Cram-break

Some people are capable of just moving straight onto studying for the next final after taking one.  I’m not one of those people.  Thus, I’m taking a bit of a break after having taken my hematology final earlier this evening.

This semester has been…well, I’ve really had to adapt to a different type of program.  Like vet school, this one is accelerated, and you’d think that still wouldn’t put them both on an even playing field, but it does.  In vet school, there was a shit ton of material, much more than I’m responsible for here (not to downplay the amount), but I actually had the time to plan and begin to study in advance.  I may not have always taken that opportunity, especially during difficult times, but the availability was there.  And, typically, my grades would consist of anywhere from 1-3 midterms and a final.  That isn’t so, here.  Instead of more material, there is less time to study for the material we’re taught.  In fact, we’ve essentially been given a mere few days to study for finals, given the immense amount of assignments over the course of the semester, up until the very last day.  And, by the very last day, I mean that I have assignments (including two papers) due the day after the last final.  And, one the day after that.  The due dates were actually pushed back….originally, they were due the day of and day before a final.  You’d think there’d be time to complete those things before finals started, but there just literally isn’t time.  It’s been a challenge for me, because I haven’t experienced daily assignments like this since, probably high school.  It was always my weakest spot because of severe procrastination issues, which is why I did shittily in high school.  However, I’m happy to say that I haven’t had a single late or missing assignment the entire semester.  I still have procrastination issues, but I get things done.  A lot of people don’t stop to see much worth in that because that’s just how they normally function, but for me, it’s a pretty big accomplishment.

Which leads me into something else.  One of the reasons I’ve successfully accomplished these things is because of the people in my class.  I’m no social butterfly by any means, as everyone is aware, but I have people, there.  I have people that I talk to on a daily basis.  It didn’t happen overnight, but over the first several weeks of class, I developed new acquaintances.  I went from having days where I hadn’t spoken a word to never having a day where I don’t.  I feel it’s partly me, but I also feel that it’s just the type of people who are in my class.  A lot of them are just nice people.  They’re friendly.  Some of them are even fairly shy or introverted.  I’ve mentioned Tamara in a couple of my entries, lately.  She’s probably the one person there who is most similar to me.  She’s quiet, but friendly.  She’s intelligent, but she procrastinates almost as much as I do.  She loves animals and traveling.  She’s one of the two people I communicate most frequently with outside of school.  We often get together during breaks between classes or after class to work on things.  We’re there to complain to one another or make sure we get things done or what not.  Then, there’s Zainab.  A refugee from Iraq who is now here making her way through grad school in the US.  One of the nicest people I’ve ever met.  We both take the train, so we ride back home together, sometimes.  Megan…I just always feel I can freely talk to her because she’s so laid back.  There are various other acquaintances, people who I’ve just recently begun communicating with more.  A lot of that is online, but bit by bit, lines of communication have been opening up at school.  And, most of those people are in my specific program (there are only about 15 of us).  For me, that’s a lot of people.  That’s just amazing.

My class from vet school just recently finished their last semester on the island and are back in the country for their clinical year.  I won’t lie.  As happy as I am for them, it’s difficult.  Knowing the main reason the entire course of my life changed, and then losing that, too, has been even more difficult.  But, this is what’s happening now.  This is where I am, now, and I’m the only person who’s gotten myself here.  I’m thankful for the people who help make things bearable, help me keep my hopes up.

Now, to take on the last few days of the semester.  Bring it.