Back To Where It All Started

    Before I talk about our moving adventures, I think I'm just gonna go ahead and spill the beans about where we ended up matching.  I'm always hesitant to disclose any information that is too identifying on this blog, for fear that it may be held against me professionally.  However, I think there are enough programs in our city that you wouldn't even be able to guess which program we're at.

     Here goes: We're going to Philadelphia, y'all!!!  Okay, now I'm going to carry on.

Moving day donuts

     So just a measly 7 days after Match Day, BF and I packed up our lives and moved everything over the span of two days.  Luckily, we had friends and family to help us.  We put most of our possessions into a storage unit for the time being, and we are living with my parents nearby for the next fews months before we officially move across the country.  As you can imagine, scrambling to find a place to live 3,000 miles away in two months is less than ideal.  Unfortunately, that's the name of the game with the Match.  There is absolutely no way to prepare ahead of time and look at places, because you have no idea where you're gonna end up.

     On the bright side, it has actually been pretty nice living with my parents.  No bills, no buying food, good company.  It's pretty sweet.  It's also nice to be spending time with my parents before we move so far away :(

     Though I'm very anxious to find a place to live in time, I'm actually getting really excited because we are going to buy a house!  Holy crap - I'm going to own (co-own) a house!  I never would have thought I could afford to own a house at this stage in my life, but BF showed me the numbers, and the housing market in Philadelphia is very buyer friendly.  So this weekend, we're heading to Philly to go house hunting, and I can't wait!  Wish us luck!  We're gonna need some if we want to find a home in one weekend, and to close in time before we start working.

Match

     I know this post is very late, and I didnt mean to leave y'all hanging, but a LOT has happened in the past month. Match day finally came, and as promised, it brought surprise, excitement, and tears.  

   My friends and I rode the shuttle to school so that we could have some cocktails before and after to ease the nerves without anyone having to be designated driver, which in retrospect, was an excellent idea.  I can't even describe the amount of tension and palpable anxiety we had in the room.  Everyone was so on edge.  And then the moment came.  We picked up our envelopes, and when the clock struck 9:00 AM, it was time.

   BF and I barely even started opening our envelopes when we heard commotion and screams all over the room.  But we weren't paying much attention to that.  Going into the match, I wasn't that nervous about not matching together, but about 20 minutes before we got our envelopes, the fear hit me all at once.  What if we ended up on opposite coasts?!  We finally got our envelopes open, looked at them, and breathed a sigh of relief that we ended up together in the same city.  Then we breathed another sigh of relief that we both ended up at programs we really liked.  But HOLY CRAP WE'RE MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY!  Then every single person in that crowded room proceeded to bombard us with questions.  It was absolutely overwhelming.

   It's only after the fact that I truly appreciate how absurd the entire tradition of match day is.  We put our lives on hold for months, having no idea where we will end up for the next chapter of our lives, so we're not able to plan ANYTHING (which is completely terrifying for a typical type-A med student).  Then in the span of 30 seconds, our entire life changes right before our eyes, and we don't have a single second to process what just happened before we have to celebrate with everyone.  

   The reality really didn't sink in until a few days later.  But once we had a few moments to really let it sink in, we became very excited. We're going to a whole new city that neither of us has ever lived in before, so it's gonna be an adventure.  And we're really excited to explore and try something new.  I've lived in California my whole life, and now I'm moving to the East Coast.  I'm gonna have to buy some real winter clothes!  Haha.  Most importantly, we ended up at hospitals in the same city (a few blocks from each other even).  And we are both at programs we loved.  So here's to new adventures! Yippeeeeeeee!!!!!

Radio Silence

  It's always during the most busy, action-packed times that I don't find time to blog.  I haven't blogged for over a month, and let me tell you, this last month has been the biggest whirlwind I've ever experienced.  So many life-changing things have happened in the past month (don't worry - all good things), and I haven't blogged about a single one of them.  Unfortunately, the whirlwind continues... and I won't really have time to sit down and give the next few posts the proper time they deserve until next week.  But, for now I will update anyone who cares that: Yes! BF and I matched together! :D YAY! And we're really excited about where we matched.  And things are amazing right now... just extremely busy!

   Look out for some posts next week.  I'm gonna cover a LOT, because a lot has happened.  Hold on to your panties, y'all!