Week One

So I have officially been in school for one week, and I want to record how I'm feeling so I can look back in two years and see where I've come from. First, I feel like they have really eased us into things, only 2 of my 5 classes started the first week (granted they are 2 of the toughest 3). So I feel like I've been able to redevelop some study habits without falling behind d/t the strenuous schedule. On the other hand, I feel like they could have made the first week much easier if they had better prepared us over the summer for the housekeeping tasks. They did not give us a very clear picture of what to expect, or a very clear book list, or a list of all the things that would need to be done during the first week of school.

I started my Anatomy class and my anesthesia class this week. Anatomy is already intense, I have class for 1.5 hours 3 days a week and cadaver lab 2 hours 3 days a week, plus the hours spent outside class relistening to lecture and memorizing the ridiculous quantity of stuctures in the human body. But I feel pretty sure there is no better way to learn anatomy than to have cadaver lab and a real human skeleton at home to study with, so I feel extremely grateful for this. Then in my anesthesia class we had intubation lab on day 1, so that's pretty exciting to actually get to start practicing technical skills so early. So school has been great thus far, but ask me again next week after we pile on Biochem, research, and health policy...

The other big challenge for me this week was figuring out the public transportation and what combination works best to get me to and from campus. Fortunately the school shuttle (GUTS) bus has an Arlington loop that picks up a block from my apt, and is a 3 minute walk. From this stop to school is 8-10 minutes, and then another 8-10 minute walk up a HUGE hill to St Mary's (the nursing building). So best case scenario it takes 19 minutes to get to school, not bad.

It's been a really satisfying week for me in school, but at home it was a little sad. My mom left on wednesday after being here with me for 3 weeks, so I spent my first night truly by myself wednesday night. I miss having someone around, but I sure have a lot of time to study (or blog...should be studying). The good thing is that I am finally starting to get into a grove, but did I mention how insanely sore I am from walking all over the place up and down hills? I have been walking somewhere between 1-3 miles a day, depending on the situation, and there are no flat areas...I look at it as a good way to get my heart pumping and to get exercise while accomplishing a goal.

Now, I am awaiting Richard's arrival. He was supposed to get here around 5 o'clock, but his flight was cancelled and he did not leave Dallas until 6 o'clock. He is due to arrive at 10pm, so now I'm heading off to the airport! I am so excited!