5 top tips to help you through your optometry degree

For years I dreamt of what life would be like as a university student, the freedom of being 18 and studying a course that fascinated me and explained the complex workings of human vision, was a dream. I loved my time at University the good times and the tough.

I completed my undergraduate degree in Optometry and Vision sciences at Cardiff. A well-known institute for eye care and research. It can be the most amazing time so use it well and make the most of all your resources. There are some points which I feel go overlooked as being part of a large institution, like networking and building friendships.

Of course, the main reason you are there is to learn, hone your craft and develop your skills. There are however lots of ways to maximise your tuition fee both inside and outside of the lecture hall. Here are my top tips.

1. Practice Makes Perfect
It seems to blindingly obvious (excuse the pun) but good things don’t come easy and with any skill, repetition is everything. I remember first trying to use an ophthalmoscope or retting a patient and just feeling so in the dark. It’s difficult and as they say, if it was easy – everyone would do it. Get into labs, go with friends who are keen to improve and keep testing each other. I remember there were a close group of friends in my year group who would routinely go into clinics and practice techniques. They’d swap around partners to experience a range of ethnicity, prescriptions and physiological variations. Keep going so you ingrain it into your muscle memory.

2. Network
Okay so this one seems a little less gleamingly obvious, especially while you’re still studying. It’s somewhat of a buzzword, especially in today’s entrepreneurial world but a definite essential. So just quickly; what is networking? Building connections and relationships (which are honest) in which both parties help each other progress. It’s essentially a friendship in a business sense. Your friends will act as a network, but also your supervisors and lecturers. Get to know people in the industry, optometry is a small world and you’ll find your reputation can precede you. So, if there’s an opportunity you’ve been looking for or didn’t even know existed, you may find you’re recommended before you even look!

3. No such thing as a stupid question
Honestly, the world of optics is exactly that – a whole new world. To communicate efficiently you need to learn a whole new language (the biggest for me was dispensing). Without the previous two tips, learning it can be a challenge but there’s always a solution. Ask. Ask anybody and ask everybody. What I’ve found it different people at different stages of their training or career will have a new view or perspective. Everyone has had a question at some stage, so even if you think it’s silly or basic, chances are it’s been asked before. Don’t be left stuck, ask your questions, get your answer and quickly move on.

4. Don’t be afraid to fail
One of my favourite quotes, which I still remind myself of now.
Everyone has had some form of failure in their lives, but don’t let that stop you. Keep your goal in mind and always work towards it, no matter how slowly or what seems like steps back you take. Try out for that volunteering trip (I didn’t think I’d get onto it, but I did!), go for that society role, retake the year if you must. Just keep going, throw yourself into all situations and you will reap the rewards.

5 Enjoy it

This one is an easy one. I’m sure and hope that you’ve nailed this one to a t. The years go quickly, even if you must re-sit a year, it’ll still go by fast. Once you start working your whole class will be spread across the nation if not the world. Make the most of your time, see the sites of your city, meet people and enjoy life as a student!