Let The Exams Begin

Labor day weekend was an amazing break before the exams begin for the P2 year. I went home to visit my family and attend a PSU football game with my husband, Gannon. The game was great - definitely a weird feeling to be an alumni though, I'm still not used to it. Sunday was a day of family and food. Definitely ate A LOT! Then on Labor Day, Gannon and I drove home and attended a "crab fest" that a couple of P2's were hosting. Tons of freshly steamed crabs right from Maryland - YUM! But after party time was over...it was back to the grind. It is definitely time to start cracking down on the studying.

This Thursday we have an exam "teaser" - a quiz in Nonprescription drugs. It is on self care, fever/headache/pain, vaginal infections, and menstruation/PMS/contraception. The material is pretty dense and there are only 10 quiz questions. This of course means that all of the material must be learned just to make sure the 10 multiple choice and true/false questions can be answered correctly. Love it when that happens....

I find that the best way for me to study for these types of tests - the ones that require a lot of memorization of facts and numbers - is to re-write the lectures into a notebook. The simple act of writing them all out makes me focus on the words and sort of become familiar with the material. If there's a reading to go along with the lecture - I add that into the written notes too by writing out important points from the reading or things that emphasize what was said in lecture. Then, I commit everything to memory after I go over the notes I have written with a highlighter. Before the test I read the highlighted notes about twice more and I am good to go. If there's something that is particularly hard to remember, I write it again until it sticks. This is my method and I have seen others use it in my class too...but everyone has a different way that they study.

So my plan is to get everything re-written today and tonight and possbily go over half with the highligher. Then tomorrow I'll finish up in time for the quiz Thursday. I have tried studying further in advance but I have found that I actually can retain the information easier if I study closer to the test day...even though "cramming" is not usually the recommended way to study.

Just got an email today that the BJD SOP softball game is scheduled to take place September 26th. I won't be able to go because I will be going to another home PSU game - but I have heard it is really fun! All of the pharmacy classes (P1 - P4s) get together and play a softball game with the faculty and staff. It is fun to see the faculty outside of class and have some fun. I think it definitely has an influence on how tight students and faculty are at SU.

Another fun event I will have to miss because of work is the Greek Olympics this Thursday. This is where the three Greek fraternities in our school organize food and games for all students and they can come out and watch us battle it out. This year, my fraternity, Kappa Epsilon, was responsible for getting the food - our president took care of that and got food donated from Walgreens. The other two fraternities, Kappa Psi and Phi Delta Chi, are organizing the games. I wish I could go!

Well, I think it's about time I start studying.