Less than a year left...
Well well well, i have not completely faded into the dark yet, have i?
I am still doing like I do, plugging away on this here island, trying to make some sense of it. The last I wrote I was about 6 weeks into my 4th semester, and now I am close to that into my fifth.
4th semester flew by & ended alright- though we had a bit of a tragedy in our class about half way through the term. We lost a classmate to a car accident, and it was a hard hit for many of us. To Matt's memory, you were one of a kind and still are missed each and every day. Just earlier this evening you were the topic of dinner conversation- clearly you touched a lot of people. The picture is of Matt & my friend Lauren on the night of the accident.
After the semester wrapped up we went off to break, and for me it was the first break I had been home to CT since last August. Like all breaks, it went by very quickly, but there was still time for plenty of relaxation & of course lobster. There is a picture of my second day back of pops & I canoeing on lake something-or-other, which was a fantastic day of drifting and chatting. And trying not to pick fights with the locals... ;)
The weekend came quickly enough and Matt came in for the fantastic 60.8th surprise birthday party for my mom, which went off great and was lots of fun. For some reason my computer has "lost" all of my pictures from the actual party, but I promise you it was a good time. I put in a picture of us killing time out on a hike when Ralph was setting up the house & receiving guests. It was wonderful to be able to see a lot of people I havent seen in a while as well as the added bonus of having Matt in town for a few days. The day before the party we were able to spend the day at my aunt's house having one of the best lobstah dinners i've ever had- there's a picture of Matt...well...being Matt.
The end of break was a little hectic as well, but if you know me, you know I really wouldn't have it any other way. On Friday I went into the city with mom, and we had yet another great day of bumming around & eating good food with no schedule whatsoever. Brian (blast from the past!) was gracious enough to let me store my luggage at his place all day, as well as crash there that night. We had a raucous night out on the town catching up and acting well below our age. The next morning I got up early to catch a bus to Easton, PA, where I accompanied Eric Dy (part of the L.A. family) to his cousin's wedding- a great excuse to have a visit & dance all night as well. Definitely an added & unexpected bonus to my break, plus I got to spend some time with the Dy's, who I hadn't seen in a while. I put a pic in of Eric & Jillian Dy, her significant other Mike, & I at the reception. Fun times.
This semester so far has had its moments as well. I put in a picture of the "semester olympics" that we have the first weekend of every term. Our class made a little bit of a poor showing, but we just aren't that big & have limited athletic people. Maybe next semester.The olympics consists of the whole school playing three days of volleyball, football, soccer & ultimate frisbee, & tops off with a highly ridiculous Mr. RUSVM (Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine) pageant. It is silly & much fun.
As for classes, fifth is a little different than those before it. We are finally into the semesters where it is not all notes & book learning (though its that too!) but a little more application and drawing from what we've already learned. And that makes it terrifying. I am doing alright, but there is nothing like a professor asking you a question about material you have heard about ten times and not knowing the answer. It's scary because we are finally starting to get a glimpse of what kind of doctors we will be, not just what kind of students we are. Anyway, its an adjustment, and so far I am keeping my head above water, but it feels like just barely.
This coming monday we have our very first "practical" exam, where we have to leak check anesthesia machines, do fake intubations, and set IV catheters. Its kind of cool to actually be putting on the green scrubs (surgery) finally. Next semester I even get to cut things....eek!
Oh wait! The best part of this semester!!! -
Last Thursday morning the electric company caught on fire. Yup, on fire. One of the main generators was destroyed, as well as most of the hamsters I assume. Oh the horror. Oh the tragedy.
So without our electricity hamsters, we have had really fun "load shedding" for the past eight days, which means that in my neighborhood, which apparently is not very high up on the importance list, the power goes off from noon to 10pm every day. And we have class at 8am every morning, which means i essentially don't have power at all during the day.Needless to say, it is very frustrating. So i apologize to those i haven't returned correspondence to but i cant make calls or write emails until late every night. The reports say we should be back to normal power by the 17th. I am very much looking forward to it. Ok folks, I'm out. Hope everyone is doing well! -beck
I am still doing like I do, plugging away on this here island, trying to make some sense of it. The last I wrote I was about 6 weeks into my 4th semester, and now I am close to that into my fifth.
4th semester flew by & ended alright- though we had a bit of a tragedy in our class about half way through the term. We lost a classmate to a car accident, and it was a hard hit for many of us. To Matt's memory, you were one of a kind and still are missed each and every day. Just earlier this evening you were the topic of dinner conversation- clearly you touched a lot of people. The picture is of Matt & my friend Lauren on the night of the accident.
After the semester wrapped up we went off to break, and for me it was the first break I had been home to CT since last August. Like all breaks, it went by very quickly, but there was still time for plenty of relaxation & of course lobster. There is a picture of my second day back of pops & I canoeing on lake something-or-other, which was a fantastic day of drifting and chatting. And trying not to pick fights with the locals... ;)
The weekend came quickly enough and Matt came in for the fantastic 60.8th surprise birthday party for my mom, which went off great and was lots of fun. For some reason my computer has "lost" all of my pictures from the actual party, but I promise you it was a good time. I put in a picture of us killing time out on a hike when Ralph was setting up the house & receiving guests. It was wonderful to be able to see a lot of people I havent seen in a while as well as the added bonus of having Matt in town for a few days. The day before the party we were able to spend the day at my aunt's house having one of the best lobstah dinners i've ever had- there's a picture of Matt...well...being Matt.
The end of break was a little hectic as well, but if you know me, you know I really wouldn't have it any other way. On Friday I went into the city with mom, and we had yet another great day of bumming around & eating good food with no schedule whatsoever. Brian (blast from the past!) was gracious enough to let me store my luggage at his place all day, as well as crash there that night. We had a raucous night out on the town catching up and acting well below our age. The next morning I got up early to catch a bus to Easton, PA, where I accompanied Eric Dy (part of the L.A. family) to his cousin's wedding- a great excuse to have a visit & dance all night as well. Definitely an added & unexpected bonus to my break, plus I got to spend some time with the Dy's, who I hadn't seen in a while. I put a pic in of Eric & Jillian Dy, her significant other Mike, & I at the reception. Fun times.
This semester so far has had its moments as well. I put in a picture of the "semester olympics" that we have the first weekend of every term. Our class made a little bit of a poor showing, but we just aren't that big & have limited athletic people. Maybe next semester.The olympics consists of the whole school playing three days of volleyball, football, soccer & ultimate frisbee, & tops off with a highly ridiculous Mr. RUSVM (Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine) pageant. It is silly & much fun.
As for classes, fifth is a little different than those before it. We are finally into the semesters where it is not all notes & book learning (though its that too!) but a little more application and drawing from what we've already learned. And that makes it terrifying. I am doing alright, but there is nothing like a professor asking you a question about material you have heard about ten times and not knowing the answer. It's scary because we are finally starting to get a glimpse of what kind of doctors we will be, not just what kind of students we are. Anyway, its an adjustment, and so far I am keeping my head above water, but it feels like just barely.
This coming monday we have our very first "practical" exam, where we have to leak check anesthesia machines, do fake intubations, and set IV catheters. Its kind of cool to actually be putting on the green scrubs (surgery) finally. Next semester I even get to cut things....eek! Oh wait! The best part of this semester!!! -
Last Thursday morning the electric company caught on fire. Yup, on fire. One of the main generators was destroyed, as well as most of the hamsters I assume. Oh the horror. Oh the tragedy.
So without our electricity hamsters, we have had really fun "load shedding" for the past eight days, which means that in my neighborhood, which apparently is not very high up on the importance list, the power goes off from noon to 10pm every day. And we have class at 8am every morning, which means i essentially don't have power at all during the day.Needless to say, it is very frustrating. So i apologize to those i haven't returned correspondence to but i cant make calls or write emails until late every night. The reports say we should be back to normal power by the 17th. I am very much looking forward to it. Ok folks, I'm out. Hope everyone is doing well! -beck
posted by meadfried at 12:18 AM
0 comments
