Lesson #1: Prioritize your time and your sanity

When I first got into pharmacy school, I tried my hardest to be involved in everything from multiple organizations, volunteer events, and even attending all of the conferences in the area. I was literally going to events and meetings just because. There was no rhyme or reason other than to beef up my resume and to put myself out there in the profession. Not a terrible plan for a P1 student, but in my third year, I knew I needed to reel it back in and prioritize my time a lot better. This year I really focused on developing my passions, learning about myself, and learning how to manage my busy lifestyle.  The result? I passed all of my classes with stellar grades and even though I was stressed, I was happy. I was happy in my relationship, happy with my school work, and even happier at work.

Pro tip: Put yourself first and learn how to manage your time from the get-go. Your mental health should be your number one priority outside of passing your classes.

Lesson #2: Learn how you study and stick with it

My P3 year was really the year that I finally learned how to study effectively for myself. During my first two years of pharmacy school, I was attempting to study like my classmates and friends, and it just wasn’t working out for me. I would study all night and flip through Quizlets until I was so tired the next morning my brain hurt. This year, I tried a few different study techniques until I found one that really worked for me and my schedule. For those that are wondering, I do really well when I write my own homemade notes to review as well as re-reading the material over and over again until it becomes second nature. The consistent review of the material every day really suits me, and it’s been working pretty well for me so far.

It takes time to find out what studying method works for you so make the time to re-learn how you study. The way that you studied in high school or during your undergrad years won’t be the same as in pharmacy school. Pharmacy school is just a totally different beast and it takes a different way of studying to conquer it. Check out this post on some of my favorite study tips!

Lesson #3: Find your passions and develop them

I mentioned earlier that this year that I focused on developing my passions, and this is even more important during your third year in pharmacy school. You’re almost done with school, and it’s getting closer to graduation time, where you’ll have to decide what career path you’ll go down. You have to start preparing for the finale now! This year I dove head first into compounding, my first love, and business, my second love.  I attended a few compounding and entrepreneurial-type courses, some in my city and others that had to travel for, and I really just enjoyed all of my experiences this year. By doing these experiences, I was able to grow my knowledge and network with my fellow students and pharmacists at the events.

P3 year is all about finding yourself and figuring out what your interests are, even if you aren’t positive on your career path. Find the time in your busy schedule to do just that. Try new things, take new adventures, and be open to new situations to find your passions. Because once you do, you can then develop them.

Lesson #4: Develop your professional network

You’ve probably heard this before, but pharmacy is a small world. Everyone knows everyone so it’s super important to start developing your professional network while you’re in school. When I first started out, I carried around business cards to hand out to anyone that I met during a conference, meetings, and even on my rotations. I would then also try to keep the connections alive by regularly stopping by the person’s office or checking in through email. It’s the small chats you had over breakfast that could later land you your first job.

Step out of your comfort zone, especially if you haven’t already in your first two years and meet new faces. You can also create a Linkedin profile and start making connections through that platform. But only add people that you actually know or have spoked with before otherwise it’s a little creepy to be adding random strangers on the app.

Photos by Brailey Johnson Photography

Lesson #5: Make time for yourself

Your number one priority in pharmacy school, outside of your school work, is your mental health. My first year I literally spent every waking moment studying, doing school work, or making Quizlets study guides. This year I knew I couldn’t live my life like that anymore. I was burning myself out, and I didn’t even realize it until now. Instead I would take an hour or two each day to do something that I enjoyed, either watching my favorite shows on Hulu or going for a walk with Ava or something else. I even made time each week for date nights, which definitely helped keep my relationship strong.

Even when your schedule is jammed packed, remember to carve out some time for yourself every single day. It could be just fifteen minutes or even two hours. Then spend that time doing something that you enjoy and that brings you some peace of mind. Do a face mask or dance in your bedroom to your favorite song. Just take a break whenever you can.

My third year in pharmacy school was definitely a learning year for me. I learned so much about myself in terms of how I study, what I needed for my mental health, and what I needed in my relationships.  Hopefully you can learn from my stories and the lessons that I’ve learned over the year to help prepare you for whatever year that you are in pharmacy school.

You might also like: 5 Tips to Help You Stay Motivated While in Pharmacy School, The Millennial’s Guide to Time Management, and What to Do if You Fail a Class in Pharmacy School

The post 5 Lessons I Learned in My Third Year of Pharmacy School appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

I’ve been blogging now for technically for two and a half years now, but I took a year-long break when I got overwhelmed with school, work, and life situations. I’m so glad that I restarted my blog this year, and I’ve learned so much since then including all of the mistakes that I made during my first year as a blogger. Keep reading to find out the 6 things I wish I knew when I started this blog…

1. Blogging takes time

On average, it takes me 3-4 hours to write a blog post and then another 2 hours to take pictures for the blog post, whether it be an outfit photo or a flatlay. I also spend an hour on marketing on my blog post and optimizing it for search engines, so my website can be seen by more people than just my readers. On average, I probably spend around 10-15 hours a week creating content for my website. I’ll be the first to admit it takes me forever to shoot one outfit and takes me even longer to sit down and write out each post. Regardless, I definitely didn’t imagine that blogging would take up so much of my time when I first got started blogging. My advice to new bloggers to manage your time wisely and give yourself enough time for the learning curve. Carve out time for each step of the process from brainstorming, writing blog posts, taking photos for your posts, and planning out your social media.

2. Post for the sake of posting

When I first started blogging, I was set on posting a blog post every 3 days, which was a great goal to have except I made the mistake of not planning ahead for that schedule. Instead, I would frantically write material, even pushing through when I had writer’s block to do so. The result? Posting plenty of content that nobody cared about and becoming burned out within a few months. Don’t make the same mistake that I did and create a content schedule upfront of how many times you want to post each month. You can always add more when you feel inspired or during a special season in your niche.

3. Consistency is king

I mentioned that consistency is really important in anything that you do, but especially with blogging and social media. People want to consistently have new content to digest, and people get used to your schedule once you stick to one. When I first got started blogging, I was attempting to post every 3 days and I got burned out so quickly that I would go weeks without anything new. Now that I’ve learned my lesson, I post once a week on Wednesday’s, so my readers know to come back every Wednesday for new content. When you have a consistent schedule for your website, it really makes a world of a difference to terms of growing a following, gaining new readers, and becoming a well-known expert in your niche. My best advice is to create a content schedule that works for you and your life right now, then stick to it and plan in advance.

4. Be yourself and bring something new to the table

Listen up, this is the most important part of this entire post! When you start a blog, you have to be yourself and offer something new to the table. Most bloggers who become super famous or make a lot of money did that by being unapologetically themselves and by breaking the mold on an old niche. Find a niche that you enjoy, like college or fashion, and put your own spin on things. Nobody wants to read the same 20 blogs with the same tired opinions. Readers want some fresh, new and exciting to read so give them what they want. Let your creative juices flow and see where it takes you on this blogging journey.

5. It’s okay to outsource work

At first, I thought I could learn everything that came up along the way with blogging, including taking my own photos, to making a stunning e-book, to creating a website logo. But I had to eventually realized that I couldn’t do it all and that I had to eventually outsource some of my work to others. Not only so I could keep the quality high, but also to keep my sanity. You just can’t learn everything at once nor are you going to be good at everything that blogging requires. Learn from my mistake and learn your strengths and weaknesses at the beginning.

6. Don’t worry about being perfect

The hardest part about blogging is literally just starting. You don’t have to be perfect or do a ton of research before you get started to make it in the blogging world. When I first got started, I was so scared of being judged by others and nervous that nobody would even read my content. For a few months those thoughts raced through my head and crippled my blogging journey. Learn from my mistake and leave all of the negative thoughts at the door. Don’t worry about being perfect, just worrying about being the best that you can be right NOW!

Photos by Brailey Johnson Photography

I hope you learned a little something or two from reading about my past mistakes on my blogging journey. Don’t forget that the journey is only worthwhile if you enjoy what you’re doing along the wall.

You may also like: 8 Blogging Tools That I Can’t Live Without, Blogging Basics: All About WordPress, and The True Story of How to Make Money Blogging

The post 6 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Blogging appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.