Life as a Vet Student- Advice to the Class of 2015

By Maite Torres

Kansas State University

Class of 2014

After so many years of hard work I finally made it! Now I’m extremely proud to say that I’m a second year veterinary student at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University! EMAW!!

 My first year of vet school counts as the most amazing, stressful, exciting, overwhelming and surprising year of my life. The most memorable part of it actually happened before it started: the day I found out that I was admitted. As many of us do, I applied to multiple schools; however, being a veterinary technician for our Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, being in love with the school and its people, and being a resident of Kansas, all my energy was focused on staying here. To my surprise, God and the CVM had a very special birthday present for me: “You’ve been admitted to KSU-CVM!”. I couldn’t find a way to contain my happiness.

                                     

                                 CVM-KSU Class of 2014 Logo (Photo: Melissa Watts)

Now, as classes began, things started to become a little bit tougher. Coming from Puerto Rico, an island in the Caribbean, I had and continue to have plenty of things to become adjusted to (even after being in the states for two years already).  Besides climate, language, and culture changes, I have to deal with many other issues. For example, the fact that I come from a loud culture makes it very hard for me to hear (soft voices) and understand what someone is saying if I’m unable to see the person’s face, or the fact that I’m still learning plenty of common phrases that aren’t taught in an English course but in everyday life. Other events that made the transition rough was the fact that I’m here on my own, (all of my family is in Puerto Rico); I had to quit the most exciting and amazing job I’ve ever had, (Zoological Medicine and Dermatology veterinary technician); I had to learn how to balance my personal life with my professional life; and learn how to live off student loans, in other words how to budget time and money. But, if you ask me which of all of these was the hardest transition I would have to say letting my job go; it took me more than one full semester to get over it. However, all of these sacrifices are completely worth it! I’m having the time of my life, making my dream come true.

Dr. James Carpenter and I

              Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

                      Academically, I think the hardest part of the freshman year is the ice breaking event: the first test, the BONES test. Everyone is wondering what it will be like, everyone is nervous, everyone is anxiously awaiting the outcome. Amazingly, everyone passes it and we realize that it is simply another test. All of our late night study sessions paid off. We learned that if we study hard enough the outcome will be what we all expect: to pass! After the first test is out of our way, we have a great celebration called the SHAFT party and then the rest of the year just continues to roll.

I’m so grateful and blessed to be here. I have made great friends, friends I love as the sisters I don’t have, clinicians I love as family, classmates I wouldn’t trade for anything because thanks to them I’ve grown as a person and as a professional. I wouldn’t have made it without the support of my family, my boyfriend’s support and help, and without my friends  

Now, second year BRING IT ON!