Last week was Week 5 of the trimester, and I had several exams. Exam weeks can definitely get stressful. There’s a lot of studying to juggle along with keeping up with the material of the other courses that do not have exams. During exam weeks, I personally find that maintaining my normal schedule works best for me. This keeps my stress levels lower. I continue to prioritize by preparing healthy meals, jumping on my mini trampoline, talking to my parents when walking outside, and getting plenty of sleep. Self-care is always my priority, as it helps me perform the best I can on exams.

With the first round of exams already behind me, I realize how fast this trimester is chugging along. I am really enjoying my Phase 2 courses of the Naturopathic Medicine program. I am especially enjoying my Botanical Medicine I course. Botanical medicine has been a large interest of mine for many years, and I am now enjoying the deep dive into botanicals this trimester. 

We have been learning about the active constituents, secondary metabolites, and phytochemistry present in various botanicals and functional foods. So far, we dove deep into botanicals for musculoskeletal concerns. Now we are starting to learn about botanicals for neuromuscular concerns.

In the past, I made my own herbal tinctures and medicinal decoctions. Being in this course has re-triggered my passion for these things, and I have been exploring herbs and functional foods in new ways. Although it is great to learn in class, I personally find it really exciting when I work with the physical botanicals and functional foods themselves and apply what I learn to my own life in creative ways.

I am totally enjoying the first botanical medicine course. Since there are four botanical medicine courses in this program, I realize that I have a lot to look forward to!

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