This past year for me has been an unforeseen, yet opportune time to reflect on all that there is to be grateful for. Without question, this pandemic has not been easy on anyone, but because of it, as paradoxical as it seems, I was able to acknowledge the overflow of blessings I have so humbly been rewarded with such as my health, my family, my friends, and my unique journey in life thus far. To what now seems like an eternity, but in fact was not so long ago, I vividly remember how I used to feel as a pre-dental student. The overwhelming feelings of wonder, worries, constant second guesses, and uncertainty clogged my mind daily.
Amidst my journey while studying for the DAT, I regularly went for outdoor runs on my study breaks as an effort to clear my head. During my runs, I would purposefully envision the very moment when I would get the call. Now, with almost absolute certainty, I can confidently suggest that every past or current dental student—and even today’s dental school hopefuls—knows exactly what I am referring to here. I am referring to the call of dental school acceptance; it is more than just an acceptance call, it is confirmation that the last four years of work that were dedicated to academics and extracurricular achievements were not in vain. This call would completely validate my efforts and heighten my self-image; I would glow with confidence. During these runs, I pictured that phone call and I pictured what I was wearing, who I was with, I pictured how I would tell my husband, my mother, my sister, and I pictured their reactions too. As I ran off the stress of the morning, I found myself more motivated and enthusiastic about the rest of my day ahead. I longed for that moment where I could intrinsically feel as though I made it.
When I got my first acceptance it was everything I had envisioned, and even better. I didn’t sleep well for a week because I was terrified that I would wake up from this dream. I felt like a kid who was too excited to sleep the night before Christmas. I was overwhelmed with excitement and relief. My feelings were so pure and real, yet familiar because I felt this way before, on my runs. The past four years, I envisioned where I am today.
I can remember when I wanted so badly what I have right now.
I attribute the attainment of my goal to my practice of visualization. Not only did it keep me grounded, but it ignited a fire inside of me to maintain my focus and keep me feeling mentally strong. I strategically calculated my daily habits and tasks over the years to get me to exactly where I am today. Dental school did not just fall into my lap; rather, my vision of dental school kept my eye on the prize.
This past year as a D1 dental student has been quite demanding with difficult science courses which required many hours of studying and learning of new material. When I found myself exhausted and worn out, (which seemed to happen often), I would revisit my end goal of becoming a dentist and get my mind excited about the future. I would go back to my initial strategy of getting into dental school and use the same visualization techniques to help me succeed in my D1 courses.
After much time spent reflecting as a D1 dental student and what this year has taught me, it is time to set out on the next quest. Here are some questions that I will be asking myself as a D2 student to get myself inspired for the year ahead and questions that you can ask yourself, too:
Where do I see myself in five years, ten years, fifteen years?
What does my dental practice look like?
What kind of patients am I attracting to my practice?
Am I planning on specializing or do I prefer general dentistry?
How do I want to serve my patients and my community?
How can I optimize my time here at NYU to get the most out of my education?
How will I keep myself up-to-date with new dental advancements/technology?
And most importantly:
What am I doing today that will help me to get to where I want to be tomorrow?
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