How I'm Preparing For Vet School Before Day One + Mini Apartment Tour

Veterinary school, as just about every vet I have heard from has said, is a whirlwind of exciting ups and exhausting downs. And, given that, I am preparing myself by creating a peaceful space to return home to, host friends for game nights and study sessions, raise my children (my dog + cat lol), and just be.

Lucky for me, I was able to graduate early from undergrad and my lease was up at the same time. So, I was able to move up to Athens (where UGA + vet school are) from Atlanta to get used to the area and start a new job before veterinary school begins. Also lucky for me, my girlfriend, Britain, lives in Athens, so it was the best of both worlds that I was able to move here to foster our relationship before life gets even crazier. The touches we were/and are continuing to be able to put on my apartment are making it feel cozier and more like home every day.

Months before I had even picked out an apartment, Britain and I found these bright blue and pink painted shelves on sale at an antique store in Montreat, NC, and we thought to ourselves, "these could be great shelves, IF we strip the paint and stain

them." And, so we did. It was such a fun project that took about 4 days, mostly because they took forever to dry due to the humidity after a rainstorm in Atlanta, and they turned out perfect!

Now the previously pink one hosts homey details like legos and our painted capybaras, and the blue one functions as a spice rack in the kitchen.

Now for these pretty kitty plates. The top two beauties we thrifted on a camping trip in Anderson, SC. The bottom one was a gift from her. They hang above the kitchen sink, and are one of my favorite details around the apartment.

Another of my favorite details is the lego crosses we created. There is a printed pieces one, a Minecraft one, a floral one, a traditional cross made of brown pieces to look like wood, a food one, and a Spiderman one. I'm also planning on making a Harry Potter cross soon because I am obsessed with Harry Potter Legos.

I haven't quite finished with the bedroom yet, but I am already loving the cozy details. We found 2 jellycats at Goodwill (crazyyy!!), the lamb and the crossaint, and they made the perfect addition to the stuffed animals on my bed.

The bedframe is from Amazon, similar to this one by the same maker https://amzn.to/4tWAHQd. My dog loves to get up on my bed, and since she has back problems, it was essential for it to be low to the ground, and this one was perfect for that purpose. She also has stairs, but sometimes, to my disliking, she does not use them.

Here is my cozy little girl, George! She is the swettest and silliest baby, and wow does she have a lot of medical issues. I always thought it was a joke when people said they have "vet school pets," ones that have medical issues because they are in school or are a vet. But, now I know it is no joke. As soon as I decided veterinary medicine was for me, only a few short months later this girl started having severe medical issues that required me to take her to the Neurologist...more on that in the next blog.

I hope you enjoyed this entry on how I am prepping myself for vet school! Of course, there are many other ways I am doing so, but for me building a safe, cozy space to come home to after long days in school is super important, so I wanted to talk about that one first. More to come, xoxo CW