The Studious Mom

How I got A’s in Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2?

I took my A&P 1 in the fall of 2019, and then I registered for A&P 2 in the Spring of 2020. I took four other classes in Spring which included, Sociology, Philosophy, Developmental Psychology, and Spanish 1.

In fall, I had only taken two classes, Chemistry and A&P 1, so it was much easier to focus on them and spend more time on each subject.

It was a little more challenging for my spring semester since I took a total of 5 classes. So what I would do is every week use my planner and write down all the due dates. I would read the syllabus and the chapters and try to figure out what’s going to take more time to learn and what’s going to be easy.

I would start with the subject that would take me some time to grasp and then carry on with other classes. Sociology, psychology, and philosophy were mainly reading and taking quizzes, so I didn’t have to spend much time on them. I needed more time for A&P and Spanish because learning a new language wasn’t easy.

Pro tips:
◊Always plan ahead of time and skim through the chapter before class. This will help you understand better when the professor goes over the chapter in detail.
◊Once the class is over, re-review everything and write notes. This helps retain a lot of information in the long term memory.
◊Learn to prioritize. You know yourself better than anyone else, so if you think you need more time for philosophy than A&P, then go ahead and plan your study schedule that way.
◊Tell yourself that you can do it. Readout aloud all the positive affirmations that resonate with you.

When you start believing in yourself, even the word impossible says “I-m-possible”.

Was tying the knot at 18 a mistake?

two-silver-colored-rings-on-beige-surface-818649 — God created us in pairs!

Life isn’t always great. We learn from our good and bad experiences. It helps us grow and makes us better people. Everyone learns from their mistakes, and sometimes you learn it the hard way.

Now I’m not saying that my marriage was a mistake. I’m sure everyone goes through all these emotional roller coasters during their marriage. I mean, is it really marriage if you don’t really get on each other’s nerves?

I got married, really young and I didn’t know what I was doing. We had an arranged marriage. It was basically like a blind date that was set up by our parents. We clicked right away. It’s always infatuation at the beginning that gets you strong. We both were head over heels for each other. He was just so cute, funny, and handsome that I couldn’t think of anything except him.

Our first year of marriage was full of bliss, the honeymoon stage, as many call it. We were so lovey-dovey, and I enjoyed being married. But once the children came in the picture and more responsibilities were added, things got a little stressful for me.

My husband handled everything pretty well, and still, he’s so calm even in the face of a storm. I am so lucky I married him because he is an awesome companion and a father. He is so supportive all the time. But I’m a woman, I have to be dramatic. Sometimes I have to say things just to get reassurance from him.

There are times when I’m like, I shouldn’t have married at 18. I should’ve explored the world instead. I should’ve gotten an education and then thought of marriage. His response is always that I was the best decision he ever made.

Sometimes children, school, responsibilities, etc., overwhelm me, and I just need some time to myself. If I had done all those things that I wanted to do, I would’ve probably never met my wonderful husband. I have two beautiful kids who are growing up, and I can’t imagine my life without them. I have done the second phase of my life before completing the ‘typical’ first phase, which is becoming successful and financially independent before having a family. In a way, I’m glad the way it worked out because I don’t have to worry about being an old mom or stressing about finding the right life partner.

There’s good in everything that happens, so always try to focus on the good and the positive aspect of life. The negative doesn’t get you anywhere, it brings you down, and it affects you physically and mentally.

How I became a certified pharmacy technician without any prior experience?

I moved to the U.S. in 2013 after I got married. I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, so for me, it was a whole different world to adapt to. It took me some time to get used to everything, and now it’s been almost 7 years since I moved.

I had my baby girl in 2015 and started looking for jobs towards the end of 2016. I remember applying to the pharmacy through their website and then speaking to the manager. I remember him asking me, “do you have any retail experience?” I said, “no, I don’t. I actually moved to the U.S. three years ago.” To which he replied, “okay, no problem, I’ll call you back.” He never called back.

I continued applying, and I applied to a medical assistant position on Craigslist. I thought I would never get a reply back. One evening I got an email for the medical assistant position. I was so nervous but excited at the same time. I went for my interview and got the job. It was with an audiologist, and I wished that I could’ve stayed longer because I loved working with her. But she needed someone per diem, so my job came to an end three weeks later once the goals were met.

I didn’t give up and decided to apply again at the pharmacy. My husband knew the pharmacy manager because he was a regular customer. He saw me trying so hard and applying continuously, so he spoke with the manager and asked him if he could give me an opportunity. He said he couldn’t guarantee anything but will definitely give me an interview and a few assessments to complete. I did great in all my assessments, and then I prepared really well for my interview. The manager liked the fact that I was so persistent, so he offered me the position.

And that’s how I got to be a pharmacy technician with no experience. In the job, I trained and learned so much. I was state registered through them, and they even offered to prepare me for the PTCB exam. I accepted and started attending the classes that were 5 sessions, once a week, for 5 hours. I ended up passing my exam on my first try, and I became a certified pharmacy technician.

I did not want to stop there, so I started preparing to become a senior technician. It took me about 5-6 months to complete my formal training to become a senior technician. That’s how my self-confidence was boosted, and every experience helped me grow. It paved the way for me to become better and more motivated.

Through this platform, I want to help those individuals who need a little boost or just some words of encouragement. Leave a comment and share any of your experiences!