Howdy! My name is Tess and I am so happy to be a veterinary
student! Life is good. My ultimate life goal has always been to
become a veterinarian. I wrote "class of 2013" in highlighter above
my desk to keep me motivated. I cannot express to you how excited I
was the day I received my acceptance letter. However, once I
started vet school I fell into a goal slump. Other than obviously
to graduate from vet school, I didn't have any real goals set. Huge
mistake! I can't stress how important it is to always have a goal
in your life. It needs to be something that is challenging but
realistic. Once you set this new goal, hold yourself accountable by
telling your friends and family about it. I know for a fact many
people thought I was crazy when I told them I wanted to go to vet
school. All I heard was, "Oh, isn't that harder than med school?"
and "what's your backup plan?" However, having a goal and a "plan
of attack" helped me to make it happen. If you find yourself
getting overwhelmed, break it down into smaller goals and check
them off as you go.
At the end of my first year of vet school I decided I wanted to
start long distance running. My Dad, who is my inspiration, ran the
Houston Marathon when I was just a little munchkin. If a
30-something with three kids and a demanding job can do it, so can
I! I set the 2010 Fort Worth Half Marathon as my new goal. They
must put something in the water at running races because it didn't
take long for me to become completely hooked! Since then I have run
in two other half marathons and set the ultimate goal: the San
Antonio Marathon.
Registering for a race is the ultimate form of motivation.
(Accountability!) I started my 18-week training program this
summer. The Texas heat was not easy to train in, but I pushed
through. This weekend, I ran 18 miles. Yikes! Only 6 more weeks to
go before the big race. Running has taught me so much about
discipline, resilience, and having "guts." I have been told that
when you're having a bad day and don't want to run, just go for a
run "around the block." Who knows… it might turn into something
more.