Just keep swimming

“Success is the sum of small efforts day in and day out”  

–Robert Collier

For students or anyone who is going through similar things.

 We all know that if we don't put in hard work and effort, we don't succeed or at least do better than we hoped for.

(credit: lavishlotus.com)

Many students, young or mature, face plentiful of 'setbacks'. Those that make us feel horrible (I had the urge to say crap, oh, I just said it), as if we're not good enough, or we're not as good as we thought we were. You see other students putting less effort than you, yet why is it that we're not getting results? Or even, why is it I can't work properly? C'mon, I'm pretty sure some of you-wait, I mean a lot of you must've felt like that or that thought like that before. You cry or get depressed over your 'failures' *shivers at the word* and then set targets and goals to 'fix' things in your life, and then basically falling back to square one again...That sucks. I've spoken people who felt as if their future was over and thought that there was no point in trying anymore because they will just fail *shivers* again. It makes me sad when I think about it. Yes it's true that their work ethic probably wasn't great, but the fact that they're giving up on themselves just makes me sad. Ok, I probably just ruined the sentimental feeling in that sentence, but I couldn't think of a different word other than sad. Think of it as like a circle that you're stuck in. We all need to GET OUT. Break from your constant returning to nothing.

"Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was"  

-Richard L. Evans

So what should you do?

Face the reality. You need to face the fact that you've probably messed up, perhaps a little bit or big time. Nothing in life is easy, but then we gotta keep going no matter what. *imagines Dory singing "just keep swimming, swimming..."* You haven't put in the effort or haven't put in enough effort to obtain results that pleases YOU. Remember, it's not about what people think you should do, it's about what YOU want to do and then beyond. The beyond part is pretty important. I'd say it is about improving one's self, looking for ways to not reach perfection but to catch excellence. So with that in mind, you gotta pay for your past. Things come with a consequence! One does not do badly in a test and then expect to just work the same or less and expect to get higher results the next time-NO! Reflect on your wrongs guys...Once you've realised your faults, it's time to move on.

(Credit: blogs.disney.com)

Moving on. The thing most people are scared of is failure. You may have already noticed that I don't like that word...It's just so negative! There's no point in being pessimistic, although I admit that I've thought about the negatives before, because by doing so you'll just attract the negative things. I know it sounds like a whole load of 'baloney' (I don't even know or care how to spell it), but think about it first. If you think positive then your outlook in life will be positive and bright. You'll tackle new things and challenges with a clearer mind because you're thinking "Hey, I can do this!". However, if you think negative all the time, your thinking will only be clouded with doubts, anxiety and fear. We don't want that do we?

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty"  

-Winston Churchill

Sometimes it is difficult to think positive all the time since in certain situations, the things that we can 'see' the most are the problems and worries. I can't remember the name from the top of my head, but I remember someone telling me about a book which describes a similar thing to what I've just mentioned. Oh! I remember now: The Book of Secrets. I think? HaHa. Ok, back to where I was...Ah, oui. The thing preventing people from moving on from their 'past' is being scared of falling back again. I don't think I need to repeat what many people say about that "it's not about the amount of falls you have, but the amount of times you get back up". I agree with that, but you can't keep 'falling' back down and then expecting to get back up. It's the circle thing all over again. What we all need to think about is that this time, when you get up, you're geared to keep going and expect to achieve things this time.

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing that you will make one"   

-Elbert Hubbard

Set things straight. Now it's about time to finally start getting a move on. It sounds rather 'cheesey'...but whatever. Make a list of your targets. I know this may not suit to everyone's taste, but for those wanting to give it a go, try it. =) Get a piece of paper or a notebook and list down things that you want to change. Like New Year's resolutions, they can be like: "Going to sleep at an earlier time"; "Make sure I don't get distracted online": "Stop procrastinating" *ew, that word*; "Study more"; and so on. Now keep that list safe because that will be something that you should check once in a while to see if you're following it well. YES, I know many people's 'resolutions' don't go to plan-like all the time. I thought this time would be different, eh? So ya, make them do-able. =') To motivate yourself, keep a diary or an academic diary and write in a few quotes by others or even anything that helps you keep going.

Action. Words words words...They're nothing, in this situation, until you do something about it. Actually follow your action plan. We want results from the exams! This all sounds a bit military, but if you're aiming for a profession such as a Doctor, Dentist, Barrister, etc. I'm sure you already know that hard work lies ahead of you and so you need not put in 100% effort but double that! Je ne me donnerais pas à 100%, mais plus encore. > < Keep yourself up to date with things and remember, trust in God!


I hope this post will somewhat encourage at least some of you.
If any of y'all decide that "I need change!", let me know. ;)

UKCAT&Medicine

I am aware that this post may not apply to all of you, hence it is only a few that may require/find this post useful. I know I'm not the most useful person, but I would like to try my best in helping those with their UKCAT.

To begin with: what the test is about.

What is the UKCAT and what is it for?

The UKCAT is an acronym for United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test, taken just like a driving test on a computer and in timed conditions.
Self-explanatory in the name, it is a test-durgh. An aptitude test designed to pick out very able students, therefore it is used in University applications for Medical School (and Dental Schools). Note that not all medical schools require students to take the UKCAT however, since it's first 'official launch' in 2006 (I think?), the majority of the Universities in UK now take the test into account or use it as a sort of 'tie-braker' decision thing. In fact 26 out of 31 Medical Schools in the United Kingdom require prospective medical students to sit the UKCAT. Those wishing to study medicine in the UK, take the test during the summer before they apply since applications for medicine are submitted much earlier than other courses. Other Universities also require applicants to take the BMAT.



Why post about it you say? Well for those who are not even thinking of Medicine, then this is not the post for you guys. Everyone's different and we can't all have every single person applying for the same occupation. Therefore for those thinking or those who are already in the process of applying, then I hope to of some help for you guys. ^ ^ (I say "hope" quite a lot don't I? HaHa). Certainly those who apply or will be applying are/should be active in researching what they need to do and what they should be willing to do. Please forgive me if I don't give sufficient information, there is only a limited amount of information, an individual not involved with the runnings and applications, can know. This post will mainly be, in a way, a sort of platform that will hopefully direct you. I will forward useful links that you may be able to make use of!

UKCAT. This test is not something you 'revise' for, like Mathematics, it is something you can only do through practice. You don't do 'intense' studying like for the GCSEs or AS/A Levels (done in the UK) and like sit in your room or study room for hours and hours, only coming out to eat. Nope! It's practice at each subtest. For example, do like 10-20 subtests (of 5 questions) each day, treat them as if they're normal(-ish) questions. You're trying to build up technique and knowledge of these questions not necessarily the topics. There aren't specific topics in which you need to revise for, rather there are 'types' of questions/subtests that constant going-overs are needed.

There are five subtests that make up the UKCAT:

1. Verbal Reasoning
2. Quantitative Reasoning
3. Abstract Reasoning
4. Decision Analysis
5. Situational Judgement Test

There used to be only four, however, last year 2012 they decided to test out a 'new' subtest and this 2013, they will actually be using it.

I could go into detail about each section and more about the UKCAT, but I think that Medify is a very useful website indeed to use in preparation for your test. Please use this website! I am in no way sponsored or told to recommend this, however, I personally felt the need to share this extremely good site. You know, it's good to share good things. =) As of this post, their website homepage should look like this:

Note, there are plenty of other websites out there available to use for your preparation hence Medify is simply an example. As well as online practice, there are courses that run all over the country. They're good, however they unfortunately do cost a considerable amount, well into the hundreds and varying depending on which company, etc. When looking at things like these, you need to think carefully. Are they good? Are they worth it for the money? Do you need extra support to prepare yourself for the test? Medify does have a small fee to be able to make use of it's features, however, think of it as an investment for your future-it will be worth it despite the cost, which in a way is pretty reasonable. 

Another way to get practice are books which can be found in bookstores or by searching them online. I don't know a great deal of books available that help you practice for them, but I do have two which I can use as examples: Get Into Medical School and UKCAT for Dummies (<--what a name, I know). 

Applying for Medicine:

Such an IMPORTANT factor to be done even before applying for Medicine is getting Work Experience, and also Volunteering done. You need to show to the Universities that you are committed to do extra to help others and demonstrate skills which will be utilised in the future as a Doctor. The length of time of your Volunteering is important, I have been told you should have done at least over a year, however, it is not by how much and how long you've done volunteering for, but in fact how much you have learnt from your experience. This is something they look for in Personal Statements. Nowadays, Universities are not just looking for bright students to be Doctors, but now committed, passionate and all-rounded ones. Examples could be at a Primary School, Care home, or at a Hospital.

Be active in your journey of your application process. That is key to being a successful applicant. 

Keep in-the-know by checking out topics such as University requirements and other things related on the Student Room. There you will find forums with questions that have been answered, discussed or currently being answered or discussed.

Go to University Open Days. Don't just pick out Universities that sound/looks good, make sure you check them out. Sometimes it isn't possible for you to check them out through Open Days for a few reasons, therefore find a way. Book a guided tour/campus tour of the specific campus for medicine. Ask around, like with teachers, through the Student Room or email the admissions at the Universities. Think about it, yes it's a blessing for a place for any medical school, but you'll be living there for around 5 or 6 years. It's indeed important to choose a place you can live there for a few years. 

Start drafting your Personal Statement. Many/majority of the people in your college won't yet be thinking of doing theirs since their application submission is later that medical students. This means, get bullet pointing first on what key points you want to make. Remember there is a word limit, which many people find is the challenging part-to sound convincing in a short character count given. However, if you have your UKCAT early in the Summer, then you should focus on your UKCAT then completely focus on your Personal Statement. Many Universities will look at your PS, and it is through these few words that they may have a  judgement on your personality/character and then hopefully consider you for an interview. As well as Volunteering-related stuff on your PS, having extra-curricular activities is good. Again, it's not about what they are (although they should be useful ones like sports clubs) and how many activities you do, but how you explain it's relevance to Medicine and how your skills (it's all about skills, it seems) you learn and develop show you are a worthy student that they NEED. They know you're smart, or else you wouldn't be applying for the course, what they look for is the person. Erm, I'm not so sure if you'd be able to understand that-makes sense? HaHa.

So let's talk Doctors. That's what applying for Medicine is all about right? Those willing to sacrifice some time and dedicate their efforts to help others is what Medicine is. Something I completely forgot to mention and hyperlink on is the Good Medical Practice which is from the GMC. Take time reading this. Evidently you won't read  this all in one go but occasionally like a few days a week, start to read your way through this important website. Nowadays, as probably mentioned before, they don't just want smart people for Medicine, but in fact they want GOOD Doctors, the Doctors of the modern-day world. You need to have the skills, qualifications and somewhat a good personality, because most Doctors spend their profession interacting with either colleagues, patients or patients' relatives hence one needs people skills! And of course, don't just read, but also reflect. That's all I'm gonna say about that, it's up to you as an individual what reflect really is. ;) 

Yup, I hope you guys applying for Medicine found it somewhat useful, even in a little way that would make me really happy. ^__^"

If I find any more useful things worth noting then I will update. =)

Bon Chance for all of us! > <

NOTE: I have a few other sources to link in, but I'll do that by next week!