week four

Phew.  I can't believe I have already finished my fourth week of school.  Four down, six to go!  This weekend I am once again studying for a neuro and anatomy exam that will be on Monday.  We do three lecture/labs of both neurology and gross anatomy one every Monday and one every Thursday and then an exam on the fourth class session, so after this one we only have two left.  That's a little terrifying, but also a relief.  They cram an obscene amount of information into the three times that we meet, but I finally feel as if I am hitting some sort of stride!  I know how to prep for lab so I can use the three hours of class time to my advantage, and I am learning how to change they way that I approach exams so that I can learn high yield information first and lower yield things after that.  Who knew that was an approach to studying?!  In undergrad you just study it all and it's good, here there is far too much information so you have to triage the things that are most important and the things that will give you the largest yield of recall during the exam.  It's funny how humbling this experience can be, and they told us during orientation that if your approach isn't working that you better change it right away.  That's what I have been doing this week, putting the muscles into compartments with their corresponding nerve, artery, and vein.  Sounds like fun, doesn't it?  Haaaa, and this is what my life is like now. 

Last weekend I did do something fun though, it was an ender to all of my study time and we took the dogs to the beach Sunday night.  They can be off leash during the summer from 7-9 am/pm, and both Oliver and Yin just love it.  There is always some high energy pup for Oliver to run with and chase, and Yin even gets in on the action too!  After another full day of exam prep tomorrow we are planning a break there to end another weekend.  See?  Sometimes I get to appreciate being in Maine!  And in just a few weeks my parents are coming out to visit!  I probably won't see them much, but they will be here.  For me, meals are the best time to squeeze in face to face time with people because I have to eat at some point every day, and luckily my family are experts at making some of the best food I have ever had!!  Mmmm study breaks...