Building Good Routines: Student Spotlight

Hello! Our Student Spotlight this week is a fourth year pharmacy student named Amelia! She talks about her experience with prioritizing self-care and healthy habits during COVID, what she has learned, and how she can continue her routines going forward.

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I am a very routine-oriented person. During pharmacy school, I had a great weekly schedule that balanced classes and studying with two jobs (working at an independent pharmacy and tutoring high school geometry), family time, and time to take care of myself. I managed to thrive during pharmacy school with this routine. Then COVID hit, and as I am sure everyone else can attest to, any chance of routine went out the window. I learned that I could wake up 5 minutes before my first class and still be logged into Zoom on time. My normal study schedule was ruined since I wasn’t studying in between classes with my friends. The semester was way more difficult than it should have been because of all of this. The light at the end of the tunnel was starting APPE rotations in June.

I’ll be honest, the first couple weeks of my June rotation were rough. I had an hour and a half commute to my site so I had to wake up way earlier than I wanted. I was sluggish and discontent most of the time, and my diet consisted of junk food and lots of caffeine. I loved my rotation, but I felt like I wasn’t performing my best. Around halfway through the month, I decided enough was enough. How can I possibly take care of my patients if I can’t even take care of myself? How can I recommend all these lifestyle changes to my patients when I don’t eat healthy or exercise? I knew something had to change.

I had July off from rotations, so I spent it trying to find ways to take care of myself. I had heard of the concept of self-care before, but I always associated it with bubble baths and fancy skincare - things that just don’t make me happy. I made it my mission to come up with a flexible routine that incorporated what self-care is to me: finding an exercise routine, getting back on a normal sleep schedule, and nourishing my body with better foods. I also found that my self-care routine must include getting out into nature (usually kayaking or hiking), reading non-academic books or magazines, and spending some alone time reflecting on the day through journaling. I started incorporating all of these things into my schedule and immediately I felt a difference.

When August rolled around, I had the chance to implement my new routine as I traveled to a new town for a month. Being away from home and my family is hard enough for me, so I was worried that I would have a hard time taking care of myself while I am away. This is exactly why my routine is so important to me – it is my sense of normalcy in a world where everything changes on a daily basis (thanks COVID). While I still occasionally eat junk food or skip a run, I know that on the days I am able to complete my routine I will feel my best. It no longer feels like a chore to sleep, eat, or exercise; instead, it is something I am excited to do because it makes me happier and healthier.

My goal is to take better care of myself in order to take better care for others. I can’t be the best pharmacist, or the best wife or the best daughter, if I don’t feel my best. My advice to other students: it’s important to remember that the most important patient you will ever care for is yourself. Make time to fill your cup so you can pour into others. Find your definition of self-care and practice it daily. 

-Amelia

@ameliamgodfrey