Health Science Reviews

by Caylin Mc Farlane

I realized I needed to pace myself when it comes to how much I put into my studies. People had told me Honours was going to be difficult, but this is much more difficult than what I expected.

The course I chose is Clinical Anatomy and we had our first techniques exams in March. Most of our learning was crammed into 2 months of intense studying and understanding of human anatomy. This would be the first time I had written a test in 5 years, so I had decided to give it my all, because I had wanted great marks. Yet, after the techniques exam was done, I felt I had failed. It felt as if all the hard work I had put into studying was for nought. I had to accept that I wasn’t cut out for academia or lower my expectations of myself.

With all the intense learning and studying for techniques, I had stopped taking care of my mental health. Therefore, I had a breakdown. I was burnt out and the year wasn’t finished. I didn’t realise how much I had put into getting great marks. Yes, I enjoyed myself, and yes, I received great marks, but the cost wasn’t worth it. I had to find a way to balance my studies and the other parts of my life, otherwise I wouldn’t survive 2022.

It’s been a few months since then and I’m getting better at finding the balance. Now, I’m working to achieve good marks. The lesson I learnt was to be realistic about my expectations regarding Honours and myself. Yes, Honours is difficult, intense and sometimes crazy, but that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy Honours.

Mary Poppins (1964) said, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and ‘snap’, the job’s a game.”

Finding the fun in writing this, was finding a way to incorporate the quote.

Goodluck to all the future Honours students. Remember to take care of your mental health and yourself.