The Illinois College of Optometry Student Blog

To say optometry school can be stressful is an understatement. First year, you can have up to three exams a week, plus practicals, quizzes, etc. Second year, you add clinic to the mix and third year, you begin to prepare for NBEO part 1. Fourth year, you have externships, the other two NBEO tests, possibly OEBC… and you begin preparing for real life (a.k.a. finding a job.) This past week, we were looking for an apartment in Chicago for our last externship. I started thinking

If you’re anything like me, you would have appreciated some advice going into your first finals week at ICO. Now, I have officially survived two finals weeks. I can offer a little insight, myself. Finals week is quite the ordeal. There’s no way to sugar coat it. Unless you’re one of those select few people who have been “ahead of the game” all quarter, the week gets pretty rough. It involves minimal sleep, hours of studying, and only two days over a seven day period where you

Everyone needs a break every once in a while- especially if you are in demanding career or program. Some spend this time enjoying the ability to simply do nothing while others travel and plan elaborate vacations. During my most recent break, I decided to head back home to Boston with a list of very specific to-dos to squeeze into my week. Here are a few to-dos that I would recommend for your next holiday, especially Thanksgiving! 1. Read for fun! I absolutely love to read, bu

Summer time in Chicago always seems to move quickly (time becomes less noticeable when every second outside doesn’t hurt your face.) This year is no exception. Friends, family, work, and prep for school have been pulling me in all sorts of directions lately, but I have no complaints; my life is about to dramatically change! They say you don’t value what you have until it’s not there anymore. Time- precious, lovely, lazy, free time is what I am attempting to cherish as the clo