icebrrrg.com

Goodbye Thursday, hello Friday morning … and hello three more days until medical school starts. And while I typically/flippantly answer one of three ways* when people ask me if I’m nervous, or excited, it is actually something I’ve given some thought to. To which I’ve given some thought, dangling prepositions aside. The Impending Life Change.

I peeked at the class list for the upcoming term, and SUNY Downstate will be keeping us busy. Starting from genes to cells, moving up to organ systems, delving into A&P, the usual suspects. I have a feeling my brain will be a bit sore from the stuffing it’s about to receive, but I am looking forward to it. During my post-bacc at Hunter, I was working full-time for the former employer, taking classes and labs at night, volunteering at PSVAC and taking the occasional EMS shift at Lutheran. These days I’ll be able to focus, erm, 100% on school. And another few percentage points for nights and weekends at Lutheran, but hey, I can study on the bus, right?!?

So scared, no, nervous, no, I’m pretty invincible. It’s nice to be invincible again, beats being invisible. Concerned about taking out the equivalent of my entire mortgage again in loans, and frustrated about hoop-jumping for paperwork related to getting in the doors of Higher Learning, but everything’s manageable. Excited, too, about taking the next big step on my new career/life path. Heck, it’s even got me blogging again. I also find comfort in various furry and unfurred noodles who seem to believe in me and abilities mine.

Expect more updates soon. This coming week is orientation, and on 24 August … the floodgates of knowledge open to me!

* Friends, family, strangers on the bus, when they find out they ask me: “Medical school? Are you scared? Are you excited? Are you ready?” My top three responses, then, are:

• “Eep.”
• “Nah.”
• Actually, it’s only the two. I’ll have to think of a third. I’ve pretty much just been focusing on enjoying my Last Summer of Freedom and Working to Save Money, and haven’t focused too much on teh quipzes.

The DC trip was a rousing success. Michela and I drove down Thursday afternoon through hardly any traffic, and had a fun chill evening with Josh, who played way too many Paramore videos for us. Then it was up early, drop the MCATeer off at the med library, and sit in a wee glass room and wait for the interview fun to begin. The tour was a joke — I’m spoiled as I spent many years on campus — but the people we met, particularly Donna Sullivan, were fantastic. I got a great picture of what medical school at GU would be like. Plus, the interview was laid back and fun, and the weater was gorgeous. It was so nice to be back in Georgetown …

After that, it was a big ol’ BBQ dinner in Arlington with the Spenners, the Tants, the Stroineys, the Palmas, a Bueno, a Newman, a Canary, a Shnek and a Williams, and a Tom and some Rob and Marissa. Poor Michela, stuffed into a back room with 17 years of my history. She did well, though Mindi had cougar claws on for some reason.

Some more quality time with Josh, and then it was up early for a nice walking tour of the Mall. Michela had never been to DC, so the proper thing was to play host. Of course, there are so many new things there (the WWII memorial, the Korean War memorial) that I was quite excited as well. The pics are pretty good. Then, a traffic-free scoot back up to NYC and Bob’s your uncle, back home.

Now that you’ve heard about it, go check out the pictures!

And then, on Monday, I got to meet the foster kittens. Four of the sweetest wee things on the planet. And I get to visit and rile them up and then leave so they keep their foster mommy up all night. Sweet! I only wish they’d stay kittens for longer …