A New Beginning

By Alyssa LeClair

The moment I stepped into Septodont on July 5th, 2022 I was filled with emotion. I was officially starting my D1 year, something I had been fantasizing about for years prior. I left the room feeling excited, anxious, overwhelmed, and accomplished. I cannot say that I left orientation with one hundred percent positive energy. After hearing the failed and remediation policy my heart dropped. Protrusive thoughts were clouding my head. I stopped and thought “Am I good enough?” and “Do I deserve to be here?”, the imposter syndrome was already kicking in.

Summer semester was quite the adjustment. Looking back, I would say that my current self would not find those courses particularly challenging, but the course load was difficult to get acclimated to. During the summer my first round of exams didn’t go the way I had hoped. I was convinced I was going to barely pass the classes for all of dental school. As I started to conform to the dental student lifestyle, my grades started to drastically improve. This semester was all about adjusting and learning how to study efficiently, because my studying style from my undergrad years was not working for me.

I have always learned better with a study partner, but because different people learn in different ways it was difficult to find someone on the same wavelength academically. I am beyond grateful to have found my best friend, study partner and late night pal. We found a system that works well for us, but probably would not work for many others. It typically takes us about 4 hours to go through the 2 hours of material. After we have both completed the lecture we will both study my notes. After we study them we will actively test each other on the material, and help each other for clarification on things we may be confused on. It is not uncommon for us to spend 16 hours at the library, but when you have someone beside you, it can be motivating.

This technique has been crucial to me not only surviving in this rigorous program, but has also contributed to my academic success. I honestly never thought that I would be capable of getting the grades I am today, because I am doing significantly better than I was in undergrad. I could give partial credit to my work ethic I gained from working full-time in undergrad while commuting. I greatly believe this is where my study partner and I’s success has stemmed from. She also worked full-time and undergrad while commuting, so we knew that school and work were far much more important than a social life.

Although a social life is not a top priority while in school, having a support system is key. We all will encounter failures, whether that be a written exam, practical, Class II preparation, quiz, or anything else that this school entails. As a class, school, and community, we truly are all in this together. It is important and valid to know that we are never alone. At the beginning of summer semester I truly didn’t think that there were people going through the same thing as me. I was consistently scoring below average, and all my friends were doing well. As my friend group has grown, and I become closer to my classmates I truly feel as if I belong. I am a support system for others, who confide in me for advice or empathy.

The semester isn’t quite over yet. There are eight exams and four practicals separating me from summer break. This excitement is pushing me to study as hard as possible, to ensure that I will have a whole month of relaxation. D1 has been about resiliency, learning, consistency, patience, and perseverance. I hope to bring the same drive I have now into D2.