Traveling with Med Students 101

I learned some very valuable lessons over Spring Break. Twenty of us rented out an awesome house in Florida and pretty much forgot we are even in med school for an entire week. It was OUTSTANDING.  I’ve never gone on a trip with a lot of friends before and was nervous about negotiating group dynamics and not having any personal time/space. But honestly, this group couldn’t have been picked better if there had been freaking auditions, because it was just a perfect combo of personalities and energies. (Can you guys tell I’m going through withdrawal here??) So, here’s what I learned about how to go on vaca with a bunch of brilliant, effervescent med students:

1. Wake up early every morning, regardless of how late you were partying the night before, and either go for a run or do Crossfit. (Bonus points if you do pull-ups on the dock.)

2. Wear tiny bathing suits, because everyone in your group is going to look bomb and like a super-athlete, so you have to make sure you fit in. (Bonus points if you’re a guy in a rainbow Speedo.)

3. Catch a beach sunset. Take cheesy pictures, then stop in time to watch the sky glow.  (Bonus points if there is a pirate ship sailing across the horizon at the exact instant that the sun disappears… where’s Johnny Depp when you need him?)

4. Don’t read anything for school. Instead, have your classmates read out loud from Cosmo and “think aloud” from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. (Bonus points if you can keep a straight face during any of these read-alouds.)

5. Play the drinking game Horserace. No further elaboration allowed on this one. (Bonus points if you can create a unique, absurd, yet appropriate cheer and hand motion to go along with the suit you’re betting on. Cluuuuubs!)

6. Have at least one member of your group act out a scene from a movie. We chose one from Slumdog Millionaire… (Bonus points if you get to be the one to hose off the smelly victim after the drama.)

 

7. Have at least one member of your group willingly become the poolboy. (Bonus points if the actual poolboy stops by one day and teaches him all about how to properly clean the pool.)

8. Film a three-minute tutorial on how to test the cranial nerves using one single cob of corn. (Bonus points if your “standardized patient” can accurately follow the corn with her eyes, feel the husk on her face, push against the corn with her cheek, and lick the corn.)

9. Wear an absurd amount of sunscreen and constantly check that all of your friends are also wearing absurd amounts of sunscreen. (Bonus points if you can find the one guy who always seems to have white smears of sunscreen left on his face and rub them in for him.)

10. Make a ridiculous collection of personal jokes that you will refer to constantly for the rest of the year until the rest of your classmates who weren’t on the trip hate you. (Bonus points if you keep saying them long after they should have stopped being funny. #blessed)

Absolutely wonderful trip. Thank you all for being amazing and helping me rejuvenate before our next monster sequence begins. In my mind, I am doing this to all of you:

Getting Closer to the Sun

Seriously, it’s the end of March. This winter NEEDS to end, but on my walk to the bus yesterday morning I was accosted by these big fat snowflakes, once again. I’m starting to get offended. On the bright side, I’ll be in Florida in just a few short days with a group of 20 of my favorite classmates. So, Midwest, bring on the next polar vortex- because I won’t be around to hate you for it!

My fantasies for spring break include… a perfect tan on the first day, excessive amounts of tennis and long runs in the sunshine, a euchre tournament or two, watching my main men move onto the Elite 8 and Final Four, perhaps indulging in a drink or two. Not studying. At all. Enjoying excellent company. I think we have all definitely earned this trip and I can’t WAIT to head down toward the sunshine this weekend.

The horrible weather has definitely taken a bit of a toll on me over the past few months. Or maybe it’s all those extracurriculars…. I have participated in some really fun events this winter – a big dance show at the end of January, a massive med school musical in the beginning of March (which I am still recovering from…. I miss you, cast!) and an a cappella concert the weekend after that. Life has involved just as much rehearsing as it has  studying, which is kind of fantastic, but then normal things kind of fall out to the periphery and I feel like I’m floundering around a lot. Since January we have somehow already completed GI, Repro/Endocrine, Immunology, and Central Nervous System. That’s an immense amount of information to pack into our brains in just a few short months. On the bright side, this week (clinical skills,  babyyyyy) and the upcoming break give me the chance to rest and become a real person again. Thank goodness… When we come back from break, we will be facing Infectious Disease, which is supposed to be an extremely time-intensive sequence. I’m really looking forward to it, though. The material and professors are supposed to be great (even though I am slightly nervous due to my recent stage role as the ID sequence director in the vulgar and satirical school musical… she doesn’t seem to be holding a grudge yet, though! 🙂 ) Plus, I have some new studying strategies I’d like to put in place for this beast, and I’m hoping to get back on a Friday quizzing schedule. Dreaming big here!

Any way, boring entry, but I figured a general life update was in order after my month-long absence. A few more tidbits for the moment…

Song of the Moment: Firelight – Young the Giant

Next Book to Read: The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt

All I Want to Do Every Day: Rewatch the entire Game of Thrones series, in anticipation of the next season.

Most Shameless Move of the Week: Wearing my white coat around to lecture all week because it’s freezing in our school and I keep forgetting to bring a sweater.

How I Feel Most Days:

And, most importantly…. HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS (tomorrow) to my not-so-wee little brother and my soon-to-be new sister!