My Last Semester of School…EVER!

In about one week, I start my last semester of school...ever. I can firmly say that there is not another degree in my future. That's not to mean I won't keep learning. But as far as formal schooling goes, I'm ready to be done.

What I'll be Up To

This semester I will be enrolled in business school at Wharton. In addition, I have a few medical school classes to complete as well as some residency interviews. I can already tell this semester will be incredibly busy. But at the end of it all, I'll graduate with both my MD and MBA degrees! (You can check out this post to learn more about why I'm doing both.) I can't wait to be a doctor y'all. This is a dream about 24 years in the making. That's a looonnggggg time.

How I plan to approach the semester

I'm pretty excited to start my last semester of school. I've been in school for more than 80% of my life, and I'm ready to see what life as a "real adult" is like. However, just because I'm excited to finish my last semester of school, that doesn't mean I'm planning to take it for granted. In fact, I'm approaching this semester with the exact opposite mindset. I'm hoping to soak in every moment I have remaining as a student. I want this last semester of school to be FUN. This means that I need to be intentional about prioritizing the things that bring me joy: exercising, blogging, going to church, learning, and spending time with friends and family. If anything doesn't lead to that goal of joy, it's GOTTA GO.

Lasts and Firsts

Over the course of the upcoming months, I will experience a lot of lasts. This will be my last semester of school. It will be the last few months I can fill out "student" in the occupation section of demographics forms 😂. It *might* be the last time I live in Philly (I have no idea where I'll match for residency). This semester will be the last time (for a while) that I see some great friends I've made over the past few years.

However, I will also experience some firsts! I'll TA a class for the first time. I'm going to keep a plant alive for the first time (claiming it in the name of Jesus lol). I will enter "The Match" for the first, and prayerfully last, time. I'm going to be legally called Dr. Jordan for the first time.  I'll somehow find a way to simultaneously be enrolled in business school classes and medical school classes AT THE SAME TIME. (Honestly...I'm not sure how that last one will be accomplished).

Goals

The last thing I want to share is a list of goals that I have for this semester. They're not particularly insightful or shared in any particular order, but I hope that they will be reminders for me to have fun during my last semester of school. If you're similarly about to graduate soon, you might want to think about how some of these goals could be helpful for you to have a fruitful and fun final semester.

1. Don't skip class (unless absolutely necessary)
2. Actually do the course readings...
3. Say "no" to things that won't add to my joy and put me closer to my goals
4. Hang out with friends for no reason other than to enjoy each others' company
5. Go to fancy events and actually put in the effort to look nice (the struggle has been real recently y'all)
6. Go to the gym every day
7. Read for fun
8. Dance like no one's watching
9. Take time to see the blessings in the little things
10. Walk the runway in a fashion show
11. Be present
12. Get involved with ministry at church
13. Call friends and family regularly

There's a lot ahead of me this semester, but I'm ready for it. I'm ready to push through the stressors. I'm ready to rejoice at my accomplishments. I'm ready.

If you're graduating this semester, let me know in the comments below what you're looking forward to most!

Peace and blessings,

Atasha Jordan, MD (to be)