HINTS FOR COPING AT HOME 

Most members of entering classes majored in the sciences as undergraduates, but many had other majors ranging from Engineering to Philosophy.  In addition, members of each class come with a wide range of variance in lifestyles: the single student just out of college, the married student just out of college, the single parent with children, or the older student returning to school after several years of employment.  In short, given the class diversity, you are sure to find someone m your situation.

For those married students or with significant others, it will be a time to discover exactly how significant that other is.  You must both want success in professional school and be willing to sacrifice for it.  Please remember that your experience is what you make of it. If you choose, you can spend a great deal of time with your spouse. it is up to you.  Some of us study at home, where we are with our families.  Others of us study at school or in study groups, which takes away from time with our families.  You will figure out what works best for your success in school and in keeping the important things in life, your family.  Many students before you have been in your shoes and made it.  Doing well and enjoying professional school is a matter of being fair to yourself, your spouse and your studies.  Several people have contributed their hints for this balancing act.

Married Students and Couples

Unlike the undergraduate environment, there are a lot of married students and couples in professional school.  Being married is a wonderful benefit because of the strong support you receive from your spouse.  Being married CAN provide a unique challenge and without proper planning CAN become stressful to your relationship.  Although professional school is more time consuming than college, you will find yourself with free time to spend with your spouse.  The first year is mainly classes and labs, and you will find yourself with time to share with your spouse.  These are a few perspectives from various married people in professional school; however, you will have your own experiences and preferences on how you divide your time between your spouse and school.

Studying - How you utilize that time is up to you.  Some people like to keep up everyday while others catch up on the weekends.  You should study the way that bests suits BOTH you and your spouse.  Some married students feel that it is better to keep up so that they can consistently spend time with their spouse throughout the school year.  'Mere has also been the suggestion that you can do most of your studying during the day when you are not in class so that when you go home, you have more free time.  In other words, treating school like an 8-5 job.  Some schools (like dental) have class until later, so this may not work as well.  Where you study makes a difference as well.  Some like to study at home so that they are constantly with their spouse.  Others do not like to study at home.  Therefore, they spend more time away from home to study, but when they are home, all of their time may be devoted to their spouse.  It is important to assess how well you want to do in school and how much are you willing to sacrifice to attain those goals.  These values vary tremendously among students, married or not.

Logistical Issues - In order to make a smooth transition from where you are right now to San Antonio, it would be helpful to get a lot of the "chores" out of the way before school starts.  For example, settling into your new home/apartment, dental and eye exams, yearly checkups, car tune-ups, setting up a bank account, etc.  Don't forget to do all the things the school requires too (i.e. immunizations, financial aid, etc.). Some people have also suggested making a list of responsibilities at home between you and your spouse and sticking to those responsibilities once school starts.  There is time to wash dishes, take out garbage and have a full life.

Spending Time Together - Some people find it important to completely leave school behind when they spend time with their spouse while others find it comforting to talk about school with their spouse.  The key is finding the right balance between the two.  The most important thing is communication.  It is also important not to place values on either spouse's day-time commitments.  Working/staying home/etc. is no less/more important than you going to professional school and an appreciation of each other will lead to a better understanding.  It is also important to let your spouse know when you need to study, what's going on at school, whether or not it's academic...

Spouses of First-Year Students - There are a variety of types of spouses of professional school students.  Some work, some go to school, some stay at home with children, etc.  If you are planning to work, it is important to start scouting job opportunities early.  If you go to school, the most difficult thing is trying to find time when both you and your spouse are free at the same time.  Often, one person will have exams when the other person just got through.  However, you can definitely make it work.  Sometimes it is easier to study if you are both in school since you and your spouse will understand.

Living Apart - This can create a lot of stress on you and your spouse.  Seeing each other on the weekends, if possible is a very good idea.  If you are within a three-hour distance from San Antonio, this is very possible and many people see each other most weekends.  If you live further apart from each other, communication becomes even more important.  Your long distance bills will be high, but talking to each other a lot is important.  If both of you have access to e-mail, this could relieve some of the finances, but there is no substitute for hearing each other's voice. If you must fly to see each other, try to reserve plane tickets early or look out for deals.  Many people plan to see each other frequently by plane and although it is a little costly, many students find it worth the price.

Being married is great!  Just remember what your priorities are!  If you ever get too stressed, don't hesitate to talk things over with the people at the Counseling Service.  They offer, without charge, both individual and marriage counseling, and have helped many students.

Single Students

Single life in professional school follows the same pattern as single life in college with a few exceptions.  First of all, professional school requires much more study time, seriously curtailing the amount of time allotted for dating and partying.  But do not despair; there is still time for these exciting past times, especially if you practice time management.  Set your priorities, and you will have no problem fitting your "hobbies" into your busy schedule.  Another major difference between college and professional school appears to be the size of the dating pool Class sizes are smaller than the several thousand often found in college and you have every single class with the same people.  Seeing the same people every day makes many think twice about dating someone in their class.  But do not fear; there are always upperclassmen as well as other students in different schools in the Health Science Center with whom you may mix and mingle.  With a little effort and some involvement in extracurricular activities, you can meet many different types of people with whom you can associate.

Just remember that professional school will be what you personally make it.  Being single does not mean being lonely.  Spend time with your fellow classmates, get involved, play intramural sports, hang out at the local bars and clubs (if that is what you enjoy), and maintain a balance with school and your social life and you will be happy.

Older Than Average Students

In general, the older student enters professional school with more work experience, maturity, and a more developed support mechanism.  Older students are here because they have decided to make a major career change after having spent considerable time in other fields of work, making them very goal oriented.

However, there are some disadvantages that these "maturing" experiences have generated.  Age in and of itself is NOT a major issue, but other aspects of personal life (spouse, children, reduction in income, reduction of free time...) may be.  A possibly overwhelming, constantly flowing, volume of varied information and activity will replace the "routine" of your previous job.

The following paradigms and suggestions may be useful to you:

Being older than the "traditional" (straight-out-of-college) student, you may feel out of place.  This stereotyped definition of the "traditional" student, even if it were ever accurate, will have to be changed.  To give you a frame of reference, the age range of the classes in the past have been from 17 to 43 with the median age at 27.  A sample of previous professions includes engineers, elementary school teachers, journalists, architects, pharmacists, physical therapists, military intelligence, pilots, drug company representatives, etc ... So remember, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Older students who have typically been in the work force for several years - usually in a slower-paced environment - may be affected by the DRAMATIC change in pace when you enter professional school The best way to handle this is to stay on top of the material, manage time efficiently, and schedule study time accurately.  To their advantage older students are typically more focused.

You may have developed a philosophy that emphasizes concepts and generalizations of the details presented.  This will be useful in understanding a lot of material you will be taught.  But it must be noted that during the first year or two of professional School, a lot of emphasis is place on learning the details of this "new language" you are learning.  MEMORIZATION techniques (whichever one work for you) will be the key to successful survival.

Finally, seek advice from the Counseling Service, your peer advisor, and your professional school big sibling.  The folks there WANT TO and WILL help with the adjustment.  They have seen many students with similar profiles and needs.  It is important to be patient, absorb all the varying advice, and make your decisions once you've compiled them.  The main thing to remember is once you are in professional school, people will do their utmost to help you through the experience.

SOME HINTS FOR COPING IN SCHOOL

There is a real intimidation factor when you have always been in the top of your class and suddenly you are placed in a class of people who have all been at the top of their class.  This feeling of inequality will quickly go away once you get to know some of your classmates on a personal basis.  You will see that professional school is not impossible; it is just DIFFERENT.  You CAN make it; just remember your goal.

It is important to form new relationships at school, since this is where you will be spending most of your time.  Given this unique setting, it may be stressful to meet your new classmates.  Many people may seem hard to get to know at first.  Be patient with your new classmates and realize that EVERYONE has a niche that they will fit into… it just may take a while to find this niche.  Suggestions:  Try sitting in a different area of the lecture hall each day during orientation and when school starts.  This allows you to meet more people in the class, especially those outside of your peer group.

In all honesty, there is a mountain of mostly unfamiliar material to master.  Don't be too disheartened by its volume.  Make an effort to get a quick start on your studying and plan your studying time in advance.  It is much easier if you keep up.  Your old undergraduate study skills may need to be modified in professional school.  You may find yourself needing some advice on how to develop new study skills.  There are excellent workshops offered by the Counseling Service for doing just this.  The key coping factor to school is TIME MANAGEMENT.

The school will do everything possible to help you stay in and to do your best.  The Counseling Service, located in 358L, provides consultation for any personal, academic, or career problem that you, your spouse or significant other experience.  The Service has psychologists and psychiatrists available and is free and confidential.