PreMed Wears Pearls

  I am currently in the process of applying to medical school, and that means you could get invited for an interview. I wanted to share how I have been prepping because it can be a daunting task!   Because I am prepping for medical school interviews, I will be using that as my examples/guidance for this post, but I believe these steps are completely applicable to any kind of interview you will have such as  jobs, graduate schools, scholarships, etc! So anywhere I have school or student written, you can easily replace it with company or employee. Shirt (c/o) | Jeans | Desk It is hard to know where to start when prepping for an interview. I think it is best to start with the type of interview you will have. For instance, a medical school interview can be one of many types including a traditional style interview, a multiple mini interview, a group activity interview, really anything a school wants to do to assess their candidates. After you know the type of interview,...

  I cannot believe it is back to school time, already. It is also very strange that I am not going back to school this year...As I assume that most people are starting back up on Zoom University (or have mostly online classes) this fall, I have put together some of my best tips that will ensure a successful semester. I mostly geared these toward college/graduate/professional students, but hope I can appeal to all ages and maybe even you guys in the working world! Dress  |   Similar Scrunchie  |   Bedding  (on sale!) 1. Check your email frequently. This is something easy you can do to make sure you do not miss any information about the courses you are taking, and updates from school, in general. Be ready for anything as 2020 has become the year of the unexpected, and getting in the habit of frequently checking your email will keep you in the loop.  2. Don't forget to Network. It may be easy to think that you do not need to go to office hours or make a...

I have always been a study at home kind of gal. I do appreciate an intense library study sesh, but love my own desk, chair, and stuff, haha. During undergrad, I disliked studying at the library because it was always packed, and could get loud even on the quiet floors 😑. I mostly went to the undergrad library because it has a coffee shop on the first floor, and the second floor looks like the Hogwarts Grand Hall. Now a days, we are all (mostly) at home studiers/workers [and here's where I give a big thanks and non-contact hug to the essential, frontline workers!]. We are quite far into staying at home, but I think tips at any stage of the game are helpful to gage if you are actually doing ok or not. 1. Set a schedule. // This will help with motivation and productiveness. Try to treat each day like you are at work/school; watch lectures when you normally have the class, work your normal work hours, have a lunch break, etc. You might think you have all the time in the wo...

Working/studying from home might be the new normal for now. I have always thought that having a space that makes you happy is very important for productivity and attentiveness. I know that when I worked at the clinic, I brought some things in to make my desk a bit more, well comfortable and homey. There's no time like the present to spruce up your home work space, even it is just a table against the wall in an odd place in your home! I think we will be at this longer than we know, so might as well get comfy. Here's a fun mood board I put together for your inspiration!   Art print   |   Note pad  |   Sticky notes   |   Pen jar   |   Organization tray  |   Ginger jar   Trinket box   |   Storage bin   |   Desk I really think you can do this on a budget, too. I found lots of goodies here from Target that ship! You can also look around your home and see what you ca...

I am here with Part 2 of my study tips/guide - here is Part 1 if you missed it . This post is the Q + A! You guys asked questions about studying and learning on my Instagram, and I picked some common ones to answer! If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out because I would love to help answer and guide you in your studying! Also, you do not need to be a student to want to study better! 😉 1. How do you retain all of the information? From my experience, this comes best by getting multiple passes at the information. Such as when you preview lecture, and then go to lecture, add to your preview, and make study sheets. That is four times of seeing the information, so something is bound to stick in your brain! Repetition also helps. I find that some topics need flashcards, and going through the flashcards multiple times is a great way to learn the info, and retain because you are looking at it many times.  2. Help with color coding!! I think I kind of touch...

After 4 years of undergrad, and one year of grad school with a semester to go, I have come to be a ~somewhat~ expert on study routines. About one year ago, I posted my study methods , and you guys seemed to like it, and find it helpful! In the past year, I have made a few adjustments, but really honed in more on what works for me. I have survived grad school (so far, haha), and will graduate with a really good GPA (not to brag, just to appeal to you that I have some great study tips!). Since it has been about a year, I thought that I would give my most detailed, updated study tips/guide I can give you. I still want to emphasize that what has worked for me, might not work for you, so if you need some study inspo, this is perfect. Or, if, you are totally lost in the study game like I was once, this could give a great starting point! *Also this is part 1 of 2!! Part 2 will come out shortly after this one, and I will be answering your study questions, so send them my way please! I ...

When I ordered new glasses back in May, I told the optician that I was a graduate student (and blogger, aha). I said that I spent a lot of my time in front of a screen whether that be in lecture, studying, or writing. She instantly recommended that I have blue light blocking in my new lenses. I totally agreed! It has now been about 2 months wearing my everyday glasses with blue light blocking lenses, and I wanted to give you little review/insight into how they have been working for me so far. When I first picked up my glasses, I was SO excited. (I love picking out new glasses because it is like a fun new accessory!) I put on the glasses so they could be adjusted, and they just seemed like I was looking through normal glasses! I instantly noticed a difference when looking at my phone screen, though. It looked/s like the "night shift" setting was on all the time, but not in a bad way. That first day felt almost life changing, yes one day felt like a world of difference fo...

I am not sure if this is out where you live, but the Targets in New Jersey have had back to school supplies out for a couple of weeks now! Uffdah! At this point in my life, I feel like I am a back to school pro. I have gone through college, now grad school, and am planning on professional (medical) school too. I know what I need, and what I like, and have learned what is not necessary. Today, I have rounded up my 5 top back to school things. I think you will find these useful no matter what stage of your education you are in, and even you are not going back to school! (I have linked some school posts from last year at the end of this post, check them out!!) 1. Planner Every year, it feels like my planner saves my life, 😂. If you have been around since I started PWP, one of my first posts was an ode to my Erin Condren Planner. I still stand by my love for the EC planners. I have switched to their new academic planner, and the features have been perfect for grad school life....

Last week was one for the books, and not for the good books. It was one of those weeks when one horrible thing happens, and it spirals downward from there. I spent 4/5 of the school days feeling completely stressed, and on edge. I have never felt that level before. Because of this, I only did the bare minimum of studying, and I know my classmates felt it too. The feeling did improve, and I felt a lot lighter by the end of the week, if that makes sense. It didn't take much to get me to a better place by the end of the week, and I realized that I have handled stress pretty well my entire life. Everyone handles stress/anxiety in their own way. We all come up with our own coping mechanisms that we know work for us. I think it is crucial to know this about yourself, so you know what to do when things feel like too much. It is so good to be in tune with your body in all of your dimensions of physical, mental and emotional health. I cannot emphasize this enough! Here are my tips o...

I asked, you answered, so here we are! During last finals week, I did a poll on Instagram, and asked what you guys wanted to see in terms of exam week in grad school. Shockingly, it was 50/50: half for exam outfits, and half for exam week routine. So, I am going to start with outfits. Be prepared for some mirror selfies, but I wanted to keep it real for a post about exam week ahah. I generally do not stray far off from what I normally wear. I always feel better, and more productive if I am NOT in comfy clothes like leggings or sweats. I still "dress comfy" for me, but still like to wear dresses and skirts 😊 So, I pulled some pictures from my Instagram stories archive (@libbylovespearls) to look at exam outfits. I started to laugh as I looked at the outfits, because I kind of have an exam day outfit theme! ahah! I apparently really like this J. Crew Factory blazer, and skirt for exam outfits! I also sweaters, and layering a nice collared shirt underneath...

I am a creature of habit, except when it comes to where I study. Finding the right study spot is the best way to ensure study productiveness. Lately, I have been mixing up my study spot more than ever.  I have found different places on campus that compliment my study mood for the day/week. Each place a different vibe about it, and enhances your study session.  Love the abundance of natural light here.  One of my favorite spots lately, has been these high tables in front of big windows. The area has a ton of natural light, and the light makes me feel energized while I sit there for hours on end. I also like the high table because it allows me to sit and stand while working, which is good to get blood circulating all over your body, especially to the brain while studying!  Cozy library vibes.  Another great spot is this one corner of the library on my campus. It is a little nook by a window with individual desks that are very roomy...

Studying is such an individualized habit. What works for some people, does not work for others. As an undergrad, I would often feel lost in the studying game, and looked to other's for inspiration. I would trial and error new methods until I found something that clicked for me.  That being said, this is what is working for me. I like to incorporate all types of media for learning whether that be reading, drawing, watching or listening. I try to evolve my study techniques, so this is a snap shot in time because it will change. My methods may not be the best fit for how you learn, but if you feel like you are stuck in your study game, here is my process!! Step One: Preview the lecture the night/morning before. //  My slides are posted before lecture. Most professors post the day before their lecture! (some post an hour before...) But, take a look at the slides, so you are not blind sided during lecture. Also, I take some time to organize my notes, and use the...

Study Aesthetics are Important 😊 I spend a lot of my time studying. Way more than in undergrad because graduate classes are no joke. For each lecture, there are at least 50 slides, but usually more. Also, lectures are around an hour and 20 minutes, so that is not a lot of time to pack in ALL of the information. Science courses are also a bit more dense than other subjects. My motto on studying is that you always need to be evolving and revising your study methods. What worked for you in high school is not going to work in college, and what worked in college is not necessarily going to work in graduate/professional school. This goes for your study methods AND study tools. I have only been back to school for 2 weeks, and I have rejuvenated the study tools I use for success, and have outline them below for you!! 1. My iPad and MacBook Air // Get techy! Don't forget the Apple Pencil ! My master's program actually gave us all iPads and Apple Pencils. Sounds ideal, ri...