So I ended my second week of medical school by completely slacking off over the weekend.
What ended up happening was a long week of late nights and sleep deprivation, as I tried to catch up with the material I should have covered when I was busy playing StarCraft or generally having fun.
I ended up having a lot of trouble keeping up with the lectures since I was tired, and that just meant having to go over that material later that night. That of course led to even less sleep, and so on and so forth. FML. Lesson learned, medical school, lesson freakin learned.
So here I am on Sunday night, and I smartened up a bit and hit the books hard this past weekend. I mailed in Thursday night since I was exhausted, but followed it up with a good 10 hours of studying on Friday, and probably around 6 on Saturday. Today I worked for around 8.
In other words, I spent a full day of my three day weekend on just studying.
A few encouraging things have come up, though. While I am pretty anxious about the coming exam block on Friday, I am not having too much difficulty sticking to studying for long stretches as long as I get a good meal in me beforehand. I've also started jumping rope after every section I finish to keep my blood flowing (something I picked up from Di). The material is getting to be more complex, but between my own studies and bouncing ideas off my fellow students, it is manageable so far.
I worry quite a bit about my friends from back home. When I first left, I couldn't imagine not keeping in touch constantly. That hasn't really worked out very well so far, and I'm not sure if it will. I guess I have to hope (or trust) that those relationships will still be there for me when I do have the time to visit.
I'm definitely getting to know my classmates a lot more, and have made some definite friends. Di, Josh, Samantha, Brandon, Nate, Nicole and Ashley are probably the ones I've talked to the most at this point, and they are all awesome.
Yumi is bored out of her mind, and I feel bad because I imagined a lot of exercise and socializing for her when I brought her here with me. She spent most of this past week holed up in her pet carrier while I was at school studying. I let her wander the house when I get home, but usually I'm only here to wash up and sleep. She always sleeps near me, and usually tries to find some sort of padding (e.g. my scrubs) to lie on.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Week 1 and 2
After getting settled into my new home (and picking up a nasty cold in the process), I got through my first week of Medical School here at PNWU.
So far, we've had one OMM quiz, which was on material given to us over the summer. I got a 76%, which was surprising because I felt like I didn't miss anything.. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come. Either way, it's just a quiz and I'm still happy because I passed.
The only other "graded" material we've had are a trio of post-tests for Community Doctoring. These are designed to be fairly easy, I think, because we are given the tests in an ungraded form prior to lecture. Retaking them in-class wasn't so bad, and I managed high marks (100%, 90%, 100%).
So all in all, I'm passing and I'm happy.
That said, I am beginning to understand what people say about medical school being tough. It's not that the material is terribly complex or confusing (though epidemiology boggles me right now), but rather that there is just a LOT of material. I was never a spectacular student in undergrad due to my lack of discipline for studying, but at the same time I've never run out of time trying to read. It's a little scary to think that I've been overwhelmed in week one, and hopefully I'll be able to adjust my study strategy accordingly.
The basic sciences are what intimidate me the most, as I had terrible grades in both microbiology and cell biology in undergrad. To exacerbate matters, my base knowledge has been buried in the past three years of working/partying/playing, so I'm more or less starting from scratch.
Anatomy lab was an interesting experience. I had the priviledge of dissecting my first cadaver, and while it was not nearly as straightforward as I imagined, I found it pretty enjoyable. I'm hoping that things will become more clear as we get further into the class.
OMM was a little confusing for me. I had difficulty figuring out whether or not I was feeling the right things, and feel that I'll need quite a bit of additional time in the OMM lab to get a better handle on it. The second-years I've talked to have said that it took them a while to figure it out too.
I've gotten to speak to most of the members of our class of 75 students at least once, and I haven't met one that I haven't liked. I'm sure I'll get to know them pretty well as the weeks go by, but if the first week (and orientation) is any indication, we're a pretty good group. I haven't seen the cut-throat competitiveness that I was worried about. Everyone seems willing to help each other out, which will only make all of our lives easier.
Next week the difficulty and volume for all the classes is going to be ramped up a little bit, so we'll see how that goes.
In non-school related news, I'm finally getting over the last bits of my cold and am going to start exercising again. The forum has a 90-day challenge that I'm probably going to participate in, and I'm going to try to replace StarCraft with exercise in my daily regimen, haha. There is a heavy bag at the local YMCA, and that's probably going to be my spot for free weights and whatnot.
Yumi seems to be adapting pretty well. Her noise hasn't been a problem, and she's been remarkably well behaved, being able to run around the house. Hoping to get her some more outside time to get socialized.
(The stuff I describe in this post actually relates to the second week of school. The first week was just orientation so I didn't go over it much)
So far, we've had one OMM quiz, which was on material given to us over the summer. I got a 76%, which was surprising because I felt like I didn't miss anything.. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come. Either way, it's just a quiz and I'm still happy because I passed.
The only other "graded" material we've had are a trio of post-tests for Community Doctoring. These are designed to be fairly easy, I think, because we are given the tests in an ungraded form prior to lecture. Retaking them in-class wasn't so bad, and I managed high marks (100%, 90%, 100%).
So all in all, I'm passing and I'm happy.
That said, I am beginning to understand what people say about medical school being tough. It's not that the material is terribly complex or confusing (though epidemiology boggles me right now), but rather that there is just a LOT of material. I was never a spectacular student in undergrad due to my lack of discipline for studying, but at the same time I've never run out of time trying to read. It's a little scary to think that I've been overwhelmed in week one, and hopefully I'll be able to adjust my study strategy accordingly.
The basic sciences are what intimidate me the most, as I had terrible grades in both microbiology and cell biology in undergrad. To exacerbate matters, my base knowledge has been buried in the past three years of working/partying/playing, so I'm more or less starting from scratch.
Anatomy lab was an interesting experience. I had the priviledge of dissecting my first cadaver, and while it was not nearly as straightforward as I imagined, I found it pretty enjoyable. I'm hoping that things will become more clear as we get further into the class.
OMM was a little confusing for me. I had difficulty figuring out whether or not I was feeling the right things, and feel that I'll need quite a bit of additional time in the OMM lab to get a better handle on it. The second-years I've talked to have said that it took them a while to figure it out too.
I've gotten to speak to most of the members of our class of 75 students at least once, and I haven't met one that I haven't liked. I'm sure I'll get to know them pretty well as the weeks go by, but if the first week (and orientation) is any indication, we're a pretty good group. I haven't seen the cut-throat competitiveness that I was worried about. Everyone seems willing to help each other out, which will only make all of our lives easier.
Next week the difficulty and volume for all the classes is going to be ramped up a little bit, so we'll see how that goes.
In non-school related news, I'm finally getting over the last bits of my cold and am going to start exercising again. The forum has a 90-day challenge that I'm probably going to participate in, and I'm going to try to replace StarCraft with exercise in my daily regimen, haha. There is a heavy bag at the local YMCA, and that's probably going to be my spot for free weights and whatnot.
Yumi seems to be adapting pretty well. Her noise hasn't been a problem, and she's been remarkably well behaved, being able to run around the house. Hoping to get her some more outside time to get socialized.
(The stuff I describe in this post actually relates to the second week of school. The first week was just orientation so I didn't go over it much)
Monday, September 28, 2009
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
August Clothing Pickups
Why not?
Hugo Boss Crewneck Sweater $120+tax
I picked this up at Boys Co. in Canada. Not going to lie, I only bought it because it said "BOSS"... hahah. I think I actually got this in July but whatever. I think the original price was something like $160 but I got it on sale. The material is actually pretty nice, but gets dirty easily (I wore it once and already had to get it dry cleaned). All in the name of having BOSS on my chest. Oh well.
Adidas x Diesel "Thanaz-AD" Jeans $110+tax
These were a pretty bad impulse buy I think. They are a pair of decent quality raw jeans. Original price was $220 and they had them for 50% off. Anyway, it's a collaboration between Diesel (expensive jeans) and Adidas (sportswear).. Weird combination of brands really. Clearly got together to match up against the Evisu x Puma collaboration. Has nice detailing but nothing over the top.
French Connection Transformers Tee $38+tax
It's freaking Optimus Prime on a nice t-shirt. I'm sold. There's Japanese writing. HELP.
Nike Sportswear x Loopwheeler AW77 Full Zip Hoodie $265
Ever wonder what a $265 sweater would look like? Like something you can buy from Walmart but with two tags on it, hehe. As you can see from my previous post, I've been fiending for one of these for some time so I picked one up. Workmanship is amazing. It's super soft, and feels really durable. It's pretty awesome. Also extremely overpriced and not worth it. I don't care. I happy.
Total Damage = $TOO MUCH$
There went my bonus check.. doh.
Hugo Boss Crewneck Sweater $120+tax
I picked this up at Boys Co. in Canada. Not going to lie, I only bought it because it said "BOSS"... hahah. I think I actually got this in July but whatever. I think the original price was something like $160 but I got it on sale. The material is actually pretty nice, but gets dirty easily (I wore it once and already had to get it dry cleaned). All in the name of having BOSS on my chest. Oh well.
Adidas x Diesel "Thanaz-AD" Jeans $110+tax
These were a pretty bad impulse buy I think. They are a pair of decent quality raw jeans. Original price was $220 and they had them for 50% off. Anyway, it's a collaboration between Diesel (expensive jeans) and Adidas (sportswear).. Weird combination of brands really. Clearly got together to match up against the Evisu x Puma collaboration. Has nice detailing but nothing over the top.
French Connection Transformers Tee $38+tax
It's freaking Optimus Prime on a nice t-shirt. I'm sold. There's Japanese writing. HELP.
Nike Sportswear x Loopwheeler AW77 Full Zip Hoodie $265
Ever wonder what a $265 sweater would look like? Like something you can buy from Walmart but with two tags on it, hehe. As you can see from my previous post, I've been fiending for one of these for some time so I picked one up. Workmanship is amazing. It's super soft, and feels really durable. It's pretty awesome. Also extremely overpriced and not worth it. I don't care. I happy.
Total Damage = $TOO MUCH$
There went my bonus check.. doh.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Loopwheeler, or my newest fashion fetish
I like to think that I'm a pretty fashionable guy. I appreciate stuff that fits well, and have spent some hard earned cash on things that might not make sense to a lot of people. My latest obsession is with a japanese brand called Loopwheeler.
There are several things that make Loopwheeler so appealing to me.
Background
In the end, most clothing brands sell just that--their brands. They sell their cuts, their logos, or their looks and designs. Loopwheeler has its own unique story. A brand that works exclusively in cotton, their namesake is a rustic piece of technology called a loopwheel.
According to their blog, these loopwheels were the machine of choice for knitting fabric in the 40's and 50's. The results of which are known for exceptional softness and durability, stemming from a slow process that involves putting less tension on the material. The downside of course, is that it is only capable of making 22-23 meters of fabric a day. That equates to 8-9 sweatshirts.
Due to this gross inefficiency, few places in the world still use loopwheels, and of course, Loopwheeler is one of those few.
Quality
Loopwheeler is one of those rare cases where their selling point is essentially their quality. Their clothing ends up being extremely soft through years of washes. Sweatshirts that can basically be worn for the rest of your life while only getting more wearable over time.
They use a 4-needle sewing machine to make their clothing (as opposed to 2- or 3-needle machines that are the norm), which essentially means that it does not need a sewing margin. Sewing margins would require extra layers of fabric, which is what you will notice for any sweaters you have lying around. The perks of the 4-needle machine is that makes the seams noticeably softer without sacrificing durability.
Exclusivity
While Loopwheeler is distributed in a handful of places outside their main stores in Japan, supplies are extremely limited, and "handful" is few and far between indeed. Selfridges in England, the famous Colette in France, and the two Loopwheeler locations in Japan are the only spots to pick up their product. When they're in stock.
This has changed a bit recently, as Nike has released their high-end Sportswear line. They have collaborated with Loopwheeler for tees and sweats for the first time on American soil. However, Nike Sportswear is for the moment limited to only New York and Los Angeles. And even then? The prices are prohibitive, with sweaters at $200-$240, and shirts in the $50 range.
Pictures and info shamelessly stolen from Loopwheeler's website and blog :)
There are several things that make Loopwheeler so appealing to me.
Background
In the end, most clothing brands sell just that--their brands. They sell their cuts, their logos, or their looks and designs. Loopwheeler has its own unique story. A brand that works exclusively in cotton, their namesake is a rustic piece of technology called a loopwheel.
According to their blog, these loopwheels were the machine of choice for knitting fabric in the 40's and 50's. The results of which are known for exceptional softness and durability, stemming from a slow process that involves putting less tension on the material. The downside of course, is that it is only capable of making 22-23 meters of fabric a day. That equates to 8-9 sweatshirts.
Due to this gross inefficiency, few places in the world still use loopwheels, and of course, Loopwheeler is one of those few.
Quality
Loopwheeler is one of those rare cases where their selling point is essentially their quality. Their clothing ends up being extremely soft through years of washes. Sweatshirts that can basically be worn for the rest of your life while only getting more wearable over time.
They use a 4-needle sewing machine to make their clothing (as opposed to 2- or 3-needle machines that are the norm), which essentially means that it does not need a sewing margin. Sewing margins would require extra layers of fabric, which is what you will notice for any sweaters you have lying around. The perks of the 4-needle machine is that makes the seams noticeably softer without sacrificing durability.
Exclusivity
While Loopwheeler is distributed in a handful of places outside their main stores in Japan, supplies are extremely limited, and "handful" is few and far between indeed. Selfridges in England, the famous Colette in France, and the two Loopwheeler locations in Japan are the only spots to pick up their product. When they're in stock.
This has changed a bit recently, as Nike has released their high-end Sportswear line. They have collaborated with Loopwheeler for tees and sweats for the first time on American soil. However, Nike Sportswear is for the moment limited to only New York and Los Angeles. And even then? The prices are prohibitive, with sweaters at $200-$240, and shirts in the $50 range.
Pictures and info shamelessly stolen from Loopwheeler's website and blog :)
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