Veterinary students are typically very type A people. Organized, OCD, on top of it, planning professionals, etc, are all words that fit a lot of us out there. We like order, structure, and plans, and we want to be the best we can be. This drive and desire often takes the form of taking on so much stuff in trying to better ourselves that we spend all of our time working toward one pursuit or another.
Last summer I was with an older practitioner in Pennsylvania, and we had a wonderful time. I learned a lot from her about business ownership, veterinary medicine, and life in general. She gave me a piece of advice that vet students don’t often get, and that is to take some time off and enjoy your last summer. That seemed weird, because I always felt like I should squeeze in as many externships as I possibly could to get as much done as possible. Anything less seemed lazy to me.
As I pushed through second year though, I got tired and burned out and so I scheduled fewer externships for this summer. I’m still finding plenty to do, but I’m taking some time off, enjoying going for a run when I want, riding and hanging around the barn on a nice afternoon, watching movies with some girlfriends while we paint our nails and laugh, and so much more. I realize that the next two years will be long and hard, and I won’t have many breaks. I’m enjoying the time I have now and the people and critters I get to spend it with.
