Anyone who knows me or reads this blog should be surprised by the title of this post. So if such a negative attitude is uncharacteristic of me, why a negativity-inspired post?
I’ll be honest, vet school isn’t all puppies and kittens (and most of you will not be surprised to hear that), but it seems like the worst part of vet school (and the hardest to combat) has been the negativity.
When day-to-day life seems to be a never-ending game of Who’s Life Sucks Most, a game I’ve come to observe and mostly entails students competing with other students for who has the worst life. While I’m glad to see the focus turn away from who has the highest grades, I can’t help but wish we were competing for who has the coolest, most exciting life! Now that is a competition you’d want to win! Right?
Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Students have noted the negative energy and professors have as well. The sad thing is that the professors don’t see hope for our attitudes changing anytime soon.
I’m not going to sit here and try to convince the world that life is grand and easy in veterinary school. It’s not inherently like that.
It’s especially not easy.
Even if you remove classes from the equation — which is a big part of the equation with upwards of 10 classes per term (and usually a minimum of 20 credits per quarter…even exceeding 30 for some) — we have a lot on our minds. For instance, debt (not an easy thing to face, especially when we aren’t exactly sure how we will pay it back…) and the current state of the economy. Even if we’re not in the job market, people we know are and it’s not easy to find a job these days, which makes our hopes for having a job lined up after graduation grimmer and grimmer each day.
To make matters worse, it seems like the state and country are against us with the changes in policies that result in tuition increases and the elimination of subsidized student loans. It’s hard to trudge through all the obstacles, all the negativity, when it seems like the entire world is against us.
Sure, we have a lot to be worried about in the future, but what happened to that contagious energy and thirst for knowledge that I saw a few years ago as we begun this journey together?
Have we forgotten all that we’ve worked for and that with each day, each exam, we get one step closer to having the best career in the world?! 
I admit that in the past I’ve neglected to take a moment after overcoming each obstacle and smile, thankful that I’m that much closer to my dream.
I’m only one of one hundred and thirty-five students, though, and one ray of sunshine stands no chance against a stormy sky.
…but I’m going to keep trying!
Oh boy. I just got a email notif. Abot your post and it sort of freaked me out:/ i just decided that i will go through with choosing my career path as a veterinarian yet you wrote all that negativity which scared me but! You can do it! So will i in the near future:)
Oh boy. I just got a email notif. Abot your post and it sort of freaked me out:/ i just decided that i will go through with choosing my career path as a veterinarian yet you wrote all that negativity which scared me but! You can do it! So will i in the near future:)
I’m curious if your professors, who have seen many classes of students pass through, think that your class is particularly negative. Maybe it’s a typical third (or whatever year you’re in) thing? Or maybe it really is related to debt, bleak economy, scary job prospects–things that are particular to this time. It must be hard to try to be a ray of sunshine in a stormy sky. But there must be a few others of you staying focused on the bright side–you’re living your dream! I say, hang out with them more. Good luck.
I’m curious if your professors, who have seen many classes of students pass through, think that your class is particularly negative. Maybe it’s a typical third (or whatever year you’re in) thing? Or maybe it really is related to debt, bleak economy, scary job prospects–things that are particular to this time. It must be hard to try to be a ray of sunshine in a stormy sky. But there must be a few others of you staying focused on the bright side–you’re living your dream! I say, hang out with them more. Good luck.