#AskCat: Head Start on Career, No time Because of Schoolwork

Dear Cat,
         Hey Cat! So I came across your blog one day and I think you're doing a great job on it! I also have a question. Recently, I have decided that I wanted to become an Optometrist (eye doctor) when I got older. Ever since I've gotten contacts, I was fascinated by the human eye! I had the confidence to tell my parents and they are backing me up100%. Now, I know you're probably not an expert in eyes but I just wanna know where I could start off. I'm in 8th grade and have tons of homework every night. I just want to ask you where I can start off in studying for that field. Or some study habits that I can use in studying for when I have a lot of homework because I want to be 100% prepared for all the challenging courses I have to take in high school and college.
Thanks :), Emily xx


Hey there Emily!! First of all, thank you so much for writing to me. Now, here are my tips. You definitely want to educate yourself and get yourself familiar with the field. So you can start off by taking science and math courses in high school. Some fields that can help is taking biology, chemistry and physics. This helps because being an Optometrist definitely needs science in it and familiarizing yourself with those fields can prepare you for the college courses. The college courses for you career will have a mix of those courses. Next, you should definitely intern at a local hospital or place where they have an internship as an Optometrist. This way you can familiarize yourself with the career you want to take and know specifically what you want to learn to achieve that goal. Plus, going on a path of a doctor, in your case an Optometrist, means you'll be studying for a long time to get a license in that field. So enrolling for an internship can allow you to have an open mind about this. It's never too late to change your mind and you don't want to spend years studying in the field that you don't enjoy. It also provides you with a future experience. Lastly, go to your library and borrow some books related to your field. Get a head start!
         As for study habits, it's VERY helpful to have an agenda with you, or even just a regular notepad. As a daily routine, write down the time you spend doing each thing. In other words, write out your schedule. This way, you can keep on track with your schedule and not doing anything overtime. Don't forget, give yourself a break between your routine! Everyone needs a catch of breathe. So now, with the leftover time you have, you can study more about being an Optometrist by reading the books you've borrowed from the library. Now, since you're fearless and you can't wait to get a head start on the challenging courses, you'll have to sacrifice some time. For example, if on weekdays there's absolutely no time left, whatsoever, you'll have to sacrifice some of your spare time on weekends and get some internship or studying going. Remember, it will pay off in the future!! Lastly, never leave studying for your regular school work to the last minute. Never leave a project for the last minute. At the least, get it a day or 2 done ahead of schedule. It's not good to cram. Believe me, I used to cram all my tests and projects but as I got older, more "last-minute" reports and quizzes were announced and it was too much to handle. Better to space them out! You never know what teachers want the very next day.
            So yeah, those are my tips that i also use. I hope you are successful being an Optometrist and I wish you the best. From the email you sent me, it sounds like you have LOTS of perseverance and you're fearless. You can conquer any obstacle waiting for you at the other end. Good luck and wish you the best!!
xoxo, Cat
More questions? Need tips? Want an answer back? Email me at hautevivacouture@gmail.com