This week concludes my first week of dedicated studying for STEP 2. I must say that it was much harder than I anticipated to be able to sit down and focus for hours and hours each day. Not like STEP1 was a breeze either but I guess coming from being in the classroom for 2 years it wasn’t so hard of a transition. Now that I’ve been on the clinical side of things, going back to just sitting down and studying for 13 hours straight was hard! The only things I’m doing outside of studying is working out, eating, and sleeping for the most part.
The first day was so bad I just couldn’t sit still. I made every excuse to get up and use the bathroom, get water, take a walk, scroll on instagram, check emails, etc. When I was doing my UWorld question sets I would be staring at one question for like 2 mins without even understanding what it’s asking. I ended up not meeting my goals for the day and being behind smh. I picked things up the rest of the week though and now I’m really in the groove. My efficiency and focus is on point and I’m accomplishing everything that I set out to do each day. I just needed to be more intentional about focusing and I prayed each morning that my distractions would be limited and my thoughts re-directed to my studies.
For my resources I’m using UWorld, Master the Boards, and USMLE Step 2 Secrets. I’m doing 4 sets a day in order to finish my questions a week before my exam so I have time to review and maybe do some of my missed questions. It’s definitely not as easy as it sounds. I used to start the days with questions then read my subject(s) of the day after reviewing them. But by the time I got done reviewing the questions, I was so tired I would just fall asleep reading. So now I read first thing in the morning while my brain is fresh and then go into the question sets and I play music while I review the questions so I can keep my energy up. After that I usually go to the gym and as a night cap I read Step 2 Secrets.
I’m studying alone this time around vs. for STEP 1 I had a study partner. I feel like since it’s just 3 weeks, I can just power through on my own. Plus, I like to switch up my environments and I like being able to do whatever I want and not have to let someone else know. And I can play my music and just be in my own zone. It’s actually been really nice I must say.
One fun thing I did this week was make candles at this shop in Augusta that allows you to choose your own scents from like 100 options. The employees help you decide which scents to put together to make the perfect candle for the vibe you want. I wanted something that would calm me and be perfect for those chill nights when I went to bed early with a book and a glass of wine. I blended the most perfect scents and fell in love with the product! I just have to be mindful when I burn it because I paid a nice price for it so it needs to last!
Onward to week 2 of board prep!! I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
The Balancing Act 