Gamechangers

Confession: Sometimes, I’m not overly fond of the first semester students.

On an individual basis, they seem to be nice enough but what gets my goat is the fact that they love to congregate in Classroom 5, the designated Second Semester domain (all of our classes are scheduled in Classroom 5). When I was a first semester, I would never have dreamed of camping out in a classroom that was reserved for another semester (although The Annex is the designated realm of first semesters, my study areas of choice were the fishbowl and Classroom 1, an unassigned quiet study space near the ocean) but for some reason, this new crop of first semesters likes nothing more than coming to our classroom and sprawling out like they own it. I get a perverse sort of pleasure whenever we have classes after 1:00 and they have to pack up their lunches and leave. I know it’s a silly peeve, but there you have it. That’s what annoys me about first semesters.

However – yesterday, the first semester students had their first anatomy lab practical*, practically on the heels of Mini I (we were lucky last semester; our practical was scheduled ahead of the Mini). As a pal and I passed them lined up anxiously outside of the anatomy lab, my pal snickered and said, ‘Don’t you feel sorry for them?’ I nodded, because I did.

Flocculonodular Lobe

Can you identify the flocculonodular lobe?*

Usually, I’m not very good at gauging the outcome of exams. Sometimes, following a test, I feel as if I’ve been eviscerated. Sometimes, I feel like a wounded soldier, staggering home with the last of my strength. Sometimes, I feel a heavy sense of doom. And sometimes, like on Monday after Mini I, I feel this eerie sense of calm. I can never rely on any of the first three feelings because occasionally, the foreboding is warranted while other times, I’m just worried for nothing. But that peculiar calm…I never recognize it for what it is. The last time I felt it (prior to Monday) was during an Orgo exam while I was an HCP student. It was the second midterm and boy, was it tricky, but somehow, I finished early and spent the last 20 minutes sitting in my seat, serenely reflecting. An awesome tranquility had come over me and it wasn’t like a ‘yeah, I rocked that!’ sort of confidence but it was more like the feeling you get when you wake up after a good night’s sleep on a Saturday morning – unhurried, unharried and clear-minded. It wasn’t until I got my score (a 94) that I realized the significance of that feeling. And here again, I didn’t get that that was what was going on on Monday until I got my scores today: 3 As and 2 Bs.

唇 and Bags of Hemoglobin

Apparently, the most popular post on this blog is one that has nothing to do with my journey through med school – it’s the one about how lovely my lips are. And while I do maintain that they are quite nice, it kinda creeps me out that the picture of them gets searched almost every day. Coincidence? Or internet sheistiness? In any case, that post has been protected. I can’t think of anyone I know who’d really want to stare at a picture of my mouth everyday but if you’re really interested, leave a comment here and I’ll reveal the password.

In other news, it’s Blood Week for Semester 1 students – it started with the Mini on Monday and has continued with lectures about blood in biochem and histology (and will continue through Friday). The Mini I answer key went up yesterday – I was so anxious to know my score, I tabulated it last night. The good news is that I didn’t get all the histology questions wrong! But, I did get enough of them wrong to realize that I really ought to have spent more time reviewing those lectures. In any rate, I’m not unsatisfied with my performance. Next time, I’ll procrastinate less and spend a bit more time on histo when I prepare.

My advice for incoming students on Mini I:

Mini I

For anyone who’s been missing the updates (the two or three of you, bless your hearts), apologies. Today, I fought the first battle of the semester (a.k.a. Mini I) and while I may not have managed an A, my head is bloody, but unbowed. Actually, I’ll be perfectly content to get above the MPS (minimum passing score) on this one. I’ll admit it – I didn’t study until my eyes bled. I wasn’t a complete slacker but I didn’t stick to my schedule and it may have cost me precious points. However, the exam, but for a few completely out-of-the-blue-yonder questions, was fair. If I get all of the histology questions wrong, it’s my own fault for not devoting enough time to review.

So on it goes, with classes as usual beginning bright and early tomorrow morning. I opted out of attending the post-exam beach bash because a) they ran out of free t-shirts, b) my adorable new swimsuit has not yet arrived (:x USPS!) and c) I wasn’t exactly keen on cavorting with a bunch of tipsy classmates with whom I’m not particularly close. I did indulge in a lovely brownie sundae with some pals and that was enough unwinding for me. I’m not sure when the results of the exam will be available (will they be posted for all to see?!) but they will determine how happy my birthday is this year. Of course, if the results aren’t very good, at least the ‘happy birthday’ wishes from friends and family on Friday will cheer me up…