When you are going to vet tech school, you are likely very busy and stressed with classes, studying, and lab activities. Many of you are also simultaneously working or taking care of kids and family life.

It can be overwhelming at times when you are juggling multiple things. 

Here are some tips to get you through it!

1) Don't lose sight of the end goal. Vet tech school won't last forever. You will soon be finished and can settle in to a more regular schedule minus all of the studying. Once you are out and into practice or have a regular job, your learning will be more hands on, and you won't have the study stress anymore.

2) Try to enjoy learning and give maximum effort. Even though you may feel like you can't wait for it to be over, you will someday reflect on your school days and what a great learning experience it was. So, feel privileged that you have the opportunity to attend school and really immerse yourself in the learning. When you make maximum effort, you will learn more and enjoy it, and get your money's worth out of it.

2) Make a schedule and stick to it. A schedule can be modified depending on your current obligations, but make a schedule at least monthly, so you know what time is allotted for studying or other activities, and stick to it! Do not procrastinate studying. It causes more stress if you wait and try to cram at the last minute.

3) Eat healthy. This seems obvious, but junk food, fast food, and sweets tend to make us more exhausted or crash sooner. I'm not saying to give up dessert! But in general, try to stick to a good diet. This will give you more energy and reduce your exhaustion. We tend to want to grab something quick in between our activities and this can become a bad habit, so you should consider a bit of meal planning, or bring along your snacks/lunch. Choose foods that will stick with you longer and provide energy- such as hummus and veggies, nuts, protein bars, etc.

4) Try to exercise regularly. Exercise releases endorphins and is a natural form of stress relief. It gets your blood flowing and oxygen to your tissues. It will help you to get more restful sleep at night. It doesn't have to be extreme exercise, even 15-20 minutes will help.

5) Get enough sleep. This is easiest to do when you stick to your schedule. Procrastination leads to less sleep. These are all interconnected.

The bottom line is to take care of yourself when you are attending school. Get as much out of it as you can, while planning your time appropriately so that you can enjoy the journey. Best of luck to you in your studies and career!