Well, here we are, going back to school in the midst of a contagious, virulent, very bad pandemic. Just as cases are going up, thousands of students will be interacting with people inside spaces. I don’t know if that’s necessarily bad, but I understand it can be anxiety-inducing.
I think my single piece of advice is: do your best, given the circumstances. Give yourself permission not to work so hard if that would elevate your anxiety levels. Pay attention in class, come in to clinics and work hard, study when you can. Just do your best and acknowledge that maybe your best looks different from last year. That’s OK. We’re all struggling, and your better instructors will understand and be sympathetic.
Do your best to relax and focus on what you can control. If you want to apply to vet school, you can’t control what the schools do with online or hybrid courses. If those are the only ones available to you, enroll, do your best, and realize that you can’t control how schools interpret those courses. If you want to do an internship and live outside the US, realize that you may not be able to do anything about getting a visa and into the country. Focus on what you can control and try not to worry about the rest.
I am also announcing our first-ever giveaway! The next two posts will be a review of two books by Dr. Dean Scott. I will be giving these two books to one of you readers! If you want to be entered for a chance to win, post a meaningful comment somewhere on the blog. The winner will be randomly chosen next week.

Thanks to Kristen Pauley, Stephanie Frey, Haley Doron and Amber Moody for commenting! The books go to Alexandra Thurman!