Miles Between The Milestones
As the fall semester is now in full swing, I wanted to share how I have learned to prioritize wellness amidst a busy pre-health schedule.
Like many pre-health students, I am goal-oriented and love a good to-do list. However, I quickly realized how easily my schedule could become consumed by academic responsibilities, leaving little time for myself. I began intentionally carving out time for wellness, learning to honor it with the same commitment I gave to studying.
This summer, I decided to follow a condensed study schedule for the Dental Admission Test (DAT). With long days of studying and limited time off, I recognized the importance of finding moments to decompress in the in-between parts of my day. I began reserving the same time each evening for myself and quickly discovered my favorite outlet: running through the streets of Ann Arbor.
There was something incredibly refreshing about putting on my favorite music and simply enjoying the nature around me. From passing neighborhood baseball games and flowers in full bloom to watching the Arb come alive, each run offered a welcome change of scenery from my laptop. While I often felt overwhelmed by the amount of information I needed to memorize, running seemed to slow down the very days I worried were passing too quickly. With a mind that often feels like it has a hundred tabs open, running became my opportunity to close them all and appreciate the little things around me.
As I worked toward the milestone of completing the DAT, I found myself craving a goal outside of academics, something that wasn't graded or measured by a score. I have always had a tendency to move quickly from one accomplishment to the next, rarely pausing to celebrate the progress in between. What I began to love about running was the opportunity to recognize smaller victories along the way, whether that meant reaching a new distance or simply getting outside after a long day.
My love of goal-setting eventually led me to sign up for my first half-marathon. This time, however, I wanted to prioritize personal growth rather than chase a specific finish time. Beginning my training in the heat of the summer and crossing the finish line in October was incredibly rewarding. Yet what made the accomplishment so meaningful wasn't simply completing 13.1 miles, but the confidence and strength I gained by embracing the process instead of constantly critiquing my progress.
As pre-health students, we spend so much time working toward the next milestone, whether that means earning a certain grade, completing an admissions exam, or getting accepted into professional school. While I believe there is tremendous value in pursuing our ambitions, I think it is equally important to celebrate progress rather than perfection. We all hope to build fulfilling careers, but I believe we should be just as intentional about creating fulfilling lives along the way.
As a healthcare professional, my dad has always reminded me of the importance of enjoying the process of becoming and embracing the time between milestones. It is easy to convince ourselves that we will have more time once we get into professional school, once we graduate, or once we begin our careers. But as my dad loves to remind me, there will always be a harder test, another responsibility, or a new goal waiting around the corner. Rather than waiting for time to appear, we have to make it.
In many ways, I think the same can be said about endurance running. You cannot experience the joy of crossing a finish line without first making time for the challenging workouts and uncomfortable first miles. Running has taught me that prioritizing wellness does not mean sacrificing ambition. Instead, it allows you to show up as a better version of yourself.
My hope is that everyone finds an activity that brings them this same sense of calm. Whether it's reading, sketching, walking, or simply listening to music on the porch, I encourage you to carve out time for yourself, embrace the imperfect moments, and find joy in the miles between milestones.
By: Olivia Henn
