Katie McDuffie is a second year PharmD candidate at the High Point University Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy and is the Region 3 2023–2024 APhA–ASP Midyear Regional Meeting Coordinator.
As you know, pharmacy school is extremely demanding. You have to balance school, work, personal passions, and sleep while still finding time for friends, which can seem impossible.
To try to balance everything during pharmacy school I prioritize getting enough sleep, having a good diet, and dedicating 10–30 minutes each day to do something about which I am passionate.
Lately I have been dedicating my “me time” to journaling. Normally after school I will go home and take a moment to document my day, noting what I did that day, what brought me joy, the daily song, and what I am looking forward to tomorrow. My journal pages will follow this simple format in a color scheme of the month, with pictures that evoke memories or happy moments and lots of stickers. I do not care about spelling, I do not care if I don’t use my typical format; it’s simply an escape where I can write down what happened that day.
How I journal
Usually, I do my journaling in the morning before school. First, I will turn on whatever music I am in the mood for—normally its lofi so I can just relax and listen to the music without stopping journaling to sing lyrics. I will lay out the materials that I might want to use that day: my pens, stickers, paper, tape, scissors, etc. I always like to start with a timeline of the day, writing what I plan to complete that day. I will write down the song of the day. Depending on time, I will set up the rest of the page for a section about “the best part of the day” and what I am “looking forward to” for the next day. At the end of the day, I will make some chamomile tea, sit down, and fill out the portions of the page I didn’t fill out earlier in the day.
As an example, my journal on February 18, 2024—a “lazy Sunday”—I noted the following: I woke up at 8:30 am, my “Song of the Day” was “Street by Street” (by Laufey), I had three cups of tea, went to church, wrote thank-you cards to the pharmacy staff, had lunch, studied, and then went to the movies with friends.
Not a chore
Sometimes I forget to journal or I am too tired after waking up at 5:00 am to study for an exam, so I will skip a day. And just as you would allow a cheat day in exercise or dieting, it is important to give the same grace to your daily hobbies, like I do with journaling. If I do forget a day I normally will go back and write something, so I have something noted for every day. Whatever hobby you do, make sure it does not feel like a “chore.” It should bring you genuine joy and you should want to do it every day.
Discover what works for you
While my daily journaling helps me destress, that doesn’t mean it will help you. Make sure that you discover something that works for and with you. Experiment, explore, and just find something that works for you, especially during the demands of pharmacy school.