Once again, exams are thrust upon us. I’ve been mostly following a study schedule I made up for myself mid-March; my first exam is this evening, and I feel well-prepared, though cautious and most certainly not overconfident. This particular prof’s examination style is somewhat intense, with negative-marking multiple choice questions making up half the exam and a weighting of 70% of the final course mark. Still, all of the material covered in the exams are what we went through in class (no additional textbook readings), and the questions are straightforward. This prof also happens to be my favourite prof this year – I’ve taken four out of ten classes this year with him, three of them this semester. My next exam is Saturday, followed by another Monday, then one on next Thursday, and finally one on the Thursday after that; everything culminates precisely one month after my 21st birthday. We’ve planned a class-wide brunch out to celebrate afterwards.
In other news, life feels like it might finally be slowing. I’m gearing up (or down?) for “the best summer ever” – that is, one with hopefully not nearly as much stress as last summer. I’ll be working a lot, spending time in the lab, coaching a soccer team and enjoying a new band gig playing at the hospital – and these are my only commitments. No summer courses, no MCAT studying. I’m taking some camping trips, I’m visiting my best friend and family in Ottawa for her graduation, and I’m going to Cape Cod at the end of August. I’m going to focus on my own health and fitness (I’d like to make exercise/movement more of a priority – swimming across lakes and hiking, anyone? – and prioritize better sleep habits). I may even write a memoir, if I can discipline myself to sit down and write every morning; it this proves to be too stressful, I’ll let it go for another season. I’m hoping to spend time making memories with my friends; my undergraduate years are slipping away, and I have this distinct impression that I’m entering my final season of childhood.
Other news:
1) I went to Florida in February with my best friend and her family, and finally got to experience Disney World. It’s a far cry from the types of trips I usually take, but I definitely enjoyed myself – and must admit that Disney as a whole is great at what it does. We also got to enjoy a day at the beach, before temperatures dropped to just above freezing – cold, but not nearly as cold as at home! I’ll take it any day.
2) Immediately after Florida I went to Montebello with my lab group for a conference. That was an extremely cool experience; it’s fun to have the opportunity to interact with researchers at the front of their field and get to know other trainees, who will likely become colleagues in the not-so-distant future. Also, the food at this place: no words. I can’t even begin to sum up how incredible it all was.
3) Yesterday, I started the Whole30 program with my parents. I’m trying to regulate my eating patterns (I have pretty rampant snacking habits and tend to have seconds of dinner, regardless of if I’m hungry or not), and also hope to resolve my persistent acne issues and maybe even sort out my sleep issues (I have frequent bouts of insomnia). Searching for a miracle cure? Perhaps. 😉 We’ll see what happens.
Northern demoiselle 