Time flies - can we be the pilots?

One of my very able contestants wrote an article recently about managerial skills for pharmacy students- time management and its importance.

I couldn't agree with him more.

For time management was my main consideration when I considered the pros and cons of entering the competition. I'm a B. Pharmacy second year student which in itself is an imposing task. Added to this, I'm a third year certificate level student of Carnatic music (vocal) at the Vasavi College of Music and Dance. Also, I'm a student of the A1 level German course offered by the Max Mueller Bhavan, Goethe Zentrum. I was able to acknowledge the fact that managing all 3 ostensibly unrelated courses would be a herculean task but then it was something I had to do.

Firstly, I enjoy being a student of Pharmacy. It is so vast and yet all of its components are so completely and inextricably interlinked, it is fascinating. It offers tremendous scope for its wide relation to almost every known science field and is therefore, very intellectually stimulating. Secondly, I enjoy singing and very arrogantly call myself a good singer. To make myself the best singer that ever existed, I know practice, practice and some more practice is the only way I can achieve my seemingly impossible goal. Thirdly and finally, Germany and its neighbouring countries such as Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg have adopted German as one of their national languages. It is a very well known fact that Germany has the highest number of Nobel laureates throughout the world. Also, Germany and all of its neighbouring countries are considered to be the “European hub of Pharmacy.” Therefore, to me it only seems prudent to opt to learn a language that might prove beneficent for me in the long run. To be fluent in a language that is elected by many countries to be their national language seems very sensible to me.

Where then, into this busy schedule, could I fit in writing 3 essays per week? It is definitely not easy but then, it is also not impossible.

“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right. “ said Henry Ford. How simple and yet how profound!
This simple quote inspired me to a very great extent. I can now manage all of my activities including the essays simply because I know I can.

My family and friends have been amazing so far and I trust them completely, to continue to do the same. I know now exactly what time of the day what I have to do – my dad drops me off at my German classes at 6.30 every weekday morning, my mum’s always ready with my breakfast and at college……well I know I have gems for friends! They organize my schedule for me beautifully and are incredible the way, they cool me down so effectively when I’m tensed or all flustered.

I think this is the best experience I have ever been through for it taught me so many simple values – time management, confidence in myself and more importantly, the value of having such supportive family and friends.
Funnily enough, all of this was long before I even got selected to the top 6.

The long period of anticipation leading up to the final results, dilly-dallying around the computer for more than 2 weeks…… sheer pure nerves!

I think that should come in my next essay, Wie denken Sie darüber? (What do you think?)