THE PHYSIO STUDENT SURVIVAL GUIDE
By Winifred Suleiman
EIC’s Note: Second semester is back in full swing. The long hours in class and at the clinic is a real struggle. Winifred reminds us of how to survive in the ever-diligent green building.
Disclaimer: Before I begin, please note that I am also a physiotherapy student trying to navigate my studies. I have juggled leadership roles, extracurriculars, and tight deadlines all while navigating the tough obstacle course that is the physiotherapy department so I know some stuff okay!! (If I do say so myself 😌).
This is an ultimate 6-point survival guide, and you would be wise to adhere to this… or at least keep it in your pocket for future reference. Now, let’s go!
PST 101 - Welcome to the Chaos
Congratulations! You have made it to the green building. You’ve probably admired it from afar in your year 1 or year 2 days. Now you’re finally inside, you’re welcomed, and you even have your very own classroom. You’ve arrived. With the initial excitement over, let’s get to the part that nobody prepared you for—the 8am classes, nearly every day 😭
What’s worse? The Physiotherapy department takes attendance very seriously. And with early morning classes where you have to drag yourself out of bed, get the right corporate clothes to wear, sit in class for long hour stretches, trying to assimilate everything, it gets demanding.
My pro tip as a professional late-comer who always makes it in the nick of time: always lay out what you want to wear to class the night before. Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT, miss this routine. It’s something that will keep you going.
Bonus points if it’s a new outfit that you’re excited to wear, then you can never run late.
We already know about setting alarms so I don’t think I even need to spell that out... and don’t snooze them!!
PST 102 - The Art of Not Falling Asleep in Class
Alright. Let’s talk about the real enemy here.
You’ve shown up. You’re early. Front row even. But as time goes by and the clock ticks, you find it hard to keep your eyes open during lectures.
You have already received a warning, or two. Your friend lightly taps you to get you to raise your head and not get caught but you pay them no mind. This sleep – it’s pulling you down like a magnet😂😭
Now, I don’t want to know what you were doing the previous night. Could be anything from studying, partying or just dealing with plain insomnia. But alas, it’s daytime and you have to be awake.
First tip - Write during classes. Under no circumstances should you give up jotting down whatever you can from the lectures. Speaking from experience, once your pen gives up, your mind does too.
Second tip - Try answering a question or asking one. Ensure your question is directly targeted at your lecturer. It could be the most obvious, deadpan question, but still ask. The notices you’d get alone would jerk you back awake.
Third tip - Train your attention span, and give yourself challenges. I won’t sleep until “said” time. For training your attention span, a game such as Tetris would help. You could play it before and after classes, keeping your mind awake. I didn’t say DURING classes, okay? If your phone gets seized, that’s on you. 🤷🏾♀️
PST 103 - The Academic Story
For someone who hated anatomy, I genuinely don’t know what I was thinking when I picked physiotherapy as a course of study.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, other courses like pharmacology, neurology, and orthopedics are thrown into the mix.😭
However, here I am, surviving. And here you are, a fellow physiotherapy student, looking for how to survive. So let’s look at some tips and tricks that might work out.
You want to read smarter. Listen, reading hard will help a lot in the long run, but you’ve realized that time is far spent and incourses are approaching. Now you’re feeling panicky.
Relaxxx.
Past questions are your best friends. It may not get repeated but at least you get the rhythm of how questions are asked. Now your studying has a sense of direction. Use active recall and mnemonics to make it stick.
Ask your seniors the right questions. What kind of mistakes did people make last year? What were the lecturers like?
Remember those jottings I told you to make during classes before? They could be the difference between a 69 and a 70. Read them. Remember them.
Join a group study. I cannot stress enough how important reading in groups is. The next person might’ve picked up something you didn’t. You can teach someone else and therefore build your own understanding. Do not read alone, and even if it’s just one study partner you can get, hold on to them.
PST 104 - Building Confidence in the Madness
In the college of medicine, having confidence —or the lack of it— can make or break all the work you’ve put in for the entire semester. As you transition from the classroom to the clinic, you realize that theory matters little and skill is greatly appreciated. Confidence is your best friend.
As a physiotherapy student, you are expected to be proficient not only academically, but also when handling patients. This means the subtle art of performing, to put it plainly.
It brings you out of your shell and tests your improvisation skills. You are literally trained to think of solutions on the spot. You are expected to say the right things at the right time. Your public speaking skills are also put to the test as there will be countless presentations ahead of you, in the face of scrutinizing professors.
Bad day for the introvert right?😂
This isn’t something you develop overnight. Confidence takes practice, and it takes courage. Here is my take on building confidence as someone who genuinely struggles with mustering it up;
Be delusional. Hear me out. Why shouldn’t you pass that test even if you didn’t study overnight? Why shouldn’t you get straight A’s even if that incourse score didn’t come out the way you expected? What’s in the past is gone and it will work out for the better!
Pretend. Fake it till you make it. The amazing thing about confidence is that no one knows if it’s real or not. Stay calm in that cubicle even when you know you just said rubbish to the examiner. Hold your composure even when you are shaking in your boots in the exam hall. Never get caught unfresh!
Practice. Gather a group of friends, or one friend, as an audience. Practice your speaking and communication skills. Check your vocabulary, learn new words, and replace filler words such as “like”.
Little by little, you realize most of your fears are in your head. It’s alright, be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
PST 105 - Don’t Learn The Hard Way
Repeat after me: We are not doing this again.
The crash reading and late-night cramming, the late assignment submissions, the last-minute reading, and the fervent copying of notes. It gets to a point where you need to get yourself together before it gets too late.
Honestly, the semester glow-up begins with accountability. Identifying places you are lacking and working on them as diligently as possible already makes the problem half-solved.
Be it procrastination (which is usually the most debilitating of all), easy distraction, or just fear of failure, let’s not make the same mistakes again.
Here are some tips: ;
Start your coursework early. I cannot stress this enough. You may struggle at first but the consistency will pay off. Trust me.
Set to-do lists every week. Probably every Sunday, or Saturday. Pick a day and set a list of everything you need to do that week. It keeps you on track.
Make your goals your wallpaper and let that serve as a reminder of your promise to achieve them that semester. Could be affirmations, a perfect result, or a picture manifestation. Just make it your wallpaper.
Always remember that growth is a phase, and even if you find yourself slipping back into old habits, each day is a chance to do better.
Be consistent and watch yourself bloom!
PST 106 - Your Body is Not a Machine
Your eyes are probably tired from reading the top points by now. I get it, but this is the last point in the survival guide.
Even the physiotherapy student needs physiotherapy, and when you find yourself in an intense course program like this one, maintaining physical and mental health is crucial.
Don’t get so caught up in the rigorous schedules, and chasing excellence that you forget to rest and take good care of yourself.
When the long hours of standing, constant stress, and academic pressure begin to take a toll, take a step back and say... You know what? Not today.
Eat a lot of fruits. This is a small and very overlooked part of our diet. What we eat as students reflects in how we show up the next day. Get your apples, watermelons, and bananas ready.. I also heard mango is in season!
Sleep. One thing about me, I’m a chronic sleeper. My naptime in the middle of the day is very important and whenever I pull all-nighters, my entire system feels it. Sleep consolidates memory, A friend of mine once said.
Keep your friends close. You know those people who are quick to notice all your moods, and cheer you up? Keep them really close at heart. There’s nothing that lightens up the heart more than good friends. In medical school you really need them.
Pray. If you are in touch with your spirituality and it brings you comfort, by all means, pray. Keep God close in times of need.
Get a hobby. Invest your time in extracurricular activities, something not related to academics. Balance is key. If it’s dancing, playing basketball, reading fiction, volunteering for passion projects.. Anything that stimulates dopamine is good!
I’ve done my part in giving you some nuggets for surviving physio student life. Now it’s time for you to do yours.
Let’s take on this new semester with high hopes!🌟
Brace Yourself
The International Forum on Physiotherapy and Pain Management is to bring industry professionals, experts, academicians, and scholars to discuss their expertise for better collaboration in the field. This conference will be held on the 1st of June 2026, and will be virtual and physical. Click HERE for more details.
Upcoming
Get your fits ready! The campus runway is officially OPEN! From clean fits to bold statements, this week is for the fashion killers, trendsetters, and “drip-before-lecture” specialists. Fashion week and Physiovogue are set on June 1st - 5th. You do not want to miss this!🔊🔥
insightful ✨
Adopted the art of listening to music when sleep beckons at me😔