Maximizing Your Holiday Break

"It came without ribbons.  It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more."- Dr. Seuss

Merry Christmas and a happy Boxing Day from The Bahamas! I pray most of you were able to spend the holidays with your loved ones and didn't have any flight delays. Well now that you're home for a limited time, there are a few things you can do to maximize your holiday break without loosing the information you spent all semester learning. Don't worry, I'll be joining you, so not to worry you won't be the only one getting "work" done during vacation.

1. Reconnect with Your Textbooks and Lecture Notes

Yes, you read that correctly. I know you're on holiday, however it doesn't mean you must neglect everything you spent learning even if you worked so hard during the semester not to think about school.
Personally, there were times during the semester that I found myself falling behind in reading assignments and Najeeb video watching, especially during my hospitalization, that I would like to catch up on. Now is the time to get all of that "catching up" out of the way and give yourself that advantage of preparing for the new semester.
Set a schedule of some sort, setting time aside for family gatherings, friend hangouts and for fete's and ensure there's enough time to review material you just didn't get during the semester. By reconnecting with your textbooks and lectures notes, you'll remain connected with your study routine, which will mean you won't have a hard time readjusting when you return to school in the new year.

2. Reconnect with Life 

Now is the time to work on all those things you found yourself "pinning" on  Pinterest and to help out around the house, seeing you do have a bit more free-time at the moment. Be sure to make the most of this new found free-time and treat yourself nicely. 

3. Reconnect with Reasons Why You Want To Be A Physician

Seeing I won't be roaming the wards until my third year, I always look forward to being home so that I can shadow a Physician or get as close to patients as I can. This time last Christmas I spent my days in the morgue shadowing a Pathologist. Shadowing a physician allows you to make the connection between the pre-clinical courses you're learning and the clinical aspect you'll soon delve into. It also provides a great understanding into the day-to-day activities of a physician and allows you to learn practical skills. You can also gain a mentor from the process, so ask around see whether or not it's possible for you to shadow and make the most of it.

4. Reconnect with Sleep

You've earned it!
I know during the semester there were many times when I just wanted to hit the snooze button and have a day of just sleeping. Needless to say I wasn't as lucky to do so, but after my travels yesterday I took full advantage of the Christmas feast my mom prepared and found myself in a coma shortly thereafter. Best sleep I've had for weeks!
We all know sleep is essential, and if you didn't go out and find that episode of The Big Bang Theory on Netflix or something entitled 'The Einstein Approximation' and see for yourself the consequences lack of sleep can cause, and then go ahead and "attempt to view your work (refer to #1) as a fleeting peripheral image so as to engage the superior colliculus of your brain"-Sheldon, Big Bang Theory. 

5. Reconnect with Capturing Family Moments

Since you would be well rested, make sure to capture every moment you can! From the family games, to the girls night out. I don't know about you, but I enjoy decorating my room away from home with photos of friends and family that were taken during the holidays. Sadly, this semester I haven't had time to print any or to take any new ones. I've seem to have fallen into the trap of storing photos or posting on social media rather than choosing photos and complimentary picture frames. Oh how lazy the digital age is making humanity! Try not to fall into that trap, but to commemorate the holiday season with photos of silly faces to the generic studio poses. 

Whatever you decide to do this holiday, ensure you're happy, surrounded by loved ones and you're reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas-which is Christ.
I'd love to hear whether or not you're planning on doing any of the above on your time off, so feel free to post in the comment section below.