Chronicles of a PA student- week one in the books

I thought about retitling my blog to "Chronicles of a PA student" since I feel as though most of my posts for the next 30 months will be coming from that direction. I decided, however, to just use it in the title of my posts specific to school. And the reason is this- Although my blog is for all things Chrissy, PA school is still a big part of the journey. But that's what makes it so wonderful. I am extremely blessed to have this opportunity, so it too, deserves a special reserve in my wonderland.

Cumulatively, we are told PA school is hard. To me, (and I'm only 2 weeks in so my opinion is not quite valid), I always think the first week of classes and then the first week of exams is the hardest. There's so much unknown, so much change. It can be overwhelming, scary, and maybe at times even frustrating. The jump from undergraduate to graduate level studies is quite the leap. You think there's not enough hours in the day for everything, or you realize your old study habits don't work. It is a lot to take in, and not a lot of time for trial and error. My best strategic approach? Very cliché, wait for it... Keep calm and carry on. Yep, that's my best advice, and I promise you, it works. At the end of the day, stress does nothing to help your cause. And I of all people normally have a hard time having a grasp on that, which is why it's been sort of an odd feeling to not necessarily be stressed. You learn to tune it out, focus on the positive vibes, and keep going. And for me? It worked. Though I know there are plenty of areas for improvement after my first set of exams, I am also pleased with my performances. You have to look for the good and the bad in every situation. Reward yourself for the good, and make a plan for the bad, without beating yourself up about it. Take it and let it make you better, don't let it break you.

My reward? Going to run an 8K for the MS society.... and then stuffing my face with pancakes. Then back on the study grind for round two! I am so excited to be learning again, and am constantly reminding myself hope blessed I am, and I can't wait to see where this journey takes me.


"Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do."

Finding Balance

I have been preparing for this journey for a long time. Especially these last few months, I have made it a point to take the steps needed to be mentally and emotionally ready for this, and I've never felt more alive and ready.

One of the first things everyone told me when I got into PA school was to never forget to make time for life balance. This was the first thing they told me. Not that it was going to be incredibly hard and time consuming, but that it was going to be pertinent to MAKE time to make a life. Wow. Talk about perspective. So amongst the incredibly hard, time consuming work, I have made it a point to take everyone's advice.

If there's one thing I've learned from being an AT, it's just how important life balance is. One cannot have inner peace or self if they do not give themselves a chance to find it. During orientation, he gave us an hour breakdown of what our days should look like, and at the end, he totaled 24 hours of "free time" during the week. TWENTY FOUR! That's a whole days worth of time to focus on you, do something for you. So I have certainly made it a point to implement this, and so far? so good. It's actually a lot easier than you'd think. Whether it's having the motivation to get up early and workout, or know when to call it quits and go enjoy some good sushi and ice cream with some even greater company. With that said, my first week of PA school is in the books (literally) and has been a success! Well, we will officially see after the first exam ;)



"She is at a point in her life where peace is her priority and negativity cannot exist."