Finally a Break...Sort of

I survived the semester.

As I expected, the last few weeks of school were extremely stressful, but I pushed through. I didn't do as well in my classes as I am used to, but my grades are about what I expected considering all of the circumstances. I was able to come home last Tuesday evening and relax with the family. I was very productive the next few days with shopping, wrapping gifts, reading, and working out, but I fell ill Saturday and am still trying to recover. I woke up with a fever this morning, but I am hoping to feel better soon. 

Although I am now home and I do not have classes to worry about, I am still a bit busy. All of my Christmas shopping is finished, but I still have other things I would like to accomplish. I am continuing to work on my honors project planning and I have a lot of reading to catch up on. I have also been in a great mood for baking, so feel free to stop by my house if you like funfetti cookies or mini apple pies. The great thing about break is that I am not on any type of time schedule. Though I may have things to do, it is up to me when I feel like accomplishing my tasks. 

Now that I have updated you on the boring stuff, I have some great news to share with you:

I have been invited to my first graduate school interview at MUSC!

I am very excited and cannot wait to visit the school in January. I will be missing some class, but I expected that to happen. Hopefully I make a good impression on the Admissions Committee and they think I am a good fit for their program. 

That's all I have. Merry Christmas! God bless. 

“Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Mark 9:23

I Have a Crazy Life

If you've been following my blog you already knew that I have a crazy life. I actually forgot I even had a blog it has been so busy. I apologize to those who have been anxiously waiting for a new post (*cough*mom*cough*).

I have been spending hours upon hours in the lab working on my research project. I took my last set of data today, so all I need to finish by next week is my poster and paper. What's a few more hours, right?

I have gathered a few volunteers for my honors project, and am in the process of recruiting more. (For those who are new to the blog or don't remember what my project is, I am planning and organizing a fundraising walk for the Alzheimer's Association). I have started to assign some specific tasks to people, and my dream is starting to become a reality. I really hope I can pull this off and raise a good amount of money for the Alzheimer's Association.

Classes are almost over for the semester. Although I am super stressed, it is amazing to think I only have one semester left. I am pretty pumped about it.

All of my graduate school applications are pretty much finished, so now we wait. Hopefully I will be invited to some interviews within the next few months.

Do you know what else I am excited about? Winter break. I can't wait to relax and catch up on my reading (Alzheimer's journal...Pathology book...), and of course Christmas!

However, I hate snow.

I think that is pretty much all of the news I have. I probably won't be able to give another update until after final exams. Hope all is well with everyone! Stay warm and enjoy the season of giving!

I Should Not Be Writing This

I should not be writing this because I have a lot of work to do, but I can't really concentrate anyway and it has been a month since my last post. Therefore, I decided to give everyone a quick update. I obviously have been incredibly busy, but I will be turning in my last lab report tomorrow and my online class ends Friday. Not having to worry about that extra class will be really helpful, and instead of writing lab reports every week I will be working on my research project.

My graduate school applications have been put off because of all the crazy school work I've had to do. I just need to write my personal statement for all of the schools I am applying to. Unfortunately that is the hardest part. I hope my creative juices start to flow some time soon.

My Honors project has started to roll a bit. I now have been given permission to use the cross-country course as my "venue". I will be asking for volunteers very soon because I will definitely need a lot of help.

My back issue has gone into relapse again. I have only been doing PT lately, but it doesn't seem to be helping. However, I did just sign up for a membership at a fitness club and they will be working with me individually on a program that will hopefully help me out. Being injured is one of the most frustrating things that I have had to deal with, especially because I am so used to being active all of the time. I really hope the new program gets me back to being able to do the things I want to do.

Scheduling for next semester is coming up, and I am pretty excited about it being my last registration. Even though I have so much to accomplish before walking across the stage, it couldn't come sooner. I am definitely ready to move on.

One thing I should mention that is a little off topic is that I went home last weekend to surprise my mom for her birthday. She definitely did not see it coming. It was pretty awesome. Thanks to my dad, sister, and brother for keeping such a huge secret for over two weeks. I'm not really sure how they did it actually.

Well I really need to get back to work on this lab report! Thanks for reading!

Things Are About to Get Interesting

My first two weeks of school were packed with meetings, but my classes weren't very demanding. Now it is turning around. I don't have many things on my schedule, but I am starting to have to do a lot more work for class. I now have a lab report due every week, and I have assignments for my online class every week. I even have to write a five page paper by next week.

On top of all that, I have started my graduate school applications. Luckily, my top three people I chose to write my recommendations all agreed to being recommenders. Now I need to write a personal statement and get my transcripts sent.

I have also been working on my Honor's project a little. I have drafted a letter asking for the use of my top pick venue and am just waiting for feedback from my project adviser before I send it out.

Team conditioning has started for track. I am a little out of shape due to my injury, and I am still limited in the things I can do, but it feels good to be able to push myself.

I'm hoping I have a little more motivation to get some work done tomorrow than I do right now. Honestly, I'm a little exhausted. Looks like it is going to be an early night for me!

Thank you for reading and thanks so much to all of you supporting me. I could not reach my goals without you behind me.



“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2

One Week Down

I survived the first week of school. It was kind of annoying to have to go to so many meetings, but classes weren't too bad. I have determined that I will be able to combine the projects for two of my classes, so that is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Luckily I haven't had too much homework to worry about, so my weekend was pretty relaxing. I'm still trying to figure out what my research project is going to be though. I also need to start getting my Honors project moving. My online class is supposed to start tomorrow. I almost forgot I was taking an online class, but I don't think it should be too difficult. My workouts have been going pretty well. I'm still concerned with my back but I am taking it one day at a time. I am going home next weekend for the holiday, and may be going to the water park and zoo. It should be a good time. I don't think I have much else to add. Last week went by pretty fast, so I'm thinking this year will probably fly by. I'm ready to graduate, but am doing everything I can to enjoy my last year here. As always, thanks for reading. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with my posts this year! God bless.

Back to School...Again

Well class starts tomorrow. Luckily I only have one class, but I'm still not feeling ready to begin another semester. My room in my apartment is pretty much finished. I had to find some pretty creative ways to fit all of my belongings in and organize it the way I want. Now that I'm settled and have enjoyed my weekend with some of my friends, it is time to get back to business. I have an insanely busy week ahead of me with class, work, and meetings. It is definitely going to be crazy. The GRE last week went well. I now have to ask for some recommendations and start applying to PhD programs. I also need to get started on my Honors Project soon. I don't see many outside projects getting started this week, but hopefully once I can get into some kind of groove with my schedule I'll be able to work on them. I don't really have much else to add, so as always, thanks for reading!

Summer Wrap-Up

Things have gotten a little busy as school is quickly approaching. I move in to my new apartment this Friday. I am slightly excited, but I don't think it has hit me yet. I am definitely not looking forward to having to go back to class, but I would like to get this year over with.

Work has been a great experience. I have absolutely loved working as a zip line tour guide, and am so glad I had this opportunity. I am pretty sad I only have one more day of work. I met so many different people and definitely had some challenges along the way. I got the opportunity to experience everything from little children being terrified and having to encourage them to providing a great tour experience to someone with a mental disability. This job really was a blessing. Plus, I was earning money while having fun!

Besides working and packing, I have been studying for the GRE, which I take Thursday. I will be taking a practice test today to see how close I am to my desired score. I'm trying not to worry too much about it. I may feel anxious about getting into graduate school sometimes, but then I just have to remember that God will lead me down the path that He has chosen for me and all I really need to concern myself with is honoring Him.

My brother did move in with us last week, and it has been a little different. We now have five vehicles outside the house and we have another person to share the bathroom with. It has been nice to be able to see him though.

I've got quite a few busy days ahead. I better go take that practice test. Thanks for reading!

I Survived

Training for work last week was rough. Getting up at 6:30 AM every day and working hard for 9 hours six days in a row was definitely a challenge. I finally got a day off yesterday and had CPR and First Aid training today. We learned so much, and I had no idea how much went into being a zip line tour guide. It makes sense though. We have to be ready for any and all situations that could come up during our tours. I get along with all of my co-workers and am pretty excited for tours to start this week. I get to take my sister and mom on tours so I'm looking forward to that as well.

Other than work, I have been trying to read and study some vocabulary for the GRE. Not much got done last week due to such an intense training schedule but at least I got some good workouts on the job. Also, I ran into some car trouble last week and had to have my sister and mom chauffeur me to work, but it should be fixed by tomorrow. Then the plan is to sell it and buy a new one (new to me, anyway) so I don't have to keep pouring money into it.

It has been a little strange with my dad being away. He just left three days ago for two weeks and I already miss him. However, I did get a chance to experiment in the kitchen since he is gone, and the dinner I made turned out really well. Mom wants me to give him the recipe. I'm sure he'll love that.

There is about a month left until school and I'd have to say I'm ready to go back. As much fun as my job is, I think I would rather be furthering my education and making something of my life. I'm really looking forward to moving to a new place and starting a new chapter in my life next year. I just have to get through this year first.

I almost forgot. My brother will be moving in with us in about three weeks. I am pretty pumped. It's too bad I will only be here for two weeks after he moves in, but he will be so much closer to visit now. August sure is going to be a busy month!

That is all I have for now. As always, thanks for reading!

Summer Update

Throughout the past month I have basically been finding all kinds of things to take up my time. I finished up physical therapy recently and was able to start working out again. I have been doing a lot of organizing and some crafty things. I have also been reading quite a bit and studying for the GRE. I will be taking the test August 16. I just registered for it today. Hopefully I will get a competitive score. All I have to do is work on memorizing all these vocabulary words. I feel pretty comfortable with the math section.

Other than finding projects to fill the time, I have traveled quite a bit to see family. I have gone to Indianapolis twice, Chicago, and LaPorte. It was very nice to be able to spend time with loved ones, but I am glad I do not have any more travel plans for the rest of the summer.

I ended up getting the zip line tour guide job and start training on Monday. I will not be able to work as long as I had hoped due to such a late start date but some money is better than no money. I just haven't had the best luck with summer jobs.

I have been hearing a lot of people from school say they are ready to go back, and in a sense I guess I am too. I don't miss it, but there are a lot of things that I plan on accomplishing this year and quite frankly I would like to get it over with. I am ready to graduate and move on to graduate school. It is kind of weird not having any idea where I will be a year from now, but I just have to be patient through this entire process.

That's all I can really update on. Summer just isn't nearly as busy as the school year. Thanks for reading!

Decisions, Decisions

Hello all. I've been settling in at home for the summer. I am alone at home all day throughout most of the week, so I have a lot of time to think. Not always a good thing. My newest thoughts are that I should apply to graduate school this fall. If you have been following my posts, you know I have gone back and forth with whether to try to get into an MD/PhD program, go into medical school, or apply to graduate school. As much as I thought MD/PhD was the way to go, I'm beginning to think that maybe it isn't the best thing for me. I have not had much research experience, so it would not be easy for me to get in. I was planning on taking a year or two to do research with the NIH, but there is really no way I can count on actually getting into a lab. Plus there is no way I want to live in Baltimore, so I would be moving twice within a couple years. It is starting to seem like graduate school may be a more stable option. I will still be able to do all the research I want to, and I kind of realized that patient interaction is something I really enjoy, but it isn't necessarily a huge part of my career goals. I am interested in learning about Alzheimer's disease in and out so I can help find a prevention. I don't think that seeing patients could really complement my research. I believe I can still get the motivation and enjoyment from working with patients through volunteer work, and devote more of my time to the research required to tackle the disease. Plus, once we do eliminate it, I don't think I will have any trouble finding a new disease to work toward eradicating with my fascination with the human brain and body. I do wish I would have figured all this out before I took the MCAT, and even before I picked my school for undergraduate study, but I've learned a lot from this whole process, and nothing is set quite yet. I will get my MCAT scores this week, and who knows if I will actually need them, but taking the exam was definitely an experience. I need to start looking into taking the GRE so I can apply to graduate school before the end of the year. Hopefully I'll have things mostly figured out before graduation. Only one more year. Kind of weird.

Other than all the thinking I've been doing, I have been doing a lot of reading (of all types-Mom bought me a Nook). I have also applied as a zip line tour guide for the summer and have an interview at the end of the upcoming week. I'm also planning on starting to volunteer at definitely one and possibly another senior center. I will be continuing with the one I have been volunteering with, and the one I am looking into specializes in memory care. I can't wait to get back to volunteering.

I have also been going to physical therapy for my back injury (finally) and am learning so much about my body (my physical therapist likes to point out my weaknesses). Not only am I recovering from my injury, but I am also becoming a stronger athlete. My physical therapist is really helping me strengthen every part of my body that I am confident will help me become a much better thrower. I am really excited about the progress I've made and can't wait to see how I improve!

I think that is all I have for now. I'm sure I'll be posting more updates throughout the summer. Have a great week! Thanks for reading.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
Proverbs 16:33

Finally Over

This incredibly stressful semester is finally over. The MCAT is finished. I just have to wait patiently for my scores. I didn't exactly get the grades this semester I was hoping for but with all that was going on I can't be too disappointed. I'm still at school, however, and have a track meet at the end of the week. I didn't perform very well at the conference meet last weekend, so hopefully I can improve this weekend and maybe even break a school record. I am mostly packed to go home and I have started my medical school application. I have two more days after today to get some things done before the meet on Thursday. As much as I want to go to the meet, I really wish I could go home. I wish I lived closer to school sometimes. Now I just have to focus on track, applying to medical school, and figuring out what I'm going to be doing all summer. I will also be going to the doctor to finally try to get this back fixed once I get home. That's pretty much all that's going on right now. Can't wait to get home! Thanks for reading.

Tomorrow is the Big Day

It is finally here. I take the MCAT tomorrow. Hopefully all of the studying will pay off. Am I nervous? A little. But I figure if I don't know it, oh well. I'm just hoping for a decent enough score to get accepted into a school I would enjoy being at and that will help me be a successful doctor. At this point, I know I'll be fine. Even if I don't get a good score, I can figure something out. It is very difficult for a person like me to look good on paper. I just hope someone sees something that makes them want to get to know me.

Other things going on in my life:

-Dance auditions for next season are in about an hour. I'm excited to be reunited with all the girls and interested to learn more about our new coach.

-I am not competing in track this weekend because of my test, but our conference meet is next week. I am only about ten feet from making it to the national competition even with my back injury. Makes me wonder how good I could have been if I hadn't been injured all season. 

-Today was the last day of classes; finals are next week. I only have three, all on Tuesday. Not really concerned about them. I am at a point in my life where I am really beginning to notice what things actually matter. Don't sweat the small stuff. 

Other than that, it's same old, same old. Really excited for summer. Can't wait for all this stress to be gone. Although my calendar for summer is already starting to fill up. Oops. I mean, could you expect anything else from me? I can't wait to go to the doctor and get fixed and get healthy and start training again. 

As always, thanks for reading!

Matthew 6:27-Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Two More Weeks!

I take the MCAT in two weeks. Two weeks! It hit me today that it is right around the corner. I hope I am ready by then. If you have been wondering why it seems I have fallen off the face of the earth, that is the reason. I have been busy studying, writing my research proposal, and competing in track, as well as keeping up in all my classes and working in the office.

I did get to go home for Easter, which was a much needed break. I decided not to do any homework or studying and focus on relaxing and spending time with my family. It was a great decision, although I have only been back for a week and already feel burned out.

Track has been going okay. My back is continuing to bother me, which has been interfering with me performing my best, but I just keep pushing through it. I had a pretty good practice today even though the rest of the week wasn't so hot, so hopefully it carries into tomorrow's meet. I can't wait for summer so I can get this fixed!

Speaking of summer, there are only two weeks of class and three final exams standing in the way. Very exciting, but also very stressful. Definitely looking forward to relaxing a bit once school is finished. I still have yet to find an internship, job shadow experience, or job for the summer, but I still have a few options.

I also have many options in the paths I will be taking to become a physician-scientist. Sometimes it seems like too many options. Since the application will be available soon, I have been stressing over it a little. My main concern is my lack of research experience. I haven't had the year or two in research that most schools are looking for, and although I know I will be a dedicated researcher, it is going to be very hard to prove to admissions committees. I have been doing some personal research on alternate paths I can take since I don't want to spend the money to apply if I am not going to be a competitive applicant. Luckily, most of the schools I am looking into allow their students to apply to the combined degree program during their first or second year of medical school. Therefore, I can apply to medical school right now and will hopefully be accepted, engage in research during my first year, and apply to the program then. This way seems a little more reasonable at this time since I have not spent much time in research. It also takes a little stress away.

I better get back to studying. Just wanted to update you all on what has been going on. Thanks for reading!

"My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me."
-Psalm 62:7

What do I do now?

If you haven't heard already, I received an email from the Amgen program in St. Louis and they are not offering me a position this summer. When I got the news I was disappointed but realized it probably wasn't the best thing for my life right now. Although an awesome experience in which I would have received a good amount of money, this summer is potentially the last one I could spend at home with my family as I plan on continuing my education in the south after graduation. I wasn't too worried when I received the verdict because I had a plan B. However, that plan was also shot down in the same day. I wanted to seek an internship position at the children's hospital near my home, but when I got to their website there was a huge message stating that they were not accepting summer applications due to construction on site. This was very disheartening because I now have to completely restart my search, and I am running out of time. I am going to be honest and say that I am feeling a little lost. As much as I fight for opportunity, it doesn't really seem to come my way. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers so that I am led in the right direction. I can't have a repeat of last summer or I will go crazy. Thank you for your support, everyone. It means a lot to me.

How Often Do You Check Your Mail?

I know for most people, checking the mail daily is quite normal. I mean the mailbox is just at the end of the driveway right? Well my mailbox is not just at the end of the driveway. I don't even have a driveway. I have to go totally out of my way to check my mail. It is almost an inconvenience to do it. Last semester I probably checked it every other week. But lately? Every. Single. Day. Why? Because I am pleading with my mailbox to produce a letter from St. Louis saying I have a research project to attend to all summer. The website says I will know by March 1st but what if they start sending letters out early? The sooner I know the better, and it is something I really want. However, I am still waiting. That's all I can do. Proverbs 16:9.

Anyway, I apologize for not updating in such a long time but there isn't too much to comment on. I pretty much do the same thing every day. School, work, practice, homework, repeat, etc. This week was a little bittersweet in one aspect. We had our last dance performance, which is upsetting because I love dancing and hanging out with the girls, but I am looking forward to having more time and hopefully recovering from my injuries. Our performance went really well though, and I'm looking forward to next season.

Track is still going well. I am getting really sick of doing turns and drills inside, but I did get to go out and actually throw for about three days. It was awesome and I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can throw outside every day. I'm so ready for outdoor season! The good thing about doing so many turns is that I am getting much faster and I am really excited to see how much of an improvement I've made from last season. If I just could get this back problem of mine fixed I would also like to get back to hitting the weight room hard. I am very limited in the lifts I can do currently, and it is quite frustrating. My back hurting all day long is not pleasant either.

Classes are going okay. I am starting to get a little bored even though the amount of work I have to do is steadily increasing. My stress levels aren't too bad right now, so hopefully I can get ahead on a few things so I don't go crazy. I am a little nervous about the MCAT because I rarely can find time to study with everything I do. It is really hard for me to determine whether the test or my classes should be a higher priority. I am definitely looking forward to spring break in two weeks to get away from campus and catch up on studying.

Enough about me. I got an email today from the Alzheimer's Association about what they call The Longest Day. It is a relay type event that anyone can participate in on the longest day of the year, June 20 this year. From sunrise to sunset, people will be doing endurance activities to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's disease. If you are interested in possibly participating, go to http://www.alz.org/the_longest_day/.

Hope all is well with all of you! God bless.

One Week Down

I made it through my first week of the semester! Of course, the first week isn't really ever the most difficult. I decided to give everyone a quick update. I think I am really going to enjoy my classes this semester, so I'm sure that will help keep the stress levels down a bit. The second part of physical chemistry hasn't been very enjoyable but the grade is 80% homework, so it isn't concerning me too much. The homework is difficult but I'm used to that from this class. My ethics class is incredible. It is so much fun to raise arguments on ethical issues, and I am positive it will help me become a better doctor. I'm planning on learning a lot this semester in all of my classes.

My back is still having its good days and bad days. The athletic trainer I have been working with has realigned my hips twice so far, and we will begin physical therapy this week. I'm not exactly sure how much I will be able to do or how long I will take to fully heal, but I hope it doesn't last too long. It is quite painful and outdoor season is rapidly approaching.

Studying for the MCAT is going well. I have made a weekly schedule and I am doing a good job sticking to it. I haven't had much homework yet, but hopefully I'll be able to stay ahead of the game so I don't become too overwhelmed.

I better get to writing my paper. Thanks for reading!

PS I had a dream last night about being accepted into the summer research program I applied to. A sign? I hope so. Keep the fingers crossed and prayers coming!

My Cheeks Hurt

I just returned home from volunteering at the senior village for two hours. We played BINGO for the first hour, and chatted the rest of the time. One lady was a retired RN and had many stories to tell about her job. She absolutely loved being a nurse and misses it a lot. She had some great advice for me about entering the medical field. I definitely enjoyed the conversation with the ladies and the activities director. My favorite part about the visit, however, was that it was one of the resident's birthday, and she had a few visitors. Among the visitors was a dog. I have not seen as much joy radiate from a person as I did when this lady saw her dog. Even the activities director said it was the happiest he has seen her in a very long time. It is hard to become unmotivated to work with the older generation when moments like that happen. Why do my cheeks hurt? I smiled BIG for the entire two hours.

I apologize for not posting for a month, but I have been on winter break. I had a wonderful Christmas with family, and an uneventful New Year's. I have been reading a lot lately because I rarely have time to read for pleasure at school. I have also been using the time to restrengthen my relationship with God because I was a little distracted last semester with how busy I was. I was a little down, but once I realized what was missing I was able to pick myself back up, and I am now ready to tackle the extremely busy semester that awaits me.

Speaking of a busy semester, I'll let you in on what it will look like. I officially registered for the MCAT on April 28, so I will need to buckle down and study for that. Also, I will be taking Physical Chemistry II, Anatomy, Ethics, and Intercultural Communication, all classes I am confident will help me become a better doctor. I will also be working with one of my professors on writing and publishing a case report on a rare type of gall bladder cancer. I am hoping to get credit for a research seminar class through this project, and hope to continue with the research project I briefly started last semester. I will be continuing my work in the financial aid office, as well as being a part of the dance team, an intramural basketball team, and a captain on the track team. I haven't been able to work out as much as I'd like to due to a back injury, but I'm hoping a trip to the trainer next week will help me get back into it. I am not allowing any setbacks get in the way of my dreams.

With that said, if you are one of my friends reading this, I will go ahead and apologize now for any time I am too busy to hang out. Please don't take it personally. You probably won't see me as often, so don't worry if that happens.

Wish me luck for the coming semester! Hopefully I will be able to keep you all updated.

PS For those of you who are wondering if I have heard from WashU about the summer research program, I have not. Trust me when I say that you will know as soon as I do. Pray for good news!

"You cannot be anything you want to be. But you can be everything God wants you to be."
-Max Lucado