Episode 52: "Everything is like completely new to me." AMANDACONDA, Amanda Mills

Summary 

In this episode of VetaHumanz Live, host Victoria Menendez speaks with Amanda Mills, a veterinary student, about her experiences in the first few weeks of the semester. Amanda shares her challenges with new material, her favorite classes, and the importance of hands-on learning in labs. They discuss the need to adapt study habits, the balance between academics and personal care, and Amanda's efforts to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom, including shadowing at a zoo. The conversation emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between academic responsibilities and personal well-being.

Keywords VetaHumanz, Veterinary School, Study Habits, Personal Care, Hands-On Learning, Academic Challenges, Veterinary Medicine, Student Life, Lab Experience, Time Management, Career Opportunities

Takeaways

• This semester's material is completely new and challenging.
• Hands-on labs enhance learning and application of skills.
• Adapting study habits is crucial for success in veterinary school.
• Meal prepping is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• Incorporating exercise with studying can be effective.
• Self-discipline is key to staying focused in class.
• Pursuing shadowing opportunities can lead to valuable experiences.
• Finding a balance between academics and fun is essential.
• Staying prepared with a resume can open doors for opportunities.
• Grades are important, but they shouldn't define your entire life.

Chapters

00:00    Amanda's Journey in Veterinary School

03:51    Adapting Study Habits for New Challenges

08:17    Balancing Academics and Personal Care

09:06    Celebrating Wins and Looking Ahead

Transcript

Victoria Menendez 
 Hi Super Heroes. I'm Victory Knight coming to you from Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, League of VetaHumanz I'm your host on VetaHumanz Live today. And today we're following up on the journey of our veteran human in training, Amandaconda Thank you so much for being on our show today. So I know our last podcast was prior to the semester starting. So kind of update us on what week we're going into and how's it been.

Amanda Mills 
Thank you.

Amanda Mills 
So we just finished the fifth week, right? Yeah, I think so, the fifth week. And so we're gonna go into the sixth week. so classes definitely started. They are definitely classing, classes are classing. I would say that this semester, the material I've never seen before, like an undergrad.

So I would say in that aspect it's harder because I feel like first semester was like a whole review of everything in undergrad. So I saw like almost everything we talked about in first semester I saw at one point in undergrad. So it wasn't like completely all new to me, but this semester everything is like completely new to me. Like I've never heard about any of the stuff we're talking about. So I think it's harder in that aspect. So yeah.

Victoria Menendez 
Okay, no, it makes sense. Well, that's good. That means you're learning new things. So with that going off that, what would you say is your favorite class right now?

Amanda Mills 
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Amanda Mills 
I have a few like obviously I love anatomy y'all know I love anatomy. I I last semester I really liked histone this semester. I still really like history like I it's like Histology, feel like is like my outlet class like I don't really have to think too much to like get it so it's like It it's nice to have that class and I just like enjoy like looking forward to it and like learning new things. and then neuro is also pretty cool. I learned a little bit of under

like cranial nerves and like neuro stuff in undergrad but this is like I think a little bit more into depth so it's like it's becoming more interesting especially Dr. Thomovsky she's so funny and her her labs are so interesting so I I think those would be my top three yeah

Victoria Menendez
Okay. And what like labs have you been working on in neuroscience?

Amanda Mills
so she's been teaching us like how to do a neural exam. So I've only seen like in clinics, like when they like flip the paw over, but I didn't actually like seen in depth, like looking at all the different cranial nerves and like the different like motor nerves and all that stuff. So that was really cool to learn. so yeah.

Victoria Menendez 
Okay, that's really good. I'm glad you're enjoying the classes you, you know, you're, you're working on. So besides, I know you've mentioned a neuro lab. Do you have any other labs that you said that you've loved and like learned so much from? It could be wet labs, could be course labs, any kind of labs.

Amanda Mills 
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Amanda Mills 
I like the VSAC labs that we're doing because we're doing more like in depth stuff. I guess like first semester it was more the basics, which is very valid. Like we need to know the basics and stuff. But I think like when like prior to getting to vet school, when you're like trying to shadow and like do all this stuff, like a lot of that stuff they teach you in the clinics because it's very basic. It's very like foundational stuff. So I felt like VSAC first semester was more of a review.

but this semester is like more skills, if that makes sense. Like I'm learning more skills that I can apply to like real life stuff. So I like those. just did a live horse like equine jugular and then I am injection, which was so fun. And my horse was so nice to me and she let me get blood from her. So I was really happy about that.

Victoria Menendez 
That's so fun. You can actually practice on live voices and kind of apply what you've learned in class. So that's really good. So I know last semester you obviously had your study habits and everything. Has any of your strategies changed for this new semester?

Amanda Mills 
Thank you.

Amanda Mills 
Yes, like everything last semester, let me think. Is there in, maybe there's like a, like very minute things that I'm like keeping the same last semester, but everything else literally changed. Like I thought I knew what I was doing, because like first semester went really well for me. And then I get here and everything I did first semester is not working for this semester. So I literally have to change everything about my study habits. And I don't know if that's just because the material is new.

or at the material, the material is definitely more in depth, I would say that. And it's just harder because it's like new stuff. So I had to change, most of my study habits are not the same as what I was doing last semester. And I'm still currently trying to figure out new study habits too. it's, a lot of things have been changing.

Victoria Menendez
you still using your own key? I know you loved your own key lessons. Okay.

Amanda Mills 
Yeah, I'm still using Anki Anki. Anki, I don't know why I'm saying like it's a she but she does not disappoint me every time I use Anki like how it's supposed to be used like a little bit every day. She never fails me. She never fails me. So I'm still on the Anki train. I know some people in our class don't really like Anki but I'm Anki over a Quizlet all day. So yeah.

Victoria Menendez 
That's so good. I love that you're still using your own cane. I know you live by it. So that's really good. So kind of mentioning, I know you kind of mentioned that, you know, the study habits have kind of changed, but what would you say is your biggest challenge that you've faced this past month and how have you been overcoming it?

Amanda Mills 
I think my biggest challenge, so like I got to like go to a conference, so I missed a few days of school and then I also for MLK weekend, I went to a ski trip. So I just like, I've been playing more of the catch up game since like the semester started, since those were early in the semester. So I would say that's my biggest challenge right now. But I think once the first round of semester exams are over,

I should be good. Like we had our immuno, our physio exam, and then we just had histo today. And then on Wednesday we have our first anatomy exam. So I think after the first rounds of exams, I think I should be good. Like, hopefully I'm not playing catch up anymore. So yeah, that's probably the biggest challenge.

Victoria Menendez 
That's great. I know you mentioned last podcast, one of your goals as well was to kind of pay more attention in class. How would you say that's going?

Amanda Mills 
Okay, so at first it was not going, but I decided, so like when we're in immuno, like a lot of people don't really like go to his class, because like he said, you don't have to go to his class. And so it's a little bit more emptier. And so like the people I sit next to, the row was empty. So I was just like, maybe like, and I paid attention. So I was like, maybe I should start sitting like, just like by myself, like at the top to like pay attention because

Whenever I'm just like in class and I'm just like around my classmates, I just be I just be like not paying attention, which is not good. Like that's on me. So I think I need to just have more self-discipline. So I'm going to like I started today. I moved up to the top and I'm going to sit like up there and see if that makes a change with my paying attention. And today I am physio. I paid attention. So that's better than nothing. So, yeah, I don't want to have to like rewatch stuff anymore. So.

I'm gonna try that out and we'll see how that goes.

Victoria Menendez 
Okay, that's okay. You're making changes already. So that is okay. Do you have any new goes for the next one?

Amanda Mills 
new goals for the next month. This is a silly goal, but my so my canon educator that I have for a semester, she has not got, the good dog of the month yet. And I just don't understand why, like, I feel like she's being cheated. So I'm going to try to get people to vote for her because I found out that it's like, it's like, who gets the most votes. So

I think I'm gonna try to do that because she definitely deserves it. Like she deserves it. So that's one of my goals is to get her good dog of the month like sometime this semester. And then probably like academic goals just like to like study like ahead of time because like since the semester started, I haven't really been using like that time we had off like with no exams. And so after I think after next week we have

and then after that we don't have an exam like for that week. and then I think our next round of exams are going to be like close to spring break or like after spring break. So I'm gonna try to like get ahead of the studying. Yeah, that's what I'm gonna do. yeah. Hopefully.

Victoria Menendez 
good plan. I know you'll do it. I know you will. So kind of taking away from school and everything, let's talk personal care. Have you been sleeping? Are you eating healthy and everything?

Amanda Mills 
I actually have not been meal prepping like this whole semester I probably only meal prepped like one week out of the semester and I think it's just because either I've just been lazy and I don't go to the grocery store or I've been like gone because last weekend I went to Ohio so like I Don't know. I'm gonna try to I'm gonna try to get back on the meal prepping because that was very like effective last much I think I know prepped every single week last semester. and then

What else? I have been going to the gym. I've been incorporating. I've been incorporating my studying and like going to the gym together. So like I'll go to the gym and then after I'm done, I'll like just get on the treadmill and then just like talk like a crazy person and teach myself like whatever we're learning. So I've been doing that. yeah.

Victoria Menendez 
great that's multitasking using your time wisely I love it perfect and what would you say has been your biggest win this past month

Amanda Mills 
we just had a lunch and learn with Dr. Bowman and she works at the Indy Zoo. And so I got to talk to her after the lunch and learn and she like told me like how I could like shadow there. So I've been emailing her and so I was really excited about that because I've been like trying to email zoos like for the summer like opportunity and they're all just saying no, like they're all just like.

No, come back fourth year. So I was really excited that she was like, Yeah, yeah. And then I like I had printed out my resume because, you know, why not? Like, why not? So she can remember. So I print out my resume and I gave it to her and she's like, Oh my gosh, thank you so much. Like, thank you. And so she was like, Yeah, just email me and I got a card. And so I would say that's probably the biggest Win because I've been getting told no, like repeatedly, repeatedly. So I'm like really excited for that. So that's in the works.

Victoria Menendez 
Perfect, we'll be rooting for you. And yes, always be prepared for your resume. That's the best way. I already have a hand in ready. I love it. Would you say you have anything else to share with your audience, any experiences or words of inspiration?

Amanda Mills 
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Amanda Mills 
I would say I'm getting to the point to where like, like, I know last semester, I didn't have like, I didn't, I always just like was all school. And like, no, like fun, would like rarely like, I would have to like plan out my fun. And if I didn't, like, I just didn't have any fun. this semester, I've been trying to like, be more spontaneous when it comes to like, doing like fun things or like getting out of the house. So like for vet school,

Yeah, grades matter and all that stuff. Like they definitely do matter. And you know, but they're not your whole life, I would say. And there is definitely time to like have fun and like, you know, do good stuff. So yeah.

Victoria Menendez 
Yeah, I love that. Definitely kind of have to have a balance to make sure you you stay, you don't burn out and everything. I love it. I want to say thank you so much for being on the show today. You can learn more about the other League of VetaHumanz at VetaHumanz.org If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. And remember, use your powers for good.