Adjusting to pharmacy school life in a new city

Olivia Long is a final-year PharmD candidate at the East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy.

Entering pharmacy school can be scary! Starting difficult classes, meeting new people, and transitioning into a graduate level learning environment are only some of the potential challenges student pharmacists face. One of the most difficult transitions for me when I began pharmacy school was living in a new city. I had never lived outside of my hometown of Mount Juliet, TN, before, so I was a little intimidated by being so far away from my family and friends.

I know there are many of you out there who may be going through similar struggles, so I would like to talk about what I did to adjust to a new stage in my life.

Staying in touch

It can be challenging to leave behind friends and family when you move to a new place, especially as pharmacy school begins to take up a majority of your time. Therefore, it is essential that you work hard to maintain the relationships in your life. Whenever you think of a friend, send them a text. You don’t always need a reason to talk to them, just let them know that you are thinking about them.

If you have the opportunity to return home, try to set aside time to meet with a friend or family member. Your meeting can be as simple as going to a coffee shop, getting breakfast, or going for a walk. Actively reaching out to the important people in your life and catching up with them can do wonders not only for them, but for your well-being, too.

Remaining connected and making time for the most important relationships in my life kept me grounded when I became overwhelmed or stressed.

Maintaining hobbies

Hobbies are a great way to distract yourself when life gets stressful. Try researching the new area to which you are moving. For example, I enjoy hiking, and the city where I live now—Johnson City, TN—has many great hiking locations that have been fun to discover. I also love to read. I explored used bookstores in town and found one of my favorite shops. You never know what you will find, and it can be a great opportunity to build upon a hobby you already have or an opportunity to try a new one.

Speaking of new hobbies, this can also be a great topic of conversation when forming new relationships (a.k.a., fellow student pharmacists). Not only could this potentially lead to a new friend, but also to trying a new hobby or sharing your hobby with someone else.

Take care of yourself

I know a lot of this advice may appear simple, but when you become overwhelmed or stressed, you tend to forget the simple task of caring for yourself. It can be challenging to take the next steps of your pharmacy journey, but it will get easier. Believe me when I say things will get better.

When you press yourself beyond where you are comfortable, you gain new knowledge, develop new skills, and become more confident in making challenging decisions. The stress is temporary. You are courageous for making this leap, and if I could do it, you can, too!