Stepping into 2026
Rachel Lucky is a final-year PharmD candidate at the Union University College of Pharmacy and the 2025–2026 APhA–ASP national president.
With the start of 2026, you might be actively setting goals, or you might be stepping into this year feeling tired, discouraged, or uncertain. Whether you are mapping out plans for the months ahead or simply trying to pass the next exam, rotation, application, or shift, know that you are not alone.
New beginnings
There is something truly powerful about a new beginning—a new calendar, a new semester, a new rotation. New beginnings invite you to reflect on the moments that brought you to where you are and ponder what future moments will hold, especially at the start of a new year. There is a real temptation to interpret reflection as a time to create a checklist for ourselves. In reality, reflection is an opportunity to realign yourself with your “why” and adjust your priorities and focus accordingly.
Perhaps for you this looks like setting more intentional routines for your physical, mental, and emotional health, or maybe it looks like prioritizing more time with loved ones. Maybe it means stepping out in boldness, running for that leadership position, or applying for that committee you’ve had on your mind. Or for many (myself included) that resolution might simply be to show up intentionally to each moment and be fully present with the people and tasks before you.
Stay focused through changes
Navigating transition is something student pharmacists are intimately familiar with. Whether it’s the transition to a professional academic workload or the transition into the rhythms of rotations and all that comes with the final year of pharmacy school, you are expected to establish new normals on a regular basis. Amid all this transition, you are developing the skills and perspectives needed to care for patients, yourself, and for one another.
In the moments where you begin to feel defeated or overwhelmed by the task you have been entrusted with, remember that growth is taking place quietly through your consistency and commitment to simply show up for yourself and for others. Don’t let a resolutions list, a cluttered calendar, or a GPA distract you from this truth.
APhA is your home
As the new year begins, the APhA Student Pharmacist Community is moving forward with you in mind. We are committed to create more space for connection, support your development as a professional, and provide you meaningful ways to engage with the profession through advocacy, leadership, and patient care.
No matter how you are entering this year or what you are hoping to gain throughout 2026, there is a home for you here at APhA with your “pharmily.” As you step into this new calendar year, take some time to celebrate the moments of previous years, cherish the present moment you have been given, and look ahead with hopeful anticipation to the moments you will create and experience in 2026.
I am so grateful we are on this journey together.