Moving on

OK, so since my last post let me think what has happened..... not much really.

Mini one was Monday, and I came out feeling pretty good about it except for one subject so I was all pumped. THEN we figured out grades and my pumped-ness totally disappeared. :-( My personal worst test here. I didnt fail anything, but I sure didnt excel at anything either. I think my problem is that I have a problem being average. I hate C's. Ugh.

Moving on from that, its only going to get worse, so I need to up my studying somehow. (The "how" part is the part I'm still working on). I do know that I still am going to take some me time which should be awesome. For example- Sunday I'm going to Champagne Bay and Scott's head to go snorkeling. I'm going with Bela (of course) through Wellness club. The whole trip cost 10ec which is less than 4US. THEN next Saturday we are going "Canyoning". It should be super duper awesome. It involves dawning a wet suit and harness and repelling off Mountains, through waterfalls into lakes etc. Woot Woot!

Really, I need to cheer up and get going, but its hard when all your going is just more studying- hence the bit of fun that I am determined to mix in in the next 2 weekends.

HOME IN 68 DAYS!!!!

~Kristen

Mini on monday

So its that time again... Mini time. This is looking to be the hardest test that I have had to take here, simply because the subject material is so intense. I suppose in any case I have about 5 days to reinforce all that I can.

Otherwise, life is pretty boring and repetitive as normal- except today I had a killer headache (so bad that I had to go home to get pills to make it bearable). I am also going to try out a new tutor session tonight by a girl doing 5th semester here, so we shall see how that pans out.

I guess, everybody start your praying, and I'll keep on studying. :-)

<3 Kristen

Its the little things

So after hitting what can only be described as a major slump, today I felt much better. No bouts of overwhelming sadness while studying is a nice thing. And I thought I would put in here something that made my night.

After taking an unexpectedly long study break and talking about how we are going to be in debt until we are 45, we were still outside as the sun set and darkness fell. Then a few things went right... for me at least.

First- a friend had gone down to Rituals (a coffee shop- a crappy Panera) to get himself a burger for dinner, because this place is one of the only places thats close that sells beef that you would want to eat. He came back and gave it to us because he forgot to ask for it without condiments and he cant eat them so he had to order another plain, and we got to eat a fantastic Omaha burger (with condiments) at his expense. mmmmmmmmmm.

THEN- I'm looking off towards the main campus and see a lightning bug and exclaim "Is that a lightning bug!?!" I can not describe how excited I was to see it... I may as well been a 4 year old that just got a pony from Santa. My friends that are standing with me go... "yeah, you didnt know that they were here? There are like hundreds of them behind that shed at night." I suppose I dont get out much at night seeing as I'm always studying, but those stupid little bugs (and a fantastic burger) really made my night.

~Kristen

Week 2...

Mom thought I should update this thing so here we go.

Lets see... clearly by the title of this post you have no doubt concluded that it is indeed the beginning of week 2. Everything is pretty much same ole same ole except for Behavioral Sciences and ICM (which means Introduction to Clinical Medicine). Yesterday was the first ICM and behavioral lab. These allow us to practice our interviewing skills.... I suppose looking back on yesterday and the past 8 months here, it would have been nice if they actually taught us how to do an interview.

We have the guts to an interview- like this goes here and this goes here, but never an actual ran through one. Well I cant say that anymore. My ICM visit to the Portsmouth clinic consisted of me and another student (thankfully I knew her and we are friends) being shown to a room and a nurse saying "here's a patient. interview her." Yes, that was how it went. I am certainly not a pro and it was probably the longest and most in depth interview that this patient has ever had, but oh well... we're learning.

In other news: Bela and I started p90X (which is an exercise program) today and I realized that I have about 1 good pushup in me and no more... the rest are done girl style. The other thing I realized is that if I ever fall into a hole that is taller than I am and wider than I can reach I would die there because I sure as hell cant do a pull up either. haha.

Well I need to study. I was sick last week and did a lot of R and R and not a lot of reading.

~Kristen

Back To School...

Back in Dominica and back to the old bump and grind, except this time I have popcorn. :-) By that I mean that now my apartment is equip with an air popper for my popcorn kernels... so I had popcorn for breakfast. Actually the American Indians used to eat popcorn for breakfast as cereal- so maybe I will try that sometime.

Life has certainly not changed since I have been gone. Some new bath rugs may have appeared in my bathroom, but aside form that- the power still went out last night so I slept like shit. My laundry guy was supposed to show up at 7 and still wasn't there at 7:30. And class is still slow and tortuous.

~Kristen

Good News!

6 finals left and I'm FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, according to my calculations, I knocked mini 3 out of the park. Super home run :-) So now I think I need to get 5 questions (out of 80) in one class to get a C, and the others, I have already passed. (except for DPS because we dont know our grades yet for a written paper thingy). Soooo I'm just working now to get A's and B's in the classes that I can, but I'm also unmotivated :-(.

Cant wait to come home and see everyone

<3 Kristen

Let the games begin

It is officially CRUNCH TIME!

This week: Neurology Lab Exam (Tues), Histology Lab Exam (Wed), Anatomy Lab Practical (Friday)

Next week: Mini 3 (Tuesday)

Next Next Week: CUMULATIVE FINALS OVER SEMESTERS 1 and 2. Physiology and Histology (Tuesday), Anatomy and Neurology (Wednesday), Biochemistry and Genetics + Doctor Patient Society (Thursday).

Then Friday I start my 2 day journey back to the states. So I will not be posting until maybe the 20th or 21st, but by that time my brain will pretty much be fried so once again- not promising anything. :-P

I just cant wait to see everyone and honestly- go to a REAL grocery store and of course a mega super store- ie SAMS CLUB!


<3 Kristen