Wait, So November Already Happened?

   I can't believe today is December 1st.  That means that I somehow got through my crazy month of juggling EM shifts with back-to-back-to-back interviews.  That also means that I only have two more blocks of 4th year left.  TWO MORE BLOCKS.  Right now, I'm on a long-awaited 2 blocks of "vacation", after which I only have 1 month of anatomy didactics, and then I finish my year off with 1 month of Family Planning.  Actually, I originally planned these two months of "vacation" to accommodate interviews, however, I somehow ended up doing most of my interviews in November during my EM rotation.  I don't know how I managed to do it, because for the entire month, I was either working, traveling or interviewing.  I think I survived last month with the help of some of my dear friends: hypomania, melatonin and caffeine.  I only have 3 interviews left, which are very spread out over the next two months, but I'm holding out hope for more last minute interview invitations.  I mean, it's not like I'm doing anything anyway.

   Well, that's not true.  I actually am working on my research during this time, but I still have a lot of free time.  And damn, it sure feels good.  I've been catching up on my previously ever-lengthening To-Do List, binge-watching tv, re-reading the Harry Potter series... You know, all the awesome things that regular people do.

   Interview season has been crazy.  People said that it actually ends up being kinda fun, and they were right!  Once I stopped worrying so much about getting enough interview invitations to have enough places to rank in order to match (try saying that all in one breath!), I really started to enjoy the process.  It's been fun and exciting traveling to new places, meeting new people, exploring other programs and what they're all about.  And the interviews are much different than medical school interviews.  This time around, I often get the feeling that they are recruiting me.  Also, for those of you who were ever in a sorority, the whole residency interview/match process is so similar to sorority recruitment/rush that it's quite scary.  I never would have thought all the things I learned during sorority recruitment would come in handy later, but they really have.

   I'm sure I'll start blogging more now that I have more free time.  I'd also really like to re-vamp my blog layout and design before starting residency, but I am somewhat computer illiterate, so if anyone knows any good websites or tools to use, please share! :)

View from one of my Philly hotels

Chicago O'Hare

BF and I managed to get a couple of interviews together.  Here we are at Dunkin Donuts.  Don't judge.

This is how I relax before an interview  hahaha

This is also how I relax before/after an interview

I've gotten very accustomed to changing into/out-of my suit in bathrooms

Family Time

So, I've been home for almost two weeks now. On one hand, it has been great being able to relax and do absolutely nothing (and I really mean nothing)... especially now that I am coughing my lungs up due to some bug I caught. On the other hand, it's been a little boring, and I am beginning to feel a little anti-social. I've seen my family a lot, but haven't seen ANY of my friends. I was really looking forward to a high school friend (Chelsey's) christmas party, but I was too sick to go that night with a raging fever. Great timing right? The one time there is something to do!

Yes, I have been enjoying day dreaming about my upcoming life as a doctor, and "preparing" by watching many many episodes of ER thanks to Netflix. But, it's been lame not being able to really celebrate with anyone. I guess that is what Winter quarter will be all about! I somehow managed to schedule classes so that I only have class Tuesdays and Thursdays, which is, my friends, a very beautiful thing.

One thing I'm also looking forward to is New Years. I'll probably go to SF with S and J and get into some sort of mischief! But I'm also just looking forward to the new year. It will be a year that I no longer have to dwell on rejections and wait for my fate to be determined. It's going to be a happy year, one of bittersweet endings like leaving LA, saying goodbye to my sorority family and graduating UCLA, but also with inspiring new beginnings like getting an apartment, starting med school, and making new friends. The one part of this upcoming year I wish I could change is the fact that my mom won't be there to share any of it with me. She is being deployed to the war and is going to miss not only my graduation, but my white coat ceremony initiating me into the wonderful world of medicine. And what scares me even more than that, is the haunting thought that she may not ever return at all... So as much as 2010 is going to be a fabulous year, I guess we can't have it all, right? I find it easier to only think about the happy things going on, I suppose I'll deal with the hard stuff if/when it happens.

Anyway, I ended up cancelling my Rush interview. I just figured I might as well open up the interview spot to someone who actually might attend that school, I know I would want someone to do the same for me. Not to mention the snow in Chicago probably would have made the trip an utter hassle. Although, it would have been pretty cool to see the city where ER takes place :P

Well, tomorrow morning at an extremely ungodly hour (3:30 AM) - which, I guess is bed time for a lot of people my age - I will be embarking on my family journey to Mississippi to visit my mom for Christmas. I'm definitely excited about going. You know me, always love to visit new places! Can't wait for seafood! And it will be good to keep mom company. I think she is starting to get a little stressed out over there. Wish me luck, and Happy Holidays to all!