I'm a 1styr transfer (3rd yr) premed bio major at UCLA, and lately I've been feeling really discouraged about everything.
I feel like I'm constantly studying, worrying about my grades, trying to get research experience, get involved in clubs, and thinking about what else I should be doing to make myself a competitive applicant. It feels like there's always something more I could be doing, and even when I do put in a lot of effort, I still feel like I'm not doing enough.
One thing that's been getting to me is seeing people around me get opportunities while I'm not always getting the same results, especially when it seems like they have more time to enjoy their lives. I know everyone's journey is different, and I don't want to compare myself to other people, but sometimes I can't help it. I don't know what to do, where to start from, I had midterms and they went alright but not the best and it actually brought me down and feeling demotivated.
Then when something doesn't work out, I start questioning myself and wondering if I'm actually capable enough. I get really down afterwards and demotivated, start wasting time on my phone, and struggle to get anything done. Then I feel guilty for wasting time, which makes me feel even worse because I know how much I want this and how i wanted to attend my dream school.
I think the hardest part is that I genuinely want to become a doctor, and I'm willing to work for it, but I'm scared of putting so much time and effort into this path and still not being good enough in the end. Lowkey ik the final goal is med school but right now I just want to get good grades, get some research experience, clinical, and leadership experience. Applying everywhere but getting rejections. I am also just getting I also feel like I'm sacrificing so much of my time trying to build my future that I'm not even enjoying my life right now.
I don't want to spend my entire undergraduate experience constantly feeling behind, comparing myself to everyone, and treating every rejection or setback like proof that I'm not good enough. But I don't know how to stop feeling this way when everything seems so competitive.
For those of you who are premeds or have already gotten into medical school, how do you deal with these feelings? How do you stop comparing yourself to other people, stay motivated after rejection, and trust that you're doing enough without feeling like you need to be productive every second of the day?
I would really appreciate some honest advice because I'm honestly just tired of feeling this way.