Every medical student is going to feel incredibly overwhelmed and stressed out multiple times in school; this is perfectly normal given how challenging medical school is and the firehose of information we need to learn. In order to avoid burnout, it is very important to remember to consistently de-stress and take time for self-care. All of my friends have various ways of de-stressing, and I find this is something that sets med students apart and makes us each unique. For example, I have one friend who loves to cook in his spare time, another who watches TV dramas as a break, and another who enjoys playing video games. I have heard of other students who enjoy gardening, drawing, and indulging in music.
Personally, I love exercising, talking with friends, and grocery shopping/retail shopping in my time to relax. Without doing the recreational, non-academic things that I love, I am not sure I would have made it through the first semester as sane as I did. The faculty and upperclassmen constantly reminded us in the beginning of the year the importance of self-care, and I appreciated it being emphasized early on. Some students make the mistake of going into school thinking that studying 24/7 will yield the highest results, but this is definitely not true; your mind will grow exhausted, and your mood will affect your studying. Keep yourself grounded in your relationships, hobbies, and beliefs, and always block out time in your busy schedule for these things. Everyone, especially the frazzled medical student, needs self-care, no matter how they go about doing it.
