Top 5 Med School Must-Haves

    The summer before med school started, I shopped a lot. Not for clothes or shoes, but for textbooks, pens, highlighters, and a device that I could read e-books with. Unfortunately, there are just some things that you don't really know you need until you need them, like neutral-colored underwear (because your white uniform has the magic ability to make colorful underwear look even more noticeable). 

    But never fear, future (or current) med students! I've compiled a list of things you don't think you need but actually do. You're welcome. 

1.Warming implements

      The classrooms in most med schools are air-conditioned, and in ASMPH, it can get really really cold. So cold that some people even bring blankets and malongs to school. (Yes, malongs, as in the thing that non-Manila people use as tablecloths or curtains.) 

Jacket city

       My warming implement of choice is this Ateneo Med jacket that my classmate Ashley was selling. When that's in the wash, I like to use this elephant-pattern scarf that Mom got me. It doesn't provide as much warmth as a regular jacket, but who can resist elephants?

2. A regular study place

    Yes yes, I know that a study place isn't a "thing" per se, but hear me out! For me, studying at home = not studying at all. I end up just falling asleep on my bed, no matter where in the condo I'm studying.

     I love going to study at the Krispy Kreme in the Hanston Building! It's a short walk away from where I live. The staff is always nice and accommodating, e.g. they'll turn down the loud music to help you study better, they'll refill your coffee if you think it isn't good enough, and they don't really mind if I buy nothing and stay there for hours. They close at 12 AM on weekdays, and, sadly, 6 PM on Saturdays (and they're closed on Sundays!).

    This is what it looked like on a Saturday morning. I had the whole place to myself.  

     And this is the bathroom! It's so clean and sparkly and big. And there's always toilet paper and soap. This is seriously my favorite bathroom in all of Ortigas. Perfect for germaphobes like me. ;_; 

~*clean*~

3. A watch

     Watches, especially analogue ones, will always come in handy in med school. You'll need them for taking vital signs and for performing other tests, like the mental status exam. You'll find out why soon enough.

     Not only are watches a great thing to have during patient encounters, they're also a great statement piece to add some life to your boring white uniforms. I actually don't have one right now (all my old ones are in a state of disrepair), so I was thinking about getting all dressed up and glamorous with River Island at Zalora. They have a really nice selection of watches! 

4. Portable liquid transporation device

     AKA a tumbler. Recently, Handyman had a sale on Lock-n-Lock stuff, so I was able to get this pink water bottle for half off (180-something instead of 300-something)! Nothing much to it, just a simple plastic bottle that can hold liquid. I'm big on water, so it's been really nice to have this around. I haven't bought a single bottle of water since I got it, so that's money saved for me! I refill it before I leave school or Krispy Kreme, which means I don't have to use up so much of the water (that my roommates and I are paying for) at home. :) 

Rap's shiny Starbucks tumbler on the left, my simple water bottle on the right.

5. A backpack

       My mom used to think that ladies in college and med school all wore tote bags and handbags. So she was really surprised when I asked for a backpack. There's really nothing wrong with shoulder bags. It's just that the collective bulk of carrying around handouts, jackets, gadgets, and textbooks can put some serious strain on your back (and just really won't fit into most shoulder bags).

       This Jansport pack is 5 years old and still going strong. Well, it's got a hole hiding somewhere in the corners of the front pocket, but that's okay because it's got a lifetime warranty. I have yet to see if that's for real. 

      Honestly not too fond of this kind of bag, since it's really saggy and doesn't hold a shape well. Like, if you stick a camera in it, you're going to feel that camera pushing against your back the whole time you're wearing the bag. The ideal med school bag should be kind of cushioned (get one with a backboard) so that you don't get constantly poked and annoyed by irregularly shaped things. 

. . . 

      That's it for my top 5 med school essentials! Tell me more about what you use in the comments below. :) 

       In other news, I just came from my first Basic Pathologies 2 exam. No results yet, so I'm in the library terminals right now killing time until classes start. Really craving for some ice cream but I've got to watch my calorie intake. The med life is not compatible with senseless eating. (Says the girl who's gonna eat her feelings in ice cream tonight. That exam was brutal.)

      Oh wait, looks like classes are starting now. See you!