Coats and Stuff Or I am not a Imposter!

This week was the white coat ceremony and by this week I mean Saturday, this is one of those times when all of us SVM Students mumble about the MD students. You see the MD Kids got Friday off for there ceremony which didn't start till about 3pm, and lasted till around 5:30pm, so why did need to be at ours at 9:15am on Saturday after our full and I mean from 8am to 5pm of classes when they (MD) students couldn't be bothered to even have morning classes (I know there are about 250+ more of them but come on). Rant over, the White Coat was one of those things that some people get excited about, some just don't care (me), and some have to be talked in to going, but when you half listen to what most of the speakers are saying while whispering to the friends that you have only recently met (although you feel like you have known them for years). A stupid little voice pops up and says hey look your right here, right now, doing this thing that you have talked about doing almost your whole life, and that is when everyone starts smiling uncontrollable and stops listing to the speakers altogether (Sorry Speakers but i feel like you understand) it is this moment that I notice almost all the professors we have had so far sitting in the audience (which is a crazy thing to do when they 1. have only known our class for two and a half weeks, 2. could be sleeping in on there day off. and 3. have spent the last two and a half weeks with us! Non the less I really appreciate them coming out, now by this time my classmates are getting called up and the one that was not going to come is the first to be coated, and then we all watch and clap and cheer for our new friends (AKA Classmates) and then it's my turn and now I have a white coat on, and everyone is clapping and cheering for me just for a second, before I find myself sitting down again and clapping and cheering for everyone else again, then just like that it's over and almost everyone is going to the beach (not me I watched the Rolex24[Auto Race]).
Other stuff happened this week as well, like I got over whatever sickness is floating around the school, however that did lead to me having trouble falling asleep (because I was no longer drugged up at night) and the lack of sleep really effected my concentration in class which has lead to me having to study a bit more this week to keep up, but I am back in the sleeping grove and expect next week to go better.
Finale let me tell you all about Imposter syndrome (I know this is a long post but this is good info)
so like the name implies this is some mental thing where you can not internalize accomplishments, things like awards, grades, and praise (often attributing these things to luck). Also most people with Imposter syndrome have a very irrationally fear of letting people down, for the fear that if you don't over achieve and meet the high standards that you perceive people have. They will see you for the fraud that you are . I don't really know when I started feeling like I feel like it's gradual as your self doubt creeps in more and more, then one day you are always stressed about letting people down, but you also feel like you are not talented enough or smart enough so you procrastinate on everything and then you ether do well and attribute it to luck or you do poorly and now you've porven that your a imposter. ether way you lose and it can get very bad trust me I have been doing this for over a dacade, and I would still be doing it if not for SGU and the Proffesers here, who talked to us about imposter sysdrome. Thanks to that I have been able to put a name to that vocie of doubt, and starting to be happy with the work that I do. (to my Mom and Dad who I didnt tell about this before hand, Sorry the skype keept cutting in and out and there was a race on,) and to everyone Don't worry I am doing fine, I have tons of support.
Finle if you feel this why talk to someone even if it's your friends dog and understand three super important things, You did all that great stuff that you dont belive you did, you are not speacl no one is, and YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW!
(Click here for more info on Imposter syndrome)
(Click here to take the Imposter syndrome test we all took) I scored a 76
see you next week, and in till then be happy I am.☺

Frist week of class or PAWS it's an Acronym

Well week one is in the books now and everything went way better then I honestly thought it would, and I think part of that is because of how SGU's SVM starts the week off. PAWS which stands for something but all I can remember about it is that the WS are part of the same word? anyway it's a great program with upperclassmen helping us term 1's to really understand what we are doing here they split us up in to random groups (group 7 is the best!) and we spent most of the day playing team building games (thanks 4-H and both camps I worked for, because i know all the secrets) and then we would have discussions about different things, like what made us want to be vets, what our strengths and weaknesses are, and who our role models are (there where also less loaded questions like whats your hobby? mine is racing cars and I am still trying to figure out how to get a car here). It was a really good program and it made us all get to know everyone in the class a bit better.
But moving on this is the 40th anniversary so to mark this ruby jubilee the school held a parade and concert I watched for a bit but it was hot and I had to get ready for the true start of class. (also the whole university closed at noon for the party)
So on to the classes to start my time at vet school I had Anatomy Lab, (See class schedule below just know that labs are in the morning and lectures in the afternoon and I am in group B/B2 when relevant) which was good we got are cadaver dog and on the second day of lab we started the dissection of Adonis the intact male lab pit mix, anatomy lecture is pretty strait forward. All are lectures are held in one hall one after the other this week was mostly anatomy and histology, now histology lab this week was just getting to know a microscope (quick note the instructors here are the most friendly people who just want you to do well, and understand what it is you are doing, and they enplane everything so well, they will talk to you like you are a person and if you need help they will do whatever they can, sorry back to Histo lab) but the biggest part of lab is drawing what you see, so if you where thinking of taking that intro to drawing class go ahead confident that it is note just a blow off class. There was two other lectures this week Vet research which is new to the school we are only the second class to take it, and professionalism which is a series of lectures. That's about it, there is one very big epiphany that happened this week but I will leave it till next week. Till then try to Internalize your accomplishments, it's good for you trust me I am trying to be a doctor.  

Rabies and Friends or D does not equal degree!

Over the past few days I have been in orientation from 9am to 4pm which when i look at my class schedule doesn't seem that bad and the session are all pretty interesting, like the study skills fair today which was actually super useful with lots of good study info even if according to them you will fail everything if you don't follow there doable but only just study plan. I will try to keep up and stay on top of my work and studying, since yesterday the vice dean of svm came and told us all the ways we could be dismissed one of which was to get three D in one term, and if you get one or two D's you have to be repeat those courses which would suck but hey no one has ever said that vet school is easy. regardless I plan on making A's, B's, and if I really struggle C's this is a hard thing to accomplish but it will be easier with friends by my side and since everyone is in the same boat friends are easy to find I have three people who are cool and we've been hanging out but I have probable talked to half of my classmates, and it just has a very team sport feel everyone wants everyone else to do well it's great. and finally I started my rabies vaccine series today it's no charge if you enroll in the university health insurance program which if you do the math means you pay for the shots but after that any health clinic visit is free and you cant beat free, and while I am on the subject of health if a student gets hurt enough or sick enough and the medical facilities on the Island wont be sufficient then that student will be air evacuated to FL for care and then when you are deemed well enough the air evac company at no extra charge will fly you home, if that's not peace of mind I don't know what is. I will talk to you all later Probable next Saturday (p.s. sorry no Pictures this time)  

Roommates and Tacos, Or How the locals party!

So I met my roommate today and so far he seems cool he is from Korea but has been going to school in the US, I really don't know that much about him yet but I will update soon with more for now I will say that he reads his bible and that's enough for right now.
In other news I have picked up my white coat which before I had it in my hand I thought it was just some coat but when I am wearing it, I feel uncontrolled happiness (which is weird right). Moving right along orientation starts tomorrow and I am not super excited but that's probable because I used to work orientations at Austin Peay State University (shout out Where My Governess At?) but at least there was a big food fair/party thing tonight so like every student got 30 fake dollars to buy food from local restaurants around the Island and pretty much all of them came out. From the food trucks, all the way to the 5 star (and michelin star) resorts. plus local music and dancing, now I would like you to stop and ask how meany grad schools throw party's for there incoming term 1 students where they get all the locals to come out (including the local beer brewery which served non alcoholic drinks) and meet all these dumb 20 somethings (where dumb because we came to an Island school, it's the best kind of dumb to be)  who they all know have no money to spend on expensive food. It just would never happen state side, and another thing I have met several people who are term 1 like me and everyone is super nice and ready to talk about whatever with you and if whatever goes well then maybe they will be your new friends and friends are nice to have because they let you borrow there can opener ;) and that is true friend ship. To wrap up the food was all really good, the live music and dancing was great and they got everyone involved in the dancing I went for it on the limbo but fell high (sorry) all in all it was a great time and I had tons of fun plus the sun set was classic postcard, so I will live it there and get back to you soon with more about my adventures and pit falls till then party like your on Grenada!

Campus, Dorms, Books, and Classes sizes oh my?. Or at least I can walk up the stairs with my books.

So currently I feel like I'm keeping a good pace on this blog but as soon as classes start I will have to figure a schedule out for making these posts weekly or biweekly we will see how it goes.
Anyway lets talk about campus some seeing as I have now taken the tour I can say that without even a flicker of doubt that this school has the best views of any vet school you care to name. also I am beginning to figure out that the med school side of things is much larger then the vet school, (SOM avg class 300+, from what I've been told. SVM avg class 110, my class rosters actually say 109 but hay close enough). Moving right along the dorms are nice nothing amazing (see photos), I am staying in St, Andrews (all of the dorms are named after parishes or saints) and while it is one of the newer dorms so it does have 110 volt outlets, it feels kinda rundown but then again when you are this close to the water things age fast. the hall ways don't have AC but the rooms all do. Sleeping at night is hard to do the first night as there is some type of bird that makes a high pitched almost beeping sound but I am already getting used to it, the thing that I think will take longer to get used to, is that the airport runway is partly behind the school and even though I am in one of the furthest dorms away form the airport you still fell like the jets are landing on you every time. the smaller planes don't really have the same impact but you can still here them non the less. And finely Ive got my books a dissection kit and a very nice stethoscope (see picture below), vet students have it easy all are books and notes and stuff would fit in a backpack but the med students where all using there large luggage to carry there books. I think that's about it for now but I will update you as I get closer to the start of class and figure more stuff out.

     

Day 1, Or Just how close can you drive to the car in front of you.

Today was my first day waking up on the island. (Now there was a lot of work and stress leading up to this day but will cover this on a slow day), anyway very few things happened this day but I did get my student I.D. card and figure out a little of the schools bus system, well at lest enough to get to IGA which is the local grocery where I was able to get some food and drinks, Fresh fruit is the frozen food of the island. meaning its what is cheep and available. After the harrowing bus ride to IGA and back to campus, (I've been only been out on the roads three times so far and I really fill like people are trying to see just how close they can get! and by the way some of the cars look some times they get to close) I was able to walk around campus and take a few pictures. after which I came back to my room and took a bit of a nap. Now here I am writing a Blog about ready to get some work done and go to bed, I will leave you with the photos I took and I'll be back with an update soon.