Hi there; Birdie here!
Week 3 of second year is done, and with it the first two tests of the semester. They were...probably okay? I'm pretty sure I passed, at any rate, but I'm not really sure how well I did. We're finished with derm path, which means there's only about two weeks left of systemic pathology. We also had our anesthesia midterm--3 weeks left of that, and after Mardi Gras we'll be starting orthopedics and surgery! I also put in my first IV catheter/hit a vein in a dog for the first time at our anesthesia lab on Tuesday, so that's exciting. Other than not screwing the port in all the way (in my defense, we had a different kind at the clinic I worked at that didn't screw, just was placed in), I totally got it! So that's really exciting.
I did make my chart for this semester, and it's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. We have two exams a week for the first four weeks, but after that there's a lot of weeks where we only have one exam...it's kind of sad that that's a break for us, isn't it? And the only time there's 3 exams in a week, one of them is a take-home for behavior (which they insist on calling Animals In Society 2, even though it really isn't). And we have no exams the week after spring break, which is necessary, because there's no way I'm studying when I'm in Disney World. I added an extra column this semester, too, for "Other Major Things," mainly SAVMA convention and the Legislative Fly-In. I'm going to go to DC for a couple of days! I applied sort of the day after it was due, but I got alternate, and then I got an email a while ago that said I'm in! Well, actually it said they were pleased to tell me I'd been chosen as an alternate, which I already knew, but that email went out to people from other schools and was followed by one telling me what to do for it, so I figure that translates to "I'm in."
I'm signed up to feed the birds again this semester (day birds this time--there's only one owl left now, since BAMF passed away, and there's a lot of day birds), but we haven't got the schedule yet. We've already had a bunch of club meetings and sent out our open house requests, which of course remain pretty much blank. We've even had 2 VBMA meetings already: one on Louisiana-specific legislation and one on practice evaluation which wound up being a bunch of boring financial stuff that didn't seem very practical. Um, what else...Last weekend I went home, so that was nice. And my dad found a website that's basically a Farmer's Market that delivers. He got me a king cake that I brought to school, a bunch of blood oranges (which are basically the best, btw), and a couple other things. So that was really cool, too.
I'm still working on summer stuff (and I've only got about a week to finish it all...), but at least I know what I'm applying to: four things this year. My mentor found a project for me...actually two projects. One is the only-takes-two-weeks one, collaborating with several other people to replicate a blood pressure study using the gold standard transducers rather than the commonly used ones as in their last study. The other is a validation of some company's indirect blood pressure measurement. The timing works perfectly, too, since our Italy trip fits nicely in between those two projects. Unfortunately, though, apparently there are a boatload more letters of intent for summer scholars this year than usual, so I'm not sure what the chances are of me getting accepted for that. Thus, I'm applying for other things: Banfield (though I haven't quite figured out where my second and third choice locations are) and Tulane Primate Research Center again, and a diagnostic pathology program at Johns Hopkins. I've lined up my letters of recommendation (as of, um, yesterday) but I still need to write my letter of intent type things, so I'm hoping to work on that today.
I also need to do a lot of studying for urinary and possibly derm today since I won't have a lot of time tomorrow. I'm doing Spay Day tomorrow--and since I went to the ECC wetlab, I'm supposed to be able to intubate some cats! I'm not sure which station I'll work, but I'm probably going to try and do anesthesia again--cat wrangling is still what I'm least comfortable with. I'm also going to a Brian Regan comedy show tomorrow night, which doesn't leave a lot of time for studying! Luckily the urinary test shouldn't be bad, and we've got a good idea of what's going to be on it.
As for my reading challenges, I'm still well ahead. I have now read 10 books so far this month, which is a new record as far as I know--the last time I paid attention to how many books I read in a month was November, when I'd finished 9 and started a 10th by the 30th. I just finished a Mercedes Lackey book, The Black Swan, which I found kind of disappointing. Now I've started Group, a nonfiction book about group therapy, and it's pretty interesting so far. So despite the fact that tests have started, at least I'm keeping up with reading!
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Welcome back to second year
Hi there; Birdie here!
I have now finished the first week of my second semester of second year of vet school. This means...only two more full semesters of classrooms! I'll talk about this week in a minute, but first: it's a new year, and time for reflection. So please consider this picture:
This is the schedule I made last semester for every exam I had to take and every exam I had to study for. This is how many exams I had last semester...plus one, actually, since I made this after the first two weeks of class and thus after the first exam. I haven't made one for this semester yet because we're trying to move a couple of tests so I need to wait until the schedule is finalized. When I do that one, I'll try to remember to put it up here. I've heard that fall second year is the worst, but I kind of find that hard to believe when I look at how many classes we have this semester. It's 26-ish credits this semester, I think? I'm also taking 3 electives. Technically we're only supposed to take 2, but one of mine is the online Emerging Diseases or whatever class we need for licensing to write inspection certificates and such. So I can still take two others with that; mine are Skin and a case-based "advanced" feline medicine course. I tried to get into a cultural competency class, but I was literally the only person who signed up, so it got pulled. Skin is supposed to be pretty cool, though. I've heard there's lots of hands-on experience, suture practice, etc.
In general, our classes this semester seem pretty cool. Well, I'm not super excited about Farm Animal or Exotics because that's not what I want to do with my life, but eh. We're finally going to learn physical exams (in Anesthesia, of all classes!) and learn to suture! My favorite teacher, who taught us immunology, is lecturing again, so that's fun. Also we have a class with my mentor, a clinician who went to the same tiny undergrad I did, and he's a really entertaining instructor. Apparently some of my classmates have a lot of trouble following him,but I haven't had that problem. I still don't have all of my textbooks yet--two of my book orders got cancelled sometime after I made them, and I had to re-order! I got a couple of these really good Secrets books, so that's cool. They're pretty hard to find, though, and more expensive than they look like they should be. I mean, I'm used to things like my giant, heavy, two-volume internal medicine book being $100-200, but these are smallish paperbacks that I don't think should be over $50, much less $200. I think they're probably out of print and that's why. But they're really great books, with clear explanations.
Speaking of the new year, I decided to do a reading challenge for 2015. Two, actually--a blog I follow put up her own (only 12 books, with some overlap) so I'm doing that as well as the 52-book popsugar challenge. I've already read 4 of the 52 books (none of which counts for the 12th, unfortunately). I'm currently reading Crossed by Ally Condie for "a trilogy." I'm also doing (at least) the 52 book challenge as a photo challenge since I liked the November one so much. So don't be surprised if I talk about books on here more than usual this year. :)
The semester hasn't started stressing me yet (although I do have quite a lot of studying plans for this weekend even though the first test isn't even next week yet), but I know it's coming. I still have my 3 officerships, which means I'm about to have to meet with all of them to set up meetings for the semester and also prepare for open house. Apparently second years have certain parts of open house we're in charge of, too--I thought we were done with that! And once again I'm not sure what I'm working but it's probably club stuff not class stuff. This year it actually didn't fall at the same time as New Orleans Comic Con...but the con is this weekend, and I never registered or anything, so I'm still not going. At least I know I'm going to Dragon Con in September! I also started riding lessons again this week. My instructor keeps putting me on Cricket, and on Thursday she told me I ride him well. To which I could just say, "Really?" He is very slow, and I certainly don't feel like I ride him well. Apparently there's another student show next weekend, but I've already decided I'm not doing it--not least because she wants me to ride Cricket in the show. And I definitely can't ride Cricket well enough to do well in a show. So, pass.
I'm still not sure what I'm doing for this summer. I did update my resume (um, this week. Not actually over break), and I looked up deadlines for a bunch of programs. But then during this week my mentor approached me after class and when I told him I hadn't found anyone else to do research with over the summer, he said he'd try to think of a project I can do. I'm not really sure how I feel about that--mostly, I don't like all this uncertainty. I just really want to do something vet-related this summer. I mean, I will, it's non-negotiable, but I'd also like to 1) know what I'm doing and 2) get paid. If I don't get any of my stuff, I'll look up 2-week externships at AVMA's website (and hopefully get the Live Oak Bank one, too) and do a few of those...but I'd really rather do something paid than something where I have to pay to travel.
Oh, also, I'm all registered for SAVMA symposium! I also actually booked my room and flight at the same time, so unlike last year I'll be in the same hotel as the symposium, which will be much more convenient. This year I'm doing two wetlabs: a nutrition/critical care one and an abdominal surgery one. I'm actually getting there a day early for the nutrition wetlab, and nothing else will have started yet, so I've got a free afternoon. Symposium is in Minnesota this year, so what I'm planning on doing with that afternoon is: go to the Mall of America! I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. Also, I am DEFINITELY going to hear Temple Grandin speak this year. Last year I had to miss her because of my wetlab, but this time I checked the schedule and made sure I have that time free! Dr. Roark is also going to be speaking, so I'll try to hear him if I can. Betsy Charles is, too, but I'll miss her for abdominal surgery. It's going to be SUPER cold, though--not excited about that. Everything else, though, is looking pretty cool.
Last night I went to see Into the Woods with one of my friends. Another friend was supposed to meet us, but she couldn't find parking, couldn't find the theater, and then was too late to get a ticket. But we did randomly meet up with a few of our other classmates who were also going to see the movie! It was really well done, but I can't say I liked it a lot. There were some really weird scenes in the first part: the wolf was creepy, and I wasn't expecting the princes to be so silly. And then the second half happened, which I really wasn't expecting, and I didn't much care for the ending. I prefer a little more happily ever in my fairy tails, and I am very upset about certain deaths. I'm glad my little brother didn't end up seeing it; for all that it was PG it was very scary and almost certainly inappropriate.
One last thing before I sign off: I have a new laptop, and it's AWESOME! Apparently this isn't going to be a quick note because I have to tell the whole story. First, my gaming laptop completely died. It did the thing it did when I first got it where it wouldn't turn on, so I took it to the Muppet since he fixed it the first time. He almost fixed it, though not without severely messing with its aesthetic--instead of a power button attached to the side it would have an awkward red button from radio shack hanging out by the wires, and then he drilled a hole in it that turned out to be useless! But none of that mattered because the big wires he'd used to fix it the first time had come off the microwires in the computer itself, and it was going to be difficult to fix. So I gave up on that. Then my ordinary laptop, which mostly worked fine, kept having spurts of problems too. Finally, I think it was the week after Thanksgiving, I bought my new laptop. And I'm glad I didn't buy it earlier when I almost did, on Black Friday, because not only were the Black Friday sales still going but I also got an additional discount through LSU! So I got a really nice gaming laptop, even better than the one I was originally going to get, for less than $1,000 not including tax. I'm still getting used to it a little. It has Windows 8, which I'm not used to, and the trackpad is centered under the spacebar instead of centrally on the laptop, so I keep accidentally right-clicking. But I've successfully played some Don't Starve on it, and started Mass Effect (which I finally bought when it was on Steam Sale around Christmas). Other than Windows 8 (and certain things about that OS that unfortunately I can't turn off), it hasn't given me any problems, and I'm really happy with it.
I have now finished the first week of my second semester of second year of vet school. This means...only two more full semesters of classrooms! I'll talk about this week in a minute, but first: it's a new year, and time for reflection. So please consider this picture:
 |
| Fall 2014 exam/study schedule |
In general, our classes this semester seem pretty cool. Well, I'm not super excited about Farm Animal or Exotics because that's not what I want to do with my life, but eh. We're finally going to learn physical exams (in Anesthesia, of all classes!) and learn to suture! My favorite teacher, who taught us immunology, is lecturing again, so that's fun. Also we have a class with my mentor, a clinician who went to the same tiny undergrad I did, and he's a really entertaining instructor. Apparently some of my classmates have a lot of trouble following him,but I haven't had that problem. I still don't have all of my textbooks yet--two of my book orders got cancelled sometime after I made them, and I had to re-order! I got a couple of these really good Secrets books, so that's cool. They're pretty hard to find, though, and more expensive than they look like they should be. I mean, I'm used to things like my giant, heavy, two-volume internal medicine book being $100-200, but these are smallish paperbacks that I don't think should be over $50, much less $200. I think they're probably out of print and that's why. But they're really great books, with clear explanations.
 |
| This is one of the Secrets books I bought since we're taking Oncology this semester |
Speaking of the new year, I decided to do a reading challenge for 2015. Two, actually--a blog I follow put up her own (only 12 books, with some overlap) so I'm doing that as well as the 52-book popsugar challenge. I've already read 4 of the 52 books (none of which counts for the 12th, unfortunately). I'm currently reading Crossed by Ally Condie for "a trilogy." I'm also doing (at least) the 52 book challenge as a photo challenge since I liked the November one so much. So don't be surprised if I talk about books on here more than usual this year. :)
The semester hasn't started stressing me yet (although I do have quite a lot of studying plans for this weekend even though the first test isn't even next week yet), but I know it's coming. I still have my 3 officerships, which means I'm about to have to meet with all of them to set up meetings for the semester and also prepare for open house. Apparently second years have certain parts of open house we're in charge of, too--I thought we were done with that! And once again I'm not sure what I'm working but it's probably club stuff not class stuff. This year it actually didn't fall at the same time as New Orleans Comic Con...but the con is this weekend, and I never registered or anything, so I'm still not going. At least I know I'm going to Dragon Con in September! I also started riding lessons again this week. My instructor keeps putting me on Cricket, and on Thursday she told me I ride him well. To which I could just say, "Really?" He is very slow, and I certainly don't feel like I ride him well. Apparently there's another student show next weekend, but I've already decided I'm not doing it--not least because she wants me to ride Cricket in the show. And I definitely can't ride Cricket well enough to do well in a show. So, pass.
I'm still not sure what I'm doing for this summer. I did update my resume (um, this week. Not actually over break), and I looked up deadlines for a bunch of programs. But then during this week my mentor approached me after class and when I told him I hadn't found anyone else to do research with over the summer, he said he'd try to think of a project I can do. I'm not really sure how I feel about that--mostly, I don't like all this uncertainty. I just really want to do something vet-related this summer. I mean, I will, it's non-negotiable, but I'd also like to 1) know what I'm doing and 2) get paid. If I don't get any of my stuff, I'll look up 2-week externships at AVMA's website (and hopefully get the Live Oak Bank one, too) and do a few of those...but I'd really rather do something paid than something where I have to pay to travel.
Oh, also, I'm all registered for SAVMA symposium! I also actually booked my room and flight at the same time, so unlike last year I'll be in the same hotel as the symposium, which will be much more convenient. This year I'm doing two wetlabs: a nutrition/critical care one and an abdominal surgery one. I'm actually getting there a day early for the nutrition wetlab, and nothing else will have started yet, so I've got a free afternoon. Symposium is in Minnesota this year, so what I'm planning on doing with that afternoon is: go to the Mall of America! I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. Also, I am DEFINITELY going to hear Temple Grandin speak this year. Last year I had to miss her because of my wetlab, but this time I checked the schedule and made sure I have that time free! Dr. Roark is also going to be speaking, so I'll try to hear him if I can. Betsy Charles is, too, but I'll miss her for abdominal surgery. It's going to be SUPER cold, though--not excited about that. Everything else, though, is looking pretty cool.
Last night I went to see Into the Woods with one of my friends. Another friend was supposed to meet us, but she couldn't find parking, couldn't find the theater, and then was too late to get a ticket. But we did randomly meet up with a few of our other classmates who were also going to see the movie! It was really well done, but I can't say I liked it a lot. There were some really weird scenes in the first part: the wolf was creepy, and I wasn't expecting the princes to be so silly. And then the second half happened, which I really wasn't expecting, and I didn't much care for the ending. I prefer a little more happily ever in my fairy tails, and I am very upset about certain deaths. I'm glad my little brother didn't end up seeing it; for all that it was PG it was very scary and almost certainly inappropriate.
One last thing before I sign off: I have a new laptop, and it's AWESOME! Apparently this isn't going to be a quick note because I have to tell the whole story. First, my gaming laptop completely died. It did the thing it did when I first got it where it wouldn't turn on, so I took it to the Muppet since he fixed it the first time. He almost fixed it, though not without severely messing with its aesthetic--instead of a power button attached to the side it would have an awkward red button from radio shack hanging out by the wires, and then he drilled a hole in it that turned out to be useless! But none of that mattered because the big wires he'd used to fix it the first time had come off the microwires in the computer itself, and it was going to be difficult to fix. So I gave up on that. Then my ordinary laptop, which mostly worked fine, kept having spurts of problems too. Finally, I think it was the week after Thanksgiving, I bought my new laptop. And I'm glad I didn't buy it earlier when I almost did, on Black Friday, because not only were the Black Friday sales still going but I also got an additional discount through LSU! So I got a really nice gaming laptop, even better than the one I was originally going to get, for less than $1,000 not including tax. I'm still getting used to it a little. It has Windows 8, which I'm not used to, and the trackpad is centered under the spacebar instead of centrally on the laptop, so I keep accidentally right-clicking. But I've successfully played some Don't Starve on it, and started Mass Effect (which I finally bought when it was on Steam Sale around Christmas). Other than Windows 8 (and certain things about that OS that unfortunately I can't turn off), it hasn't given me any problems, and I'm really happy with it.
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