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Sometimes I look back at my early years in medical school and I genuinely feel sad for the version of me that was trying so hard to “be perfect.”

I was always stressed. Always scared. Always comparing myself with people who looked like they had everything together. I kept pushing myself like a robot, forgetting that I was a human being with limits, emotions, and breaking points.

I did not allow myself to rest because I felt rest was “wasting time.”
I did not allow myself to fail because I felt failure meant I wasn’t good enough to be in medical school.
I did not allow myself to breathe because I believed other people were smarter, so I had to work twice as hard just to keep up.

I remember the nights I cried quietly after reading for so many hours and still not remembering anything.
I remember the guilt that used to swallow me whenever I took even a small break.
I remember waking up every day with fear instead of motivation.

Looking back now, I realise something painful:

I was not giving myself grace.
I was not treating myself like someone who deserved patience.
I was not allowing myself to grow at a normal human pace.

Medical school is already tough. But the pressure I put on myself made it even tougher.

I regret the way I punished myself for every low score.
I regret the way I never celebrated the small wins.
I regret the way I forgot that growth takes time.

Today, I am still learning. I am still improving. But I am doing it with more kindness.
Because I now understand that you do not have to break yourself before you become great.

*File photo added for illustration

MedAnon:
Sometimes I look back at my early years in medical school and I genuinely feel sad for the version of me that was trying so hard to “be perfect.”

I was always stressed. Always scared. Always comparing myself with people who looked like they had everything together. I kept pushing myself like a robot, forgetting that I was a human being with limits, emotions, and breaking points.

I did not allow myself to rest because I felt rest was “wasting time.”
I did not allow myself to fail because I felt failure meant I wasn’t good enough to be in medical school.
I did not allow myself to breathe because I believed other people were smarter, so I had to work twice as hard just to keep up.

I remember the nights I cried quietly after reading for so many hours and still not remembering anything.
I remember the guilt that used to swallow me whenever I took even a small break.
I remember waking up every day with fear instead of motivation.

Looking back now, I realise something painful:

I was not giving myself grace.
I was not treating myself like someone who deserved patience.
I was not allowing myself to grow at a normal human pace.

Medical school is already tough. But the pressure I put on myself made it even tougher.

I regret the way I punished myself for every low score.
I regret the way I never celebrated the small wins.
I regret the way I forgot that growth takes time.

Today, I am still learning. I am still improving. But I am doing it with more kindness.
Because I now understand that you do not have to break yourself before you become great.

If you’re in med school and you’re always hard on yourself, please breathe.
Give yourself permission to be human.
You will still make it.. without destroying yourself in the process.

Use your younger years to your best advantage. A golden advise I’ll give someone in their teens is to start reading, read books from accomplished people in life. You’ll understand life a lot faster than your peers by reading. You’ll have so much wisdom, and see opportunities others don’t. Read! Read!! Read!!! I can’t stress that enough. This is your ticket to faster life accomplishments.

There are always opportunities, they’re always there, and fortunately for you, billions of people won’t see them, but you’ll see them if you read! That’s why the most successful people are also the most grateful, grateful they saw the opportunities others didn’t. While people cry daily of no food and no opportunities, you see treasures everywhere. So practice gratitude, it will set your mind right and change your life. Wake up everyday and feel grateful. It’s a miracle you have a chance today to do something you can be remembered for. And let me say this again, read! That’s where you get all the wealth of knowledge from!

Practice makes perfect, so work to gain knowledge and experience, work your butt off to learn as much as possible, it will all make sense later in life. From Rookie to CEO, you acquired life lessons all the way.

Train your body also. Those physical exercises are beneficial for your body and brain. Those exercises will carry you to the next generation.

I can’t tell you all I know in a single comment session, but you can learn them by reading books about the lives of accomplished people. Everything you need in this life are in those autobiographies and books written about those who got where you want to be, it will all make sense the way life works.

Na this kind thing be the reason why I dislike anything university-related.. Having to leave your loving family to go to a university is a very unnatural thing to do.

I totally regret that I went to university at all on my own end here

@MedAnon
The only answer that could solve your pain now is:
Are you where you planned to be in life or are you on the path?

For both undergraduate and postgraduate level, I had an active social life.

Did you graduate from the medical school? Failure and excuses are cousins. Never invite them into your life.

I was exactly like this person when I was in Ahmadu Bello University as an Engineering student

That word regret was never in my dictionary and will never be on it till the end of life

Hmmmm so na cramming una dy cram??

God help us

In med school, know yourself, what works best for you, and stick with it.
Celebrate every small wins because no win is really small.
You could have moments of failure or feeling of inadequacy—those moments your score board reads what you consider too small for the great effort. Don't sit on those, else you'll remain for long that long cycle of failure —and it would only get worse.
Find time to do other things too coz med school will drain you. Have things you're doing that will keep you "sane."
It's not easy but anyhow anyhow, everyone would find their way to keep their head afloat amidst the "storm."

U graduate med school abi u no graduate?

E no go funny make u dey give all these motivational lecture because u fail

Like someone said above, your youth is when you stress yourself to lay a foundation for the rest of your life...

Tradepunter2:
Hmmmm so na cramming una dy cram??

God help us

Any student dey wey no dey cram?😂😂

givedemwotowoto:
Use your younger years to your best advantage. A golden advice I’ll give someone in their teens is to start reading, read books from accomplished people in life. You’ll understand life a lot faster than your peers by reading. You’ll have so much wisdom, and see opportunities others don’t. Read! Read!! Read!!!

Practice makes perfect, so work to gain knowledge and experience, so work your butt off to learn as much as possible, it will all make sense later in life. From Rookie to CEO, you acquired life lessons all the way.

Train your body also. Those physical exercises are beneficial for your body and brain. Your exercises will carry you to the next generation.

This is so accurate.. I wish more people have this mindset

buygala:
U graduate med school abi u no graduate?

E no go funny make u dey give all these motivational lecture because u fail

Like someone said above, your youth is when you stress yourself to lay a foundation for the rest of your life...

Still a med student in my 5th year currently... The post was about my first three years in med school when I didn't know better

Op, I was once in your shoes as well but as an engineering student.

Did you graduate in the end? If yes, then yours is the case of the grass always appearing to be greener on the other side. You worked hard and graduated, then now you wish you didn't work as hard.😂 If you hadn't worked as hard, you would have dropped out. In life never regret anything, If you aren't happy with where you are, do something about it, if there is nothing you can do about it then, just accept and live with it. Regret is useless, it is a waste of time. Whatsoever you did in the past helped to bring you to where you are and whatsoever you do about where you are now will determine where you will be tomorrow.

MedAnon:
*File photo added for illustration

Anatomy and Physiology go make all those year one wam commit suiiiiiiiicide

I regret not stressing enough in university. If I had made 1st class honours, by now I should be almost on Director level like one of my guys.

I have never been one to put a lot of pressure on myself sha. I know I am not the brightest but I am definitely not going to fail. Where the peace of mind comes from, I cannot even explain. I was once in an academic setting where the pressure is so high you have people going crazy literally and I whipped out a series to cool so often that one guy had to ask if I knew where I was. Ya Rabb, I am grateful, please don't let it all be in vain.

givedemwotowoto:
Use your younger years to your best advantage. A golden advice I’ll give someone in their teens is to start reading, read books from accomplished people in life. You’ll understand life a lot faster than your peers by reading. You’ll have so much wisdom, and see opportunities others don’t. Read! Read!! Read!!! I can’t stress that enough. This is your ticket to faster life accomplishments.

There are always opportunities, they’re always there, and fortunately for you, billions of people won’t see them, but you’ll see them if you read! That’s why the most successful people are also the most grateful, grateful they saw the opportunities others didn’t. While people cry daily of no food and no opportunities, you see treasures everywhere. So practice gratitude, it will set your mind right and change your life. Wake up everyday and feel grateful. It’s a miracle you have a chance today to do something you can be remembered for. And let me say this again, read! That’s where you get all the wealth of knowledge from!

Practice makes perfect, so work to gain knowledge and experience, work your butt off to learn as much as possible, it will all make sense later in life. From Rookie to CEO, you acquired life lessons all the way.

Train your body also. Those physical exercises are beneficial for your body and brain. Those exercises will carry you to the next generation.

dat one concern you,i don't care if anybody remembers me for anything,i just want to live my life simple.

Op, I can't think of any other time to do all those you mentioned apart from your Youth. If it leads to success, don't blame yourself. There is always time to relax later.

Don't forget the story of the hunter who says if he thinks about the difficulties he had hunting, he would not share his kills with anyone. Be wise and be careful who you spend your accomplishments with.

Do not envy failure.

Demetrix:
@MedAnon
The only answer that could solve your pain now is:
Are you where you planned to be in life or are you on the path?

I'm currently in a good place now. Still in med school tho but more relaxed and calm than when I was still a JJC😁

and I genuinely feel sad for the version of me that was trying so hard to “be perfect.”

I was always stressed. Always scared. Always comparing myself with people who looked like they had everything together. I kept pushing myself like a robot, forgetting that I was a human being with limits, emotions, and breaking points.

millionboi:
dat one concern you,i don't care if anybody remembers me for anything,i just want to live my life simple.

Your family will, the most important people in your life. The older you get the more you realize that those are the people who will be around you the longest. Treat them kindly and hopefully they will return the favor someday. Books will reveal this to you without being old to experience it.

banku:
Op, I can't think of any other time to do all those you mentioned apart from your Youth. If it leads to success, don't blame yourself. There is always time to relax later.

Don't forget the story of the hunter who says if he thinks about the difficulties he had hunting, he would not share his kills with anyone. Be wise and be careful who you spend your accomplishments with.

Do not envy failure.

I totally get your point. But I'm not saying "don't work hard" All I'm saying is don't put yourself under so much pressure that could even affect your results.

Same with me in my school days as a pure and applied mathematics student. I pushed myself so hard because the course was tough and I don't want to stay more than the assigned year to graduate. I had nothing else to do than book all through.

I regretted same I'm my secondary and university

givedemwotowoto:
If truly you read widely as you claim, you wouldn't be a lapdog to a Politician.

Use your younger years to your best advantage. A golden advice I’ll give someone in their teens is to start reading, read books from accomplished people in life. You’ll understand life a lot faster than your peers by reading. You’ll have so much wisdom, and see opportunities others don’t. Read! Read!! Read!!! I can’t stress that enough. This is your ticket to faster life accomplishments.

There are always opportunities, they’re always there, and fortunately for you, billions of people won’t see them, but you’ll see them if you read! That’s why the most successful people are also the most grateful, grateful they saw the opportunities others didn’t. While people cry daily of no food and no opportunities, you see treasures everywhere. So practice gratitude, it will set your mind right and change your life. Wake up everyday and feel grateful. It’s a miracle you have a chance today to do something you can be remembered for. And let me say this again, read! That’s where you get all the wealth of knowledge from!

Practice makes perfect, so work to gain knowledge and experience, work your butt off to learn as much as possible, it will all make sense later in life. From Rookie to CEO, you acquired life lessons all the way.

Train your body also. Those physical exercises are beneficial for your body and brain. Those exercises will carry you to the next generation.

I can’t tell you all I know in a single comment session, but you can learn them by reading books about the lives of accomplished people. Everything you need in this life are in those autobiographies and books written about those who got where you want to be, it will all make sense the way life works.

Hmm.. This is interesting!

MedAnon:
*File photo added for illustration

Just love your and show love to yourself

In this life there is no competition so why competing with yourself

givedemwotowoto:
Your family will, the most important people in your life. The older you get the more you realize that those are the people who will be around you the longest. Treat them kindly and hopefully they will return the favor someday. Books will reveal this to you without being old to experience it.

i thought you were talking abt be rememberd by people i don't know,i.e being famous.

ConsultGana:
Any student dey wey no dey cram?😂😂

that cramming dey vex me that year but we no get choice