Much Needed Stress Relief

After a weekend filled with setting and cleaning up for a dance, hanging out with friends, visiting my boyfriend in Columbia, traveling to Kansas City with my parents, and to top it off an intense Monday filled with interviews, test taking, and stress what is the first thing I do when I come home? No not homework, not sleep... blog. Am I becoming that girl? Honestly no, I just don't feel like doing homework my brain is fried, and I don't feel like going to bed because I just can never fall asleep early. So instead, I am sitting hear watching Scandal (wooohoo comes back on Thursday!), drinking apple cranberry tea, and creating new blog post.

One of the best ways I deal with stress and how I relax is honestly by keeping myself busy, as weird as that sounds. I hate just sitting there doing nothing, I am a huge multitasker. I feel so guilty just sitting there watching tv doing nothing, instead I have to be working on a craft, project, or blogging. I also like to drink tea or any drink really- coffee, smoothies, slushies, hot chocolate. So that is what I find myself doing now. Watching tv, drinking tea, and blogging is helping me get rid of the stress I accumulated from this weekend, especially this interview day.

Today, I woke up at 5:45 am to get ready and eat breakfast before my interview. I had to check in at 7:15 and the campus was approximately 15 minutes away from my hotel. Although I had prepared somewhat for the interview day by studying chemistry and medical school interview topics, I was still very intimidated. It was a very formal and professional event. I had a strict schedule to follow which included informative sessions, meetings with admissions and students, an assessment exam and of course the interviews. UMKC school of medicine interviews are based on the MMI (multiple mini interview) system. So how that worked, is that I went into a room with ten other students and inside the room there were 20 certain off stations- 10 prep stations and 10 interviewing/discussion stations. I had two minutes to read an scenario and eight minutes to discuss the scenario with the interviewer then answer any questions I was present with. The scenarios and questions asked were nothing anyone could expect. One of the hardest parts was trying to keep a discussion for eight minutes because it is better to talk the entire time instead of have them fill time with questions or have the interviewer send you back to your prep station.  The time went by fast and it was intense. After five stations we had a break and some of the students were about to break down. However I just tried to smile and remain focused. I was so relieved after the day was over finally, all I wanted to do was go out to dinner with my parents. There was so much tension and stress present throughout the day from all of the students, I also felt very intimated because I was definitely a minority there and because I was interviewing for such a prestigious program. I was so glad to get into the car after with fresh Topsy's popcorn (my favorite food) waiting for me. I was even offered a beer (root beer of course) by my dad. Overall I think the day was a great experience and no matter what the outcome is I am happy with how it went. Ultimately I am left with some tough decisions, but I am just proud I was one of the 300 students who was offered an interview from the 1500 who applied.

I should probably attempt to complete some homework or get some sleep now that my stress is gone!

 

xoxoxox

Emily Margaret