So I'm counting on one hand how many class days in each subject I have left before the semester is over. I have an exam in Orgo on Monday, and I haven't studied as much as I'd like. So I'm spending today in the books. Well, actually, I'm doing everything BUT studying -- including writing a blog post. The hubby and kids were supposed to leave the house before 9am for a pancake breakfast, and they are still here. I can't study very well when hubby is watching Netflix and the kids are playing the piano. I'm waiting for blissful silence so I can immerse myself in studying. In silence. Yeah, we'll see what happens if it ever gets quiet in here.
I have really enjoyed this semester, but all I can think about is it being OVER and having a month off. Of course, I'm planning to stay in the books over the break so I can start Orgo 2 a little ahead. We'll see what happens with that too. Somehow I see myself in pajamas all day after waking at noon, playing video games all day and reading trash. That's probably more closely aligned with reality. But I continue to kid myself.
As the semester comes to a close, I am reflecting on everything I've learned and the really awesome things that have happened. I've met a lot of people since I started at CSU, and some of those have become some really great friends. I still see a lot of the folks that went to the Bahamas in May when we run into each other on campus. I've gotten closer with some of the AMSA folks, and apparently all the old folks flock together in Honors (PJ and Don!). I'm starting to feel kinda at home at CSU. Even the faculty is starting to grow on me, and I'm not one to get along with teachers for the most part. Apparently I can be a bit of a pain in the butt with my obsessing over grades and constant need for clarification. I think that comes with the pre-med package, I do try not to be a diva.
So as the days tick by and I spend increasing amounts of time in the Honors study lounge (with COOKIES!), I hope that I am able to be in every moment instead of wishing it away. Because it seems like people look back on college with some degree of nostalgia, so I should be enjoying it instead of dreading it. But sometimes ingesting copious amounts of coffee and junk food coupled with the stress of finals staring you down can create a negative attitude, not to mention some crazy digestive disorders. I just hope when it's over all the hard work will pay off, and I can cruise into Christmas without regret. Not too much to ask, right?
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Loving My Life Right Now!
I'm not sure if it's just the air of gratefulness surrounding this month, but I am so incredibly happy right now. I feel like I've found a groove with school, and things just seem to be going smoothly. I'm really enjoying all of my classes, and it's only a few more weeks before winter break. I'm looking forward to having some time off! It looks like I'll be having surgery on my feet while I'm on break. I have deformed feet! Actually, I have bunions on both of my feet, I was actually born with them. My Mom had them and so did my grandmother. I hope I didn't pass it to any of my kids. Hopefully John's feet were dominant! But it's possible that I will have both feet in casts, and I won't be able to bear weight at least on the left foot for eight weeks. I'm already trying to think about navigating my spring classes in a wheelchair. But hopefully once I get this done, my feet will stop hurting! I know, let's cut something open, break it, screw some metal to it, and boom! No pain! I know recovery will be a booger, but my Mom had it done a few years ago, and she said her feet don't hurt any more. That will be so nice.
I haven't blogged in ages, and I felt like I should check in here and update, but there's not a whole lot going on besides school, church, and kids. Thanksgiving is coming up, and I'm really excited about spending time with family and eating some turkey. I have been working with the Center for International Education a lot lately with the global ambassadors. We had a reunion last week for everyone who studied abroad, and we also had a slideshow contest. Our group (Andros Maymester Trip) won the contest! We won movie tickets and we've agreed that we're all going together! I've been doing various class visits to encourage students to get involved with Study Abroad. I loved my experience, and I enjoy telling others about how they can make it happen for them.
AMSA is the American Medical Student Association, and I've been attending meetings every other Tuesday at lunchtime. We have all kinds of different presentations -- an orthopedic surgeon who is also an osteopathic doctor lectured one week. I was really excited to hear from another DO. Last week, a representative from PCOM-GA visited. PCOM-GA is the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine -- GA Campus. They are located in Suwanee, GA. I am really excited about becoming a DO, and I know it's just the right fit for me. Osteopathic physicians treat the whole patient, and not just the presenting symptoms.
John and I went down to Dothan, AL to visit the hospital that is building the osteopathic school there in town. We also drove by the location of the school, although nothing is going on there just now. They are still in the pre-accreditation phase, and hopefully by next summer we'll see some progress on the actual building of the school. But it was really exciting to visit the area.
One last thing I'd like to mention here today: I hate pizza! I'm not talking about a good New York slice from an authentic restaurant, I'm talking about your average joe delivery pizza-in-a-box. It seems to be the main sustenance of the college student, but I must protest. Every single meeting that I attend (every Tuesday and every other Thursday) involves pizza. I'm usually really hungry and do appreciate the free-ness of the meal, so I eat it anyway. But I swear, once I graduate, I am never eating delivery pizza again. I was commenting the other day that we have lived in the boonies so long (7 years), that we haven't been able to have pizza delivered. But I also realized that I have not missed it one bit!
So that's pretty much what's going on with me right now. I'm sure there's more, but I stay caught up in the busy-ness of school, so it's hard to remember what all to update. Until next time!
I haven't blogged in ages, and I felt like I should check in here and update, but there's not a whole lot going on besides school, church, and kids. Thanksgiving is coming up, and I'm really excited about spending time with family and eating some turkey. I have been working with the Center for International Education a lot lately with the global ambassadors. We had a reunion last week for everyone who studied abroad, and we also had a slideshow contest. Our group (Andros Maymester Trip) won the contest! We won movie tickets and we've agreed that we're all going together! I've been doing various class visits to encourage students to get involved with Study Abroad. I loved my experience, and I enjoy telling others about how they can make it happen for them.
AMSA is the American Medical Student Association, and I've been attending meetings every other Tuesday at lunchtime. We have all kinds of different presentations -- an orthopedic surgeon who is also an osteopathic doctor lectured one week. I was really excited to hear from another DO. Last week, a representative from PCOM-GA visited. PCOM-GA is the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine -- GA Campus. They are located in Suwanee, GA. I am really excited about becoming a DO, and I know it's just the right fit for me. Osteopathic physicians treat the whole patient, and not just the presenting symptoms.
John and I went down to Dothan, AL to visit the hospital that is building the osteopathic school there in town. We also drove by the location of the school, although nothing is going on there just now. They are still in the pre-accreditation phase, and hopefully by next summer we'll see some progress on the actual building of the school. But it was really exciting to visit the area.
One last thing I'd like to mention here today: I hate pizza! I'm not talking about a good New York slice from an authentic restaurant, I'm talking about your average joe delivery pizza-in-a-box. It seems to be the main sustenance of the college student, but I must protest. Every single meeting that I attend (every Tuesday and every other Thursday) involves pizza. I'm usually really hungry and do appreciate the free-ness of the meal, so I eat it anyway. But I swear, once I graduate, I am never eating delivery pizza again. I was commenting the other day that we have lived in the boonies so long (7 years), that we haven't been able to have pizza delivered. But I also realized that I have not missed it one bit!
So that's pretty much what's going on with me right now. I'm sure there's more, but I stay caught up in the busy-ness of school, so it's hard to remember what all to update. Until next time!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Halfway there!
Wow, it's advising week! That means that we're halfway done with Fall semester. It has flown by very quickly. I have to make an appointment with my adviser, and then it won't be long before early registration starts. What's really exciting is the big long break I'll have between fall and spring semesters. We will be going to St. Augustine the week after Christmas, and I'm going to pick up a copy of Organic Chemistry II as a Second Language for perusing during the break. I can't believe how quickly everything is going, and how not quite quickly enough it seems sometimes.
I got a position with the Center for International Education as a global ambassador. That means that I participate in information tables and class visits spreading the word about Study Abroad. I did a presentation last week, and let's just say I hope the next one goes better. We have information tables once or twice a week, and I "man" those in between classes. We are also planning a Study Abroad fair in the next few weeks. It's such a great opportunity, and I think if more students knew how awesome it is, they'd want to get in on it.
Anyway, not much going on other than school, kids, church, and KNITTING! :) I've completed half of a project without moving on to something else. Well, it is a pair of reading mitts, so it's not going to take a long time to complete. But that's all I have the attention span for currently anyway.
I guess that's it for the update, I'll try to check back in when it's more exciting. :)
I got a position with the Center for International Education as a global ambassador. That means that I participate in information tables and class visits spreading the word about Study Abroad. I did a presentation last week, and let's just say I hope the next one goes better. We have information tables once or twice a week, and I "man" those in between classes. We are also planning a Study Abroad fair in the next few weeks. It's such a great opportunity, and I think if more students knew how awesome it is, they'd want to get in on it.
Anyway, not much going on other than school, kids, church, and KNITTING! :) I've completed half of a project without moving on to something else. Well, it is a pair of reading mitts, so it's not going to take a long time to complete. But that's all I have the attention span for currently anyway.
I guess that's it for the update, I'll try to check back in when it's more exciting. :)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Keeping up
I'm really not sure how students (or anyone, for that matter) kept up with their schedules before smartphones. I'm sure I could carry a calendar around and consult it every five minutes to see where I'm supposed to be next, but I have a hard enough time showing up in the right place at the right time when my phone sends me alerts. I feel like my schedule is so very tight right now. I'm not complaining, I love that I'm actively working towards my goals almost every minute of the day. But sometimes I feel really conflicted when a friend wants to have lunch, but I have a 12 pm class. I worry that at the end of this entire trip, I won't have any friends left and my family won't remember who I am. I guess I need to pull out my calendar and schedule some open time. HAHA!
Next week is fall break. What I imagine I will do during that week is sleep in, play video games, and knit. What will probably happen is I will be catching up on reading for classes and trying to tame the laundry monster. But it's OK, it's still a break, and I won't be burning up the road trying to make it to class on time. AND I won't have to pray for a parking place, either.
I've been working on Friday afternoons shadowing a local pediatrician for the last few months. She has taken on a couple of medical students and a medical assistant who needs hours to graduate, so I will have a few weeks off from that. I really love working in pediatrics -- kids are fun, and it's mostly a nice variety of cases that come in. The doctor that I work with is really nice, and she takes every opportunity to teach me. I still have to find a D.O. to shadow for my med school application, but I've gotten very comfortable here. I could definitely see a future in pediatrics.
Have I said long and loud enough how much I love my organic chemistry professor? I lost sleep over this class before it started, and now it's the one I look forward to the most. We had a lab mid-term yesterday, and guess who made a 100 on it? Yep, me. :) I have to do honors contracts for the honors program, which means that I sign up for an extra project in one of my regular classes to make it an honors level class. I approached Dr. Rugutt about doing a contract for organic chemistry, and he gave me a project! I just have to wait for the honors approval in order to proceed. We will be doing a project called Green Synthesis of a Novel Anti-Breast Cancer Chalcone. Chalcones are produced by citrus fruits, and they have anti-cancer properties. So I will be performing a lab sythesis and writing a paper on the results. I also have to present at Tower Day in the spring and submit my report to the undergraduate journal at CSU. So before I even finish my undergrad degree, I'll be published. :) Isn't that cool? It's totally win-win.
So things are moving along. The biggest lesson I've learned since I started this journey is to never avoid something unpleasant that is a part of getting you to your goal. I decided years ago that I did not want to be a doctor because I didn't want to deal with chemistry. I was afraid of a little science class! I'm sure there are much bigger obstacles, but chemistry was the big giant standing in my way, and I cowered for too many years. The other lesson I learned that is not quite as big is never take chemistry 2 in the summer, you're just setting yourself up for disaster.
I have to say even though my schedule is a tight fit, and there are some other things I don't quite have a handle on, I am as happy as I have ever been. I am working my behind off with studying and other school activities, but I feel like I am moving towards what I was put on this earth for, and it makes it all worth it.
Next week is fall break. What I imagine I will do during that week is sleep in, play video games, and knit. What will probably happen is I will be catching up on reading for classes and trying to tame the laundry monster. But it's OK, it's still a break, and I won't be burning up the road trying to make it to class on time. AND I won't have to pray for a parking place, either.
I've been working on Friday afternoons shadowing a local pediatrician for the last few months. She has taken on a couple of medical students and a medical assistant who needs hours to graduate, so I will have a few weeks off from that. I really love working in pediatrics -- kids are fun, and it's mostly a nice variety of cases that come in. The doctor that I work with is really nice, and she takes every opportunity to teach me. I still have to find a D.O. to shadow for my med school application, but I've gotten very comfortable here. I could definitely see a future in pediatrics.
Have I said long and loud enough how much I love my organic chemistry professor? I lost sleep over this class before it started, and now it's the one I look forward to the most. We had a lab mid-term yesterday, and guess who made a 100 on it? Yep, me. :) I have to do honors contracts for the honors program, which means that I sign up for an extra project in one of my regular classes to make it an honors level class. I approached Dr. Rugutt about doing a contract for organic chemistry, and he gave me a project! I just have to wait for the honors approval in order to proceed. We will be doing a project called Green Synthesis of a Novel Anti-Breast Cancer Chalcone. Chalcones are produced by citrus fruits, and they have anti-cancer properties. So I will be performing a lab sythesis and writing a paper on the results. I also have to present at Tower Day in the spring and submit my report to the undergraduate journal at CSU. So before I even finish my undergrad degree, I'll be published. :) Isn't that cool? It's totally win-win.
So things are moving along. The biggest lesson I've learned since I started this journey is to never avoid something unpleasant that is a part of getting you to your goal. I decided years ago that I did not want to be a doctor because I didn't want to deal with chemistry. I was afraid of a little science class! I'm sure there are much bigger obstacles, but chemistry was the big giant standing in my way, and I cowered for too many years. The other lesson I learned that is not quite as big is never take chemistry 2 in the summer, you're just setting yourself up for disaster.
I have to say even though my schedule is a tight fit, and there are some other things I don't quite have a handle on, I am as happy as I have ever been. I am working my behind off with studying and other school activities, but I feel like I am moving towards what I was put on this earth for, and it makes it all worth it.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Stuff
I never know what the title should be on some of these entries. I put "Stuff" up there, hoping I'll be inspired by something I write and then change the title. We'll see what happens
The first organic chemistry test was great, he gave us some very good study tips, and I made a...
Wait for it...
ONE FREAKING HUNDRED. Yep. I was VERY shocked. I hope that I can keep it up. An A in orgo would just make my life.
I have to give credit to my professor. He is very thorough and takes as much time as we need to understand a concept. He told us that he goes to church and prays on Sunday about what to put on the test. He really wants us to learn, not just pass.
I applied for a Global Ambassador position at the Center for International Education, and I got it! I will be attending various informational events for Study Abroad, and maybe even giving presentations to students interested in studying abroad. We have so many great opportunities for studying abroad. You can read about my Bahamas study abroad trip at this Andros Blog link. So now I get to spend this semester and spring semester telling people about all the upcoming trips! I've got my eye on a trip to Oxford next summer. Hopefully it will work out.
I've been shadowing a local pediatrician at her office on Friday afternoons for a couple of months now. I really think pediatrics is where I'm leaning. I know my background is women's health, but I am pretty sure I don't want to be an OB/GYN. I'm hoping to get some more shadowing experience from other specialties. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to stick with family practice or pediatrics. I also think it would be cool to work at an urgent care clinic. I think that has something to do with me being ADD.
Working with the pediatrician has been interesting. Sometimes it's disappointing seeing things from her side. I've taken my kids to the doctor, and I wonder now what the doctor must have thought when he left the room after a visit. Now I have a front-row seat. Not to mention, this is Alabama. I used to think it was a stereotype that Alabama is backwards and weird. But after one chick shows up barefoot and soaking wet with her kid in nothing but a diaper, I had to think again. There are some crazy people in my town, and that is just one example. I could go on, but there is HIPAA. I'm having a blast, though. I am learning a lot about pediatrics, and so far I like it.
I guess this is a bit of a long post, I'll try to post more often so it won't be such an immense post. Until next time!
The first organic chemistry test was great, he gave us some very good study tips, and I made a...
Wait for it...
ONE FREAKING HUNDRED. Yep. I was VERY shocked. I hope that I can keep it up. An A in orgo would just make my life.
I have to give credit to my professor. He is very thorough and takes as much time as we need to understand a concept. He told us that he goes to church and prays on Sunday about what to put on the test. He really wants us to learn, not just pass.
I applied for a Global Ambassador position at the Center for International Education, and I got it! I will be attending various informational events for Study Abroad, and maybe even giving presentations to students interested in studying abroad. We have so many great opportunities for studying abroad. You can read about my Bahamas study abroad trip at this Andros Blog link. So now I get to spend this semester and spring semester telling people about all the upcoming trips! I've got my eye on a trip to Oxford next summer. Hopefully it will work out.
I've been shadowing a local pediatrician at her office on Friday afternoons for a couple of months now. I really think pediatrics is where I'm leaning. I know my background is women's health, but I am pretty sure I don't want to be an OB/GYN. I'm hoping to get some more shadowing experience from other specialties. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to stick with family practice or pediatrics. I also think it would be cool to work at an urgent care clinic. I think that has something to do with me being ADD.
Working with the pediatrician has been interesting. Sometimes it's disappointing seeing things from her side. I've taken my kids to the doctor, and I wonder now what the doctor must have thought when he left the room after a visit. Now I have a front-row seat. Not to mention, this is Alabama. I used to think it was a stereotype that Alabama is backwards and weird. But after one chick shows up barefoot and soaking wet with her kid in nothing but a diaper, I had to think again. There are some crazy people in my town, and that is just one example. I could go on, but there is HIPAA. I'm having a blast, though. I am learning a lot about pediatrics, and so far I like it.
I guess this is a bit of a long post, I'll try to post more often so it won't be such an immense post. Until next time!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
I'm still slogging through!
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| From VeryDemotivational.com |
The weather yesterday was lovely, and I hope that it doesn't spike up to 90 degrees again before Fall settles in for good. The temperature was about 66, and it was so nice. Of course it was a little overcast and rainy, but it was totally worth it. I think I posted on my Facebook that if it continued to stay so hot I would shave my head. Thank God that I didn't have to follow up with that! I have a thousand sweaters in my closet just waiting for temps in the 50s.
Organic Chemistry is going alright, I think my professor is still taking it slowly for us. He gives us a lot of ideas about questions that might be on the MCAT, and I am very grateful for that. It seems he has cleared up a lot of gaps I had from Chem 1 and 2 in the first few weeks. Hopefully I'll understand this at some point. I like the professor a lot, he's very thorough.
I hate to throw all my other classes into a group together, but orgo is really the challenge this semester. The rest of them are going great, I'm able to understand what's going on there without a ton of effort so I can concentrate on passing orgo.
I had my first exam last night in Concepts of Fitness. It was simple enough, I just read the chapters and the study guide. I have a Bio 1215 exam on Thursday. So far in that class he's gone over stuff I learned in A&P 1 and 2. I'm sure it will get more challenging as it goes along. But by this time in Chem 1 and 2, I was pretty lost. :) The big orgo test is next Friday. I am giving it proper respect. I keep thinking I should get in a study group, but every group I've been involved in so far descends into chaos and silly youtube videos. I have a lot of ADD folks in my classes it seems.
So there's the first Fall update for the blog. I was going to write a whole post on the horrible Monday that was August 26, but I think I still need therapy on that one. Maybe next post.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
You threw off my groove!
School starts back on Monday, and while that should fill me with dread, I am SOOOO looking forward to it! I love my family, and I love being home, but I will be really glad to get back down to the business of finishing my undergrad degree. Not to mention that when I'm home I feel the need to organize and clean and boss people around. My kids will probably be glad to send me back to school as well. I rented a bunch of my books this time around because I didn't have the money to get them on my iPad. I get my refund in a couple of weeks, but a lot of professors are real sticklers about you having your books on hand the first day. Seems they should release your money earlier if they are going to be like that. But I don't look forward to lugging around paper books when they could all be snug in my iPad.
I feel like being off for too long throws off my groove. I am afraid that the stuff I've learned starts leaking out of my ears if I don't shove more stuff in there quickly enough. Anyway, I'm off to take the kids to the movies!
I feel like being off for too long throws off my groove. I am afraid that the stuff I've learned starts leaking out of my ears if I don't shove more stuff in there quickly enough. Anyway, I'm off to take the kids to the movies!
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