Peer Advisor Blog Articles
Exploring Southern California: Advice for Students New to the Area
Peer Advisers are upperclassmen who are trained to assist incoming students make the transition into professional grad school. One of the ways they assist is through the Peer Advisor Blog. Here is an example of such a blog article that may even be helpful to you as a pre-optometry student as you go forward…
by Peer Adviser, Steven Saba, SCCO Class of 2020
Whether you are moving to Southern California for the first time or have lived here your entire life, exploring the attractions that our area has to offer can truly be an enriching part of your MBKU experience. Despite having grown up in the area, I still find excitement in visiting these spots, many of which are world-famous. My advice to you all would be to take advantage of living in such a diverse and beautiful region by exploring as much as you can during your first year. Here are some of my favorite spots:
- Santa Monica Pier – Only about 45 miles from campus, The Santa Monica Pier is one of the quintessential spots in LA that all students should visit (if you haven’t already). Spend a day at the beach and dry off by riding some oceanfront rollercoasters! Aside from its uniqueness and beauty, the surrounding area offers some of the best nightlife and food that Southern California has to offer.
- Griffith Observatory – Approximately 40 miles away from campus lays the Griffith Observatory in the hills of Hollywood. This spot offers one of the best panoramic views of LA and is especially beautiful at nighttime. It also houses one of the largest local planetariums, which allows visitors to explore the wonders of space.
- Venice Beach – Slightly south of Santa Monica is Venice Beach, a melting pot that is home to several beachside shops, street performers, and the world-famous “Muscle Beach.” Venice is a unique place to visit and another one of LA’s most famous attractions. Don’t forget to check out the local canals that were inspired by the Italian city of the same name.
- San Diego – San Diego probably deserves its own blog post. Simply put, this city is a must-see during your time at MBKU. San Diego offers some of the best food, beaches, and breweries that Southern California has to offer. Additionally, the city has some great hikes and exciting nightlife. You will probably have several classmates who will decide to visit San Diego during your first quarter. My recommendation would be to go with them!
- Joshua Tree – Located to the east of Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park offers a convenient getaway for anyone looking to escape civilization for a weekend. Check out some beautiful landscapes and watch some majestic sunrises/sunsets in this peaceful location. Several of my classmates planned a camping trip to Joshua Tree earlier this year and said that it was one of their favorite memories of first year.
I know what you all are thinking. Where’s Disneyland?! I figure that you all must know about that one by now and will probably spend a fair amount of time there. That being said, I hope that this list was helpful. There are several other spots worth checking out that I did not mention. The main takeaway is to find some time outside of school to bond with your classmates, while seeing some beautiful places. I wish you all the best of luck as you begin your journey at MBKU! Enjoy the ride!
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Published by Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO
I wanted to be an optometrist when I was only 10 years old. Why? I had some kind of geeky fascination with eyeglass frames, and was obsessed with getting a pair of my own. In my situation, having perfect eyesight was a distinct disadvantage, so I had to hatch a plan.
After repeated intense squinting while looking at the blackboard, I approached my teacher and lied with conviction, complaining that I couldn’t see. This report got me first to the school nurse and then finally on to an optometrist for an eye exam, where I tried my best Mr. Magoo impression to no avail.
I would have to wait two more long years until the gods finally smiled on me when, by some miracle, I acquired enough astigmatism to warrant my first bona fide pair of prescription eyeglasses!
Along with my love of people and wanting to take care of them, subsequent visits to the optometrist and shadowing, I sealed the deal—optometry was now officially what I wanted to do with my life.
I made first contact with the Southern California College of Optometry when I was in 8th grade. My older sister had a newly minted driver’s license and so I coerced her into driving me all the way from our home in La Mirada to Los Angeles, SCCO’s then-home. After a master planning effort to plot out our route on a paper map folded in 8 places, we arrived at SCCO where my sister quickly surmised that I didn’t have an appointment with an admissions advisor. She called me a loser, drove me all the way back home and the next day, phoned to help make the requisite appointment.
I entered high school in the late 1960’s (ouch, that hurt) when young females wanted to be anything but what I’d chosen as my newly dedicated pursuit—a science geek. I wore thick horn-rimmed black eyeglass frames (told you I was serious) and hung around chemistry lab after class. This was at a time when women just did not pursue careers in science and being the tomboy that I was, that was fine with me. This trend continued right through into undergrad, attending many classes where I was the only female--bespectacled or not--in the class. At a recent high school reunion, many of my classmates still remember me as the science geek with the blinders on—many envious of my joy and passion for my future profession.
I graduated from SCCO in 1977. Looking back with 40 years of experience as an optometrist, I am awed to know that I chose this wonderful profession way-back-when and with only my juvenile perspective to inform me. In 1977 when I graduated from optometry school, the profession began a series of major changes to its practice scope: securing the rights to use diagnostic drugs (dilating drops), securing the rights to prescribe therapeutic drugs (huge change!), being recognized as physicians by the federal government and treating glaucoma. In some US states, optometry has made even bigger strides into minor surgery, use of lasers, hospital privileges...etc. If I had the opportunity to go back and make another choice and knowing what I do today about health care and my own hardwiring, I’d make the same choice for optometry--nobody loves this profession more than I do. http://www.ketchum.edu/index.php/about/administration-directory
I grew up with optometry and now it’s your turn to inherit its future. That’s what this blog is about—getting you into optometry school and I am just the person to help you achieve this goal. We’re going to talk about the admissions process, how to prepare to take the OAT, how to be a competitive applicant, how to prepare to interview, to name a few. We’re going to talk about SCCO, student life and what it’s like to be an optometric intern. I am very persuasive, motivating and I am completely sold on optometry as the best profession in health care. I speak from experience!
Get ready to dialogue. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and please, chime in on discussions. I want to know what kind of help you need. You got this!
View all posts by Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO
Eryn Kraning, Senior Director of Recruiting and Admissions, SCCO
Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO