Crisis Management

With deadline approaching, it is easy to be stressed. There is always rent and groceries to take care of. No matter how important MCAT is for you , you can not go on and screw up your college grades. Plus, work and research is time-consuming too.

So how do we manage this stress?
Well to begin with we should remember that everyone has some insecurities. What is important is to focus on your positive aspects and strengths and to take care of the task at hand rather than lamenting the past or fearing the future.

It is important to be confident, to understand the steps of success and be eager and focused to undertake those steps. Confidence means that you should be able to visualize success but remember, there is a fine line between confidence and overconfidence.
So how do we differentiate between the two?

Well to say that, "I can do it", is confidence but to think that, "Only I can do it" or "I will do it without much effort" is overconfidence.
No matter what scores you get, stay persistent and determined and keep working and you will eventually see the results.
The ability to take the first step and the unwillingness to give up is the key to success.

With too many things going around, one should begin prioritizing things. First of all, survival needs such as rent or groceries and bills should top the list. Then if there is an immediate requirement of a friend or family, that can be taken care of. In my case, I would say I am there to help a friend in need and to talk to my family everyday (even if all I do is call them, let them hear my voice and hang up). But after that should come the studying of the MCAT. And when you are studying for it, that should be the only thing on your mind. Friends wanting to hang out, boyfriends or girlfriends, homework which is not due the next day, and so on....everything can wait.

Remember that now is the time when things can be controlled and not two weeks before the exam. When I say to people that I am stressed for the MCAT they suggest to me that I have 2 weeks after semester ends to study for it completely and so I need not be stressed. I can not really count on the future and remain all calm right now. I want to be able to control the situation at hand and not dream of a situation in future which might or might not take place. Plus, I need to sleep and eat healthy for at least two weeks before the MCAT.

So my mantra for MCAT studying is to remain focussed and not to give up. There will be distractions. There will be hurdles. But remember, its only for few weeks that I need to give up everything else. Once I am done with this, I can enjoy life as much as I want.