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