Just submitted my EcoLife Excursion application for April 2014…Hello Africa!!

I forgot to mention in my last blog that I submitted my EcoLife Excursion application this morning which means I AM GOING TO AFRICA!!! Here is a link to the website if you want to read more about it.

http://www.ecolife.co.za/vets.html

I am now accepting donations to fund this trip!!

Mid Semester Break AKA Half Way Done

Well, I have made it half way through my first semester of vet school!!  After 7 weeks of intense schooling, Ross students get a mid-semester break which consists of having a 3 day weekend (we have Monday off).  It is not much but I will take it!! 

It was beautiful ALL weekend even though our tropical storm only happened a few days ago.  This week was nothing out of the ordinary, class, study, sleep repeat.  I did find out I got a high B on my Microscopic Anatomy exam which I am VERY proud of.  I was not comfortable with the material; it seemed like a lot of memorizing rather than understanding the information.  Also having a thunder storm go on DURING you test so you couldn’t even hear yourself think did not help!! But I will take my B and run!!  So halfway through with nothing lower than a B, I will take that!!

Friday night we planned on going out to dinner and heading out for a night of fun. Well, our dinner was AMAZING.  I need to look up the name of the place but I will DEFINTELY go back.  I had an amazing guva margarita and Rachel and I shared our lobster and steak to create our own surf and turf.  The lobster was probably the best I have had on the island and the steak was really good too.  Then came our dessert course strawberry cheecake, homemade chocolate and banana ice cream, and this AMAZING kiwi and mango frozen custard and vanilla bean dish.  It was all SOOO good.  We all ate too much so instead of having a night out we all came back to my room and passed out…who knew a full bed was enough for 3 girls to fall fast asleep on.

Saturday we were good students and worked on our animal palpation (we have a test Tuesday) and spent a good amount of time in the anatomy lab.  We had Bombay deliver dinner and sat out on the patio eating and enjoying the night.  I am SOOO lucky to have met 3 AMAZING friends down here.

Sunday we went to the Marriott brunch since we couldn’t make it last Sunday because of the storm.  The food was amazing like last time but our server was a little rude.  Oh well, we will still be back.  It is a little taste of home food that I miss.  We then spent the afternoon hanging out at the Marriott beach to work on our tans and study a little. We then headed to another beach to meet up with some other Ross students.  This beach was AMAZING and very private.  Most beaches have restaurants and bars right by so there is a lot of people around.  This beach had its own cove and very quiet and peaceful.  It was all sand so you didn’t have to wear shoes or worry about stepping on sea urchins.  You have to bring all your food, coolers, etc but I definitely want to go back.  We stayed there until sunset and then headed back to the dorms.  Where we all passed out!!

Today, Monday, will be spend studying all day.  We have a palpation test tomorrow and then another anatomy test Friday.  I made a lot of silly mistakes by overthinking questions on the first exam causing me to get a B+ so I am aiming for an A this time.

As I said before, I was on dog walking duty last week.  This consists of being assigned to one to two dogs that you walk twice a day for 30 minutes.  The dogs are kept for a maximum of 2 years and used for a variety of classes here on campus.  I was assigned to Eddie and Sheba who were both VERY good girls.  I was VERY surprised on how well behave the dogs are (better than LOTS I know).  The only downfall of walking duty was trying to plan your day around walking.  In the morning you had to walk them between 6:00 am and 7:30 am.  We start class at 8 so I wanted to be done walking so I had time to go back and shower (you get VERY sweaty walking around here).  Then at night you had to walk between 4:30 and 6:00 pm, which meant I had to be done walking so I had time to shower and go out to dinner.  I didn’t sleep well the entire week cause I felt I was going to over sleep and not get my dogs walked.  But I did my week duty and happy I am done.  I might still have to go over to the kennels some nights and give my 2 girls some extra love!!

Well, I need to get back to studying (even though it is SOO beautiful outside).  Happy Monday!!

Tropical Storm Rafael

 

Wow, what a crazy past few days with my first tropical storm EVER!! But first let me wish all my Alpha Chi Omega Sisters a HAPPY Founders day!!! But back to the storm...

 We knew Thursday night that there was tropical storm headed or way and would probably hit us sometime Friday.  Well, as soon as class let out Friday afternoon and we were halfway back to the dorms, the wind started and there was a down pour that did not stop ALL weekend.  We all know what happens when there is this much rain, flooding, leaks, etc but it is 10 times worse when you r NOT in the United States.  Luckily, I live in the dorms for my first semester and it is probably one of the safest places you can be.  The dorms are hurricane proof but we also have backup generators for when the power goes out.  Friday night was fun to stare out the windows and watch the storm as it passed by but on Saturday a few problems did occur.  MANY of the dorms started to leak causing floods…please look at out “study room.” We compared our ceiling leakage size to those of a mature oocyte.  Saturday evening the power also went out but the generator did not kick in (I think it was tired) so I had my first REAL power outage with no air, internet, light, etc.  I know realize what items I need to purchase in case this happens again (hopefully NOT soon).  My trusty battery operated lantern worked awesome in my time of need but I need a fan I can use to circulate some air (since we can’t open the windows).  Sunday I think we were all undergoing some cabin fever.  Oh, I guess I should mention we were all stuck inside STUDYING since we had a micro exam Monday.   In addition to studying and surviving the storm, it is also my week to dog walk.   Each first semester is assigned a week where they have one or two kennel dogs they walk twice a day for 30 minutes.  Well, my week happened to start in the middle of a tropical storm.  So Sunday I trucked to the kennels (probably a ¼ of a mile) to walk my dog….ok I lied I drove the ¼ mile so I wouldn’t be stuck in the rain walking back (work smarter…not harder).  So now its Monday and we go to our class at 8am in the  rain and then have out exam at 10.  During our exam it was raining cats and dogs and it was VERY hard to concentrate with thunder every 30 seconds.  I finish the exam and decide to stay on campus until our next class at 1:00 so I don’t have to walk through the storm twice.  Well, the entire student body gets a text around 12:00 saying that campus is closed and all classes and activates have been cancelled.  YAHOO…afternoon off!! So I faced the storm headed back to the dorms and met up with Rachel, Taylor and Brittany to watch the Ugly Truth and have a much needed day off!!  Even though campus was closed I still walking dog duties.  But I am proud to say I successively survived my first tropical storm but rumor has it a hurricane might be headed our way…

No they did not wax the floors...that is water

 

On a random note, I got my nutrition test back (the one I was REALLY worried about) and I pulled off a B which I am quite proud of!! The micro exam I took today I am now nervous about, the test was not what I expected and I could NOT concentrate or hear myself think during a thunderstorm…but I guess that is what you get when you go to Ross.


Dog Walking Outfit

I will post another day about my 2 dogs that I am walk and results of my micro exam.  Off to go watch some more rain!!

Damage Downtown

Red Sky...the sunset when your in the middle of a storm

Studying style of a Ross Student

 

First Round Of Exams...DONE

Well, I survived my first Reich exam.  Current and future vet students of Ross understand this statement.  It is not like the nutrition information is difficult and Dr. Reich is a master of the English language.  His tests are VERY tricky which causes a lot of people to not do well. I will be holding my breath until I get my exam grade. To celebrate, we went to CIAO for AMAZING Italian food and some tiramisu.  This test also marks the end of the first set of exams for all of our classes. But since there is no rest at vet school, must start studying for my next exam which is Monday in microscopic anatomy. 

Until my next blog I will leave you with this…I found it on one of my classmate’s Facebook and I think it applies to MANY in the vet field.  ENJOY!!  

I AM an anesthesiologist, an x-ray technician, a maid, a janitor, a surgery assistant, a loving hand, a pharmacist, a teacher, a mortician, a coroner, a shoulder to cry on, a friend to cry with, a sucker for a furry face, a face to lick, a midwife, a delivery nurse, a dental hygienist, a vet's best friend, a pet's best friend, a babysitter, a physical therapist, a mother, a father, a playmate, a chew toy, a protector...

I CAN make the pain go away, save a life, see what's wrong, clean anything, ease a mind, fill a drug order, show the right way, end suffering, give kisses, get kisses, clean teeth and bring someone to do the right thing...

I HAVE a strong stomach, endured countless scars, scratches, and bites, cried with a stranger, cried into the fur of too many lifeless bodies, a big heart, a thoughtful mind, the strength to do the right thing even when it hurts, the ability to fall in love in 5 seconds, and the deepest love for all creatures.

I AM A VET TECH!

1/3 of the way there!!

Blood Sweat and MORE Sweat

 

Hey all-

Well, I am officially 1/3 of the way done with Vet school and I am still loving it!!  I think I have figured out my balance between work and study.  And for those that don’t think we study here.   YES WE DO!!  We study hard and play hard (we just don’t post pictures of us studying).

As you know I had an exam on Wednesday in Physiology which went AWSOME…another A.  So that brings me up to 2 A’s and one high B in my 3 exams.  I will take that! We have another exam this Wednesday in Nutrition.  The material isn’t hard but this exam won’t be easy because of the teacher.  The professor use to write questions for the GRE so he is VERY good at tricking you with the wrong answer.  I will be studying my butt off for this.

Tonight I took part in the Red Semester fundraiser which was a powder-puff football tournament.  When I first signed up I thought the teams would be by semester but it wasn’t.  I was placed on a team with people I had never met and they were all in upper semesters.  Talk about being out of your confront zone.  But these teammates were amazing and we played AWSOME.  We came in 2^nd but we all hustled and communicated and they didn’t pick on the poor first semester!! 

I have to admit I had A LOT of fun playing and sure reminded me of my days when I played AXO flag football.  We ran plays tonight like we ran undergrad like Touchdown Skorni and Bubble Chie…of course we didn’t call them that but I thought it in my head.  I prefer playing in southern California though…this humidity here is KILLING me!!

Events like this make me think about home and make me miss it but I am having a blast here!! No time to be home sick!!  I just keep on making memories.

Tomorrow we are going to the Marriot to eat at the breakfast buffet.  I have not had a “real” breakfast since I got here so I am ready to stuff my face with some pancakes, waffles, eggs, omelets, and BACON!! After the food coma passes I will get back to nutrition!!

Have a great week and good luck to my classmates on their exams…we are in this together!! PS….I am going to be SOAR tomorrow!!

Exam #3

Well, exam #3 is over and I think it went VERY well.  My studying habits are totally different down here then when they were in undergrad. In vet school you are ALWAYS studying!!! In undergrad I could just study the day or two before the exam and be fine…NOT here.  The nice thing here is EVERYONE else is studying so you study too!! 

No big changes down here!! I MUST clean my room though.  I can’t believe how fast my room gets dirty when I have an exam!!  Off to clean it up then heading to Sprat Neck for dinner