4 Weeks done...11 more to go

20 days since the last blog ...I am getting better at updating this thing!!

We just finished our 4^th week of 6^th semester and I am already exhausted!! If I am this tired in 6^th, I can only image how 7^th semester and clinics will be!!

Due to all the rain in the first week, we had to finish up kickball and football this week in the 2^nd week as well as Mr. Ross round 2. Pink ended up winning kickball and coming in 2^nd overall.  Mr. Ross was a lot of fun and not 1 drop of rain.  We didn’t place but as always it was a very fun event.

Working Mr. Ross...Loved all the pink bow-ties

 Now that all the “fun and games” are done it was time to get back into study mode and tackling the semester. The main thing that makes people dread 6^th semester is “Blocks.”  Instead of having each test separate, on a different day/week, for each of your classes, in 6^th all 3 classes have their test on the same day in the same hour and half time.  It is 20 questions per subject and you can go in whatever order you want.  Lets just say after my first experience I am NOT a fan of studying or taking them. There are just a lot of little nitty gritty details to memorize for each class (Small animal medicine, large animal medicine, and Small animal surgery).  Test grades turned out pretty good (kept my goal of nothing below a B) but I am already dreading the next set which are in 9 days.

I also completed my large animal isolation protocol video which is required in 6^th.  Pretty much you have to film yourself following proper isolation protocols for treating a horse/cow/etc.  This includes putting on double set of gloves properly, disposable coveralls, boot covers and then taking them off.  You don’t realize how hard it is to stand on 1 foot when you are super nervous.  I also completed writing discharge instructions for a cat with ring worm.  It was nice not only applying the medical aspect of veterinarian medicine but also the practicality if it.  There are a few different ways you can treat a cat but then you also have to think what will the owner be able to do.  Is it easier to give it a pill once a day or ask the owner to bathe it twice a week, change its food to accommodate a new medication, etc.  I guess it is up to the owner

There is a lot of random projects/written assignments you have to do in 6^th, my advice to future students....Get them done as soon as possible so you don’t have to worry about them later while you are trying to get ready for finals/another set of blocks/etc.

Besides studying I was able to go to the Marriot and bet on the Preakness with Brittany. It is great having a roommate that knows 1) so much about horses 2) so much about horse racing.  It is very interesting comparing everything that happens in “their world” to “my” dog show world…minus the betting part.  Even though I picked California Chrome to win…the payout sucked!! It wouldn’t have even bought me a #1 at In n Out.

Talking about In N Out..this is what happens when you call home

Friday Brittany, Haley and myself went out to dinner to celebrate the end of the first blocks but first we went up to Timothy Hill to take some fun photos.  When else are we all going to be dressed up again??

These coming 2 weeks are going to be busy.  I have my aseptic exam this Thursday.  On this exam I must show I know how to wash, gown, glove, drape/clamp a patient, and accept a scalpel blade, saline and suture without “breaking” and contaminating my patient. I keep having nightmares of accepting the scalpel blade and shaking so bad when I go to put it on the holder that I cut my hand off.  LOTS of practicing will go on before Thursday!! And after Thursday we have our second round of blocks Monday.

Let the “fun” continue!!

Ready Set Go...6th Semester

Yes again another month with out a post…where does time go?

5^th semesters finals were like all the others…not enough sleep, too many power points, and not enough time.  I never remember being “that tired” that early in the final week.  After some tests I wanted to cry and after some I wanted to laugh but they are DONE and I passed and made the President's list with my GPA!!

End of the finals meant family coming to the island and the CRUISE. My mom and sister came down Monday at finals but stayed at the Marriot so I could study.  My dad flew down Thursday once finals were finished.  I was able to play tour guide with my family and take them to all of the “hot spots” on the island.  We got to go Shipwreck, Reggae, Lobster fest, Rock lobster, Ritual Sushi, horseback riding through the rainforest, night watch for sea turtles, brimstone and so much more. I hope my family enjoyed the island just as much as I do (when I am not studying) 

Cruise time...that was our boat

We left Sunday morning early to go to Puerto Rico to get on our 7-day Caribbean cruise and this is where the fun began.  We flew seaborne  there since we did not want to use LIAT (with their awful reputation).  Well seaborne lost out luggage too (I swear it is the Saint Kitts airport that can not put the luggage on the right plane).  We literally arrived to our cruise with what was in our carry ons…NOT a fun way to start the cruise.  Through our trip insurance we did have $500 a person for delay of luggage but the problem was it was Easter Sunday we left and NO stores were open.  We were able to pick up some essentials at a Walgreens but I was just hoping the bags would come soon!!

Some of our clothing options at Walgreens for the Cruise

Contents of my carry on...2 dresses, 1 bathing suit 1 bra and panty and a pair a flip flop

After many phone calls, etc we were able to get our luggage in Saint Thomas after being gone for 48 hours (thank goodness we got it before formal night or we wouldn’t have been going in robes).  

At Senior Frogs in Saint Thomas...we didn't know if we had luggage yet or not so we made friends at the bar and the waitress "balloon tied" us together...at least they had luggage

  Each island was amazing and had their own special personality.  We visited Saint Thomas, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Saint Martin.  Saint Martin is still my favorite of them.  I will have to do a separate post about all the islands and the fund stuff we did at them.

Having fun in Puerto Rico

After the cruise my sister and dad flew home from Puerto Rico.  It was hard saying goodbye to them as I won’t see them until December but I know the time will fly by.  My mom and I stayed a few extra days in Puerto Rico so I could do some “American Shopping.”  I certainly loved their Plaza De Americana and found tons of things I needed (or wanted).  I have to admit I was very naive about how developed Puerto Rico was after living on an island that is a developing country.  They had Wal-Mart, tons of American chain foods like McDonalds, Cheesecake factory, Olive Garden, etc, Petco, TJ Max, Marshalls.  One thing that was not fun was trying to drive around that place though.  My mom and I have gone on many adventures from showing dogs and have driven in many different cities, states, countries, etc but have never been so LOST as in Puerto Rico. My mom and I left Puerto Rico on Wednesday to come enjoy a few days in Saint Kitts before the semester started.  Seaborne did NOT lose our luggage this time (thanks goodness).

Playing tourist on Saint Kitts with Kitts

 Sara (one of my very good friends/roommate/sorority sister) came in Saturday to enjoy the island for a week as well.  I got to be student by morning and tourist by night which was amazing but very tiring.  I hope she had a fun time seeing “my home.”  I know Kitts will miss snuggling with her on the air mattress.

Sara and I LITB <3

My mom left the Wednesday after school started and even more tears were shed.  Don’t worry you will see me in less then 250 days (unless you want to meet me in Arica)

Monday we started school.  My classes this semester are Small Animal Medicine 2, Large Animal Medicine 1, Small Animal Surgery and Veterinarian Professional Foundation 2 as well as taking The Rossie (a “spay” done on a sweatshirt module).

Classes already seem challenging and I MUST stay on top of them.  6^th semester has block exams which means all your midterms are the same day in a hour and half time.  It is like studying for finals 4 times.  I am NOT looking forward to it.

Mr. Ross was also Saturday which TONS of my classmates put tons of work into it since our semester was the hosts.  I had signed up to bartend to help out (putting my Lucilles days as a cocktail waitress back to use).  Well the weather did NOT cooperate and after down pour after down pour, the event wad cancelled.  We are hoping to redo the event so we can crown our Mr. Ross…but I guess we shall wait and see.

Week 2 starts tomorrow and I already feel so far behind.  I will try to update this more (I feel like I say this every post too).  Until then…let the countdown to Africa begin!!