The Illinois College of Optometry Student Blog

I love being an ICO blogger for many reasons. One of the biggest privileges has been the unexpected recognition and ice breaking ability to kindle new relationships throughout the college. I wanted to share this benefit with the rest of the community in hopes of bringing our ICO family even closer. Thus came the idea for “ICO SPOTLIGHT.” These ICO SPOTLIGHT entries will give an opportunity for students, faculty members, and professors who volunteer to share a little bit about

Having completed my first quarter of optometry school at ICO, I’ve come to realize there are some things that I just can’t live without. While study methods, workout plans, and sleep schedules change, here are a few essentials that I know are here to stay: iPad Pro with Apple Pencil I’m the type of student who loves taking aesthetically pleasing and color-coordinated notes. Before I started graduate school, you could always find a pack of 20 colored pens and 5 colored highlig

“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” As I began optometry school, one of the biggest stress-inducing factors was the unknown surrounding coursework. How I could be successful in all of my classes right off the bat? I had developed some strong study habits and test-taking skills in undergrad, but was so nervous about how these would translate to tough graduate-level courses. Today, I have three pieces of advice for first-year ICO students on how to alleviate some

It is interview season! All over the United States (and world) prospective students are traveling to graduate schools with the goal of admission to their dream program. Here at ICO, interviews began early in October and will run up until Spring. For most people, interviews cause a bit of stress. Have no fear! I have a way to help. When I was in undergrad, I went to a club meeting where a doctor came to speak about how she was admitted to her professional program. This was pro

Things felt different when I finished that last exam. The last exam of first year. We talked about it like it was some kind of rare and exotic animal, and in my opinion, it ended far too soon. My step out of that exam room punctuated the end of the first chapter of my career at ICO. The next 24 hours felt like I was waking up from a dream that was desperately trying to teach me something. Now, I am reminded of the words I wrote those many months ago: “Life is full of things t