Intro to Med School (Dear Foundation Year Self, This One's For You) - Part 2

Dear Foundation Year Self, 

I have nothing new to tell you that you don't already know. The things that people usually advise others with? Turns out they're cliche because they are true!
Maybe you're expecting me to give you life saving advice, but the truth is, you're still too young. You're too eager for life and you shouldn't be. Take life now slowly and enjoy it because at this point you still don't have much to worry about. You don't need to worry about where to go after graduating or which path to take. You don't have to worry about being professional and acting like an adult in the workplace. You don't have to worry about how to get along with reluctant lazy colleagues. You don't have to worry about getting a fair assessment from your hospital/clinic mentor who you've said 'hello' to once on arrival to the place and never seen again.

So for now, hurry yourself to worrying. You will get sick of it later.

General Advice:

1. Time management. I only learned to master this 5 years into college. Learn it now! It'll save you lots of hair-pulling, eye-gouging events later on.
   
   Understand procrastination now to help you stop the 'addiction'.
   
   Why do I procrastinate? Your brain is on hash. Except it's the weed of procrastination. It is in a situation similar to drug addiction. Basically, your brain's reward system wants shortcuts to feeling good FAST and NOW. It doesn't want to exhaust itself with solving stressful tasks (studying, assignments) only to wait a few weeks/months to get rewarded (grades, finishing a course). So it starts doing things that give it immediate reward (social media every few minutes, series). It goes into a vicious cycle of reward and stress.
   
   
   
   How do I break the cycle? Self rehab. It won't be easy the first few times. There's no magic or shortcuts. It's all in your mind powers:
1. Start by either deleting or signing off social media apps on your phone/tablet. Your phone/tablet is the easiest to access (well it is to me). Once I did that, I found I had a lot more free time when not wasted on scrolling facebook, twitter or instagram feeds. (I actually have time to continue painting and reading novels now!)
2. If you don't want to do that, close your gadgets/turn off their wifi/keep them somewhere you can't access while studying/give them to someone to keep while you study. Please resist opening that tab on your computer and watching an episode of Vampire Diaries and whatever useless teenager crap that is on at the time or socializing on facebook..etc.
3. Put small goals for yourself to achieve with prizes afterwards: If I finish this short chapter/6 pages, I will get to watch a funny youtube video.
4. Plan something crazy every weekend you can look forward to. Knowing my weekend was filled with fun helped me stay focus during the week on studying to my limits. It doesn't have to be hardcore so as to go clubs and party or whatever; to me it was just a night of movie marathon with my family, a full day of painting, reading the next novel in a trilogy. A day that pleases YOU!
5. Spice up studying by staying in college some days. Knowing others are struggling to study just beside you in the other room/other table helps in keeping you grounded. It is also a fun way to socialize. I'd plan to study a chapter and take a break by talking with friends. Also, I've made new friends during this time. Stressful times bring people together.
2. Social life. I am still confused in this aspect, so I cannot give you advice. I can only give you my point of view:
1. I was a lone wolf in foundation year. Is that a good thing? Not sure. I was freer. I didn't have any commitments to friends. I got to study whenever I could during free time instead of talking, spend time going to the gym and doing hobbies. It was a freeing year.
2. I'm running out of time for socializing with my peers and I regret having wasted a year not doing that during my free time instead of running away from class soon as it was dismissed. You don't need to be a public relations expert, just enough for you to stay socially healthy (bet you learned that the definition of health includes a social aspect by now!). 

"How to study" Advice:

1. What to study? Books. Not Lectures! B.o.o.k.s. Many people study lecture presentations instead of books (chemistry, physics, biology). I was doing well on exams and I kept hearing students complaining about how the material was not in the lecture. Forget about the lectures. They aren't references and may have many mistakes.
2. How to consolidate memory with galaxies of information? 
1. Understand concepts. I read the chapter once before class. Once after class. Once before the quiz. Once a few minutes before the quiz. Once before the midterm. Then for the final. Why read so much, you might ask? It is a scientific fact that you never understand something fully from the first reading. Exams rely on full-rounded understanding. Every reading adds a piece to the clarifying puzzle. Interspaced reading and understanding helps solidify knowledge in long term memory. (After foundation year, you will never have the time to do this.)
2. Explain things to others! Explain concepts to your parents, siblings, friends in scientific terms and simple terms. You may hesitate at points, not knowing how to put them to words. These are your weak points. Go read more about those. When you know something, you will never hesitate to put it into words.
3. Chemistry & Physics. Practice, practice, practice exercises. Do not read the exercise and mentally solve problems. Put pen to paper and use your hand to solve.
3. How do I organize my electives? Take Intro to Medicine in the first semester and get it over with. Leave the second semester for electives because they are easier. The second semester is when you'll be near burn out because the end of the year is approaching. 2 approaches to electives in this year:
1. Take the harder electives in the second semester and leave the easier electives for later years when you'll be loaded with more important studying.
2. Take the easier electives in the second semester to raise your GPA. Leave the harder electives for later years because after foundation year, it is only a matter of pass/fail for them. Their grades don't matter starting in year 1.