A whole new world
Alexander Collins is a first-year PharmD candidate at The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy.
“A whole new world.” When looking back at my first semester of pharmacy school, this lyric from Aladdin resonates in my mind. Essentially, this is going to pharmacy school in a nutshell; new classmates, professors, organizations, and more—it truly is a whole new world!
Finding your place in pharmacy school is no doubt intimidating. So, here are some words of wisdom I can give to you as a current first-year student pharmacist as you continue your pharmacy school journey.
Find your matching puzzle pieces
When trying to explain what it is like to find friends in pharmacy school, I’ll do my best to portray both my view and the views of other extroverts, as I know introverts might have a more subdued approach.
The first day of pharmacy school is, to be frank, intimidating. Walking into a cohort of equally ambitious, clever student pharmacists does a great job of making you question your own worth. I realized, though, the emotions I felt as the new person in this cohort were no different than those of the stranger right next to me.
For me, the first day of orientation was like a big social event full of eager first impressions and excitement to meet new friends. There is no guarantee that everyone’s first day experience will be synonymous with that of The University of Georgia’s College of Pharmacy’s Class of ’26, but the advice remains the same: don’t be scared! The absolute best way to figure out where your puzzle piece best fits is to go out in search of your matching puzzle pieces. Where I stand now, I can say that the friends I’ve made in pharmacy school thus far have helped me get to where I am now!
Get involved
My next two points can, if you choose, play off of one another: Try to manage your free time and make connections with others in your pharmacy school. Trying to balance the workload of pharmacy school and free time proves to be challenging for most students, especially coming from a more laid-back undergraduate experience or a gap year.
The best way to find your free time is to start by allotting time for school-based activities. For example, my school’s APhA–ASP Chapter held many back-to-school events for a smoother introduction to pharmacy school. Some of these have been the more memorable events of my first year. These events, like a social hour at a local restaurant or trivia night at school, presented opportunities to meet other students in my class and students ahead of me. Going to social events hosted by organizations offers a transition between school and free time to make the adjustment easier. By doing so, you are both gaining important connections with other students and allowing your brain to rest after studying for so long! In fact, it was at the first social APhA–ASP event of the year that I met my now–best friends and study partners.
Seize every opportunity
I’d like to leave you with this piece of advice: seize every opportunity. Stay up too late, go get lunch with someone new, and join some organizations. Pharmacy school has been the best, albeit challenging, adventure of my life. All it has taken is just a little courage. You have a place in pharmacy school, so don’t let fear stand in your way!