Introduction
Let me first start by saying that in no way do you need anything from this list, these things just enhanced my experience as a first-year and made it easier for me when times got rough. Take what you want from this list, leave the others, and enjoy the post!
This list is all over the place ranging from high-priced items to low-priced items, and simple actions that I did in my first year that made life a little bit easier.
- New Laptop
This item is the first thing on my list because it is the thing that I used the most throughout my entire first year. Having a new laptop was so crucial for me for many reasons but two of the main reasons were that it allowed me to have ample amount of storage and, faster loading times. These two things were a lifesaver for times when I was watching a lecture and needed to download the slides or when I needed to look up a word quickly to better understand the lecture.
I had a laptop from undergrad that I thought might work but soon realized that getting a new one was the way to go. Essentially all of the materials that I needed for school were on my laptop and now I never leave home without it.
– Financing the laptop
The thought of getting a new laptop can be daunting because they are so expensive but there are alternative routes to buying new. To be completely candid I asked for my laptop as a graduation/Christmas gift from my family members and was able to receive mine that way. I understand my privilege and situation are not the same as everyone so I wanted to offer a different approach.Buying a refurbished laptop online, at your local Best Buy or computer store can be a great way to get a high-quality laptop for a lower price. The most important things to look for in my opinion are storage, the age of the laptop, and the condition of the laptop. These are important because even if you are taking the refurbished route you still want it to last at least your whole medical school career and then some.
Other options include saving up for it and using loan money after you get into medical school to purchase it. The average cost of a really good laptop that will last a while is between $700-$1200. This means if you want to save up for it you can start saving as soon as you get accepted into school and put aside roughly $100 a month which is $25 a week.
With this method, you will be at $1200 in a year which will also be around the time that you are starting school. This is just a quick example of how you could budget but please do what works best for you.
Student tip: Purchase your school supplies such as laptops, iPads etc… during shopping seasons such as back-to-school season or Christmas as they usually have the best deals during those times.
– Choosing the right one
After figuring out the important part which is financing the laptop you should start looking around and decide what type of laptop you want. Honestly, this part does not matter as much as you think unless you are really into technology.Many people have strong opinions on Apple vs. PC but from my personal experience, they do the same thing it is all in what you are comfortable with. When I first started looking around I thought I might lean more towards Apple even though I have been a PC girl my entire life but I soon realized that I do not want to learn a whole new interface on top of adjusting to medical school and stuck with PC. I would say take this into account only if you do not want the extra hassle.
Classmates of mine had PCs and others had Apple and we all accessed the material the same way. I personally went with the HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 Laptop ( HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 Laptop 14t-eu000, 14″) for no particular reason but it ended up being the best laptop I have ever had and has truly carried me through the first year.
- Airpods/Headphones
This next item is the true MVP for keeping my sanity this year. Headphones are essential in any part of higher education but I found myself reaching for them more than I ever have before. I used my AirPods to watch online lectures, youtube, listen to music, take meetings, and simply just put them in if I did not feel like talking that day.
I specifically emphasize Airpods because they are so small and compact. They fit perfectly in my backpack and barely took up any space which was great in keeping my backpack as light as possible. Although headphones like Beats or Sony are a bit more bulky they do have the ability to block a lot of noise which is great when you are studying in a noisy area. This all comes down to your personal preference but headphones of some sort definitely will improve your life as a student. - Computer Cleaning Kit
Okay hear me out this might sound a little crazy but it has come in handy more times than not. Since the majority of my work was on the computer it was dirty all the time and this bothered me a lot especially since I had to look at the screen constantly. You might not think that it would get dirty but if you are a study snacker like me then crumbs stay underneath your keys which eventually get on your screen, as well as random dust and debris that collects as you use it.Not only can you use this kit on your computer but you can use this on all of your technology products, so it truly is worth the investment of roughly $16. Plus it comes in a lot of different colors so you can choose your favorite!
- Chargers Specifically for Your Backpack
This tip is so underrated but saved me so many times. Having a separate charger for my phone which could also charge my airpods that stayed in my backpack completely enhanced my first year.Before I started doing this I would forget my only charger at home or even worse at school and be without a charger for the whole day. So because of this, a phone charger stays at home but also in my backpack for school.
In the upcoming year, I will be purchasing another charger for my iPad so that it can stay in my backpack ready to go. As far as my computer charger I found that I did not need two because my computer keeps a charge for a long time and keeping the charger in my backpack allowed me to have it at all times instead of keeping it at home.
- Reusable water bottles and snacks
This tip speaks for itself but I wanted to add it in there because although it is very simple it is very important. In the very beginning of my first year when we had mandatory classes almost every day, I was not hip to the fact that I should be bringing snacks.My water bottle stayed glued to my side but I had no food. This forced me to buy from the vending machine which did not have healthy options or go to the local fast food place around the corner. Although indulgent treats can be good in moderation eating these empty calories that did not fuel my brain only left me feeling sluggish and more hungry after I burned it off.
This is when I switched to packing snacks from home which saved me money but was also better for my body. Even if you have to be at school for two hours pack a snack and some water!
You might not want it in school but it might be handy on the ride or walk home after class. Now every time I have to go to school there is always a small snack such as a granola bar, cutie, or both which I found would be just enough to hold me over until I got home. Find out what works for you and stick with it.
Some of my honorable mention snacks were the Blueberry-Lemon Mashup Luna bars, pretzels of any kind, cuties, yogurt cups, and a homemade adult lunchable which is basically cheese, crackers, and meat of any kind. All these things I could throw in my bag quickly and get out of the door.
Lastly, my reusable water bottle stayed by my side because I could easily refill it throughout the day and stay hydrated which is so important as we all know.
- Anki/Anki Remote Duo
This duo right here is like the best thing since peanut butter and jelly. It was truly my lifeline. If you do not know what Anki is, it is a spaced repetition and active recall flashcard software that is available for free on the computer. Think of the adult version of Quizlet. This program once set up correctly does all the work for you after you create your flashcards.Anki is very popular among medical students because of its effectiveness if used correctly. When you first start using Anki it may be challenging because the interface is not that user-friendly. We will do a basic guide on how to use Anki in the future but if you want to learn more about it in the meantime there are tons of great Youtube videos out there that can teach you how to get started with it.
This leads me to my next point. Once you get familiar with Anki and use it consistently I would consider purchasing an Anki remote. I was on the fence about getting one because I did not see the value in it. I had always seen med influencers rave about it so after a little research and a small sale going on during Christmas I bought it.
It completely changed my Anki game. I went from being confined to pressing a keyboard to being able to do anki while snuggling under my covers in bed. And if I was feeling crazy I could knock out some cards while I was cooking. Not only was it very convenient but it also shaved off time it took me to do each flashcard which adds up over time.
There is an official Anki remote that you can buy or you can get one off Amazon like this one (Amazon.com: 8Bitdo Zero 2 Bluetooth Key Chain Sized Mini Controller for Nintendo Switch, Windows, Android and macOS (Yellow Edition) : Video Games) for about half the price. The one on Amazon did not work seamlessly with my HP so I opted for the official Anki remote (Official Anki Remote).
Needless to say, this duo is S -tier.
- IPad/Apple Pencil Duo
We are back again with another duo and this one is just as good as the last. There is not much to say about this combination that you probably don’t already know but just know that it is worth the hype. I purchased my iPad mini and Apple pencil while I was in undergrad and barely ever used it. Once I transitioned into medical school though, they quickly became some of my most used items only second to my laptop. This holy trio (laptop, iPad, and Apple Pencil) really can carry you throughout your first year. As I stated earlier I opted for the iPad mini which is so portal and fit perfectly in my lab coat during anatomy and kept my bookback light weight. If you get an iPad I really would recommend getting the pencil because there are so many more features that you can do with the iPad and pencil.Some of my favorite features were writing on top of my typed notes in Goodnotes (P.S. this is also on the list!), and writing out diagrams which I could import directly into my note set, among many other things!
Also if you have a MacBook all of your information from your computer is synced over to your iPad which is handy for on-the-go and vice versus. Personally, since I have an HP with my iPad certain things would not sync over, but I got around this by using apps like Google Docs, drive, and Sheets which I could easily pull up on my laptop and iPad. I also enjoyed having things from my iPad sync over to my phone such as my daily schedule that I kept in my notes app.
- Well organized backpack
Having an organized backpack might sound like a no-brainer in theory but it helped me stay organized and always know where things were. I had the North Face Borealis bag and if any of you are familiar with that bag you know it is not that big so I had to maximize the space I had.There is a slot for your laptop in the back and there I kept my laptop and iPad together so I could always have my main tech equipment together. In the larger slot after that, I would keep my “hobbies” in there so a personal book or two since I did not use physical textbooks and my journal. I also would throw my snacks in there occasionally if I did not have my lunchbox.
In the smaller pocket is where I had my essentials. In there I would keep lip gloss/chapstick, hand sanitizer (always), wet wipes, lotion, a small deodorant, and tissues. I kept these items in a built-in pocket inside that area.
This allowed me to navigate to those items quickly. Still, within the same pocket, I would keep my Aiirpods, anki remote, pens, and my computer cleaning kit. This was my misc section and since I did not keep a lot of junk in my bookbag I knew what items consistently stayed in this section.
In the smallest pocket, I would keep all my school chargers for school which allowed for quick and easy access.
I am not saying to organize your backpack the same way I did unless it works for you, all I am saying is do not underestimate having a system for your backpack because it can streamline a lot of little things that you may not think about.
- Meal Prepping Breakfast /Simple Breakfast
POV: you have an 8 am mandatory class and did not have time to make breakfast… your stomach is growling 30 minutes into class with no snacks. This was the worst feeling ever, especially with my essentially 30 days straight of 8 am mandatory classes.I soon realized that I should probably start packing snacks for one as I mentioned earlier but also try to get some type of breakfast in me before I left the house. Breakfast was never my thing really but as much as I was using my brain it felt like I had to have food every 2-3 hours…so I hopped on the breakfast bandwagon.
The only thing is, is that I am also a chronically late person who barely has time to get dressed so I had to figure out how to work food into that schedule.
I figured that meal-prepping works for other people so why not give it a shot. This turned out to be a game changer and I soon started meal prepping breakfast sandwiches which offered me the perfect balance of protein and carbs. My favorite combination was Beyond Meat breakfast patties, shredded cheese, English muffins, and a drizzle of honey. This was a staple for me.
Although it was great I grew tired of it so I started incorporating Greek yogurt, berries, granola, honey, and cinnamon on the days that I did not feel like eating the sandwich.
This perfect combination of meal prepping and simple breakfasts allowed me to not pass out during my first class from hunger but also get out the door fast. I encourage you to find combinations that you like and stick with them but also switch them up every now and then to keep things fresh. One thing I will be adding to the rotation next year will be meal-prepped waffles!
Focus on things that are going to nourish your body but that you still enjoy.
Pinterest board for easy breakfast ideas and meal prep ideas. (https://pin.it/7yV3TiQUH)
- Goodnotes
The last thing that truly enhanced and elevated my first year of medical school was the app Goodnotes for the iPad. This app changed my notetaking game more than I could imagine.I decided to do a one-time payment of $30 to access all the features that you basically will need. You can also pay an additional $10 a month for Apple and $7 a month on Android to unlock other interesting features as well.
I kept it basic because I did not want to get overwhelmed and it works just fine for me, but do whatever works for you.
The version I have allows me to import my typed notes from Google Docs/Word Docs etc into Goodnotes and write over them with ease. I can also upload my school schedule, power points, and lab manuals which allowed me to access them easily and write out anything else that was missing.
This app has many different features I could continue to rave about but we will do a basic guide to Goodnotes soon where we go over the basic functions that you need to take successful notes and stay organized. In the meantime, YouTube University will be your best friend when learning to navigate the app.
Conclusion
These were my top 10 things that enhanced my first year of medical school and in some cases just made it flat out better. I hope that it helps you navigate going into your first year with a little more certainty or you got inspired to try some of these things out in general regardless of your year in school. If you want another list like this let us know and keep going you got this!
