Halfway through Week 3

I'm totally stressed, behind, but loving vet school. Is that weird? I got so used to feeling stressed and angry during undergrad, but it's weird here. I feel like I'm getting the bang for my buck, the people here are pretty much awesome, and the professors are super into the program. I'm kind of worried because some of the chill people broke down today, and I feel my breakdown is inevitable and will surely follow my positive assessment. Shh. It's ok.

I've spent way too much on textbooks in the last month, but I have to just consider it an investment and go from there. And maybe, I don't know, actually read my books. Sigh. No real time to update besides: forelimb, hindlimb, muscle, patho, physio, bone formation cartilage formation bone healing cartilage healing muscle damage muscle healing white muscle disease lots of inhaling of formaldehyde or its equivalent, LIs LIs LIs etc.

Somehow it is possible

To feel completely swamped, overworked, and underprepared within the first week of classes. I'll just have to accept this as the norm and continue on, even though I'm feeling really stressed. PBL definitely is a paradigm shift. Each week we get a case and work through facts, problems, ideas, plans, and learning issues. It's generally recommended to get your Anatomy down the first few nights and the Physiology and Pathology the next few. However, the learning issues aspect of the cases is huge. There are just so many things to learn, and not enough hours in the day to go through them each. So we split them up. For example, this week, I was responsible for researching and writing up documents regarding Sprains and Strains, Mechanisms of the Inflammatory Response, Production of RBCs and WBCs, Causes of Leukopenia, and Arthroscopy vs. Arthrotomy. However, the case focused on joint problems in the canine forelimb. I didn't spend enough time in the anatomy/pathology aspect and now have a decent understanding of the innate system and hematopoiesis, but a limited comprehension of osteochondritis dissecans which is not ideal. There's this added burden of not knowing when's too deep, and when it's time to just count your losses and move on. Today was supposed to be devoted to studying the anatomy, but I am a slow reader. It's going to get better, though.

Orientation!

Today was the first day of orientation. It was slightly odd for me, since most of the team-building part of the orientation occurred at Frank Dining Hall on Pomona College's campus. It was surreal to participate in all these activities at my alma mater, and it'll probably continue to be surreal all throughout this ordeal, since we'll be in Sontag for parts of tomorrow and our white coat ceremony will be held in Little Bridges, which was like a second home to me as an undergrad.

So far, the team building has been pretty inspiring and fun. The lectures about the changing field and the importance of EQ and self awareness etc. have also been great and illuminating, but they were just a tad on the long side. I felt my energy flagging, but I think the company throwing all these activities is doing the best it can to engage us.

I'm probably going to go to bed soon cause I'm exhausted, and we have a full week of this. Haha, not a good sign that I'm so tired. WE AREN'T EVEN AT THE HARD PART YET.