WO student advisory board member Mariem Girgis, now a third-year student at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Optometry, shares her thoughts on navigating college courses and what she would tell her younger self.
With the high school classes of 2024 entering their first year of college this fall, I can’t help but think that, for me, high school graduation was a whole six years ago. It was six years ago, towards the end of high school, that I knew optometry was the career I wanted to pursue.
I knew that I needed to go to college first, then to optometry school. What I didn’t know was how I would get through these educational milestones to eventually reach my aspiration. How was I going to stay motivated through the long years of schooling? How was I going to develop time management and organizational skills? How was I going to develop and work on myself to be the best optometry student and future optometrist that I can be?
Now that I am a bit older— and fully immersed (day and night, happily) in the optometry world— here are some things I would tell my younger self:
HAVE TRUST
Trust in God. Trust that I am blessed with strengths, and the skills to constantly improve my weaknesses.
BE HOPEFUL
Be hopeful that even though the upcoming exam may be difficult, there is light at the end of the tunnel—always. Everything has a conclusion. Tomorrow will be better.
CAPITALIZE ON FEEDBACK
Professors and preceptors want me to reach my fullest potential. Constructive feedback isn’t meant to break me down but rather build me up.
CONSIDER EVERY OPPORTUNITY
Never shut down an opportunity because it wasn’t a part of the original plan. The best experiences where I have grown the most were because I had pursued opportunities that weren’t originally part of my personal or academic goals.
START EARLY
Not only should you start working on assignments and studying for exams earlier but seek help early on. Never let a struggle or problem grow.
BE REALISTIC
For me, it’s impossible to study 500 PowerPoint slides in one sitting. But it’s not impossible to get through chunks of 50 or 100. Bite-sized pieces with clear and achievable goals work best for me.
KEEP THE END GOAL IN MIND
Focusing on my destination helps the challenging days and moments go by faster— and even find joy in the chaos.
Looking into the future, I know that I will always be learning, that I will have challenges and that I will be exposed to new opportunities throughout my career. I look forward to the lessons that these next years will teach me.
