up call. Ever since that day I’ve worked hard to ensure I’m never called out on my lack of organizational skills again. Here are a few of my tips for getting and staying organized.
Congratulations to all the first-year dental students all over the United States. You have all worked very hard to get to this point and must continue to do so to to earn your degree. Starting dental school marks not only the start of an important chapter in your professional career, but also the beginning of many new lifestyle choices. In this transitional, yet critical, point in your dental education, I’d like share some tips to help you survive your first year…
Successfully navigating the halls of dental school requires poise, commitment, and most importantly, organization. Progressing through our education, we have gradually been granted more personal responsibility to achieve our goals as we moved from high school to college and beyond. This responsibility has translated for an increasing need in one main area: organization.
Read on for tips on organizing your busy life as a student!
Twenty four hours just never seems like enough time to accomplish everything on your to do list. But when you think about it, if you are getting 7-9 hours of sleep, there are still about 15 or more hours of your day! Planning ahead and planning smart can help you be more productive while taking care of yourself. One strategy to consider using is blocking your schedule. I like to visualize my days and weeks like what you see on Google Calendar. There are visual “blocks” for each activity.
Former ASDA Vice President, Dr. Ben Youel, shares how he elevated his dental school experience through optimizing his organization, information and networking. Watch the video after the break to see how you can make the best of your four years. What are some ways you are optimizing your dental school experience?
