Embrace Your Inner Dork: My Tools to Surviving Medical School

As I was cleaning my desk, preparing for my next big push until Christmas break, I thought it might be fun to share with the world just how dorky I am.  While there are many representations of this in my life, one of the clearest examples is in my school study tools.  Honestly, I think that Staples should give medical schools a little "thank you kick-back" for creating such office supply hungry monsters, then again I may just be speaking for myself.  Here are some cases in point.

First is the binders.  They are great, you can separate systems so that cardio does not mix with neurology or in this case so that board studying materials does not mix with endocrinology.  Also they come in all these great colors!  I use these little ones for day to day stuff so I don't have to carry around monster binders...

Like these massive monster binders.  Each one has a system or well, part of a system, you know neuro I, II, and III, and hematology and oncology... All there for reference, just in case one day I want something from them.  Dan and I have strategically hide them by the dining room table, under my yoga mat and weights.  Veeerrryyy inconspicuous. 
Anyways... binders... big big fan.



There are several thinsg to note in this picture:
1.) The books: now that I am a big bad second year and actually have some time to read, I find them to be very good reads.  The medical school bibles, I believe is fair to say, with lots of pretty pictures of cancer, diseases, and excellent physiology pathways (ahem, I did say I was a nerd). 
2.) The amazing mug that my friend Becky's boyfriend made me before going to school.  Its great because it has room for all the pens, pencils, etc at the top and the bottom (or mouth) hold my favorite stickies to mark pages!
3.) Last but not least is the two sharpie highlighters.  I have tried many, many highlighters and these get my 10/10 rating.  They do not streak at all!  They are also super bright and not too thick or chunky.  Again, sad to say but I have had lots of highlighter experience.

Once lecture has been attended, the notes have been read, the book may or may not have been read I make myself condensed versions of the material.  No, every lecture does not have key words marked in a bright color, each color corresponding to a different lecture.  What do you take me for, a DORK? Okay, so maybe I do, but I swear it helps. It makes me really think about what I am writing down and what the "key, testable" words are.  Also, I try to stick to the rule of one page (both sides) per lecture hour.  To some that may seem like a lot, BUT when 1 hr lectures correspond to 10 pages of power-point slide handouts, it is pretty good.

And when I have days when I just can't make it to school (sick, tired, in need of pjamas) and/or I missed something that a teacher said in the 3rd out of 4th hour of a lecture, I have an amazing computer system set up by my wonderful boyfriend.  I get to watch on one computer, take notes on the other.  Its really quite handy having the extra screen space.  Not to forget, my sexy note stand so I don't need osteopathic manipulations on my neck 24/7.  

 And then it comes to pretest weekend.  How do I make sure I know the material?  Ohh, yes I flow chart it!  While not very clear from this photo, I have used about two drawing pads this year so far doing this.  I started using this technique because as lame as it sounds it is kind of fun.  It does really do give me a good idea of what I know and don't know. 

Finally, this is the remainder of my note card stash from last year, I still keep them around just in case I feel in the inclination to use them again.  While they did help get me through my first year, I have said fair well as I found myself making this many flashcards for one test.  Not my most time efficient study method. 

They are not a total lost cause, I may have some board studying uses for them yet!  But just in excess.

 Lastly, I like to have something that makes me smile on my desk.  Right now it happens to be our Christmas tree.  Last year we had a real tree, well a real fake tree, but after one cat decided it was a peeing post and the other destroyed every glass ornament on it, Dan convinced me to forgo trying another one.  So this is our substitute fake tree and I absolutely love it; no watering or cat disturbances involved.

Two People Met Two Years Ago

Since two years ago, Thanksgiving has an extra special meaning to me.  Just a few days before Thanksgiving, two years ago Dan and I first met.

 FYI: mine is the one on the right with all the sprinkles...

Our first date was a full day of: mall, pizza, and park.  Our second date, the very next day, was a hike and peanut butter sandwiches (a specialty of Dan).  And our third date the night before Thanksgiving, I made him dinner and won him over with the Mikolinski's famous mashed potatoes. 

I am not the most whimsical or hopeless romantic type, but by the time we had reached the top of the mountain on our second date, I knew I had met someone special.  For those of you who don't know Dan, there is just something about him, you just know he is truly a good honest man right upon meeting him (one of the many reasons why I love him).  Anyways since we first met we have been pretty much inseparable and have had so many wonderful adventures together.  Here are just a few of my favorites.

We have gone on many hikes in many many different places.

 and on occasion gotten lost

 but for the most part found our way

  Did I mention we went on a lot of hikes?  Even in the snow!

We have checked out a lot of cars....  

 from Boston

to Tennessee

And then there was more hiking....

 and successful stream crossing (at least for Dan)

 I chose the easier route...

Then there is the bicycle adventures...

And the motorcycle ones...

and some motorcycle camping, exploring some the States.

 and when we got home we also explored Cape Cod...

 There are so so many more memories I could add here, but shall refrain myself.  But I do want to say a special thanks to the person who has brightened so many of my days.  Someone who makes me laugh even when I am being grouchy.  Someone who always knows when I am upset, even if I don't really know it and then knows how to make me feel better.  Someone incredibly smart, good at fixing things, amazingly talented at video games and not to forget, very handsome.  While I can not believe it has been two years since we first met, I can not imagine my life with out you.  

Project Kitchen Table Complete

At long long long last, our kitchen table is finally complete and looks great!  A little of two years ago, I inherited a table.  A pink table...

This table is not just any pink table.  It is the table that came included with my grandparents' house, which is now my parent's home. I think it safe to say, it not used as a kitchen table by my grandmother who had seven kids, but it was kept safe and unharmed.  I am not sure how it became in my Uncle Larry's possession, but when we was moving from his home he offered it to me and I could not resist.  I knew that I wanted the table, because it had a history but I also wanted to make the table a little more me.  And so my project began. 

A hobby of mine is called decoupage; basically you take cuttings and glue them to an object.  In the year prior to the table, I had  made boxes for my best friends, a tray for my mom, and a box to hold things for my dad.  My dad loves beer, he used to make his own and now he just loves trying different ones.  So his box was covered in beer labels that I had managed to get off bottles.  I really liked the end result so I decided to do a similar thing on the table with beer and wine labels.  There was one rule: I was not going to repeat a label. And so I began the winter before going to medical school on my table.  I thought it wouldn't take me anytime at all.... I truly could not have been more wrong.  The whole thing was quite a process.  

Step One: Collect different bottles from anyone you can.  I had many unusual encounters with waiters asking to keep the bottle and I even had friends from afar sending me labels in the mail.                         Step Two:  This was a really tough one, get the labels off the bottles.  I have learned their are labels with hardly any glue and labels that are practically sealed on.  My little trick became boiling the bottles to help soften the glue and burn my fingers.                      Step Three: Glue labels on.

And then you repeat steps 1-3 for about two years and you get...

 But Dan and I decided that we wanted the table to be useful, an every day table.  We did not want to worry about spilling on it or anything like that so we ordered a piece of glass, which arrived this morning.

And so now our beautiful table is complete and I love the way it came out.  The great thing about the table is not necessarily the way it looks but how much of a history it has.  It was my grandparents' table in my dad's home that my uncle gave to me.  Dan and I tried many different beers and wines (many of them to our distaste) so it has some of our history.  When my friend Adrienne went to Africa she brought some labels back, the best souvenir.  Another friend, Aviva who lives in Oakland, Ca shipped me some labels.  And whenever Lauren came over for dinner she was sure to bring something that had a label we were missing.  My parents, grandmother, aunt, uncles, and so many other friends had a part as well.  So while I may not get to see all of these people every day, and for some not even every year, they will have a small presence at every meal Dan and I share and I just love that about our table.