Just Keep Swimming....Just Keep Swimming....

If you saw Finding Nemo you would laugh @ my title...Dory said it best...haha. But seriously that is exactly how I feel right now. Boy this med school thing is no joke. Not hard but it definitely tests your endurance. My binder is filled to the MAX after week2! We haven't even had our 1st test and we still have 2 more weeks of info before then. WOW! I have been studying my butt off and I finally feel like I am remembering it. The 1st week was so chaotic. I realized it was bc I didn't make a schedule for myself. This past week I made one and boy does it make a difference. I did yoga twice this week and went to the gym. I planned my study time so that I wouldn't forget to study any subject. It made we feel so much better. I did have a small breakdown earlier this week though. It wasn't really from not having enough time bc like I said before I have been following my schedule it was just from me looking at all of this info. I cried for about 30min and then I went back to studying. I don't mind admitting it bc it really is making me stronger. The good news is that I am current with all of the info so far. The key to cracking MD school is to NEVER fall behind! NEVER!

I started going to TA sessions which are really great! Students that got As in the course the previous semester help the current students out. They are great! They really help you focus your studying bc they remember the high yield info (what was heavily tested on vs. what was not).

Here's a short version of my schedule below in case yall are wondering what I do all day (:-)

Mon-Fri
6:00 wake up
7:00 catch shuttle/breakfast/pre-read lectures for class
8:00-12:00 die slowly...lol j/k LECTURES
12:00-1:00 lunch
1:00 more lectures or anat lab or pbl or start studying
3:00-5:00 Study
5:00 Yoga or gym depends on the day
6:00-7:00 Study
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-11:00 Study
11:00 sleep finally

Sat
8:00 wake up/eat breakfast
10:00-11:30 Yoga
12:00 Lunch
1:00-2:30 watch tv or take a nap
2:30-6:00 Study (I do take small breaks)
6:00-7:00 Dinner
7:00-until Study until I get tired (usually around 12)

Sun
9:00 wake up
11:00 Church
1:00 Lunch
2:00-5:00 Study
5:00-6:00 Dinner
6:00-8:00 Study
8:00 TV/phone calls/relax
10:00 sleep

Well nothing more to say and I am sooo sleepy! Until next time love life and smile....

White Coat Ceremony

Well I survived my 1st week of med school! Already I feel like this is going to take some hard work to get through but I am up for the challenge. The info comes at you so fast it will make your head spin yet I feel that it is very doable. I study everyday and somehow I feel like that is just enough to keep my head above water...lol. I do feel like I am learning a lot. I am surprised at how much Biochem I am learning. I thought that would be my toughest subject but actually it's not. Anatomy is growing on me...at 1st I was feeling very overwhelmed bc we were having lectures but it was very hard for me to visualize just where all of the structures were that the professors were talking about. After having lab this Thursday and actually seeing it I feel like I have a better concept of it. Histo is still a review for me bc it is still pretty fresh on my mind from undergrad. We haven't gotten into any hard concepts in Physio yet either.

I figured something out this week. At 1st I wondered why Ross would wait until after week 1 to have the white coat ceremony. My reasoning was that we should have had it before we began anything related to med school at all. Now that week 1 is over I stand corrected. That ceremony really eased the tension I was feeling after week 1. I felt like screaming so many times last week (I actually did 1 or 2 times lol). By Friday I was thinking this is too much. What the hell am I doing here? Can I really learn ALL of this?....etc,etc....But the white coat ceremony reminded me of why I came here. I came here not only to pass tests but to become a great doctor. That may seem like a minor statement but after week 1 it is so easy to forget that. You have to get used to a new culture. For me I have two new cultures (Dominica and med school). I have more info in one week here than I got in probably 1 month of undergrad. And more is coming before the test. One of the speakers at the ceremony compared this experience to a rite of passage. The 1st step is separation (I felt that already). The 2nd is imparting sacred knowledge (I see that too...a lot of knowledge). The 3rd is my favorite...reintroduction into society (as Dr. Bradford of course :)... When I think of med school in this way I realize that each step is necessary to get me to M.D. land.

Funny side note: During the ceremony they had the donning of the white coats part (just fancy talk for the professors actually putting our white coats on us). They were playing music while we did this. 1st they started out with we are the champions.. I was like ok that makes you feel good inside. Then Sade By your side came on...I was like somebody forgot to replay the 1st song. Then....TI Whatever you like came on....hahahaha. I was laughing so hard. It played for about 1 minute long enough to get to the actual verse....Then they turned it off and went back to we are the champions....lmao.

Well that's about it for today. I think that I am ready to tackle week 2. Until next time love life and smile.....

Day 1 study session is over!

I have completed my studying for the day! *pirate voice* Me thinks this ain't so bad.... I am tired but I feel like I accomplished a lot. I really like studying during the daytime. I am very alert right after class and it's easy to focus. Plus I didn't feel like walking home in the heat anyway or risking falling asleep or watching tv. haha. Here's a picture of the way I feel right now...lol j/k I actually feel great. Well I shall update you all tomorrow. Until next time love life and smile.....

1st Day of Classes!

Hey!

I am taking a small study break to update yall on everything so far. I know I said I wouldn't wait so long but I have been extremely busy and it is only just beginning. Sooo....last week we had orientation. It was actually very informative. It seems like Ross has a lot of resources in place to help us "pass." I was very impressed by that. Not that I thought they didn't care, it's just that some students here are so negative that you would think that Ross=biggest adversary. That is not the case at all. I have learned in this short time here that some ppl are just bitter and they want you to be that way as well. My word of advice for anyone considering coming here is to not listen to negativity. I find some ppl here are very eager to pass this around. The ppl here do care (I can't say all bc I have not met everyone but the ones that I have encountered so far do). *hops of soap box*

Ok so the real deal! I am officially a med student! *screams* I have survived my first day. I must say that this is a huge adjustment for me but I have been on the ball so far. I pre-read all of the lecture notes for today and tomorrow's lectures! Talk abt being a good student! I have never ever done that before. Also I have been studying since about 3:30! Three hours straight! I barely studied in undergrad, and never 3 hrs ever!

Well I have enjoyed my 5 minute break...back to studying.

Until next time...love life and smile.....