Haven't checked in with KK in awhile.
The good news is that I've discovered a legitimate reason for flipping the bird at someone. It's just to check that C7 is working!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Hey kids.
Med school is a blast. I'm learning a ton in anatomy and getting better at the dissections with every lab (I think). Most of the professors are general surgeons or orthopedic surgeons, and they spend an equal amount of time being on-topic helpful and off-topic helpful (general life inspirationish things). One of them bakes for us!
First exam in a week or so, in the biochem/genetics class. I'm glad we have it instead of just the giant block of midterms. I haven't really been studying for anything except anatomy, though, so figuring out how to work in time for everything else is a work in progress. May also be in danger of "over-resourcing" myself as one of the profs says, since I've bought every anatomy book anyone has recommended..
just a quick aside on this, because I'm very tired of obsessing over it. My parents assure me that I'm the only one really thinking about my age at all and to stop worrying about it and what other people think, and I'm inclined to believe them. But in lecture I'm surrounded by people whispering and trying to figure out who "the super young person" is. I'm included in these conversations, so it doesn't seem like I'm under suspicion per se, but what's bothersome is the very predictable turn these convos take: I feel bad for those people. Wow, their parents must have been really pushy and awful. I bet they have no social skills. Let's look for someone who sits way in the front and stays after to ask a ton of questions.
There's also this party (I know this is not a big deal, but if i can't be angsty on the internet...) for all the first-years that I want to go to, because bugger it, I've made friends and I want to hang out with them outside of the classroom. But they're checking IDs at the door. This is supposed to be to prevent undergrads from sneaking in but I don't see a way out of this without telling all the hosts about my Womb Exit Situation, which would be already making it a bigger deal than necessary. Bah. Any advice (or well-intentioned yelling at me) welcome. Amelia suggested I pose as someone's mom. This idea is still under consideration.
Finally. I want to start legitimately exercising (dissection makes you realize there's such a thing as "skinny fat") and running seems to be the best place to start. Any tips for super beginner beginners? I'm talking basics, like whether I should eat breakfast before or after. Please keep in mind that the fastest mile time of my life was 13 minutes, and that was a fluke.
Ending on a happy note! I really enjoy being so close to campus and have been adjusting fine to being by myself. (possibly related: my mother fills my fridge every week.) All of my classes are really interesting, with the possible exception about the let's-talk-about-our-feelings one, which is about to get better because we start learning the physical exam in a few days! And my professors are funny and great. And my classmates are a bit on the whiny side on average (pot calling the kettle brown) but more than balance that out with being ambitious, friendly, and really smart.
Okay. Anything specific I was supposed to cover? less personal life, more politix? Need me to read any essays? Want to help me use my coffee coupons? just flash the batman signal and I'll be there.
Med school is a blast. I'm learning a ton in anatomy and getting better at the dissections with every lab (I think). Most of the professors are general surgeons or orthopedic surgeons, and they spend an equal amount of time being on-topic helpful and off-topic helpful (general life inspirationish things). One of them bakes for us!
First exam in a week or so, in the biochem/genetics class. I'm glad we have it instead of just the giant block of midterms. I haven't really been studying for anything except anatomy, though, so figuring out how to work in time for everything else is a work in progress. May also be in danger of "over-resourcing" myself as one of the profs says, since I've bought every anatomy book anyone has recommended..
just a quick aside on this, because I'm very tired of obsessing over it. My parents assure me that I'm the only one really thinking about my age at all and to stop worrying about it and what other people think, and I'm inclined to believe them. But in lecture I'm surrounded by people whispering and trying to figure out who "the super young person" is. I'm included in these conversations, so it doesn't seem like I'm under suspicion per se, but what's bothersome is the very predictable turn these convos take: I feel bad for those people. Wow, their parents must have been really pushy and awful. I bet they have no social skills. Let's look for someone who sits way in the front and stays after to ask a ton of questions.
There's also this party (I know this is not a big deal, but if i can't be angsty on the internet...) for all the first-years that I want to go to, because bugger it, I've made friends and I want to hang out with them outside of the classroom. But they're checking IDs at the door. This is supposed to be to prevent undergrads from sneaking in but I don't see a way out of this without telling all the hosts about my Womb Exit Situation, which would be already making it a bigger deal than necessary. Bah. Any advice (or well-intentioned yelling at me) welcome. Amelia suggested I pose as someone's mom. This idea is still under consideration.
Finally. I want to start legitimately exercising (dissection makes you realize there's such a thing as "skinny fat") and running seems to be the best place to start. Any tips for super beginner beginners? I'm talking basics, like whether I should eat breakfast before or after. Please keep in mind that the fastest mile time of my life was 13 minutes, and that was a fluke.
Ending on a happy note! I really enjoy being so close to campus and have been adjusting fine to being by myself. (possibly related: my mother fills my fridge every week.) All of my classes are really interesting, with the possible exception about the let's-talk-about-our-feelings one, which is about to get better because we start learning the physical exam in a few days! And my professors are funny and great. And my classmates are a bit on the whiny side on average (pot calling the kettle brown) but more than balance that out with being ambitious, friendly, and really smart.
Okay. Anything specific I was supposed to cover? less personal life, more politix? Need me to read any essays? Want to help me use my coffee coupons? just flash the batman signal and I'll be there.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Since classes start tomorrow and I'm already behind on anatomy, now is the perfect time to start reading two new (for me) comic-type internet things: We are become pals (Joey Comeau fix) and octopus pie (people named Meredith fix).
I don't have internet at the apartment yet, but that will hopefully get sorted out soon, so I can go back to bumming around in one place all day as nature intended. Oh by the way, med school rocks. I was worried that I was setting my expectations too high for the new people I would meet but they are fabulous, quite simply. I didn't even want to roll my eyes at anyone til the third day! There is such a huge variety in people's backgrounds, both in terms of area of study/interest and whether they have worked in healthcare before, and I think that's going to shape our many small-group activities in a really neat way.
A lot more to talk about (anatomy lab! healthcare policy! Ayn Rand!) but it's back to the web-less apartment for now!
exclamation points!
I don't have internet at the apartment yet, but that will hopefully get sorted out soon, so I can go back to bumming around in one place all day as nature intended. Oh by the way, med school rocks. I was worried that I was setting my expectations too high for the new people I would meet but they are fabulous, quite simply. I didn't even want to roll my eyes at anyone til the third day! There is such a huge variety in people's backgrounds, both in terms of area of study/interest and whether they have worked in healthcare before, and I think that's going to shape our many small-group activities in a really neat way.
A lot more to talk about (anatomy lab! healthcare policy! Ayn Rand!) but it's back to the web-less apartment for now!
exclamation points!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Dear reader(s),
I don't think any of you have seen me on one of my weepy days. They happen on occasion and I'm basically just teary the whole day. (Don't try to blame it on ho-mones, it isn't that.) Today I started crying when I thought about the first time Harry received birthday cards, when I read Emma Watson's IMDb page, when I read this article and this blog and when I looked up my new zip code. Today just feels really monumental.
I'm happy and excited for tomorrow. I have a grown-up watch now! I've thought about starting another blog specifically for med school stuff but have abandoned the idea for now. I haven't forgotten about my various promises to write about healthcare reform and all that. It'll happen at some point.
I think Meredith might get kind of freaked out when she realizes just how much Hannah Montana paraphernalia I have.
In sum, I'm not going anywhere. I will continue to type nonsense here (and on twitter, tumblr, facebook, and google+...) and maybe sometimes show my face in public. don't fret.
Happy Harry Potter day,
love,
Tyra
Sunday, July 24, 2011
This blog post would be better in 3D
There's a list on the school website called "Things you need to do before orientation". I've distilled it here:
also, so much anger and resentment toward doctors in the comments of this article: Why Would Anyone Choose to Become a Doctor?
Obviously, I'm far from concretely deciding on a field of medicine to go into but I'd be lying if I said that primary care had ever seriously crossed my mind. This isn't because of the comparably low salary but because it seems so frustrating. Primary care physicians (bless 'em) have to deal with a population that pays little care to preventive action or to long-term solutions (for example, diet&exercise to combat obesity, which is the real cause of your knee pain, rather than drugs). It seems like parenting. I don't want to nag. Or maybe I'm just naive.
(probably. Whoops.)
This also seems like a reasonable place to put my "Why do you want to be a doctor?" answer. I had a nice memorized one for interviews that I've forgotten, but this one is a little more rambley and therefore more of an actual thought process: "Reaching your full potential" is cheesy, but it's cheese I believe. We can argue about what human rights are all day, but I think everyone has the right to pursue their full potential. And if their body is holding them back from that, I want to fix it. Boom. Go back to your business. I feel pretty durn sure that my own potential lies in removing those obstacles for others. (In addition, insert healthcare access, public/global health philosophizing here)
Of course, we all know that people my age can make really terrible decisions. After all, look who Selena Gomez is dating.
Hey-o.
p.s. Obvious candidates for Lesbian Sunday (instead of Saturday, just this one time)...all the awesome lesbians who got married in New York today! whee!
- PANIC
also, so much anger and resentment toward doctors in the comments of this article: Why Would Anyone Choose to Become a Doctor?
Obviously, I'm far from concretely deciding on a field of medicine to go into but I'd be lying if I said that primary care had ever seriously crossed my mind. This isn't because of the comparably low salary but because it seems so frustrating. Primary care physicians (bless 'em) have to deal with a population that pays little care to preventive action or to long-term solutions (for example, diet&exercise to combat obesity, which is the real cause of your knee pain, rather than drugs). It seems like parenting. I don't want to nag. Or maybe I'm just naive.
(probably. Whoops.)
This also seems like a reasonable place to put my "Why do you want to be a doctor?" answer. I had a nice memorized one for interviews that I've forgotten, but this one is a little more rambley and therefore more of an actual thought process: "Reaching your full potential" is cheesy, but it's cheese I believe. We can argue about what human rights are all day, but I think everyone has the right to pursue their full potential. And if their body is holding them back from that, I want to fix it. Boom. Go back to your business. I feel pretty durn sure that my own potential lies in removing those obstacles for others. (In addition, insert healthcare access, public/global health philosophizing here)
Of course, we all know that people my age can make really terrible decisions. After all, look who Selena Gomez is dating.
Hey-o.
p.s. Obvious candidates for Lesbian Sunday (instead of Saturday, just this one time)...all the awesome lesbians who got married in New York today! whee!
p.p.s. Important petition! Getting birth control covered under all insurance plans, without co-pay. Remember, it's cheaper than a kid. (Also, is prescribed for a variety of other issues, such as menstrual regulation and severe acne. But you knew that. Go sign it!)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
P.S. Anniversary
This is a story about a pair of doomed white pants.
White pants always give me pause. It's like they exist to invite terrible things to happen to them. One day I was strolling in the Himalayas (sort of) and noticed two large red splotches below the knee of my-- yes, white pants. The splotches were growing and darkening and I frantically tried to come up with an explanation. Had I bumped into something? Had a forceful collision with a tree branch and forgotten about it? Alas, I could think of nothing plausible. The leftover humidity from a recent rainfall made it difficult to roll up the denim, but I eventually managed to reveal a few inches. All I could see was blood, smeary and covering almost the entire bottom half of my leg. I kept rolling and still couldn't find the source of the blood, continuing to imagine the worst.
Anyway, the source turned out to be an itsy-bitsy scratch, not even a quarter of an inch across.
I really wanted this to be a metaphor for something.
Also, it is the one-year anniversary of this blog. Thanks for cyber-hanging out with me, nebulous and possible imaginary crowd of readers. I'm coming back soon!!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Pre-departure
Hi!
Tomorrow I leave for the motherland for six weeks. Ten days after that, I'll start med school. And today, I finished Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (These events have importance of equal magnitude.) I did find a place to live- it's 5 minutes from campus and across the street from a coffee shop. It will be so strange not to be a commuter anymore. Also, I'll be living with Meredith, giving me ample opportunity to change every aspect of her personality, something that's always been a goal.
Books I've finished:
The Hunger Games trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Just read the first one if you're interested. The second two are terrible. Movie out in spring 2012.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stiegg Larson
Um, really disturbing. It was well-plotted, I guess? No real interest in reading the second two, but I'll watch the movie (sensing a pattern here)
God is Not Great - Christopher Hitchens
Look! Non-fiction! So I haven't exactly finished this. I'm just over halfway, and it's really interesting, but will I get anything new out of the rest? Advice/input welcome.
Books I'm taking tomorrow:
Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
Christine - Stephen King
The Kid - Dan Savage
Books I'm not taking:
Anatomy textbooks. This is probably foolish, but I couldn't find something light enough, and surely my cousins have some.
This brings me to the next point. There is sure to be more family drama than usual this trip (wedding!). But I'm really going to try to get along with everyone and keep a smile plastered on, at least until July 15th, at which time I'll sob through the last Harry Potter movie.
ALSO. I'm sorry, I had planned on writing a real post about healthcare reform, which I feel obligated to know about in some sort of thorough manner. But frankly I haven't yet read enough analysis or done enough of my own thinking to be able to write intelligently on the topic. I'm taking a bunch of articles and readings with me to further this goal, and will probably post from there once in awhile.
So in conclusion...uhh...write to me on the internet, yeah?
Tomorrow I leave for the motherland for six weeks. Ten days after that, I'll start med school. And today, I finished Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (These events have importance of equal magnitude.) I did find a place to live- it's 5 minutes from campus and across the street from a coffee shop. It will be so strange not to be a commuter anymore. Also, I'll be living with Meredith, giving me ample opportunity to change every aspect of her personality, something that's always been a goal.
Books I've finished:
The Hunger Games trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Just read the first one if you're interested. The second two are terrible. Movie out in spring 2012.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stiegg Larson
Um, really disturbing. It was well-plotted, I guess? No real interest in reading the second two, but I'll watch the movie (sensing a pattern here)
God is Not Great - Christopher Hitchens
Look! Non-fiction! So I haven't exactly finished this. I'm just over halfway, and it's really interesting, but will I get anything new out of the rest? Advice/input welcome.
Books I'm taking tomorrow:
Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
Christine - Stephen King
The Kid - Dan Savage
Books I'm not taking:
Anatomy textbooks. This is probably foolish, but I couldn't find something light enough, and surely my cousins have some.
This brings me to the next point. There is sure to be more family drama than usual this trip (wedding!). But I'm really going to try to get along with everyone and keep a smile plastered on, at least until July 15th, at which time I'll sob through the last Harry Potter movie.
ALSO. I'm sorry, I had planned on writing a real post about healthcare reform, which I feel obligated to know about in some sort of thorough manner. But frankly I haven't yet read enough analysis or done enough of my own thinking to be able to write intelligently on the topic. I'm taking a bunch of articles and readings with me to further this goal, and will probably post from there once in awhile.
So in conclusion...uhh...write to me on the internet, yeah?
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