After an exhausting few days of finals and the relief of another semester done all I wanted to do when I finished my last final today was go home and sleep. 
But I couldn’t stand it, I had to log on the website and see how many of my grades had been posted before I left school and then at seeing the results I had to go and look at the tests that had already been graded.
I got two B’s, yes I understand B’s aren’t horrible but for some reason they have me stressing. I had 4 A’s and 2 B’s 
which brought my 4.0 before this semester down to a 3.8 something. Uggggggh! A 3.8 isn’t bad and I know I shouldn’t whine because some pre-meds would kill for a 3.8 but never the less my much anticipated nap today was non-existant as I was riddled with anxiety. I’m only a sophomore, I have many more classes to go, I was trying to save the B’s for Ochem and Biomechanics…the weeder courses in my major. As a 28 year old undergrad I feel an intense amount of pressure to prove that despite the fact that I will be 31 when I enter medical school, I can keep up with my 22-24 year old peers.
The funny thing is I am completely aware that this sounds crazy and I shouldn’t be stressing, I should just be gearing up for next semester now…but the what if’s are making me nuts! What if I had stayed up just two more hours the other night instead of heading too bed when I got tired, maybe that one B would have been and A (I was 1 point off).
Okay so enough said…you get the point. I’m sure I’m not the only one who stresses this way or who makes themself crazy…what do you guys do to let it all go and move on to the next semester?
Blessings
Bodyworksweety
BWS,
I feel your pain, believe me. I’m in exactly the same position…going to get a B in a class that I should’ve gotten an A in. I, too, kick myself in the posterior.
I can also empathize with the hyper-type A, “So what if I’m older, I can do this.”, desperate need to blow classes out of the water.
But I’ve found, as I spend time with family and friends, that those few quality points I missed in slipping to a B, aren’t the end of anything. They just inspire me to be a little more disciplined the next go 'round.
You’ll get there! As the Wise Ones who have preceded us on this path stress constantly, it’s a marathon not a sprint.
Keep the faith, and focus on having a blast for the holidays. Hope this helps in some small way…
And don’t worry, we all “freak out” from time to time.
Cheers,
Ron
Don’t stress out so much over this. A grade point average over 3.6 is excellent ( I wish mine was as high as 3.8 !) If you want to worry, worry more about the MCAT and kick that in the Butt! MCAT of 33 or over and a 3.6 GPA (SCI GPA 3.0 and better) will get you into most schools. I’m not saying not to keep up the pace but you should not be stressing over this.
You will be looking over acceptances before you know It!
Happy Holidays! 
Thank you for your kind words. I got a good nights sleep last night and I feel a little better this morning about it. I knew that sooner or later my superworman abilities would evade me, I was just hoping they would be later. LOL
I am going to decorate for Christmas today and then read a good (nor-school) book. Ahhhhhh break, how I love the chance to read a non-science good book sometimes.
Blessings
Bodyworksweety
BWS,
I know how you feel, because I was exactly the same way at the beginning! And it took me a lot of time to stop being obsessed with my grades! I know they are important, but there is so much more to you, and to your med school application than just the grades! When you apply and they see your application as a whole, they are not going to turn you down because of one or two B’s if the rest of your application is going to look great! (Back in Poland everyone used to say that a sudent without an F is not a real student! I wouldn’t get so far with this statement, but B really is not a bad grade and…it may actually teach you something for the future).
So far I got only 1 B+ and couple of A-, but I know the situation may change this semester! I’m pretty sure I’m getting B in physiology and I’m still not sure of two other grades…and you know what? I don’t have any regrets! Well - maybe if I had studied a little bit longer before my first test in plant biology, instead of going to a basaeball game with my husband, I wouldn’t have to worry right now if I’ll score enough on final to get me an A…but you know what? I had fun that night, and so did my husband…and I’m so happy that I have life outside of school, and that I’m still doing good in all my classes.
Just tell yourself you’ll try harder next time and don’t worry about what’s gone anymore!
Have a wonderful Holidays and relax druing your break…
Kasia
To decompress from a low score, I exercise and then I write a plan for how I will overcome the low score and/or how I will organize my studying so that I am better prepared. For example, if I am going to take X course I write down when and what I will study . It just makes we feel better to know I have a plan:)
You’re doing great…take the Bs as a learning experience.
There are a lot out there that get in with C’s, D’s and even F’s. A few B’s are not going to hurt you, in fact they make you look human!
I got a B too this semester in Genetics (I had an 88% - that kills me!), but there were other things going on this semester (major things) that took my time away. But it does inspire me to work harder!
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There are a lot out there that get in with C’s, D’s and even F’s. A few B’s are not going to hurt you, in fact they make you look human!
I know what you mean, Meg, but I am going to play stick-in-the-mud for just a second here: OLD Cs, Ds and even Fs are one thing. But when you’re an OPM, and you decide much later in life to either start college or go back to school, the bar is set a lot higher. You’re expected to know what you’re doing and know how to get it. A few Bs are NOT going to be a big blemish on an otherwise excellent RECENT record of academic accomplishments, but the amount of leeway you have is considerably less. Explaining the D you got in o-chem at age 19 is much, much easier (“I had no idea what I really wanted, I wasn’t focused, I partied too much,” yadda yadda yadda) than explaining the D in o-chem at age 30 when you have made a sacrifice to go BACK to school.
And unfortunately your competition includes some young’uns who have 4.0’s AND publications AND amazing ECs - I didn’t think those folks were human, either, until I met a few of them when interviewing at my school. There are some scary-talented people out there.
Okay, grumpy old lady mumblings aside…
BWS, your overall GPA is just fine and you are going to hit your stride and continue to do well in school. Figure out what made the difference between your As and Bs and resolve to raise your own personal bar so that you continue to do really well.
Mary
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There are a lot out there that get in with C’s, D’s and even F’s. A few B’s are not going to hurt you, in fact they make you look human!
OLD Cs, Ds and even Fs are one thing. But when you’re an OPM, and you decide much later in life to either start college or go back to school, the bar is set a lot higher. You’re expected to know what you’re doing and know how to get it. A few Bs are NOT going to be a big blemish on an otherwise excellent RECENT record of academic accomplishments, but the amount of leeway you have is considerably less. Explaining the D you got in o-chem at age 19 is much, much easier (“I had no idea what I really wanted, I wasn’t focused, I partied too much,” yadda yadda yadda) than explaining the D in o-chem at age 30 when you have made a sacrifice to go BACK to school.
And unfortunately your competition includes some young’uns who have 4.0’s AND publications AND amazing ECs - I didn’t think those folks were human, either, until I met a few of them when interviewing at my school. There are some scary-talented people out there.
Mary
And these incredibly talented people have started their own countries, created their own monetary system, scaled 8 of the world’s tallest mountains, invented the next billion dollar drug, and and and. Yes, it’s scary how incredibly talented some applicants are. It makes me wonder how badly I misspent my youth.
Listen to Mary, she’s got it right about low grades.
Cheers,
Judy
I see what you mean Mary, and I think that’s where I was coming from. An OPMer really needs to step up, but at the same time getting a B amidst a sea of A’s is OK, and that’s straight from some adcoms mouths, albeit not Harvard or Yale, but an Illinois school. 
To the OP - if you do some searching you can find some stories of people who started out poorly and got it together to do well (e.g. Old Man Dave).
Also, I think learning from your “failures” (even if you consider a B a failure) is essential in development of a good physician and for a person in general. It’s not all peaches and cream, so to the OP, if you got a B or 2, turn it around and let it drive you to do better (LEARN from it).
I still think one or two (or maybe even 3 or 4) B’s will not hurt you if the rest of your grades are A’s. Sure you may be up against a 21-year-old with a 4.0 and some pubs, but if you work hard you can have a high GPA, get some pubs yourself, but will always have something they won’t have - EXPERIENCE, which used effectively could be better than a 4.0. In the last 70 hours of grad and post-bacc coursework I got 1 B (this semester’s 5-hour class). It sucked big time, but I got married and had my business audited this semester - and survived (the audit was the hard part ). I am proud of myself for making it through and will let adcoms know that if they ask about it. Sometimes things just happen and things don’t work out exactly the way you want them to, but they’ll work out the way they’re supposed to.
Anyway, that’s my take on it. You’ll figure it out when you sit in front of an adcom. And you can take note of others here (most of us) who do not have 4.0’s and have made it to give you inspiration (it gives me a lot of hope !)
Merry Christmas!