Life is filled with a bunch of milestones. These are the important chapters in our life that we continue to flip through as we live our lives day by day. These milestones add to the collection of stories that we tell others. It's another experience that we celebrate. This past week, I was able to flip to another chapter of my life - entering Physician Assistant (PA) school. And now, I have officially finished week one of PA school.

Coming into PA school, I had a lot of emotions and thoughts in my mind. It was all cluttered together that I didn't really have the chance to sort out how I felt about starting such an important time of my education and future career. I was excited, but nervous. I was ready, but hesitant. These feelings were further established when one of my professors described PA school to me. "It's like a fire hydrant. The water coming out is all the information you will be learning this year. The strength of that water pouring out of the hydrant is how the information will feel to you. It's a rush of information. If you stand in front of the hydrant, you'll be overwhelmed, but if you stay on the side and take it day by day, you'll be okay."

After finishing the first week of PA school, there are some things that I wish I could have told myself first. And most importantly, there are some things that I want to remind myself, friends, peers, and anyone else going through this experience:

1. Stop beating yourself up over a test.
The first test is always the hardest because we do not know what to expect. Most of us have the mentality where we let the first exam define how the rest of the semester is going to go. The first test may be your worst, but someone else's best. Regardless of what you get on the first test or the last test, stop letting it get to you. Easier said than done, I know. But we also have to acknowledge the fact that we are in the professional phase of PA school. We are no longer studying undergraduate material. Everything that we take in now will be a part of you some way or another. Just because you did not do well on a test does not mean you're not good enough. Let it motivate you to do better. And remind yourself, even if you're a book smart person, it does not mean you can easily apply it to a real-life situation. Make sure you genuinely learn the material and that you are not studying it for a test. Have a positive mindset. A grade does not define your ability, so make sure to prove that to yourself and anyone who thinks otherwise.

2. Remind yourself how hard you worked to get yourself where you are now.
Things will be hard at times, but these are the most important moments. Don't feel discouraged so easily. You worked so hard to get where you are, whether it is keeping up a GPA requirement while being able to keep your social life or giving up sleep. No matter what the sacrifice is, you are here now. So remember that. You deserve this chance, so make it worthwhile.

3. Stop questioning yourself and believe in yourself.
When you're in a class filled with people who are pursuing the same career that you are, you tend to question yourself if this is what you want to do. This happens especially when you feel like you're falling behind, or you are not as "good enough" as the person next to you. Instead of questioning yourself, start making changes. Believe in yourself that you can do this. If you really are struggling, seek for help. Ask your friends, classmates, professors, anyone. You are all in this as a team. Don't think anybody is judging you. It's not a sign of weakness. Instead, it takes more for someone to admit that they need help. So that's the strength that you have that someone may not have.

4. Do not compare yourself to anyone.
When we are vulnerable, we like to compare ourselves to one another, whether it is your best friend or the person in your class who seems they have it altogether. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Just because someone may show that they're doing well, it does not mean they are not struggling in something else. It's always nice to have some type of competition to push you to do better, but it can get toxic when you start to let that control you. Worry about yourself. Forget what anyone else is getting because how is that going to make you better?

5. Stress is temporary. Progress is what matters.
Yeah it's stressful, but the stress will be worth it because it pushes you. We want progress, and you will get progress. You start to lose track of the sleepless nights, but that's okay because you will be okay. Look at where you're at now compared to where you were before. You know a little more. You learned a little more. You've grown a little more. It's all about the progress.

6. This is possible. You can do it!
You have seen other people do it before. You have heard all the stories about their crazy years in PA school. There are so many successful PAs out there who went through what you are going through now. Keep that in mind when you think times are getting tough. It's not impossible if you set your mind to it. It's all about your mindset. YOU control it. It does NOT control you.

7. It's not about reminding yourself it is almost over. It's more about your journey in how you finished to the end.
Nobody said it would be easy. If that was the case, everyone would be trying to be pursue what you are going for. There are many unspoken words about this experience because each experience is unique. Your experience may be different from another person. It is what you make of it. You can sit here and ask yourself when will it be all over, or you can take this time to grow more. Use this journey to continue growing to be the person that you will be. You are going to be learning a lot of new things, not just school-related but about life in general. Many can say that they finished to the end, but nobody can say they finished it the way you did. Because it is your journey. Your story.

Regardless of how hard times will be throughout these next years of PA school, remember that you are with a team of people. Sometimes you will find each other annoying, but sometimes you will be thankful for one another because you all understand the struggles together. We may have our own journey, our own stories - but we are never alone.