Finals and My Winter Break

The fall 2021 semester has come to an end with finals finishing up last week. Overall, my finals went well - I had two 'traditional' finals (e.g. a final exam) and two final papers due. This semester, I took Anatomy 1, Genetics, Health Communication, and Health Policy. Overall, it was a pretty balanced schedule and I got lucky with my exam schedule, as I had 3 days in between my two finals so I was able to focus on each one independently. I have gotten into the swing of finals week, and I do think being in person helped me feel more prepared.

Some of the strategies I used for preparing for my written exams included going over old problems, posting on class discussion boards, and going to office hours/review sessions. It's always helpful to review content by trying to explain it to someone else (my guinea pig is a good listener, thankfully). Of course, different things work for different people, and it will depend on the type of final and the content! For my two papers, I worked on them through the semester and set an early deadline (3 days before) so I could have a friend read it over and give me some revisions so I could submit my best work. Overall, finals were stressful, but I am SO excited to have an extra-long winter break (just over a month).

Speaking of winter break, I have a lot going on! I am very happy and excited to go on vacation with my family to Mexico for a week. We are going to be celebrating Christmas there and I am excited to escape both the Boston and Toronto cold in exchange for some warm sun and salty water. I am going to take this time to relax and have a great time with my family! Of course, we are staying as COVID safe as possible 🙂. I am also going to be seeing some friends and seeing the new spider man movie (it's a 10/10). Lastly, I am going to be using this time to work on my personal statement and materials needed to start applying to dental school in the summer! I am a little nervous and it is hard to avoid imposter syndrome, but I am also very grateful to even have the opportunity and means to apply into a field I love.

Wherever you are, I hope you stay safe and have a happy holiday season!

Until Next Time,

Marcie :)