September 30, 2015, by Olivia

Final Year Feels

I cannot believe this year has finally come, it is both terrifying and exciting. While being in final year marks my very near arrival into the real world and having a job, I am also quite excited at the prospect of finally getting to put what I have learned and will learn this coming year into practice. Also, that whole “having a job and making money” thing sounds pretty good as well I must say. Excuse me for my long hiatus, I was busy over the summer with my placement and after that a brief 2-week holiday back in Malaysia.

Once I returned to the UK however it was back to business as I had to prepare for job interviews that I have thankfully managed to get. If you did not know already, pharmacy students have to do an additional year of training before qualifying as a pharmacist and if you wanted to train to go into hospital pharmacy you would have to apply online through Pharmalife. The easiest way to explain the application process and pharmalife is probably by comparing it to university applications through UCAS. Just like when I was waiting to hear back from universities, every email I receive now sends me into panic mode with the thought that it might be Pharmalife informing me of an update to my application.

Luckily for me, this part of my job hunting is now over as I have received an offer for a pre-registration place at the hospital I worked at over the summer. Finally the worrying (about being jobless) is over and I can put all my focus into my fourth year. Thinking this year was going to be relaxed, I have not mentally prepared myself as I have with past years thinking; I have been here for 3 years now what more can they possibly cram into the course? How wrong I was..

After attending year 4 introductory lectures, it is all coming together, everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) is being put into practice in a new type of teaching and learning style. My course mates and I will have to run our own pretend pharmacies, teach each other case studies and even pitch new drug ideas in a Dragon’s Den style game. As exciting and useful as this sounds, it honestly scares me to the core because what if I haven’t remembered anything from the past three years, what then? And I am supposed to be teaching my course mates? Wouldn’t it then be a case of the blind leading the blind?

Worrying aside, I am sure it will all be fine. I mean, I have been on this course for three years and if there is one thing I have definitely learnt from my degree, it is to persevere through the tough times because it will all be alright in the end. (I hope) Here’s to a great final year of university. I promise to check in soon on how this year is going and seeing as it is my final year blogging for “Student Life” I really should keep to a regular schedule with these posts!

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